Ice skaters will soon be lacing up for the 100 Mile House & District Figure Skating Club.
The local club is offering a few new program options this season, including a school geared toward hockey players.
LaVerne Howard, who has close to 50 years of coaching experience, is running the CanPower Skate program, which runs from Sept. 15 to Dec. 1 and will help skaters improve their speed and agility.
A lot of parents were asking for this type of program, and it's geared for anyone who plays hockey.
PreCanSkate, which starts Sept. 8, is another new program the club is offering. It's for new skaters, and new coach Alyssa Lindberg, 19, will be running it.
Lindberg has been figure skating since she was five years old and has experience in past years mentoring students in the CanSkate program, which starts Sept. 9.
“You have the freedom to be creative,” she says of the appeal of figure skating.
Lindberg adds she's excited to be starting out as an official coach.
The StarSkate program for competitive figure skaters is also offered by the club, which is hosting a summer skate for all levels at the South Cariboo Rec. Centre in 100 Mile House from Aug. 25 to 29, where people can also stop by and register for the season.
For more information, contact the club at 100milefigureskatingclub @ gmail.com, phone 250-395-1842, or visit their booth at the South Cariboo Fall Fair, Sept. 5-6.
There are many options for beginner and advanced skaters to choose from, organizer Nancy Lundquist says, adding the club is planning a carnival at the end of the season that will feature a high-level, competitive skater showcased alongside club members.
“The kids absolutely love it,” Lundquist adds. “It's like a little play.
"Everybody will have their own dances, their own routines. It's all about the local skaters.”