Over the weekend of April 9-10, Le Club Patinage Artistique de Huntingdon Figure Skating Club hosted its annual yearend show.
Showcasing the talents of the clubs members, the skating show is held at the end of every season before the arena ice is melted for the spring. Students skated about in costume, showcasing their individual talents, with family and friends abound to take in the performance. Two shows took place over the weekend—one on Saturday evening at 7:00 P.M. followed by a matinee on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 A.M. The theme was a current, aptly titled “And the Nominees Are…” All 40 participants (aged three to 17) brought something of their own to the show, donning brilliant costumes while charged with contagious enthusiasm. This year, Georges Lacombe and Eric Taillefer were present to make a donation on behalf of the Huntingdon Optimist Club, while Joanne Lacombe and Lyndie Bezeau were on hand to make a donation on behalf of M. Jean-Luc Crete CPA Auditeur CGA.
First presented in 1980, the yearend show began when the founding board members, coaches and skaters decided it would be a great way to draw attention to the talents of the skaters and the significance of the figure skating club while raising funds. “The show is a lot of hard work, but the skaters love it and look forward to performing in front of the community. Most of all, it is a chance for the skaters to show how much they love to skate,” says club vice-president Karen Anderson, whose own daughter is an active member of the group, taking up figure skating at the young age of seven. The current president the club is Godmanchester resident Leslie Gahan—her own two daughters are also active members (her oldest is a qualified coach).
While all students are welcome to perform, it isn’t mandatory, which takes the pressure off of some of the shier students. The skaters themselves are a dedicated bunch, with several of them having participated in regional competitions throughout the year. “Many of our skaters continue spring and summer skating at other clubs that are open year round,” explains Anderson. Some of the more serious skaters in the club also dedicate their time to passing test levels in several disciplines (Freestyle, Skills, Dance and Interpretive). “Our highest level senior skater has completed both her Freestyle and Skills and is currently working on her dances. She’s actively pursuing her coaching certification to be able to coach next season,” said Anderson.
The club offers the local youth a Skate Canada program, which teaches young skaters the fundamental movements and basic skills of skating. Run by a qualified coach and assistant coach (alongside several volunteer program assistants (Junior and Senior skaters), young skaters are paired up with one of the program assistants until they learn to skate independently. After this stage, participants are placed in groups according to skill—as opposed to age, which is how many clubs operate. This allows skaters to grow at their own pace—the program also provides an adequate base for those children wishing to play hockey. Recently, the club even began to offer a two-day power skating session for hockey players.
According to Anderson, the program, in addition to the event itself, requires a significant amount of coaching and volunteer work. Countless local sponsors step in to help to support the club and to aid in the funding of ice maintenance, with the club often offering arena advertisements in return. With the cost of ice coming to approximately $25,000 annually, the club puts much of its funds into maintaining that hefty expense.
