GREAT FALLS — Winter sports are preparing for their season, including the Great Falls Figure Skating Club. They’ve been preparing longer than they anticipated due to a delay in the start of their season.
The Great Falls Ice Plex had broken pipes and delayed the season, but now blades are on ice and figure skaters are back to working on their moves.
Stephanie Kazior leads the program because she loves teaching people how to skate and wants to show them something fun to do during the winter.
“Our learn to skate program offers skaters of all ages the ability to learn a new skill and make friends and have fun. Skating doesn’t have an age limit,” Kazior said. “Our numbers have dwindled as far enrollment in our learn to skate program, but our club skaters have stuck with us through thick and thin.”
Kazior says it can be a challenge to get ice time occasionally, but she is thrilled to be back doing what she loves, teaching people how to skate.
The club spends the warmer months fundraising for when competitions get going.
They fundraised throughout the summer with a raffle that they use to help the program.
The club members are just as excited as well to be back out on the ice with a coach that they know wants them and the club to succeed.
Jennifer Hendershoot has been with the club for almost a decade and has seen the club revamped in the last few years even though it has been different with Covid.
“I used to go to Vegas and other places to compete pretty often, but with Covid, I can’t do that anymore. It used to be about getting better but right now it feels like I’m trying to just maintain my spot where I’m at,” Hendershoot said.
Despite fewer competitions, she still enjoys the club and spinning on the ice because she sees an improvement from the club and wants more people to be a part of it.
“I feel since Stephanie’s taken over that she’s done a really good job of bringing the club back up and this is the best I’ve seen the club in years. Nobody really cared about it but since Stephanie got here, I feel like she really cares about the club and where it goes, and she just wants to take it up,” Hendershoot said.
The club has sessions coming up in December that are $20 for club members.
For more information, click here to visit the Facebook page, or click here for the website.
