As colder weather approaches, so do Canada’s beloved winter sports. Although many associate ice rinks with hockey or figure skating, there is another skating activity in the area.
Offering a sport that is fast and exciting, but full of technique, the Linaria Speed Skating Club is preparing for another year. The club was formed by Westlock-area’s Iman Koeman, who wanted to build up the sport in the local communities.
Sean van der Lee, who has been involved with the club since the start, said numbers have been steady from the beginning.
Last year there were about 20 members, ranging in age from five or six years old, up to 60. The club is hoping to grow in membership, said van der Lee, particularly with junior high and high school aged youth.
The skaters will meet Mondays at 5:30 p.m. and Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. for 90 minutes at the Linaria arena. Van der Lee said they normally work on drills that are designed to improve on everything from strength to aerobic capacity.
For example, speed skating requires a skater to be down quite low to the ice. During practices, members will spend time in a full crouch, working on motions that are effective to key form.
“There are a whole bunch of drills. Turning correctly, transferring your weight from one leg to the other,” said van der Lee. “Those are things we work at, trying to get our technique as efficient as possible.”
The club, which is associated with the Alberta Speed Skating Association, hires a coach who leads structured training sessions that focus specifically on technique.
However, help doesn’t stop when the coach has left the ice. Van der Lee said Koeman and his kids, as well as himself, are always there to assist those who are less experienced.
“We’re kind of a club where the people with more experience always have their heads up, looking for the new people and trying to give them pointers,” said van der Lee. “We are more informal coaches.”
Sometimes races are incorporated into the practice as well, said van der Lee. This gives members a chance to get used to the feel of racing with a little bit of competition.
Though the real racing happens mostly on weekends. Throughout the season the club competes at a number of meets, including some at the Oval in Calgary, as well as the Sylvan Lake Ice Marathon.
Members, specifically those of the high school age, have attended competitions at various places in Alberta, British Columbia, and Manitoba.
“We try and get out there and get them good racing experience,” said van der Lee. “I know we sent one of our skaters to Junior Nationals last year in Winnipeg. That was a pretty big highlight.”
Although there are many opportunities to advance in the sport, van der Lee said speed skating can help improve overall athleticism in general.
“Even if they don’t take speed skating on for itself or stick with it, I think that in terms of athletic development, speed skating has a ton to offer,” he said. “I guarantee speed skating will make you a much better skater.”
Van der Lee added the coaches are very aware of how club members develop as athletes, and one of the things they are really keyed into and focused on is long-term athletic development.
The club will hold a registration night Monday, Oct. 21 at Linaria Hall from 6:30-9 p.m.
Cost is $250 for one night per week, and $350 for two nights per week. This covers the entire season, which runs until the March when the ice is removed from the arena.
