Looking cool on ice

It is Wednesday evening at the Agrena. Katie Magill is midway through her practice skate when she sees a photographer lurking off the ice.

She asks him to photograph one of her more acrobatic movements: it involves skating on one leg while touching the skate on the other leg pulled up behind her.

There is probably a term for the manoeuvre. It is the kind of contortion you marvel at while watching the winter Olympics on TV.

Doesn’t it require extraordinary flexibility? A few minutes later Katie answers the question by doing the splits while grasping the advertising hoarding at the side of the arena.

As Katie continues her routine across the rink, Payton Homeak seems to have marked out her own territory, repeatedly practising her technique under the eye of her coach.

Again her moves recall TV pictures of skaters performing while a commentator purrs about lutzes, salchows, axels, toe loops and flips.

She may not be attempting any of them, but to the inexpert eye her skills are impressive.

Meanwhile, about 30 feet away several much younger and less experienced skaters are having a blast – with the full encouragement of coach Glenys Perry. They have some fun with the photographer, racing towards him from one side of the rink to the other. They do it once, twice, then a third time.

Being on the ice is great … and having your picture taken for the newspaper makes it even better!

Other skaters had different agendas, gliding in pairs or individually, occasionally falling, trying half turns and half spins, whatever seemed to come to mind.

Among them were sisters Janaya and Jayleana Baron, aged ten and nine, who are in their third year of skating.

So who were these 15 or so people on the rink, quietly going about their elegant business?

They were members of Barrhead Figure Skating Club, which recently started its new season, offering programs for people of all ages and skill levels. The club has four coaches: Jessica Lovich, Chris Driessen, Rolandalyn Fauque (known as Hart) and Perry.

Wednesday evening is given over to StarSkate junior/intermediate members and Junior Development youngsters – Perry’s charges who loved to charge the photographer.

“We have 100 members,” said Nicole Horner, club treasurer. “They are aged three to 15 or 16, although there are no age restrictions.”

New skaters are always welcome, she said, and should contact Tara Golby at 780-674-8108.

Last Thursday was a big day for the club. It held its awards and “welcome to skating” night at the Multi-Purpose Room. Pizza, coffee and juice were provided.

“These are awards from the previous season,” said Horner.

For a girl like Katie, who attends Barrhead Composite High School, the club has provided an important foundation for her skating.

She has seven years’ skating experience already and 11 medals to attest to her talent.

What are her goals?

“I want to go as far as I can go,” she said during a brief break in her practice.

She then glided off for some more muscle-stretching moves … and another display of the splits.

If the bleachers had been full, there would have been applause.