Trees are still yellowing and most gardens have yet to fully frost, but the Town of Athabasca’s skaters are not waiting on the winter.
Members of the Athabasca Skating Club’s StarSkate programs spun and glided along the ice of the Athabasca Regional Multiplex at their first lesson of the season Sept. 11.
Coach Tamara Jackson said she’s impressed with this year’s registration numbers. This year, 11 students are registered for the upper level StarSkate program, which she said is a rare treat for a small town.
“I think the kids are having a lot of fun so more kids want to join,” Jackson said.
This year, StarSkate is introducing a powerskate program for kids aged six to 12, which will teach skating skills.
“Hockey teams, they don’t actually teach the kids how to skate,” said Jackson. “It’s teaching them the hockey. So if the kids want to learn how to skate, this is the only program to do that.”
Anyone age two and up can join in one of the club’s classes. Jackson said they need skates, winter wear and a CSA-approved helmet until they reach a high enough level to skate without it.
“It doesn’t matter age,” she said. “If you’re in your fifties you’re still wearing the helmet until you’re ready to be out of it.”
Club communications director Angie Missler said her two children have participated in the skating program for seven years.
“Initially, I started because it’s one of those Canadian skill things,” she said. “You know, everybody should probably try out skating because we live in a winter country. But as they moved through it, they become independent.”
Missler said she plans on joining them on the ice this year.
“It’s not a team sport, which is good,” she said. “They can take this skill and they can do it anywhere they want. Wherever there’s a sheet of ice and they have their skates, they can take skating.”
The club will hold a tournament Nov. 25 this year at the Multiplex.
