Skating through class on thin metal blades
Gliding, turning, stopping and standing on one foot are just some of the skills USU students learn at the beginning and intermediate figure skating classes taught at the George S. Eccles Ice Center in North Logan.
Many students who have discovered the ice skating class choose to take it multiple semesters, said coach Becca Anderson.
“I love it,” said Heidi Stromberg, English creative writing major and sophomore. “This is my third time in the class.”
Stromberg said she has taken the class multiple times, not just because she really enjoys ice skating but also because it is a good workout, and the class continually challenges her.
“I like being challenged to overcome my fear of skating,” Stromberg said. “I was a major chicken when the class started, but now I am not usually afraid to do, actually, pretty much anything at this point.”
Anderson said anyone is welcome to take the figure skating class. It doesn’t matter if you have a lot of experience or have never been on skates before.
She said 60-70 percent of the students are beginners.
Anderson said the instruction starts out basic in the beginning of the semester. Students learn how to glide, stop and turn around. After awhile, students are separated into two groups based on skill level and spend the remainder of the semester skating in these groups.
She said students in the intermediate class spend time learning more advanced skills including jumps and spinning.
“I like my instructor a lot,” said Ericka Griffin, freshman and public health major. “Even if we don’t get it the first or even the 12th time, she’s still very patient.”
Anderson said she grew up in Alaska and has been skating her entire life. She has been a coach at the Eccles Ice Center for eight years. She said she really enjoys coaching and being a role model for her students.
“As a coach you get to pass on a sport you love, but it’s even more about passing on the life skills,” Anderson said.
Figure skating is not the only class offered at the ice center to USU students. Hockey and curling classes are also available.
Freshman Ashlie Scott, a biology major, said even though figure skating is a physical education credit, she wanted to mix things up a bit — take advantage of the fact that such classes are offered in college.
“With the ice skating class you get to get away from campus and you get to spend an hour forgetting about what you have as far as your studies and what you need to do with homework,” Scott said. “You get to just come skate, and it’s your own little getaway for an hour.”
Scott said she knew she liked ice skating before she registered for the class because she grew up in a small town with a nearby lake that she and her friends would skate on every winter.
“I don’t think people realize just how good of a workout it is,” Anderson said, when asked why students should register for ice skating. “You don’t really feel like you are working out, but you are. Most average students burn about 400 calories an hour.”
In lieu of a final exam, Anderson said the students participate in a final performance during their last class of the semester. They spend the last six weeks of the semester practicing and preparing for the performance.
The performance gives students the opportunity to show off their progress what they learned since the class began, Anderson said. The final performance is Dec. 8.
“I heard you should always take a fun class so you can relax, and I wanted to try something new, so I decided to try out the ice skating class,” Griffin said.
– kristi.ottley@aggiemail.usu.edu