Skating Through the Sunshine State
The Learn to Skate USA team took a trip around Florida to see all of the great things being done to grow skating in the South.
From the Summer 2023 issue of Learn to Skate USA Magazine
By Harry Thompson
A trip to Florida usually conjures up images of sitting on sandy beaches, splashing in the waves and maybe even a trip to Disney World. But for several members of the U.S. Figure Skating and Learn to Skate USA membership team, it was a chance to check out all the great things happening at various ice rinks around the state, as well as understand some of the challenges they face.
Being able to put faces to the names of all those skating directors, rink managers and coaches who are the boots on the ground (or in this case, skates on the ice) is important to U.S. Figure Skating’s mission to help programs and rinks prosper.
Over seven days in February, the team, led by Susi Wehrli McLaughlin, senior director of membership; Gordon Harrison, senior manager of membership development; and Heather Van Hulle, coordinator of membership development, hit the road to discover what makes these programs tick and what are their needs.
In addition to supporting the Florida Panthers’ SkateFest, which was part of the 2023 NHL All-Star Weekend and the reason for the trip, the trio met with skating directors, club boards and rink managers who are running Learn to Skate USA programs at their respective facilities.
After logging more than 1,300 miles in the car, 17 site visits to arenas and countless cups of coffee, it was clear that skating is alive and well in the Sunshine State.
Day 1
Miami
Kendall Ice Arena (Miami FSC)
Kendall Ice Arena is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Compete USA South Florida Basic Skills Series. The arena’s ongoing challenge of acquiring judges each year was a topic discussed during the team’s visit.
The National Qualifying Series (NQS) has been a double-edged sword for Florida, skating director Kent Johnson said, as long-established competitions have moved their traditional dates to the spring season. This has led to a shortage of judges for test sessions and competitions.
Johnson and his staff also discussed the challenges that most rinks face as they rebound with their programming following COVID.
“The pandemic waged war on rink programs and skating in general, and we were lucky to live in Florida with our realistic approach to health and safety,” Johnson said. “I know many rinks in the U.S. had to close forever. The goal now is to move forward with our grassroots skaters and build our numbers.”
Day 2
West Palm Beach
Palm Beach Ice Works (The SC of Florida)
Palm Beach Ice Works is a one-sheet facility. With limited ice available and a huge demand, the Skating Club of Florida has had to get creative with its programming/scheduling to the point of having hockey players and figure skaters practice during the same ice sessions.
“This is a great example of how the two sports can work together,” skating director Martine de la Torre said.
De la Torre added that having the team from U.S. Figure Skating visit the facility and discuss the club’s challenges meant a lot.
“It makes us feel like we are worth being recognized,” De La Torre said. “They were all so willing to help in any way, such as sending materials and merchandise, letting me know that being accessible to me was a priority for them.”
Lake Worth
Palm Beach Skate Zone (Palm Beach FSC)
When a fire broke out behind the Palm Beach Skate Zone last year, some worried that the beloved rink was lost for good. Fortunately, it was able to fully reopen because of overwhelming community support. One of its most recent successes was its “Fire and Ice” show.
In the rink’s ongoing efforts to build a strong Learn to Skate USA program, skating director Audra Leech and her staff emphasized the importance of having the Learn to Skate USA record books at the rink to track a student’s progress and keep skaters excited about moving up in levels.
“It’s nice to belong to a national program that supports the rinks,” Leech said. “It’s a great way to show stability and an opportunity for growth in figure skating and hockey.”
Boca Raton
Boca Ice and Fine Arts Center
The Boca Ice and Fine Arts Center opened in November 2022. It’s all about fun for Lisa Sayers and her staff as this multi-use recreational facility hosts an indoor alpine ski machine and on-ice bumper cars.
“Their visit helped with them understanding our layout and plans for the facility,” Sayers said. “Being a new program to the area, we were able to discuss ideas in our journey to create amazing programs for all ages and levels of skating.”
Pompano Beach
The Rink on the Beach (Florida Goldcoast FSC)
The Rink on the Beach is located in the heart of Pompano Beach, just a few miles from the beach. Its motto is “You’ll feel at home when you are here,” and the U.S. Figure Skating team certainly felt that way during its visit thanks to the hospitality and energy of Jennifer Brown, who is the director and club president for the Florida Goldcoast Figure Skating Club.
Brown is also the Learn to Skate USA coordinator and is proud of how its Learn to Skate program has grown each year. More than just recruiting new skaters, Brown and her staff have been able to retain children by creating a fun environment on and off the ice.
“Last June we ended the year with 300 members in Learn to Skate and we are already at 361 in April,” she said. “Our retention has improved a lot and I’m excited to watch our program grow every year and watch these skaters progress through all the levels. My favorite part of running this program is watching kids fall in love with skating the way I did many years ago.”
Pembroke Pines
Pines Ice Arena (Pines FSC)
The first full day ended with a stop at the Pines Ice Arena, where the team met with skating director Kristin Alberico. Alberico and her staff hosted their first Compete USA event last season.
“It was obvious in talking to Kristin that they are destined to achieve great things in the near future,” Wehrli McLaughlin said.
Day 3
Coral Springs
Panthers Ice Den (Panthers FSC)
The initial purpose for the trip was to support a SkateFest as part of the NHL All-Star Weekend. Plenty of excitement and enthusiasm was on display from the 80 skaters who arrived at the Panthers Ice Den for the event.
Martin Forrest and his team did an exemplary job coordinating and hosting the SkateFest, Wehrli McLaughlin said.
“The visit was helpful by them offering reassurance that we are doing well,” Forrest said. “It was also nice for me to tell my coaches that even U.S. Figure Skating can see how awesome you guys are. That kind of comment is a huge boost to the people who give themselves to our sport.”
Day 4
Fort Lauderdale
Hertz Arena (Florida Everblades FSC)
The Florida Everblades FSC touts a strong ice dance program under the direction of Kandis Hawkins. The 2022 senior solo combined dance champion, Lucas Appel, trains at this facility.
Fort Myers
Fort Myers Skatium (City of Palms FSC)
Hurricane Ian came through in September 2022 and damaged Fort Myers Skatium. The figure skating community rallied to help with the reopening process, which included a memorable Learn to Skate USA season that featured Snowplow Sam, basic skills and adult skating.
“Having little experience in hosting competitions, as well as being a new Learn to Skate USA program, I have had a wonderful experience with Gordon and Susi guiding me in the right direction to a fun and successful program,” said Koren Gibson, skating director and club president. “It shows that U.S. Figure Skating is invested and interested in the growth and education of its programs.”
Day 5
Wesley Chapel
AdventHealth Center Ice (Sunshine State FSC)
One of the preeminent skating facilities in the country, AdventHealth Center Ice is a five-sheet complex spanning more than 150,000 square feet. It recently announced that its new skating club, the Sunshine State FSC, began accepting new members on April 1. The facility also includes “HerStory,” a virtual women’s sports museum, celebrating female athletes.
“To have U.S. Figure Skating come to our rink and meet with us allowed them to get a better understanding of the concerns we have in our programs at a local level and offer concepts that they have encountered across the country that we wouldn’t have otherwise had the access to,” Jenna Dispenza, skating director and club president, said.
“The information they provided was beneficial and we are making plans to implement their recommendations to enhance the skating experience for skaters in Florida.”
Day 6
South Daytona
Daytona Ice Arena (Daytona Beach FSC)
The Daytona Beach club board, including skating director Debbie Odgers and club vice president Dusty Moses, warmly greeted the U.S. Figure Skating team upon its arrival.
This marked the first time that representatives from U.S. Figure Skating had come to visit them.
Rockledge
Space Coast Iceplex (Space Coast Iceplex FSC)
In addition to training some talented figure skaters, the Space Coast Iceplex has served as the launching pad for the careers of some of the nation’s top sled hockey players including current U.S. Paralympian Chris Douglas and two-time Paralympic gold medalist Greg Shaw.
Kissimmee
Ice Factory of Central Florida (FSC of Osceola)
Paula Wagener and her fellow coaches at the FSC of Osceola continue to make a difference in their local skating community, including hosting the 2023 Eastern Adult Sectional Championships.
“I speak for everyone at our rink when I say that we all felt totally energized after the Learn to Skate USA’s team visit,” Wagener said. “Their guidance helped us to formulate and create new programming, which we are excited about beginning soon.”
Day 7
Jacksonville
Community First Igloo (Community First Igloo)
The team toured the Community First Igloo, the home of the Jacksonville Icemen; the facility underwent a complete renovation shortly before the team’s arrival.
Savannah, Georgia
MLK Arena (Ghost Pirates Ice)
The team stopped by the MLK Arena and checked out its new Learn to Skate USA program that is affiliated with the Savannah Ghost Pirates East Coast Hockey League team. Plans are underway to build a new arena and, in the meantime, figure skaters and hockey players are finding common ice at the MLK Arena.
“The Learn to Skate USA road trip made a last stop at our rink’s temporary home in the Savannah Civic Center,” skating director Tami Mickle said. “Everyone at Learn to Skate USA has been incredibly encouraging to me and this new part of my skating life. Heather has brought me off the cliff a few times and all the Learn to Skate goodies are much loved.”
