‘There’s nothing more special than that’
Hard work is paying off for Amherst Skating Club figure skaters
The Amherst Skating Club is instilling a passion for figure skating among local youth.
Club coach Laura Ashley Farrow is consistently amazed at the drive and determination her students already personify at a young age.
“It is absolutely one of the most rewarding experiences as a coach, to see that light, that spark in the eye, that excitement they have when they’ve been rewarded for their hard work,” she tells Cumberland Wire.
“We all (have) that collective passion for the sport. We all have the love for the sport. When you can take that personal love that you’ve had and share it with the younger generation as a coach, there’s nothing more special than that.”
All the hard work the skaters and coaches are putting in is paying off in results at the rink.
Four of the club’s skaters – Gia Allen, Emma Patterson, Chloe Yorke and Sadie Yorke – recently qualified at the provincials to compete at the Atlantic Canadian Skating Championships (Atlantics) in Paradise, N.L., March 24 to 26. One other skater from Cumberland, Phoebe Smith of the Tatamagouche Figure Skating Club, also qualified.
It was an impressive showing for the club, including from Chloe who finished the STAR 5 Women (U10) category at the top of the podium, walking away with a firstplace finish.
“It’s been a wonderful year of development for all of our skaters,” Farrow comments. “We’re very pleased with the results.”
She was impressed with the commitment of the girls who qualified.
“They have to trust the process and sometimes that’s tough, coming from such a young person to understand there is a process, there’s going to take some time for them to reach their goals,” explains Farrow. “And that if they can trust the long path that they most likely will be very happy with the results.”
The Amherst Skating Club is registered with Skate Canada and offers a variety of skating lessons, including, but not limited to, figure skating. Sessions include Learn to Skate, CanSkate, CanPower, PrePower, STAR skating, competitive figure skating and synchronized skating.
The club has three coaches. It teaches youth up to Grade 12. Classes are held five days week at the Amherst Stadium from August through April.
“We feel very fortunate we have the facilities and access to a beautiful arena,” says Farrow. “And we’re able to accommodate so many kids and so many programs for our community.”
According to Farrow, teaching the technical aspects of a sport like figure skating is very important. But, she adds, when skaters get to a higher stage of competition, they learn much more than just the sport itself. It is as much a mental game as it is a physical one.
“When it comes to values, we try to emphasize and instill in them work ethic and accountability and respect in sport and team camaraderie,” she explains.
It’s a sport she notes requires grit and determination.
“At a very young age, you have to learn to push through the ebbs and flows and the challenges that can arise. So, it’s pretty remarkable to watch them develop, not only as figure skaters, but also into very strong, independent young athletes.”
To learn more about the club, visit amherstskatingclub.ca