Scott Hamilton and the Nashville Predators have forged a dynamic partnership to get their community excited about skating.
making certain we are serving all the family members.”
said. “Our Learn to Skate program is not only affordable, but you get so much more than skating with it. Every time you purchase a season of Learn to Skate, you get two tick- ets to a Predators game, the ability to skate at intermission during a Predators game, multiple public skate passes and a thank-you gift.”
Te “family-centric” environment of the school is a draw as well, said Paula Kaye Tru- jillo, manager of the Scott Hamilton Skating Academy.
“I think our culture of care at the academy inside of the Ford Ice Center is what sets us apart from all others,” she said. “Scott strongly believes in family. We just set our sights high and with determination on
well.
Te academy offers special programs as “Our Go Skate! program is a free eight-
week semester of Learn to Skate classes that are available to children ages 4 to 12 who are new to skating,” Trujillo said. “Tey are given free ice skates at graduation (provided through the NHL and NHLPA Industry Growth Fund). It’s a wonderful way for our community to give skating a try. We also have several scholarship opportunities for less privileged customers that might not have had the chance to try skating if not for these grants.” Removing economic barriers and mak- ing skating fun are ways to develop a lifelong interest in the sport, Hamilton said. “If a child has been taught how to skate
The Scott Hamilton Skating Academy at the Ford Ice Center is burgeoning with new members and classes.
in a joyful environment and now has their own skates, they will probably stick with it,” he said. Te success of the Scott Hamilton Skat-
ing Academy and the Ford Ice Center has enabled it to host competitive events, such as the upcoming 2018 Eastern Great Lakes Regional Figure Skating Championships in October. Expansion is also on the horizon. In March 2017, it was announced that a second facility would be built in Bellevue, a neighborhood in West Nashville. Similar to the Hickory Hollow Mall property, the new rink will be built on the site of the former Bellevue Mall, which closed in 2008. According to a March 2017 article in the Nashville Business Journal, the rink will be a part of One Bellevue Place, a $200 million project that will also include residential, retail, and office space. Te rink is scheduled to open in late 2018. “We have vibrant youth sports pro-
grams here — soccer, football, basketball and cheerleading, too,” said Sheri Weiner, metro councilwoman who represents District 22 in Nashville. “I’ve lived in Bellevue since 1981 and saw the life drained out of this commu- nity when the mall closed. To see the exciting engagement and support for what we are embarking on is extra special. One Bellevue Place breathed new life into Bellevue, and the skating facility will offer an enhanced op- portunity to those families seeking to engage their children in sporting activities.” With more rinks to provide increased
exposure to the sport and a passion to push it forward, it is sure to increase the depth — and love — of skating for years to come. “More is always more,” Hamilton said.
“Skating has been a part of the Nashville community for a long time. Having more surfaces to skate on and more opportunities to grow skaters will ultimately bring greater quality to our skaters.”
SKATING 15
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