On the afternoon of Saturday, February 14, City of Crown Point Athletics hosted its third annual Learn to Skate Showcase ice show at Bulldog Park. The Showcase caps off each season of City of Crown Point Athletics’ “Learn to Skate” program. The featured performers, whose ages ranged from toddlers to high-school-aged, included young members of the Learn to Skate program as well as guest skaters from throughout the community. This year’s ice show, which was the biggest to date, had the theme of “Tropical Ice Paradise.” The skaters’ proud parents gathered in the bleachers to cheer the young athletes on.
Sara Rhoades, the Learn To Skate Program instructor, hopes that this year’s tropical ice show theme helps bring the participants and spectators some warmth and joy during this cold winter season. She is very proud of the progress her students have made over the last season.
“For me, the Ice Show is a time to show the Learn to Skate parents what skating is all about,” Rhoades said. “It exhibits what our program has to offer to everyone else in the community too. I hope that all the skaters have fun performing and that the guest skaters will develop an interest in skating. “The ice show gives the kids an opportunity to show off what they have learned over the season. Seeing how happy they are when they complete the program makes it all worth it to me. The skating world can be a very intimidating and pressure-filled place, but I pride myself on the fact that Learn to Skate focuses on having fun and finding a love for the ice. There’s no pressure to be perfect or master skills on the first try. It’s never too late to come out and join a class!”
The Learn to Skate class is held from the beginning of November through February and offers two five-week sessions per season. Students attend lessons on a weekly basis and can choose from Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday classes. The program is open to students from ages three and up. Students are broken up into one of four categories: Tots, Beginner 1, Beginner 2, and Adults. Learn to Skate lets aspiring skaters of all ages learn the basics of the sport and hone their skills.
Paul Waisnora, athletics director for the City of Crown Point, considers the Learn to Skate Showcase to be an excellent opportunity to entertain members of the community while giving the students a chance to demonstrate their skating prowess.
“I hope everyone leaves feeling appreciative of what the kids have learned at today’s event,” Waisnora said. “Ideally, families will get to see firsthand how much fun the Learn to Skate program is today. We’d love for kids to sign up for classes next year and take part in the ice show. We are very fortunate to have an exceptional skating instructor like Sara lead our Learn to Skate classes. The kids are thrilled by the Ice Show themes she comes up with each year. She is a vital component to this program’s success. The programs and hockey games we host at our NHL-sized ice rink invite people from all walks of life to come and experience our facility and everything else downtown Crown Point has to offer.”
In keeping with the fair-weather theme, the performers skated to songs like “Soak Up the Sun” by Sheryl Crow, “Havana” by Camila Cabello, “California Gurls” by Katy Perry, and “Kokomo” by The Beach Boys. The skaters executed spectacular maneuvers on the ice, dazzling the crowd with their routines. The skaters and their families could take pictures at a colorful tropical-themed photo booth. The photo booth was decorated with paper flamingo cutouts on which each performer’s name was written. After the ice show, each skater got to take their flamingo home.
Amelia Ahern, one of the performers in the Learn to Skate Showcase, has been skating for four years and receives private lessons from Rhoades. She appreciates the opportunity to take to the ice alongside her fellow skaters during the Showcase.
“Learning new skills is one of my favorite parts of skating,” Ahern said. “I’m currently learning how to do a waltz jump. Sara Rhoades has been the perfect instructor for me because she is lively and gives me energy. I’ve loved working with her, it’s been a great experience. To those who are nervous about learning how to skate, I would say don’t be scared! You can push past the fear. The Learn to Skate program is a great way for anybody to learn the basics of skating, no matter how old they are. I particularly enjoyed watching the guest skaters’ performances today. It was really cool.”
Please visit crownpoint.in.gov to stay up to date on City of Crown Point’s announcements and upcoming events, as well as more information on City of Crown Point Athletics’ other programs.
