Ice Center changes lives
Two years ago the George S. Eccles Ice Center had skaters from around the world gliding across its ice. Today, people from across the valley come to the rink to aspire to their skating dreams.
Opened Dec. 31, 2001, it came just in time for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. There were several different teams that came to the rink to practice for the games shortly after the center was constructed.
“They had been planning to build it all along and had been raising money when they found out that the Olympics were coming,” said Jeff Crockett, the accountant for the center. “They got a contract with some of the French figure skaters, Russian figure skaters, and the Swiss hockey team. They actually sped up construction so they would be able to practice for the Olympics, but it wasn’t built just for the Olympics.”
Even though the Olympics provided for a grand opening of the center, today it is home to many local teams, ambitious skaters and people who want to have a good time and learn to skate.
“We have all sorts of things,” Crockett said. “There are Utah State University classes, both figure skating and hockey. There’s also USU hockey games, high school hockey games, youth hockey games, and curling is once a week. They also have curling
tournaments.”
A variety of classes are offered at the center for the public. The most popular class taught is Learn to Skate.
Sue Nabor, the Skating School director, said there are 183 people enrolled in the class now.
“The Learn to Skate classes are group lessons, and they are progressive classes,” she said. “Every six weeks they are given a test and they can move up in levels. By the time they’re done with all of the levels they are able to do all of the single revolution jumps and all the basic skating positions.”
Aside from just offering classes to children, the center also has programs such as the Hot Chocolate Club and the Mom, Dad and Me programs.
Nabor said the Hot Chocolate Club is for adults who come to learn to skate.
“They learn the tangos and the rumbas and the waltzes and things like that,” she said.
There are many more classes and programs taught at the center. Some include the school outreach program that brings local schools into the center and gives children a chance to learn how to skate. A scouting merit badge program is also offered. Nabor said that in the scouting program troops come in and can earn badges, pins or belt loops.
Learning a new sport can be both challenging and rewarding for students.
“[Ice skating] can completely change people’s lives,” Nabor said. “I’ve seen young children and people who are shy come out right away and be able to emote to an audience and be able to play up to an audience and judges.”
Nabor said skaters have to think of every minuscule part of your body at all times. From the top of their head to their fingertips to their toes everything has to be in proper alignment at all times, she said.
“It’s so rigorous and so difficult somehow it alters their thinking skills and transfers over into their schoolwork,” Nabor said. “I’ve seen grades just dramatically improve because of skating.”
Linda Goetze, a parent whose daughter figure skates, said, “It’s been really good for her and especially when it came to her sportsmanship. Her grades have gone up and it’s given her more discipline and it’s been great.”
Whether people visit the center to compete or to have a good time, there are lessons to be learned and dreams to aspire to.
-rbarlow@cc.usu.edu
A view of the Eccles Ice Center during one of its public skating times Friday evening. The center offers public skating times, as well as lessons and games, including USU hockey games. (Photo by John Zsiray)
A window on the outside of the Eccles Ice Center depicts hockey players. Another nearby window shows a figure skater. (Photo by John Zsiray)