Best Products & Practices - ISI · the showers may develop a layer of oily dirt, body oils, soap...

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008

Staging aSuccessfulIce Show

ManagingHigh-Maintenance

Customers

Keep It Clean:Best Products & Practices

Curling

ROCKS!

Staging aSuccessfulIce Show

ManagingHigh-Maintenance

Customers

Keep It Clean:Best Products & Practices

PublisherIce Skating Institute

EditorLori Fairchild

Editorial AdvisorsPeter MartellCarrie Clarke

Randy Winship

Print Production &Advertising Sales Manager

Carol Jackson

Art DirectorCindy Winn Livingston

ContributorsLynn Loar

Peggy WoodKate Zabriskie

The ISI EDGE (USPS 017-078,ISSN 1522-4651) is publishedbimonthly; January/February,March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October,November/December; by theIce Skating Institute, The IceSkating Institute, 6000 CusterRoad, Building 9, Plano, TX75023. Annual SubscriptionRate is $24.00 per year.Periodicals postage paid atDallas, TX, and at addi-tional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER NOTE: Sendaddress changes to ISI EDGE,c/o The Ice Skating Institute,6000 Custer Road, Building 9,Plano, TX 75023. Printed inthe U.S.A.

Subscriptions availablethrough membership only.

©2008 by the Ice SkatingInstitute. Reproduction inwhole or in part is prohibit-ed unless expressly autho-rized in writing by publish-er. All rights reserved.Opinions expressed by con-tributors do not necessarilyrepresent the views of theIce Skating Institute, thepublisher or the advertisers.Submissions of manuscripts,materials, photographs, andartwork are made at mailer’srisk and must include self-addressed envelope with suf-ficient postage for return.No responsibility will beassumed for unsolicitedmaterials. ISI reserves theright to edit material sub-mitted for content andspace consideration.

Volume 10, Number 4 January/February 2008

D E P A R T M E N T S

CrossCuts Announcements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

iAIM Report: Serious Education Meets Serious Fun . . . . . . . . . .18

Coaches’ Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Simple Solutions for Skating Directors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Power Ice with Wendy Marco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

ISIA Education Foundation Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Ice Arena Association News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Calendar ISI-Endorsed Competitions & Shows/Exhibitions . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

And Another Thing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

Keep It Clean!Best Products & Practices ...........6by Peggy Wood

Calming ‘Customonsters’and Other High-MaintenanceClients....................................10by Kate Zabriskie

That’s Right! But Don’tDo It Again Today! ..........12by Lynn Loar

ISI Profile:Boyd Wietecter ..........16by Lori Fairchild

Curling ROCKS! .........................22by Lori Fairchild

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008

StagingSuccessfuIce ShowManagin

High-MaintenanceCustomersKeep It Clean:Best Products & Practices

CurlingROCKS!

StagingSuccessfuIce ShowManagin

High-MaintenanceCustomersKeep It Clean:Best Products & Practices

Timothy Doherty of the St. Paul Curling Club

Cover story, page 20

Minnestud

io.com

OPERATIONS

MANAGEMENT

PROGRAMMING

CONTENTS

4

CROSSCUTSannouncements

Dedicated to providing leadership,education and services to the

ice skating industry.

ICE SKATING INSTITUTE6000 Custer Road, Building 9

Plano, TX 75023Phone: (972) 735-8800Fax: (972) 735-8815e-mail: [email protected]

ISI INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS

Executive DirectorPeter Martell

Director of Skating Programs & ServicesCarrie Clarke

Controller & Tradeshow ManagerKaren Schaffer

National Skating Program &Events CoordinatorRandy Winship

Membership CoordinatorsKathy ChaseAngela Tooley

Advertising Sales &Print Production Manager

Carol JacksonSponsorship Sales Manager

Stuart SedranskyInformation Services Coordinator

Jeff Anderson

ISI OFFICERS

President Jim Hartnett1st Vice President Mike Paikin2nd Vice President Janice ForbesTreasurer Richard ArenellaSecretary Margy BennettImmediate Past President Jim LangePast President Boyd Wietecter

DIRECTORS

District 1 Scott McCoyDistrict 2 Robyn BentleyDistrict 3 Lisa FedickDistrict 4 Christine Wilson BrintonDistrict 5 Larry LaBordeDistrict 6 Toni CooperDistrict 7 Jamie BaringerDistrict 8 Alane SwiderskiDistrict 9 Brigid LaMearDistrict 10 Char MartinDistrict 11 Liz MangelsdorfDistrict 12 Debbie LaneDistrict 13 Cindy JensenDistrict 14 Paige ScottDistrict 15 Bert BlanchetteDistrict 16 Cindy SolbergDistrict 18 Glyn JonesHockey Sean FlynnBuilders & Suppliers Doug PetersInstructors David SanteeCommercial Facilities Kevin McCormackPublic/Not-for-Profit Facilities Pete CarlsonSchools, Colleges,Universities Glen DanischewskiiAIM Chair Rob McBridePSA Representative Gerry LaneUSFSA Representative Homer HagedornISIAsia Representative Raul GomesAMMA Representative Trudy IvoryMAMA Representative Rob MuellerMIAMA Representative Jim BeckerMIRMA Representative Judy SniffenEducation Foundation Don BartelsonLifetime Honorary Member Carol Zdziebko

ISI EDGE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008

ISI announces new member benefit:Affordable group health insurance programThe Ice Skating Institute is pleased to announce the introduction of anothervalue-added membership benefit. Effective Feb. 1, a new group health insur-ance program will be available to ISI Professional and Affiliate members. Theplan features medical, dental, term life and hospital indemnity policies at pricesthat are affordable even to part-time ice skating professionals. CT Benefits Inc.will provide the policies, which will be written by Aetna Insurance Co. Othercoverage options are also available on an individual basis. Watch for more infor-mation in your e-mail inbox or at www.skateisi.org, or contact CT Benefits [email protected] or [email protected].

ISI’s staff and board of directors recently cut the ribbon on the new ISI national headquar-ters building. The Institute’s new address is 6000 Custer Road, Building 9, Plano, Texas,75023. The telephone and fax numbers have not changed.

Wanted: ISI Director of ManagementPrograms and ServicesThe Ice Skating Institute is accepting applications for the position of director of man-agement programs and services at its new headquarters in Plano, Texas. Applicantsshould be seasoned facility operators with at least five years of ice rink managementand operations experience. Ice Arena Institute of Management (iAIM) certificationpreferred. Excellent benefits and compensation commensurate with experience. Inter-ested parties may submit a letter of interest and résumé in confidence [email protected] or mail to ISI Employment, 6000 Custer Road, Bldg. 9, Plano,TX 75023, Attn: Executive Director.

Happy New YearFrom ISI’s New Headquarters

Send announcements and photos to [email protected]. Watch your e-mail Updatesfor facility news, including construction and openings.


OPERATIO

NS

Aclean facility is appealing to its users and can be a fac-tor in their choice to keep coming back. But while aes-thetics are still key to customer satisfaction, “clean”

has taken on a whole new relevance with the recent outbreakof dangerous “superbug” infections — some of which haveresulted in death.

The most publicized of these, MRSA (methicillin-resis-tant staphylococcus aureus), was, at first, confined to hospi-tals and long-term care facilities. In recent months, howev-er, it has spread to the general community, particularly intoathletic environments.

Staphylococcus aureus is a bacterium that is present inabout 25 to 30 percent of the population. For most, the bac-

terium does not cause illness. Inthe past when infectionsoccurred, they were easily treat-

ed with penicillin or otherantibiotics. Today, these staphy-

lococci have grown resistantto common antibiotics.MRSA infections requirelonger and more complicat-ed treatments.

Staphylococcus aureusbacteria live on the skinand usually spreadthrough direct contact

with a break in the skin orcontact with clothing, towelsor equipment. MRSA can sur-vive on hard surfaces for up to24 hours and on skin for sev-

eral hours, waiting to enterthe bloodstream through

a cut or abrasion. It isimportant to have a

proper disinfectingcleaning program

(check to see ifyour disinfectant

has a MRSA killclaim) supple-

mented withan effectivehand-wash-ing programto preventand controlthe spreadof MRSA.Whether

your facility

requires a low-, medium- or high-maintenance program,your goal should be to achieve proper cleaning and disin-fecting along with reduced soil loading.

Proper cleaning and disinfectingBefore beginning any cleaning task, be sure that you fullyunderstand how to use the chemicals and equipment for thejob. OSHA mandates that every employee has a right to knowabout chemical hazards within their workplace. A MaterialSafety Data Sheet (MSDS) provides information regardingeach product. Read and understand the MSDS as well as theproduct label for every product that you use. Also, make sureto use gloves, and goggles when recommended, for yourcleaning tasks.

Set up a cleaning schedule for your facility by breakingdown the tasks into daily and detail cleaning. Daily clean-ing tasks involve procedures such as dry- and wet-mop-ping, or autoscrubbing, trash removal and restroom/locker-room cleaning. Detail cleaning includes tasks that are doneapproximately twice a month, such as foaming shower-room cleaning and picking up rubber floor tiles.

Detail cleaning in the shower room may require anacid cleaner. Generally, daily disinfectant cleaners are non-acid and therefore safe to use on a daily basis. Over time,the showers may develop a layer of oily dirt, body oils,soap scum and rust. The best way to clean these soils iswith an acid foaming shower cleaner. The foam allows adwell time so the acid cleaner can break down the soil.

Detail cleaning under the rubber floor tiles requiresmopping or autoscrubbing with a disinfectant to eliminatesoil, mold, mildew and odor. Divide the area into six sec-tions. This allows the cleaning to be done in a differentsection every two weeks. Begin the process over everyquarter. Make sure the area is completely dry beforeputting the tiles back.

Prepare the appropriate cleaning solution in the mopbucket, autoscrubber or spray bottle. There’s no doubt thatsuper-concentrated chemical-dispensing devices play a keyrole. They improve efficiency and save time and money.Properly dispensed chemicals save money by accurately mix-ing the correct amount of chemical with water, saving 30 to60 percent versus the “glug-glug” method. Chemical-dis-pensing devices save time by eliminating the guesswork withsimple push-button convenience.

Disinfecting cleaning is a process of destroying or pre-venting the growth of disease-carrying microorganisms.Use a hospital-grade disinfectant daily to reduce the riskof cross-contamination on all skin contact surfaces such assinks, fixtures, toilets, urinals, flush handles, countertopsand showers. The restroom floors may not be a skin-con-tact surface, however, using a disinfectant to mop the floorwill help prevent odors.

Continued on page 8

Keep It Clean!The best ice arena cleaning systems are based on reliable chemicalsand equipment as well as a clear understanding of their proper uses

by Peggy Wood


Continued from page 6

Reducing soil loadingWalk-off mats are the most effective way of stopping dirt atthe door and keeping building maintenance costs to a min-imum. Approximately 85 to 95 percent of soil can be cap-tured by simply using mats in the main entrance area. Nine-ty percent is tracked off in the first 25 feet. Consider matswith bi-level rubber-reinforced face nubs that trap morewater and dirt and prevent pile crushing, giving you longer-lasting and better-performing mat protection.

Another newer technology for reducing soil loadingand increasing efficiency is microfiber. Microfiber (versustraditional string mops and cloths) is a manmade fiberproduct that is positively charged to pick up the negative-ly charged soil.

If you choose to stay with traditional string wet mops,choose quality mops. Cut-end mops appear to be a better buyas the initial cost is lower, but looped-end mops with tail-bands are a better overall value. Tailbands prevent tanglingand reduce snagging on furniture and obstacles. Tailbandedmops also provide much greater surface coverage than ordi-nary cut-end mops.

A facility can benefit from using an automatic scrubberas a cost-effective way to do more with less. Autoscrubbersmop, scrub and dry flooring in one pass, leaving the floorsafer and cleaner than manual processes.

Using and understanding efficient equipment and qual-ity cleaning chemicals can go a long way toward a properlymaintained facility.

Peggy Wood is a training specialist for Allston Supply Co. Inc., afull-service custodial products and program distributor based inSpringfield, Mass.

One Size Fits All??

When it comes to outfitting skaters, is it one size fits all?? Of course not! Thewrong fit will make even the easiest moves difficult. In fact, it could be dangerous.

So it is with rink management and insurance. Are you covered sufficiently? Atthe best price and service level? Does your insurance plan fit your businessmodel? If not, you could be headed for a fall.

Our I.C.E. (Ice Center Evaluation) Program is designed specifically with the rinkowner in mind. Call us to get a free evaluation and benefit from our 100+ yearsof combined insurance experience.

Let us help you get the right insurance fit. Then you can focus on your business.

American First InsuranceThe Right Fit

1-877-336-6887

Rink Insurance Program underwritten by an A+ Insurance Company

10

evening class would be better for you.” Remember toremind employees to stay calm and not to yell, no matterhow angry the other person gets.

• Keep the focus on the problem, not the person. If thecustomer is unhappy that you cannot accommodate herrequests today, keep the conversation about what youcan do.

• Tell your employees not to let the customer make this per-sonal by answering rhetorical questions such as, “Do youhave any idea how this affects our family’s schedule?” Ifyour employees take the bait, there’s no winning. Don’tmake presumptions about what the customer will behappy with. A reply such as “Mrs. Smith, I’m sure you canmake this work into your schedule if it’s a priority” is alosing situation, to be sure. A better statement might be,“Mrs. Smith, although it’s not the perfect solution, I wouldlike to see if this other class could possibly work for youuntil we can get Sally into a Saturday class.”

• Give employees a Plan B. If thecustomer is not happy withan employee’s efforts,allow the employee todirect the customer toanother designatedindividual such as amanager or supervisor.If you don’t have sucha policy in place andemployees don’t knowwhat to do, all bets areoff as to what youmight get. Do your-self a favor and don’tleave Plan B up tochance.

MANAGEMENT

It’s been more than 20 years since Madonna first sang aboutbeing a “material girl in a material world,” and since thattime, women and men throughout the nation have becomemore demanding of businesses and what they expect interms of service. One might argue that this age of the high-maintenance customer is simply due to businesses’ inabilityto get qualified help, and in some cases this is true. Howev-er, the fact is that product and service customization, com-petition and “the customer is always right” have helped cre-ate more than a few high-maintenance “customonsters”who, over time, may be more work than they are worth toyour business.

To endure demanding customers and give your employ-ees the tools they need to successfully manage that audience,there are several actions you should take when planning yourservice strategy and tactics.

11Determine what you will and won’t do to satisfycustomers. If you will take back skates or otherequipment even though they may not have beenpurchased in your pro shop, fine. If you will onlydo it for your “platinum” customers, that’s fine, too.

The point is, you must have rules in place. Otherwise, you areheaded for a path of inconsistency and dissatisfaction. Tokick off your planning, answer the following questions:• Are there some customers we would rather not have? If

so, who are they?• How much abuse do I expect to take or expect my employ-

ees to take from difficult customers?• Am I willing to be yelled at? Called stupid, incompetent,

etc.?• What special accommodations will I make to satisfy the

demanding when they are justified in complaining, andwhen they aren’t?

22Train your employees on the rules you have put inplace. Be prepared to visit and revisit this step sev-eral times. Turnover and other circumstances willaffect your need for training. Furthermore, effec-tively dealing with “customonsters” is not always

an intuitive process. One training session is usually notenough. Practice, practice and more practice make for betterservice. Your training should include most if not all of thefollowing information:

• Teach your employees to explain your processes to yourcustomers to align their expectations with what you canrealistically deliver. “Mrs. Smith, I understand that youwant to transfer Sally into the Saturday class. However,the Saturday classes are full and there will not be any newones opening for another three weeks. Also, if you cancelher Tuesday class, you will be charged the $25 cancella-tion fee. In the interim, perhaps moving to the Thursday

Calming ‘Customonsters’and Other High-Maintenance Clients

by Kate Zabriskie


ISI EDGE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008 11

33Recognize and reward employees who handle difficultand demanding customers well. It’s impossible to expectemployees to make the right decision 100 percent of thetime. However, if they know you are watching and thatyou treat every mistake as a learning opportunity, you

are more likely to get the best out of your staff.

44Never embarrass your employees in front of cus-tomers, never yell at them in front of customers anddon’t immediately assume that the customer is givingyou the full picture. “Customonsters” feed on nega-tivity. The last thing you want to do is reinforce bad

behavior by communicating through your actions that abuse isacceptable — even if you have decided that you will take a fairamount from the customers yourself.

55If all else fails, you may consider freeing your “customon-sters” by suggesting other businesses that they might findmore suitable. But remember, most of the time you shouldbe able to satisfy your customers — even the material girlsand boys, if you have solid processes in place, behave pro-

fessionally and follow up on any promises you make.

Kate Zabriskie is founder of Business Training Works Inc., a companythat specializes in down-to-earth soft skills training in the workplace.She and her team help people develop the skills they need to be suc-cessful at work: business etiquette, interpersonal communicationskills, business writing, presentation skills, customer service, negotia-tion, time management and other essentials. The company’s clientsinclude Microsoft, Georgetown University, Schering Plough, theUSDA, the United States Coast Guard and Bank One. For more infor-mation, visit www.businesstrainingworks.com or call (301) 934-3250.


landing an Axel is a benchmark for iceskaters. Things can go wrong in somany places — skaters can hesitateslightly during the preparation or at thetake-off, lean a little to one side or theother, drop a shoulder, kick the free legimprecisely, give insufficient pull totheir arms, look down instead of upand into the jump, and on and on. Stu-dents really want to land an Axel andtend to work diligently toward thatgoal. And then, lo and behold, likemagic, after months of work, they landan Axel!

Landing that first Axel is causefor celebration — announcements on

the rink’s public addresssystem and on Web pages,photos on camera phones,calls to grandparents —but not for repetition. Whynot ask the skater to repeatit immediately to solidifythe skill? Because theskater will not be able toland another Axel rightaway. As part of the nor-mal vacillation, the upsand downs of acquiringskill on each component,everything serendipitouslycame together once beforethe skater actually had suffi-cient technique and controlto consistently execute themaneuver.

The skater will not beable to repeat the Axel with-out more practice on eachof its components. If askedto do it again, the skater willexecute a poor encore andbecome discouraged. Thecoach, wary of ending onsuch a dismal note, willhave no choice but to askthe skater to repeat the Axelagain and again untilanother is landed. It willnot be as good as the first,frustration and fatigue hav-

ing taken their toll, and the skater willleave discouraged at the ephemeral suc-cess that was eclipsed by another 25 or30 failures.

Not landing an Axel if you’venever landed one is not a failure. It isjust practicing. If you have landed anAxel, not landing the next one is a fail-ure. Thus, the overly purposeful coachhas managed to grab failure from thejaws of success and wave it around thearena by having the skater try to repeatthe triumph.

Why does this happen? Becausethe coach has a longer attention span,greater stamina (is exerting less physi-

PROGRAMMIN

G

Continued on page 14

Coaching has changedfor the better in thedecades that I’ve been

skating. You rarely hear coach-es shouting at children or chil-dren crying in the changingroom after a harsh lesson —scenarios I remember vividlyfrom my childhood summersin skating camp. People havelearned that positive reinforce-ment motivates better thancriticism. However, I’venoticed that despite the best ofintentions, an occasional neg-ative sneaks in, often underthe radar of even very skilledpositive coaches.

A coach can unintention-ally compromise the process oflearning, despite using anexclusively positive approach.This comes about, ironically,because of the coach’s exper-tise, focus and purposefulness.The coach may require the stu-dent to repeat a behaviormany times, hoping forgreater progress or the solidifi-cation of gains. The coachruns the risk of becomingfocused on these aims andunderestimating or missingthe skater’s signs of fatigue orwaning enthusiasm. Thecoach is an expert whose vision, atten-tion span and buy-in exceed the stu-dent’s. And the student performing thebehavior over and over is expendingmuch more energy than the coach is.The coach’s lack of punitive intent isirrelevant to the student, who now real-izes that training sessions can beexhausting, even stressful and discour-aging, despite the coach’s positiveenthusiasm.

Coaches of all sports run the risk ofimpeding their students’ progressthrough excessive repetition of anybehavior that requires both mental andphysical attentiveness. For example,

That’s Right!But Don’t Do It Again Today!

by Lynn Loar


cal energy) and a more linear perspec-tive than the student. The first time thestudent lands the Axel, the student isoverachieving, performing beyondhis/her ability. The success is a fluke.But what a great feeling! If the coachends the practice of that skill with thattriumph, and adds a bit of hoopla foreffect, the skater leaves, chest swelledwith pride, at this new ability to do thebehavior. The student will come to thenext lesson confident and eager, filledwith the memory and the feeling of thesuccess, and willing to do many repeti-tions to hit the target again.

If, instead, the coach asks the stu-dent to repeat the behavior right away,the student will try, and will do a poorjob. The coach and now-discouraged stu-dent will have to dig in and repeat thebehavior enough times for another suc-cess to occur. The student leaves demor-alized, knowing he/she did two out ofperhaps 50 or more repetitions correctly,a 4 percent success rate. And, the studentwill be ambivalent at the next lesson.Even though the coach has exclusivelyencouraged, the coach has neverthelesscompromised the process by goingbeyond the student’s likely success.

Learning curves look very differentto the coach and the student. From a

larger perspective, the coach sees a fair-ly linear path toward the goal. The stu-dent, on the other hand, experiences aroller coaster of vacillations, and maynot appreciate small incremental stepstoward the goal that has not yet beenreached. Landing an Axel is a clear tri-umph, and noteworthy even to the stu-dent who cannot see the topography ofthe forest for all the trees along theway. If the coach stops work on thatspecific skill at the top of each hill, thestudent will end each lesson on a highnote despite his/her perception of abumpy and unclear journey.

However, if the coach requires rep-etition beyond initial success, the stu-dent has a very different experience:Following the thrill of victory, the stu-dent flounders in the abyss of defeatuntil finally managing to do thebehavior about half as well as the firstsuccessful one. From the student’s per-spective, failure dominates the session.The student leaves frustrated andfatigued, and estranged from thecoach, whose vision of success anddetermination unwittingly damagedthe student’s experience.

As a positive coach, how do youavoid damaging the process? Overcomeyour eagerness to have the student

repeat behaviors done well the first time.STOP as soon as the student gets it right.This doesn’t mean you stop the lesson,which can feel like punishment to theeager student (and annoy the parents,who think they’re not getting theirmoney’s worth), but stop work on thatparticular skill, celebrate the achieve-ment, and go to another activity that isvery different. A well-paced lesson willtherefore cover more behaviors andfewer repetitions of each behavior. Atthe end of each lesson, the student canbask in the glow of many successes inmany different behaviors and confi-dently look forward to the next lessonwith the purely positive coach.

An ISI member since 1985, Lynn Loar is askating instructor at Winter Lodge in PaloAlto, Calif. She teaches beginning throughadvanced-level skills to skaters of all agesand abilities, as recreation, recreationaltherapy and as part of physical and occu-pational therapy treatment plans. She isthe president of the Pryor Foundation, amultidisciplinary research and education-al group devoted to developing and dis-seminating innovative applications oftechniques to change behaviors exclu-sively through positive reinforcement(www.thepryorfoundation.org).


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ISI PROFILE

Several individuals come to mind when attempting toname one person who could be described as “the voiceof ISI.”Think of someone who believes in the joys of recreation-

al ice skating, a dedicated advocate who has devoted years ofservice to the organization and its programs. A candidate forthis lofty title would possess knowledge of the industry, a visionfor its future, strong leadership skills and peer respect. Takingthe phrase “the voice of ISI” more lit-erally, picture a person who actuallygets behind the microphone as afriendly, confident announcer atmajor ISI events.

The voice of ISI. It isn’t an officialdesignation, but if it were, and if thetitleholder were required to meet allof the above requirements, theremight be only one individual whocould fill the bill: Boyd Wietecter.

Wietecter has served and repre-sented ISI both behind the scenes andon the scene for more than 30 years.After two years in the U.S. Army,including a tour of duty in Vietnam,he returned to his native St. Louis andaccepted a position with the countyparks department as assistant recre-ation superintendent. At that time, St.Louis County was considering theinclusion of ice rinks in severalprospective facilities, prompting Wietecter to attend his first ISIconference and tradeshow in 1972 at the Stardust Hotel in LasVegas. In 1976, Wietecter was selected to manage the SouthCounty Recreation Complex (renamed the Wayne C. KennedyRecreation Complex in 1993), which included an indoor iceskating surface, an outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts anda playground.

The complex’s ice skating facility has used the ISI learn-to-skate program since the day it opened. It was home to the St.Louis area’s first ISI recreational skating competition as well asthe city’s first synchronized skating team.

Wietecter’s ISI involvement grew along with his career. Hewas elected to the ISI board of directors as District 9 represen-tative in 1979, vice president in 1985 and to two terms as pres-ident beginning in 1993. The conference and tradeshow,awards and citations, nominating and legislative committeeshave all benefited from his participation and leadership.

When ISI began conducting major ice skating events in1981, Wietecter knew he wanted to be involved in that endeav-or, too. “Being a judge was out of the question, as I have a diffi-cult time recognizing anything above a bunny hop or one-footglide,” he jokes,” so I looked for other opportunities. Thanks tothe urging of Patti Feeney, I tried my hand at announcing at aWorlds event in Dallas, and that seemed to work.”

It not only worked; Wietecter’s smooth delivery is oftenmistaken as that of a professional announcer.

“‘The man with the golden voice’ is how I often refer toBoyd,” says former ISI board member and current ISIA Edu-cation Foundation trustee Jean Albrightson. “He is the bestannouncer! Those of us who are refereeing while Boyd is theannouncer are always at ease because he knows exactly whatto do and when to do it.”

His reassuring voice, seamless transitions and calminginfluence also have soothed many a nervous skater, parent and

coach, even during technical difficul-ties with music and other dreadedcompetition snafus.

While his service as board presi-dent and competition announcerhave made Wietecter a distinguishedand familiar presence at ISI events,some of his most valuable contribu-tions to the organization and theindustry are made quietly, withoutfanfare, performing tasks that othersmight shun.

“One area that all seem to lookto Boyd for guidance in is legislative— bylaws, standing rules, etc.,”Albrightson notes. “Need an answerin this area? Boyd will know!”

When ISI began considering ascholarship program to provide aca-demic assistance to member skaters,Wietecter once again was quick tovolunteer. “This was an area in

which I was very interested since I had received a scholar-ship to attend Washington University, and financial assis-tance had been very important for me,” he says. He accept-ed the task of working with legal counsel to write the bylawsfor the ISIA Education Foundation and secure 501(c)(3) IRSstatus. He was elected the first president of the Foundation,which awarded its first scholarships in 1990.

“Boyd absolutely has been the rock of the Founda-tion,” says Larry Fies, former ISI board member and formerEducation Foundation president. “He not only knows thehistory, but he knows the legal side. When he hasn’tchaired the scholarship committee, he’s been on it. He’svery intelligent and makes sound, rational decisions. He’sthe total package.”

Wietecter’s countless contributions have been recog-nized with such honors as ISI Man of the Year in 1993 andthe Great Skate Award in 1998, and he was named to the ISIHall of Fame in 2002, the year of his retirement after 35 yearsof full-time employment with St. Louis County Parks.

“I’m enjoying every day of my retirement,” Wietectersays. “My wife of 38 years, Barbara, retired in 1994 after 30years as a first-grade teacher, so now we have the oppor-tunity to travel more and spend time with our daughterand three grandchildren. One of the things that has madethe last five years go by so quickly has been my continuedinvolvement with ISI and its events.”

Boyd Wietecter: The Voice of ISIby Lori Fairchild

Boyd and Barbara Wietecter


For the first time in history, the ISIannual conference will include fulliAIM management and program-

ming certification schools, deliveringan unparalleled combination of rigor-ous classroom instruction, networkingopportunities with professionals fromaround the country, one of the indus-try’s leading arena equipment and icesport apparel tradeshows, and unfor-gettable social events.

These schools will offer you the

chance to learn and grow from thecomprehensive curriculum provided inthe certification courses without miss-ing out on the renowned ISI conferenceexperience. If you have never attendedan ISI conference, you are in for a treat!

The educational content of eachschool is developed by leading indus-try experts and accomplished practi-tioners. The detailed material is pro-vided in 28 hours of classroom lectureand exercises that break down complexsubjects so they are easy to understandand implement.

The course materials include ready-made policy manuals for your arena,

which will serve as an indispensableresource guide to help you improve youroperations and implement best practices.

When not in the classroom, stu-dents will attend conference socialgatherings such as the keynote address,President’s Reception, awards luncheonand tradeshow, culminating in a grad-uation ceremony and closing party.

Who should attend theconference schools?

The iAIM certificationprogram has been devel-oped to provide everyperson working in thearena with an in-depthunderstanding of everyfacet of the operation.

Arena professionalsshould earn all four cer-tifications to gain theutmost proficiency intheir role by having acomplete understandingof the other functions ofthe facility and howthey all interrelate.

If you are trying todecide between the twoschools being offered atconference, the manage-

ment school is particularly beneficial forgeneral managers, office managers andoperations staff, and the programmingschool is essential for skating and hock-ey directors as well as instructors.

What will you learn?The management school covers allaspects of the administration and busi-ness of an ice arena, including:� Principles and philosophy of arena

management� Policy development and

administration� Business and financial management� Human resources

� Insurance and risk management� Concession and ancillary income

sources� Arena marketing, promotion and

sponsorship

The programming school encompassesthe fundamentals of developing, man-aging and marketing high-quality icesport programs, such as:� Principles and philosophy of arena

programming� Program management and

budgeting� Human resources for programmers� Basics of instruction� Learn-to-skate and play programs� Public sessions and recreational

programs� Figure skating programs,

competitions, shows� Hockey leagues and tournament� Camps and clinics� Non-traditional programming

How can youafford not to attend?The iAIM certification schools will pre-pare you to meet and overcome thechallenges that lie ahead. If you are anarena manager or operator, you willgraduate better equipped to effectivelydirect the business and operation ofyour facility. If you are a programmer,you will learn the most effective meth-ods to grow participation and deliveran exceptional experience to yourskaters and players.

Whether you are a “veteran” ornew to the industry, you are certainto gain insights and understandingthat will help you have an immedi-ate impact on the performance ofyour arena.

If you are ready to take the nextstep in your professional journey, reg-ister for one of the iAIM conferenceschools today!

Serious Education Meets Serious FunAnnual ISI Conference to Include

2008 Arena Management and Arena Programming Schools

by Rob McBride, CAE


COACHES’CORNER

by Randy WinshipISI National Skating Program & Events Coordinator

While many of us are knee-deep in winter weather, busyskating schools and local competitions, it’s not tooearly to start planning your spring ice show. It can

take many months of preparation to make your “spring spec-tacular” bloom into a successful show production.

The key to any successful ice show production comesdown to only three words: planning, planning, PLAN-NING! If you do your homework and get everything orga-nized, your event can come off without a hitch and youwill be the “star.”

Show formats range from an easy exhibition style to a

full-fledged production show. Choose the kind of showthat is the best fit for your arena and your skaters. It’s notimportant what type of show you do; what counts is thateveryone has a chance to participate in a special skatingevent without being “judged.”

With the Hollywood writers on strike as I write this col-umn, I’ll offer my own “Top 10 Tips for a Successful Ice Show.”

1. Find a place for everyone in yourproduction.Make sure everyone — tots, beginners, hockey skaters,

adults and even the national competitors — feels that theyhave a special part to perform and contribute to the show’ssuccess. Some skaters don’t like competitions because theyare “judged.” Your show event can be a good place forthem to have fun performing in a group while they showoff their skating skills for their friends and family.

2. Be careful if you plan “tryouts”for solos.Some great show skaters like performing in a show becausethey don’t have to perform for judges (as in a competi-tion). As a tryout alternative, you can set solo assignmentsby skating test levels or even have a “Cast A” and “Cast B”with alternate performances to allow more skaters a chanceat a show solo.

3. Get the coaching staff and rink staffworking together.Whether it’s cutting music, designing costumes, buildingprops or selling tickets, if possible, let everyone contributetheir “creative input.”

4. Creativity and variety add “spice.”Don’t just follow the same show routine that you’ve

always done. Make your pro-duction numbers excitingand come up with new, inno-vative and creative ways touse different music in yourshow. Try to use many typesof music so everyone in theaudience can hear one oftheir favorite songs.

5. Reuse existingmusic, costumesand props.It’s easy to adapt previousshow-number routines forcompetition event entries,and vice versa. Use a familyspotlight, team compulsoryor production routine thathas placed first in a local, dis-trict or national competitionevent as part of your showprogram. I always made myshow finale a new Kalei-

doskate number each year, so I would already have cos-tumes, music and choreography ready for next year’s com-petition event.

6. Keep the choreography simple.Group numbers that don’t have much practice timetogether need to have fun and look good. Those are theimportant elements for a good show routine. Everyoneshould emphasize their best skills in the show so they canshine.

It’s Showtime!


7. Recruit parents and familymembers.They can serve on committees to handle costumes, props,set design, ticket sales, program design, practice-ice atten-dance, lighting, decorations, etc. Any help they can providewill reduce the workload for the coaches and rink staff.

8. Put posters and flyers in localbusinesses to get the word out.Have skaters sell tickets to school friends and family. Link

up with the community calendar of events in your localmedia for some free publicity. If you are bringing in a gueststar, the media might be interested in interviewing thembefore or during a performance.

9. Pull together all the pieces.It takes a good “director” to make sure everything is pre-pared to come together before opening night. If somethingisn’t coming together or won’t be ready, it’s time to punt!Be flexible and find another solution that will be bothentertaining and appropriate. While a show can be stress-ful, it should be “fun stress” for everyone.

10. Make sure the show is a positiveexperience for everyone.For many seasonal rinks, the show is an end-of-seasonevent, and good memories will leave them eager to beinvolved in next year’s skating programs and events. Yourshow can also draw prospective new skaters to your arena.Make sure they can easily find out details for your next setof beginner lessons.

Don’t forget to relax and have fun! If you’ve done yourhomework, you should have time to enjoy the fruits ofyour labor. It’s a lot of work, but producing a fabulous iceshow can be a rewarding experience for you, your arenaand everyone involved.

Curling has been around for centuries, first document-ed in the 1500s in Scotland and Holland, but it hasonly recently become widely recognized in the Unit-

ed States as a team sport played on ice — not just somethingdone with free weights or in hairstyling.

This often-misunder-stood and under-appreci-ated sport has taken itsshare of knocks, in partfor its slow-movingaction (some havedubbed it “the couchpotato sport”). But thatwas before curling was

cool — before it graduated from an obscure Olympic demon-stration sport to a full medal sport in 1998. Four years later,NBC televised more than 50 hours of curling during the Win-ter Games in Salt Lake City, and in 2006, the curling craze hitits crescendo in Torino, where 80-plus hours were televisedand the U.S. men’s team took the bronze medal.

“After the 2006 Olympics, we got calls from all over theUnited States, including Hawaii, and we saw our member-ship surge by more than 1,000,” says Bev Schroeder, memberservices director for the U.S. Curling Association, the nation-al governing body of the sport in the United States.

The association’s phone hasn’t stopped ringing. Schroed-er says there are now 16,000 curlers and more than 140 curlingclubs nationwide, and interest in the sport continues to grow.

“We’re finding that our greatest growth is in arenas,” shenotes. “There’s a greater awareness of curling now; arenamanagers are learning that it presents opportunities for theirdown times, and they don’t have to be afraid of what it willdo to their ice.”

Schroeder says that adding the curling “houses” to the


Burnsville Ice Center and the Dakota Curling Club provided the setting and instruction for last year’s MIAMA/ISI curling social during the annualISI conference in Minnesota.

Bagpipes contributed anauthentic Scottish flair tothe opening of the Nut-meg Curling Club facilityat theWonderland of Ice.

22Courtesy

of Nutmeg Curlin

g Club

Minnestudio.com

Curling ROCKS!The hottest sport on ice is turning up

in arenas all over the countryby Lori Fairchild


ice has not resulted in dis-traction for other rink users,as had been feared by somearena managers.

As for preparation, mostfacilities do a dry cut, thenthe local curling club isresponsible for “pebbling”the ice with a fine spray ofwarm water to create a fastergliding surface for the gran-ite rocks.

“When they’re finishedcurling, we just have oneresurfacing, and we’re back,” says Larry LaBorde, manager ofthe Ice Chalet in Knoxville, Tenn., home of the GreaterSmoky Mountains Curling Club.

“Maintaining level ice for curling is actually a way ofmaking sure your ice is in better shape for other activities,”adds Eddie Shipstad, a longtime curler and past president ofthe U.S. Curling Association who was instrumental in theformation of the Tennessee club.

Dean Mulso, recreation facilities manager for BurnsvilleIce Center in Minnesota, says the extremely level playing sur-face required for curling is a bonus for hockey players, too.“We use a laser level and plane high spots or fill in low spotsduring off-ice hours once a week,” he explains. Burnsville ishome base to the Dakota Curling Club, which providedinstruction to ISI members at the MIAMA/ISI social eventduring last year’s annual conference.

From a business perspective, curling can provide a newexposure for a facility and generate revenue from ice rental dur-ing off-peak hours as well as from food and beverage sales.

The Nutmeg Curling Club pays a monthly rental feeat the Wonderland of Ice in Bridgeport, Conn., where adedicated curling facility opened last year.“But their true value is the foot traffic that they bring intothe facility,” says Lisa Fedick, president of Wonderland of Ice.“Interest in curling is huge. We’ve seen a lot of crossover withsiblings and parents of hockey and figure skating customers,even some grandmothers.”

Mulso says that curling has provided an added revenuestream for the Burnsville Ice Center. “Since our club curls ina nontraditional season (spring and fall), the revenue hasenhanced our bottom line. It requires minimal preparationby our staff and no resurfacing during their stay. All instruc-tion and supervision are provided by the club. If you chargeyour usual ice rate, you are making a better-than-averageincome.”

While public skating is the primary source of income atthe Ice Chalet, LaBorde says curling is another form of prof-itable programming. “It doesn’t beat up the facility at all. Weend up making a little over our normal hourly rate, and it’son Sunday nights, when there wouldn’t usually be muchgoing on here.”

Randy Cumberland, manager of the Dr Pepper StarCenterin the Dallas sub-urb of Duncanville,Texas, says curlingis still new to hisarea, but he seesplenty of room forgrowth and profit.“We are probablyContinued on page 24

Voila! The Ice Chalet is ready for curling.

Larry LaBorde, manager of the IceChalet in Knoxville, Tenn., andEddie Shipstad of the GreatSmoky Mountains Curling Clubpaint the ice for curling.

Courtesy

ofIceChalet

Prior ice skating or hockey experience isnot necessary for curling. Instruction isprovided by curling club members.

Minnestudio.comEvery member of a curling team delivers two rocks per game. The granite rocks weighabout 42 pounds each, but strength is less important than balance and strategy.

23

Minnestud

io.com


at a break-even point now,” henotes. The D/FW Curling Clubplays at the StarCenter on Sundayafternoons, paying regular icerental fees, usually in two-hourincrements. The facility has an on-site bar for post-curling socializing,also known as “broomstacking.”

In addition to weekly clubrental, many facilities have foundcurling to be a sought-after activityfor corporate team-building, net-working and social events — pro-viding another revenue source.

“Approximately 75 percent ofall corporate parties at our rinkrequest and participate in curling,followed by a catered meal. Werealize nearly two times our ice costin the food and beverage sales thatcome with an event,” says MikeBruins, participation developmentmanager at Sharks Ice at San Joseand Sharks Ice at Fremont, home ofthe San Francisco Bay Area CurlingClub. Following weekly leagueplay, he adds, the arena’s on-siterestaurant is a popular gathering

spot for the clubcurlers.

Curling is tradition-ally a winter sport,with the official sea-son running from fallthrough spring. How-ever, ice arenas havethe flexibility of offer-ing recreational curl-ing based on the avail-ability of ice time,including year-roundor split into more thanone season.

The initial invest-ment in equipmentcan be steep due to therare high-density gran-ite from Scotland andWales that is used tomake the 42-poundcurling rocks. A newset of 16 rocks can runnearly $8,000. Usedequipment can some-times be found. Lastyear, U.S. Curlingoffered a loan programthrough the WorldCurling Federation inwhich startup clubscould borrow a set ofrocks for two yearsbefore returning themor paying for them.The 40 loaner sets were

quickly dispersed, and Schroeder says the federation has notannounced another such program.

Other curling equipment includes sliders (worn on onefoot to facilitate sliding) and curling brooms. Advancedcurlers often prefer to own their own brooms, special curl-ing shoes and other attire.

In general, the curling club, not the arena, provides allequipment and instruction. Most clubs are members of U.S.Curling, which provides affordable insurance for both playersand clubs and can help clubs establish tax-exempt status.

Clubs also host “bonspiels,” or weekend tournaments,inviting participation from other clubs. These events tend tobe as social as they are athletic, providing opportunities forcurlers to eat, drink and make new friends.

The social aspect of curling is one of its distinguishing char-acteristics. Camaraderie, often over a beer, is part of the curlingtradition. Curlers eagerly welcome new players to their sport.

“Curling provides a great social outing for everyone,” saysCumberland. “It builds self-esteem and team skills.”

“It’s a very friendly sport,” adds U.S. Curling’s Schroeder.“You compete to win, but afterward it’s all about the cama-raderie and friendship. I’ve made friends from all over theworld through curling.”

It’s also a sport for players of both genders and all ages,from kindergartners (who curl with junior-size rocks) toretirees. Most curlers have little or no prior ice skating or hock-ey experience. Besides the “fun with friends” factor, many findit to be an effective stress reliever as well as good physical andmental exercise.

For more information about the sport and business ofcurling, visit these Web sites:

• usacurl.org• worldcurling.org• curling.com• curlingzone.com• curlingschool.com• mycurling.com


Chess On IceWhile the uninitiated might view curling as unexciting, Bev Schroeder of U.S. Curlinglikens the game to chess on ice.

“It’s a finesse sport,” she explains. “There’s a great deal of strategy and skill involved.”The object of the game is to get

more rocks closer to the center of the12-foot ring than the opposing team.

A team consists of four players: theLead, the Second, theVice Skip and theSkip. Each player throws two rocks, andevery member of the team plays a rolein each shot. The Skip determineswhether or not sweeping is required tokeep a rock moving. Sweepinginvolves brushing the ice in front of therock, creating friction that results inheat which melts a thin layer of ice,which lubricates the bottom of therock, allowing it to travel farther andstraighter (source: curlingschool.com).

Minnestudio.com

U.S.C

urlingAssociation

Curling sheet dimensions


SIMPLE SOLUTIONSFOR SKATING DIRECTORS

by Carrie Clarke, ISI Director of Skating Programs & Services

It’s winter, the music is playing, the skaters have arrived —some taking lessons, some chasing their friends around theice and others cold and clinging to the wall for dear life. But

they’ve walked in your door and paid because they WANT toice skate. Who could ask for more? Arena owners, managers,directors and coaches love this time of year. It’s what makes theslow times bearable and keeps the business in operation.

But what you do now is going to determine what happens toyour business six months from now. As a skating director, some ofthe responsibility for that future business belongs to you.

Take a look at your staff. Are you or your other coaches justwalking by and ignoring that young skater on public sessionwho is in skates that are obviously two sizes too big? If so, don’texpect that child to come back, or for him to tell his friendshow much fun he had at the ice skating rink.

Are your instructors teaching classes that are both productiveand fun? Are the skaters leaving each class able to say they learnedsomething new that day — or did they play red light-green lightfor the sixth week in a row? This would be a great time to intro-duce a new game or two. How about relay races using hockeysticks and pucks? That usually goes slowly enough to be safe andgives figure skaters a whole new appreciation of the sport!

How many of your students have a routine to music? Many,I’m sure! Why not schedule one to do an exhibition after eachice resurfacing? It’s wonderful practice for the skater and inspir-ing to new skaters. These exhibitions don’t require an ISIendorsement and don’t need to be performed by your highest-level skaters. The beginning skater often can relate better to thelittle Alpha student skating to her favorite song. This is also agood time to allow your synchro teams to try out their new rou-tines for the season. Many new skaters are terrified to go outand perform alone, but the thought of being out there withfriends in matching costumes is quite appealing.

How about paying a coach to give free 15-minute groupintroductory lessons to beginners in a coned-off section of theice during the busier sessions? If a first-time skater can even justwalk forward, wiggle backward and do a simple “helicopter”spin her first time out, you’ll certainly have her wanting tocome back again.

Are you badge testing your skaters? Do they know there aremore to earn after the one they have? If so, many will want toget the whole set.

This is also the time to start publicizing something won-derful taking place next semester — either a spring show or anin-house competition in which every participant will take homea medal.

The skaters at your facility are there because they want to iceskate. That’s half the battle. But your marketing and promotion-al efforts need to continue once they’ve arrived. Be sure that eachone has a reason to return once the weather warms up, and yournumbers in the coming year will be better than the last.

Can you keep them?


POWER ICEwith Wendy Marco

Some of the next generationof future NHLers areenrolled in ISI youth hockey

programs right now, and they arewaiting, just waiting, for HockeySkills 3, when they can finallylearn how to shoot the puck. Forhockey’s newest and youngestplayers, hearing “He shoots, heSCORES!” is just as exciting ascatching that first glimpse ofSanta at the local mall. Thismoment is huge!

Beginning youth playersare just learning how their bod-ies work. Flailing arms, misstepsand stops gone terribly wrongare commonplace for hockey’sprimary set, and when you adda puck to the mix, you can betyour paycheck that chaos willfollow. To add insult to injury(figuratively, I hope), learningto put the puck exactly whereit’s supposed to go takes coordi-nation, strength and discipline.So how can instructors take arink full of out-of-control buthighly passionate little guysand effectively introduce themto the finer points of shooting?By making the drills “more funner,” of course!

These two drills are a sure-fire way to help little kidsfocus on the puck without even realizing that they’relearning anything at all.

Hockey BowlingSet up bowling pins behind the red line and place the kidsbehind the blue line. Load the players up with lots of light-weighted pucks. The object is to stay behind the blue lineand shoot as many pucks as fast as they can until all of thepins are knocked down. It helps to put a couple of assis-tants behind the bowling pins to constantly reload thekids’ supply of pucks. Once they begin to understand theactivity and are starting to aim when they shoot, dividethe group in half, and the pins, too. Have the two smallerteams compete against each other to be the first group toknock down their five pins. (I like the rainbow foam bowl-ing pins that I found at athleticstuff.com)

Puck PiñataFor kids who are skilled enough to lift the puck, this is agreat activity for special events, such as any time there’s aholiday that falls on a lesson night. Hang a piñata filledwith treats from the top bar of the net. Have the kids take

turns shooting at the piñata until it breaks open and theyrush in to gather the goodies. Where you place the playersdepends on the shooting skill of your students. A well-shotpuck will rip through the piñata, so you may want to do adry run without the piñata first to make sure that the kidsare far enough away to make the shots challenging. Youcould also incorporate some skating and passing into thisdrill to increase the difficulty. (Props to Coach Rob Loren-zen, Ashburn Xtreme ’99 team, for this great idea.)

When teaching hockey’s youngest, try to talk less andmove more, use teachable moments well and do whateveryou can to keep those smiles on their faces. A great firstcoach is arguably the most important gift that any athletecould ever have!

Wendy Marco is a professional hockeyskating coach for players from Mini-Mitesto the NHL. She has been a featuredspeaker at the International HockeySkating Symposium and is a presenter atUSA Hockey CEP Level 4 certification clin-ics. Her instructional DVD, “Breaking Outof the Ice Age,” and more unique hockeyskating tools can be found atwww.ColdRushHockey.com.

He Shoots … He SCORES!

Five-year-olds get ready for a puck-shooting drill disguised as a game of hockey “bowling” at the AshburnIce House.


The ISIA Education Foundation has launched a fund drive toraise $250,000 over the next five years to ensure the ongo-ing ability to provide academic scholarships to ISI skaters

and to pursue additional Foundation goals.Since its inception in 1989, the Foundation has directed all of

its fundraising efforts toward the scholarship program, which hasawarded more than $215,000 in scholarships to 70 ISI skaters.

“Now it’s time for the Foundation to pursue the additionalgoals for which it was founded,” said Foundation President Don-ald Bartelson. “These include educational programs related toadministering and officiating ice skating competitions and thedevelopment of materials designed to encourage continued inter-est in ice skating as a recreational activity and a competitive sport.”

Pledge amounts will range from $500 to $10,000, and all arepayable over the period of 2008 through 2012 with options ofannual, semi-annual or quarterly payments. “The amounts weredesigned to attract both individuals and business entities to beinvolved in this fundraising effort. An individual can become a

part of this fund drive for as little as two dollars per week. TheFoundation has also developed an extensive benefit package foreach pledge level in the program,” Bartelson explained.

Representatives from the ISIA Education Foundation willbegin contacting individuals in the near future. Contributorsmay also use the pledge form (on page 32) or contact the ISIoffice at (972) 735-8800 for more information.

Five-YearFund Drive Launched


Fund Drive Benefit Packages

Pledge Level Benefits$500 Basic Package: Framed contributor certifi-

cate, letter of appreciation from president,listing in RIS and EDGE magazines

$1,000 Basic Package + plaque-mounted certifi-cate, Foundation pin

$2,000 Basic Package + plaque-mounted certifi-cate with bronze bar, Foundation pin, 2tickets to Benefit Show for durationof pledge

$5,000 Basic Package + plaque-mounted certifi-cate with silver bar, Foundation pin, 5 tick-ets to Benefit Show for duration of pledge,name recognition at show withVIP seating

$10,000 Basic Package + plaque-mounted certifi-cate with gold bar, Foundation pin, 10tickets to Benefit Show (with name recog-nition and VIP seating) and dasherboardbanner for duration of pledge


5-Year Fund Drive PledgeI hereby pledge a total of $_________ toward the ISIA Education Foundation Fund Drive. I understand all pledges may bepaid over a period of 5 years.

� $500 I wish to be invoiced:� $1,000 � Annually� $2,000 � Semi-annually� $5,000 � Quarterly� $10,000

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________Name

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________Address

_______________________________________ __________ __________________City State ZIP

__________________________ ____________________________________________Phone E-mail

________________________________________________________________________Signed

All contributions are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law (IRS #36-3638131).

Thank you foryour generous support.

Mail to: ISIA Education Foundation6000 Custer Road, Building 9

Plano, TX 75023


which is home to skaters of all ages and abilities, includingspeed skaters, hockey players, figure skaters, skating schoolstudents and even senior skaters.

Wisconsin Amateur Hockey Association has been ask-ing for help in equipping their sled hockey team. Dona-tions can be sent to Don Kohlman, made payable to WAHASled Hockey. They are also looking for associations to havetheir PeeWee, Bantam, Midget or high school programs todonate one hour of ice time to have their able-bodied teamplay our sled team. They will bring the equipment forteams to play in the sleds. This a great team-building eventand an opportunity for your kids to experience, for onehour, what it is like to be disabled.

Arena Managers of the Mid Atlantic (AMMA)by Trudy Ivory, Co-Director

AMMA’s annual fall mini conference washeld Oct. 16-17 at Wheeling Park Com-mission near Oglebay Resort in West Vir-ginia. We had 16 people present, repre-senting eight facilities from West Vir-ginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Attendeesincluded arena managers, hockey direc-tors and figure skating directors.

We started our conference with din-ner at a local restaurant called “Undo’s.”We returned to Wilson Lodge at Oglebayand had a great time that included a much-needed break

Wisconsin Ice ArenaManagement Association

(WIAMA)by Tom Hammill, 2nd Vice President

WIAMA has begunplanning for the2008 spring confer-ence April 24-26 at

the Wilderness Hotel & Convention Cen-ter. Kicking off the conference will be theannual golf tournament, which will againbe held at Trappers Turn, one of the topcourses in the state. Seminars will featuretop instructors, the exhibitor tradeshow,roundtable discussions, the annualattendee hockey game and networking events.

WIAMA is continuing to explore the option of adding anew figure skating track to the conference; more details willbe available as the conference agenda develops. Those whohave some ideas to contribute may contact me [email protected].

In other news from Wisconsin, skating at Red Arrow Parkis a popular outdoor winter activity in Milwaukee. Skaterscan warm up in the nearby Starbucks. The cafe has a specialfloor to accommodate skate blades.

Capital Skating School is in full swing for the fall semes-ter, under the direction of Madison’s own figure skating goldmedalist, Cesca Supple.

Each year, nearly 500,000 visit Pettit National Ice Center,


Trudy Ivory


Tom Hammill



from the ordinary. Our “cruise director,” Erin, did a great jobof keeping the party fun.

The next morning we all arrived (yes, on time) at Wheel-ing Park for a day filled with worthwhile information. Ourfirst speaker of the day was John Simon from Rochester, N.Y.,who gave us an overview of a new software package. He wasfollowed by Howard Wolf from Square One Medical, whoseinformative presentation was on the Zoll AED Plus Auto-mated External Defibrillator. This is one of the most user-friendly AEDs I have ever seen. The machine gives feedbackon chest compressions and the electrodes are one piece,which takes the guesswork out of where to place them. Ituses standard lithium batteries, which can be purchasedwherever camera batteries are sold and will last five years.The pricing on this AED is very competitive and quantity dis-counts are available.

After a delicious lunch provided by our hosts, Rico Cov-ille and Nat Goudy, Ed Howe from Becker Arena Productsgave us information on Becker’s extensive product line. Itsvinyl products include line kits, goal creases and in-ice logos.Ed brought along a display that included videos, their newskate rack system, rubber flooring and custom logos.

We concluded our day with everyone giving an updateon what is happening in their respective facilities. We havescheduled our next meeting for April 16 at the S&T BankArena in Indiana, Pa. The arena was the former Indiana Iceand Expo Center and is now under the direction of WhiteTownship Recreation Complex. Milt Lady will be our host,and we are looking forward to seeing the improvements ofhis facility. Please make a note of the date and plan onattending. More info will be available in March.

Minnesota Ice Arena Managers Association(MIAMA)

by Joseph M. Balzer, President

Hockey and figure skating is in full swingand all of our rinks are buzzing with ener-gy and enthusiasm.

We are looking forward to the springworkshop in May in Mankato, a southernMinnesota city. Our three-day fall confer-ence will be in early September at Grand-view Lodge in Nisswa, Minn.

Newly elected MIAMA board mem-bers and officers are: Dave Van Vickle, Pur-pur Ice Arena, Grand Forks, N.D. (Northern Minnesota); MikeShiggebee, Eden Prairie Community Center (Western Metro);Paul Ostoff, All Seasons Arena, Mankato, Minn. (SouthernMinnesota); Craig Flor, Mariucci and Ridder Arenas, Min-neapolis (member-at-large); Travis Larson, Xcel Energy Cen-ter, St. Paul, Minn. (vice president); and Joe Balzer, Richfield IceArena, Richfield, Minn. (president). We owe a debt of grati-tude to our outgoing members for their service: Garry Had-den, East Grand Forks Arena (Northern Minnesota); Russ Rose,Buffalo Civic Arena (Western Metro); Bob Furland, Albert LeaCity Arena (Southern Minnesota); and Doug Brady, St. CroixCommunity Center (member-at-large and president).

We continue to grow as an organization with 177 facil-ity members and 64 vendor organizations. Our Web site,www.rinkfinder.com, had more than 75,000 unique users in

2007. Member facilities sell their available ice through thesite, and many rinks sell hundreds of their open ice times byadvertising them. We are now attempting to increase ouradvertising potential because of the high rate of exposure toskaters and their families. For more information on adver-tising on this site, please contact Travis Larson, at [email protected] or call him at (651) 726-8160.

On a personal note, I was fortunate to be elected as thenew president of MIAMA and I look forward to the comingyear with anticipation and an eagerness to help our organi-zation grow to new heights. It is an honor to be a part ofsuch a prestigious and well-respected organization.

Ice Rink Owners of California(IROC)

by Bert Blanchette, President

The owners and managers in ISI District15 met and discussed the current status ofbusiness in southern California. Hockeycontinues to grow, but the summer wasflat for public skating and learn-to-skate.We will all be expecting a utility rateincrease, as announced by the Public Util-ity Commission.

The Oxnard Ice Skating Center busi-ness was purchased by the ChannelIslands FSC and the Riptides HC. They arerunning it under their not-for-profit status and are in theprocess of finding land for a new freestanding facility.

We’re looking forward to being the host district for theupcoming ISI conference and tradeshow in Anaheim, andwe’re working with the ISI office staff on a variety of funevent ideas.

North East Ice Skating Managers Association(NEISMA)

by Tom Morton, President

The absence of posted first aid notices atfacilities that recently experienced suchincidents as a patron’s heart attack and aFreon leak has prompted NEISMA to pre-pare a first aid sign for ice rinks. EdPeduto has designed a simple sign to beposted in various locations throughoutthe rink, indicating the location of firstaid kits, ice packs, blankets, defibrilla-tors, flashlights, telephones, etc. Thesign will be made available to NEISMA members, accom-panied by a cover letter with posting instructions.

NEISMA continues to address safety matters as well as itsongoing emphasis on instruction and training programs, main-tenance and operation matters, utility costs, publication of arti-cles of interest for the NEISMA membership, conferences andseminars, and information on vendor products and services.

Recently one of our vendors called to complain that hehad not received word of one of our local area meetings, andhe would have volunteered to help. We appreciate that kind

Joseph M. Balzer

Bert Blanchette

Tom Morton


of complaint! Thanks to that vendor for such a display ofinterest and support. Of course, with hat in hand, I apolo-gized for our failure to make him aware of the meeting.

As the members of our board of directors like to say,“NEISMA continues to look to the future.”

Metropolitan Ice Rink Managers Association(MIRMA)

by Lisa Fedick, Secretary

ISI District 3 is proud to have hosted thelargest Artistic Challenge event to date, atthe Wonderland of Ice in Bridgeport,Conn., Nov. 3-4. The event, which wasrun by ISI’s Randy Winship and CarrieClarke received nothing but accoladesfrom skaters, parents and coaches, andeveryone left with a smile.

MIRMA/ISI District 3 was joinedOct. 16 by a large group from District 1for a combined 2007 fall managers’ seminar, hosted byKevin McCormack at the Danbury Ice Arena in Danbury,Conn. Scott McCoy of FMC Arenas presented his “Made inthe Shade” promotional fundraiser for skin cancer aware-ness, which is a program I would like to see adopted at thenational level. Another presentation focused on fire safetyand emergency preparedness, featuring regional fire offi-

cials as well as representatives from the major arena insur-ance carriers. Our thanks to ISI President Jim Hartnett,iAIM Chairman Rob McBride and ISI Executive DirectorPeter Martell for their participation and support at thecombined district meeting.

The District 3 instructors’ seminar will be held on Feb. 7at Sport-o-Rama in Monsey, N.Y., with David Santee as theguest speaker.

On a personal note, I would like to sincerely thankeveryone for the outpouring of support that I received fol-lowing the sudden passing of my father, John Fedick.Although many were uneasy about my decision to have hiswake at his beloved Wonderland of Ice, it turned out to be anamazing and respectful event attended by more than 500people. This made me realize that our buildings truly are anintegral part of our communities, not just for ice sports, butas places where people of all ages can congregate for unlim-ited purposes and be part of an extended family. It is myhope that we can all encourage this.

Lisa Fedick

Ice Arena Conference &Tradeshow

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FEBRUARY

1-3 Glenview, Ill.Glenview Ice CenterFebruary Freeze

1-3 Woburn, Mass.Lansing ChapmanSkating RinkBay State Games

8-10 Blaine, Minn.Schwan Super Rink2008 Frosty Blades

8-10 St. LouisWayne C. KennedyRecreation Complex18th AnnualSweetheart Open

8-10 Eugene, Ore.Lane Events Center-ICELove To Skate

8-10 Niles, Ill.Niles Park DistrictIceland25th AnnualSweetheart Open

15-17 Oldsmar, Fla.Tampa Bay SkatingAcademy

2008Winter Classic

15-17 Oxford, OhioGoggin Ice Center2008 ISI Miami OpenCompetition

15-17 Southgate, Mich.Southgate Civic CenterISI Winter Competition2008

16 Oak Lawn, Ill.Oak Lawn Ice ArenaReach for the Stars

17 Salem, Mass.Viking Skating Club28th Annual President’sDay Competition

23-24 Plano, TexasDr Pepper StarCenterISI Love to Skate 2008

MARCH

1-2 Highland Park, Ill.Centennial Ice ArenaThe Lucky Stars Open

1-2 San DiegoSan Diego Ice ArenaCalifornia State Games

1-2 MinneapolisParade Figure SkatingClub2008 Blades of MarchISI Open Competition

7-9 Park Ridge, Ill.Oakton Ice ArenaIce Breaker Classic

8-9 Natick, Mass.Bay State Blades NatickNatick 37th Annual ISICompetition

14-16 Homewood, Ill.Homewood-FlossmoorIce Arena

28th Annual ISI District8 Competition

15 PittsburghRMU Island SportsCenterShamrock Skate

15-16 DallasGalleria Ice SkatingCenter2008 State of Texas ISITeam Competition

15-16 Youngstown, OhioSkating Club ofGreater YoungstownISI Team Competition2008

28-30 Knoxville, Tenn.Ice Chalet39th Annual MississippiValley DistrictCompetition

29-30 San FranciscoYerba Buena IceSkating CenterGolden Gate Skate

30 Franklin Park, Ill.Franklin Park Ice ArenaKickline SynchronizedSkating Competition

CALENDARISI-endorsed competitions & shows/exhibitionsDeadline for the next EDGE calendar: January 15For regular calendar updates, see www.skateisi.org, event info

COMPETITIONS

JANUARY

5-6 Brockton, Mass.Bay State BladesBrockton2nd Annual BrocktonBlizzard

5-6 Plymouth, Minn.Plymouth Ice CenterBlizzard Blast

11-13 Webster Groves, Mo.Webster Groves IceArenaShow-Me State Games

12-13 Fort Myers, Fla.Fort Myers SkatiumCity of Palms ISICompetition

13 Greenfield, Mass.Bay State BladesGreenfieldMidwinter ClassicInvitational

17-20 Mamaroneck, N.Y.Riverdale IceLake Placid ISIChampionships

18-20 Westland, Mich.Mike Modano ArenaTropical Days

18-20 St. Peters, Mo.St. Peters Rec-PlexMissouri StateInvitational

19-20 Centennial, Colo.South Suburban FamilySports Center

ISI Competition19-20 San Diego

Kroc Center IceKroc Center Ice 2008ISI Open

19-20 Gillette, Wyo.Campbell County IceArena2008 NewYear IceBreaker

APRIL

4-6 El Segundo, Calif.Toyota Sports Center8th Annual SpringFling OpenCompetition

11-13 St. LouisSt. Peters Rec-PlexISI SynchronizedSkatingChampionships

12 Delmar, Pa.Center Ice ArenaGolden BladesChampionship ofPittsburgh

26-27 Franklin Park, Ill.Franklin Park Ice ArenaSpring Fever

MAY

17 West Concord, Mass.Sharper Edge SkatingSchool

10th Annual Skater’sCup Competition

23-25 San DiegoSan Diego Ice ArenaISI OpenChampionships

JUNE

18-22 Mexico CityLa Pista San JeronimoTri-AmericasInternational ISIOpen Championships


JULY

5-6 Evanston, Ill.Robert Crown Center31st Annual July Open

10-12 HonoluluIce Palace2008 ISI HawaiianOpen

28- DenverAug. 2 South Suburban

Family Sports Center& Ice Arena

ISI World RecreationalTeam Championships

AUGUST9 Orland Park, Ill.

Arctic Ice Arena2nd Annual ArcticHeat Wave

SEPTEMBER

19-21 Arlington, TexasICE at The Parks5th Annual ISI OpenCompetition

OCTOBER

3-5 San FranciscoYerba Buena IceSkating Center

ISI AdultChampionships

25-26 Rockland, Mass.Winterland SkatingSchool22nd AnnualHalloween Classic

DECEMBER

5-7 Burbank, Calif.Pickwick Ice CenterISI Artistic Challenge

JANUARY

3 Glenview, Ill.Glenview Ice CenterWinter CarnivalSynchronizedExhibition

27 Norwich, Conn.Norwich SkatingSchoolLights, Camera, Axel

FEBRUARY

22-24 New Ulm, Minn.New Ulm FigureSkating ClubRock on Ice

MARCH

7-8 Pekin, Ill.Pekin Memorial ArenaRated G

8-9 St. LouisWayne C. KennedyRecreation ComplexAnnual Ice Recital

14-15 Luverne, Minn.Blue Mound Ice ArenaBroadway: A SkatingRevue

APRIL

13 Brentwood, Mo.Brentwood Ice ArenaGot to Get Down toFunky Town SpringIce Show

13 Highland Park, Ill.Centennial Ice ArenaSpring Exhibition

18 Inver Grove Heights,Minn.Inver Grove HeightsParks & Rec

Inver Grove HeightsSpring Ice Show

18-19 Carol Stream, Ill.Carol Stream Ice RinkMuseum Tour

22 Arlington, TexasICE at The ParksSpring Fling

25-26 Downers Grove, Ill.Downers Grove IceArenaMuseum Tour 2008

25-27 Glenview, Ill.Glenview Ice Center35th Annual Ice Show

25-27 Yonkers, N.Y.E.J. Murray SkatingCenterAnnual Ice Show

MAY

2-4 Indian Trail, N.C.Extreme Ice CenterThat’s Life 2nd AnnualIce Show

3 Marlboro, Mass.Navin ArenaSummer Splash

3 Eagan, Minn.Eagan Civic ArenaSkating For a Living

3 Rockland, Mass.Winterland SkatingSchoolWinterland Ice Show

9-10 Orland Park, Ill.Arctic Ice ArenaIce, Camera, Action!

9-11 Niles, Ill.Niles Park DistrictIceland2008 Ice Show-OnceUpon a Time

10 Hoffman Estates, Ill.Hoffman Estates ParkDistrict Ice ArenaICE-FM

10 Wasilla, AlaskaBrett Memorial IceArenaSpring Ice Show

16-18 Highland Park, Ill.Centennial Ice ArenaFlights of FancyCarnivale

17-18 Boxborough, Mass.Nashoba ValleyOlympiaIce Magic

27-30 Anaheim, Calif.ISI Ice ArenaConference &Tradeshow

Hyatt Regency OrangeCounty

AUGUST

21 Arlington, TexasICE at The ParksSummertime

DECEMBER

28 Arlington, TexasICE at The ParksHoliday in The Parks

CALENDAR

SHOWS &EXHIBITIONS

Ice Arena Conference & Tradeshow

Vis i t the

ISI Web si te :

skate is i .org


It’s no secret that many arena managers don’t considerprogramming their favorite duty, or, in some cases, eventheir responsibility. In fact, some will do almost anything

to avoid it, rationalizing that “it’s not my thing, so I’ll dowhat I know best and leave the programming to others.”

I recently spoke to a manager who told me that he haddelegated a decision about what type of program his facilityshould use to one of his program directors, who had, in turn,polled other staff members — mostly part-timers or inde-pendent contractors — and selected the one favored by themajority. What is wrong with this picture?

Programming drives a facility’s bottom line, and like it ornot, the bottom line is the manager’s responsibility. I can thinkof no other type of business in which a manager would abdi-cate key decisions to staffers who bear no accountability forthe success of the overall business. And yet, this is not the firsttime I’ve heard such a scenario from an arena manager.

The reality is that the manager or chief operating officerof any facility or company is ultimately responsible for theselection of employees, programs, products and servicesrequired for the successful operation of the business. Request-ing input is one thing, but delegating final decisions thatdirectly impact the quality or profitability of the business isirresponsible.

Even more puzzling to me are facilities that relinquishcontrol of skating or hockey programs to outside clubs, orga-nizations or entrepreneurs who have no vested interest inthe success or failure of the facility. In fact, in many cases,these “concessionaires” are working in opposition to thearena manager, trying to negotiate as favorable a deal as theycan for themselves rather than what may be most beneficialfor the facility.

Programming is not an insignificant responsibility for anarena manager. It is the foundation of the facility’s present andfuture business. Recreational (as opposed to elite competitive)skating and hockey programs can be some of the most prof-itable activities that an arena conducts. A well-run skatingschool can generate more than $1,200 per hour in revenue,and a large house-league hockey program more than $250,000per year! It’s inconceivable that an arena manager would relin-quish control of either program to someone else.

The next time you are considering recreational skatingor hockey program decisions, don’t put your destiny in thehands of others. Be willing to learn about those parts of thebusiness that you may be unfamiliar with, or invest in anexperienced and proven program director. Take control ofyour facility’s future. Yes, it might involve more work and/orexpense, but the rewards will far outweigh any additionalinvestment of time or money.

Whatever you do, don’t let the tail wag the dog.

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ECO CHILL Overview

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