What does this news mean? | Golden Skate

What does this news mean?

SusanBeth

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
This story made the front page of the Detroit News.

Explosion in skating strains rinks Demand outpaces growth of new facilities in suburbs

You can read it here. http://www.detnews.com/2004/moresports/0402/24/a01-72757.htm

Besides meaning, it must be a slow news day [for which I thank God] what does it mean for skating? I am so used to reading how terrible things are . This seems like suprisingly good news.

Does this mean- skating might be basically healthy and just suffering from rot at the top?

Does it mean- those poor skating newbies just haven't faced the awful truth?

Does it mean that all our skaters have moved to Michigan and there is no one left to lutz in Alabama?

Opinions???
 

Ladskater

~ Figure Skating Is My Passion ~
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
SusanBeth:

It means that just like here in Canada, skating is as popular as ever and people are taking to the ice instead of being "couch potatoes." Not everyone will end up being a Kurt Browning or a Sasha Coen, but that does not matter. It's the journey in skating that counts.

Great to see!
 

SusanBeth

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
I definitely agree with you. It just seems that this degree of interest would translate into more skating fans (AKA tv rating improvers) and more people willing to spend their money on skating. If it's just a regional type ''explosion'' that might not be so helpful for pro skating. If it's bigger than that, maybe skating is healthier than commonly thought.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
For me it means that skating attracts little girls and suburban mothers love the idea having them skate at 3-10 years while their sons are preping for sandlot.

One of the main sources of income for a ballet school is that it attracts little girls and mothers like the idea of ballet lessons for their daughters.

It's not a bad attraction because from that setting there will arise a future Ice Queen or Ballerina.

Joe
 

SK8GR8

Rinkside
Joined
Dec 16, 2003
The article did not mention synchronized skating, but synchro is HUGE in Detroit. It's probably the synchro capital of the US, with many of the top teams training there.

I think it's great news! Even though the majority of the skaters will never compete at the senior national level, skating will benefit and enrich their lives.

Hopefully the supply of ice time will be able to keep up with the demand without skyrocketing the costs!
 

Ptichka

Forum translator
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Joe, it's much more than preparing preparing the future Star. Ballet lessons (when done correctly) teach so much about how to carry one's body, about sense of rhythm, etc. It's amazing how those things stick with you. I haven't done ballet for about 10 years when I started going to step aerobics classes at my gym. All instructors immediately asked me if I did ballet before! What was really amazing was that when I started going to Cardio Kickboxing classes, I found many things I've learned in my old ballet classes very helpful. Besides, any physical activity for kids is great news!
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Pitchka - Absolutely what you have said. But I'm discussing more the mothers than the children.

The advantages obtained from ballet class when one doesn't become a ballerina or ballerino, is the body as you say. It does make you walk the beach in style, and the healthy benefits are all there.

I'm not sure skating does this.

Joe
 
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