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In
the photo above, we captured three of the young skaters who depicted the
spectacular setting. From the left we have: Kaitlyn Green (5) from the
Mickey & Minnie Mouse presentation; Brody Laberge (3) from the Davey
Crocket presentation; and Bailey Laforest (4) from Dumbo - When I See an
Elephant Fly. The
audience was also treated to several solo performances during the
afternoon. Amy Rutherford (Senior Silver Freeskate), Sarah Peattie (Senior
Interpretive) and Allison Bruneau-Gagnon (Senior Bronze Freeskate) all
represented the Valley East Figure Skating Club at the Northern Ontario
Section Championships. Kaitlyn, Brody and Bailey are all members of the Can Skate Division, a development program specifically designed to help improve individual skating skills in young boys and girls. According to Peter Rutherford, Past President of the VEFSC, over 80 children between the ages of 4 and 8 were enrolled in the program this year. Skaters take to the ice once a week from October to March. They are taught the basics and provided with excellent instruction from skating coaches. After going through the Can-Skate Program, boys and girls are well-equipped with the necessary skills to go on to play hockey, ringette or take up figure skating on a more serious level. The club actually offers two Can-Skate sessions per week - Mondays and Saturdays, as well as a Power-Skating program on Thursdays. Residents are reminded to be on the lookout in August for more information on next season’s schedule. The skating season came to a close on March 10, with the Can-Skate Little Olympics. |
The
Annual Valley East Figure Skating Club’s Exhibition was held on
Saturday, March 2 at the Centennial Arena. This year, with the title,
“Happy Birthday Walt”, it was an afternoon of fantasy and excitement
for parents and skaters of all ages. The event is a celebration of months
of preparation and skill development by coaches and young skaters.