Excited to hit the ice; Riverside Figure Skating Club to hold a pair of shows

Published 10:24 am Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Skaters take part in a practice Sunday as they get ready for The Riverside Figure Skating Club’s annual ice show this weekend.  Photos by Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Skaters take part in a practice Sunday as they get ready for The Riverside Figure Skating Club’s annual ice show this weekend. Photos by Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

The Riverside Figure Skating Club will host its biggest event of the year when it hosts its annual show at 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Riverside Arena.

The club is coached by Chris Amy, who is in her 38th year of coaching the team, and it’s hoping to draw a big crowd this weekend. The RFSC is also hoping to get a few new skaters to join the team in the future.

“We’re really excited to perform,” Amy said.

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The team used to have as many as 100 skaters and it has just 31 skaters — including three veterans — on this year’s team.

The lack of numbers has made it more expensive for club members, as ice fees are being divided amongst fewer skaters.

Tanya Rieken, RFSC board president, said the team is also battling for ice time — especially in the summer when the team has to travel to Kasson to find ice.

Olivia Leuer skates in Packer Arena Sunday.

Olivia Leuer skates in Packer Arena Sunday.

The club is open skaters of all ages, and Rieken said many of the team’s younger skaters go from novices to experienced skaters throughout the season, which begins in September.

“It’s amazing,” Rieken said. “The first time they get out on the ice, they can’t even walk or skate and they have to hold somebody’s hand. By the time the show comes around, they’re skating on their own and they’re performing skills.”

Students from all area schools can compete on the RFSC and they can also earn athletic letters for the sport. The team also competes in competitions with judges, and it’s run through the U.S. Figure Skating Association.

Amy said the team offers a positive experience for participants.

“I think it’s very rewarding for the kids,” she said. “I still keep in touch with a lot of the past skaters and they come back to the shows a lot. It teaches them to learn in a group and work as a team and individually. They make a lot of friends out of it.”