The Westlock Figure Skating Club is on the hunt for a new coach and if one isn’t found by Oct. 1 it may mean more than the end of just figure skating in Westlock.
The club’s skate pro also teaches the local Learn to Skate Program and a fresh applicant isn’t found, participation could be adversely affected for most ice sports in Westlock, said club secretary Tammy Round.
“It is worrisome. We don’t want to lose that service. We need an introductory skating program for all of our kids that go into fun hockey, ringette, minor hockey,” Round said.
“We need to have a program where our kids can get their first exposure to skating, where all they have to do is get on the ice, fall down and get up. There would be a void if we didn’t’ offer it.”
Though many don’t often associate the Learn to Skate Program with the figure skating club, Round added that association will quickly become visible to parents in other sports if the spot isn’t filled.
“[Having that coach] means we’ll have much more confident hockey players and ringette players if we have kids just an hour a week learning the fundamentals.”
The Learn to Skate Program usually runs from October through March, and gives kids a full introduction to skating and how to balance on the ice.
“They may have started by sitting down on the ice, but by the end they’re skating,” Round said.
To be eligible, coaches must be primary STARSkate certified or higher and a Skate Canada professional coaching membership.
Figure skating classes run on Monday and Wednesday, and although the popularity of ice bookings at the Rotary Spirit Centre means there isn’t a lot of flexibility in those hours, timing doesn’t usually pose recruitment difficulties for the club, Round said.
Round’s own daughter participates in skating programs in Westlock and Edmonton. Round said that, without the local time and coaching available, kids who rely on local resources to stay competitive on the road will also be affected.
“Really the community will suffer the most,” Round said.
“Our older skaters for instance. They need to maintain their skills to be on those Edmonton teams. If this doesn’t work, and we can’t provide the coaching and private lessons here, they won’t make it there.”
