Sicamous is known as a hockey town, but starting this fall there will be a different way to get out on the ice.
The Salmon Arm Skating Club will be expanding to offer figure skating and power skating classes as well as introductory skating lessons at the Sicamous Rec Centre.
Crystal de Boer, the president of the skating club said lessons are expected to begin in September or October and will be taught by the same coaches as the Salmon Arm students. The coaches will travel to Sicamous one day a week.
DeBoer said the CanSkate program, which will be taught in Sicamous, is a good introduction to the ice for children ages three and up. The program teaches fundamental skating skills which will prepare young skaters to move on to power skating, figure skating or hockey.
After picking up the basics from the CanSkate program students can join the power skating or figure skating classes.
De Boer said she thinks it will be good for Sicamous’ hockey players to have power skating classes available locally, as the program focuses on skills such stopping and skating backwards as well as skating drills similar to those found in a hockey or ringette practice.
The ice time for figure skaters opening up in Sicamous is a relief for Daisy-May Munro who has been travelling to Salmon Arm to continue skating since the Sicamous club folded approximately four years ago.
Munro said she enjoys the exercise she gets from skating and the process of fine tuning her skills on the ice.
Munro’s mom Jackie said the Sicamous club, which had been running for decades, had only five or six girls skating for them when it folded. Both Jackie and Daisy-May agreed it will be a relief to be able to skate on home ice at least one night a week.
“I love working with all the skaters and seeing how much they improve every year,” de Boer said.
“I think it’s going to be so good for Sicamous.”
DeBoer said 30 people have expressed interest in the lessons in Sicamous. The club will be at the Sicamous open air market, located at the end of Main Street, on Saturday June 16 to register those interested.
For further information contact the club at salmonarmskatingclub@gmail.com.
