More than holes in the ice

“There is nothing like competing at home,” said Darylss Krienke, who has been an IFFSC coach for 29 years. “This competition is a great way to introduce skaters to competing.”

Many of the approximate 90 skaters participated in the competition that demonstrates the skill level of each competitor.

“There are two different events that skaters can enter and compete in,” explained Erin Rousseau, president of the IFFSC Board. “The first is elements, where the skaters compete against others at their level. The second is showcase, where each skater skates to music of their choice to a routine created by their coach. It is judged on interpretation of music as well as their ability.”

Rousseau said skaters from as far as Duluth competed in the event, and she hopes to attract more area clubs in the future.

Krienke said the smiles on skaters faces as they came off the ice after a performance was “so rewarding.”

“That is what I tell them it is all about,” the coach said of enjoying competition. “The trophy is just the bonus.”

Born on skates

For many of the skaters, their dedication to the sport begins shortly after they learn how to walk. Graduating senior skater Jaime Sjoblom recalls some of her earliest memories of skating in Snowplow Sam – the beginning level of the club.

“(I remember) being in the stands watching the older kids in the ice show and wanting to be as good as them someday,” she said.

Sjoblom is one of two skaters who will graduate from Falls High School in May. She said she knows she is already going to miss the sport about which she is so passionate.

“I love skating. There's no end to my explanation of why I do, but it's a blast, and a great way to express yourself, and relieve any stress,” she said.

Kathryn Imbleau, who will also graduate in the spring agrees.

“(Skating) has been a part of my life for so long,” she said. “It keeps me going during the winter.”

Dedication

During each five-month skating season, IFFSC skaters, coaches, parents and board members pour hour after hour into making the club successful.

“The number of hours that go into our club is unbelievable,” Rousseau said. “I could not even begin to put a number on it. The skaters, coaches, and parents put their hearts and souls into skating and it truly shows.”

As one of three coaches, Krienke said she personally spends about 15 hours on the ice each week – sometimes logging in hours before the sun rises.

“We have practices Tuesday through Friday mornings,” Imbleau said, adding she isn't a fan of 6 a.m. practices. “The skaters are required to go to two or three mornings each week, then occasionally we have night and weekend practices.”

Rousseau broke the skating season down into two parts. The first month and a half the skaters start practicing all elements that their current group is working on and preparing themselves for testing, she said. In the midst of testing, the group also travels around the state to different competitions. Once competition is over, Rousseau said skaters begin perfecting routines for the ice show, the club's signature event.

“This year's theme is 'One Hit Wonders' and is going to be held on Saturday, March 23, and Sunday, March 24,” Rousseau said. “The board members and coaches have been busy working on the ice show since mid-November and will continue to work hard right up until after Sunday's show.”

Valuable lessons

Both Sjoblom and Imbleau agree that skating taught them lessons they will apply to their lives long after untying their skates for the last time as a IFFSC skater.

“Skating has made such a large impact on my life,” Sjoblom said. “I'll miss my coaches who taught me more than just to skate, they taught me life lessons that will stay with me forever... And because of them I know that coaching is something I want to do for the rest of my life.”

“Skating has taught me to never give up,” Imbleau said. “In skating, your coach can tell you what you're doing wrong and what to do right, but in the end it's all you. You need to fight to do that spin or to land that jump.”

Rousseau, who has two children involved in different levels of the club, shared the graduating senior's views on the importance of the sport.

“I think skating is so important to those involved because it gives them something to work hard for,” she said. “The skaters find their self confidence as they work hard and achieve their goals for the season.”

Krienke stressed how proud she was of the club and encouraged the community to attend the ice show in March to see each skater's efforts throughout the season.

“We are not just those skaters who put the holes in the ice,” she joked. “We work hard and have only a few times we can show it off... I know the ice show is a day I can watch how far those kids came in five short months.”