Greetings from the Chairperson:

Transcription

1 2205 Victoria Ave, Regina, Saskatchewan S4P 0S4 Phone (306) Fax (306) Web Site: Greetings from the Chairperson: As August draws to an end, the 2009/2010 skating season is about to begin. September 1 st is a time to reflect on summer accomplishments and make plans to move forward in the new season. For the skaters attending out of province competitions, I wish them well and encourage everyone to attend the SGI Canada Sask Skate / Sask Open Competition on October 9 th 11 th in Saskatoon. This is a very popular competition in Western Canada and we are pleased to be able to host this first class competition. Just a reminder that clubs will purchase their liability and accident insurance through Skate Canada. Clubs would have received a package from BFL Canada, Skate Canada s insurance broker, for additional insurance coverage. All mandatory insurance will be charged to the club at the time of registration. We are once again hosting four (4) IBAS Regional Fall Skate-Ins in conjunction with the Regional Fall Meetings. Clubs should have received this information at the beginning of August. Information is also available online at under events. IBAS Regional Fall Skate-Ins will be held: September 26 th Tisdale September 27 th Yorkton September 27 th Swift Current October 4 th Battleford. I would like to thank the Insurance Brokers Association of Saskatchewan (IBAS) for becoming the presenting sponsor. Skaters, Officials & Coaches (SOC) Weekend will be held in Regina on October 24 th 25 th, This weekend will provide training opportunities for skaters, officials and coaches. Please see the enclosed registration brochure for more information. On behalf of Skate Canada Saskatchewan I would like to thank our returning sponsors: BMO Financial Group Delta Bessborough IBAS PharmaChoice SaskEnergy SaskTel SGI Canada Saskatchewan Lotteries Wingate by Wyndham Be sure to support our sponsors! Sectionals Hotel Partner Regional Fall Skate-Ins Road Show Grassroots Seminar STARSkate Festival Jean Norman Sask Skate / Sask Open Funding Partner Hotel Partner Be sure to check out the Skate Canada Saskatchewan website for more information. Marilyn Inside: - Skaters, Officials & Coaches (SOC) Weekend Registration Package - Canadian Post Secondary Grant Clubs Only: BMO Skate Canada Sectionals Announcement - Skate Canada Saskatchewan Directory - SaskEnergy Grassroots Grant - I can skate T-Shirt Order Form Page 1

2 Making Dreams Possible didn't set out to be a pairs skater. She actually competed in barrel racing as a youngster. But partner Rudi Sweigers found a way to get her into pairs. "I kind of got tricked into it," Lawrence said. "Rudi had a good partner but when she left, our coach asked me to help him out since I was one of the few lefties in our club. Two weeks later, he had made some programs for us." Spread the word!!!!!!!!!!!! The Coaching Association of Canada is now accepting applications for the next wave of GM s Making Dreams Possible Club Coaching Grants with the deadline of applications being September 21, Applications for GM s High Performance Coach Grants are also being accepted now, and the application deadline is January 18, Since 2007, General Motors (GM), in partnership with the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC), has awarded 274 $2,000 grants to community sport organizations and 30 $10,000 grants to high performance coaches and athletes across Canada through the Making Dreams Possible program. Thus far, these grants have provided funds for training and development to over 15,000 coaches, and impacted nearly 170,000 Canadian athletes in 155 communities across the country. The goal of the Making Dreams Possible program is to enhance the sport experience for our Canadian athletes at all levels through coaching excellence. However, the program would not be a success without continued support from our national, provincial and territorial partners in spreading the word to local community clubs and sport organizations. "I figured I'd give it a try," she continued. "It was something fun and different for me. I liked the feeling of being thrown and started to like doing pairs. When we landed a throw triple Salchow on our second week, I knew it was special." "Paige is a great partner because she's so dedicated," Sweigers stated. "When I want to call it a day, she says, 'let's do five more.' She trains me harder than our coach. She's so gutsy. She'll do whatever I ask of her." Apply now and make dreams possible in your community! Applications available online at Paige Lawrence & Rudi Swiegers Scion of Rodeo Family Roped into Pairs July 19, 2009 Article and Photo by J. Barry Mittan Paige Lawrence, whose parents own a rodeo production company in Kipling, Saskatchewan, Canada's Paige Lawrence, 19, and Rudi Sweigers, 21, perform to Orange Blossom Sorbet by Joe Trio at the 2009 World Junior Figure Skating Championships. The couple didn't meet with instant success, placing 14th at Canadian Nationals (Junior Division) in both 2006 and However, in Page 2

3 2008, they won the silver medal and in 2009, they placed a surprising fourth in senior pairs. The couple started the international season by placing eighth at the ISU Junior Grand Prix (JGP) in Gomel, followed by a fifthplace finish in Sheffield, England. Then they placed a very respectable fourth at the 2009 World Junior Figure Skating Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria. It was the highest placement for Canadian athletes at Junior Worlds. "Our main goal last season was to make the senior international team," Sweigers said, "and we accomplished that." "We were disappointed not to make the Junior Grand Prix Final," Lawrence added, "but we refocused after the JGP season and aimed for Junior Worlds. It was our first and last Junior Worlds because we aged out. This upcoming season, we'll just compete in seniors." Lawrence started to skate when she was four. "My mom was a figure skater and my dad was a hockey player," she recalled. "They put me in Canskate because there wasn't very much to do in our small town. It's only about 500 people. I started training for competitions when I was nine." The 19-year-old, who landed her first triple Salchow when she was 15, continues to compete in singles, and placed 16th at the Western Challenge in senior ladies during the season. Sweigers, 20, started to skate after his family moved to Canada from South Africa in order for his mother to practice medicine in Saskatoon and then Kipling. "Everybody does it for recreation in a small town," said Sweigers, who went on the ice at ten. "I dabbled in hockey early on," he continued. "Then I went to take figure skating lessons to develop my hockey skills. I liked the jumps and it was so much fun that I kept going. I made it to Nationals a few times in junior men and was second at Sectionals in senior men, but I've been retired the last two years." "I'd had a lot of injuries so I started doing pairs when I was 15," he continued. "I was 20th at Junior Nationals in novice pairs in 2005 with Kristin Bonkowski, but she wanted to focus on her singles career." That's when he hatched his plan to skate with Lawrence. The couple hooked up in the summer of Patricia Hole coaches the couple, who train mainly in Virden, Manitoba, six days a week for two to four hours a day. Off ice, they do an hour and a half of individual gym training a day. Sweigers also runs during the summer and does yoga. Both of their programs are new for the upcoming season. Jamie MacGregor choreographed their short program to Baton Bunny and Bernard Ford choreographer the long to music from the Van Helsing soundtrack. Lawrence plans on competing in the Senior ladies division this season. "I will be using the same programs as last year because I figured four new programs would be too much to handle in one season." This season the team will also make their Senior Grand Prix debut at NHK Trophy, which will be held in Nagano, Japan in November. Off ice, Lawrence listens to country and pop music. "I'm not picky," she said, "but I don't like heavy metal. "I listen to literally everything," Sweigers said, "from classical to opera to rap, whatever mood strikes me." Perdue Oasis... "Jewel in the Crown" "..condition of the greens, fairways and Tee boxes...best in Saskatchewan" Score Magazine 2006 A proud sponsor of the 2009/2010 Skaters Lottery Both skaters used to play volleyball and soccer. Sweigers still enjoys kayaking, while Lawrence likes to swim. She also likes to go home on weekends to visit her family and friends and ride her horse. "I'm not a city girl at all," she said. "It's really relaxing to go riding with my dad and my brothers." Page 3

4 Sweigers enjoys hanging out with friends, going to movies, and reading, mainly science fiction. "I'm an avid reader," he said, "whenever I can find a good book." Lawrence also likes to read but said, "I'm an historical fiction kind of girl." Both of the skaters are in their first year studying part-time at Brandon University in Manitoba, where she is majoring in kinesiology and he is focusing on psychology. "I'm leaning towards a career in sports medicine," said Lawrence, an honor student. "I've been working with a sports psychologist so thought I'd learn more about it," Sweigers noted. The skaters plan to compete through the 2010 Olympics and hopefully the 2014 Olympics. 2009/2010 Skaters Lottery The planning for the 2009/2010 Skaters Lottery has begun. If your club wishes to participate please pre-order your ticket books by June 30 th. $29,385 was paid back to club participating in the 2008/2009 Skaters Lottery. Skate Canada Saskatchewan arranges for all prizes, applies for the lottery license, prints the tickets and advertises. The only cost to clubs is the shipping of the tickets out and back from the Section Office. If you have any questions, please contact the Section Office at (306) Synchronized Skating Judges Are you interested in becoming a Synchronized Skating Judge? Skate Canada Manitoba will be holding a synchro judges clinic (likely in Winnipeg) this fall and this would be a good time for anyone wanting to become involved in synchro judging to begin the learning process and the required trial judging. If you are interested, please contact Doug Steele at (306) or pd.steele@sasktel.net. T-fal and Skate Canada create commemorative fry pans OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada and national sponsor T-fal are pleased to announce the creation of official T-fal Skate Canada commemorative fry pans. The limited-edition pans will be on sale starting August 28, 2009 at Loblaws stores across the country for the suggested retail price of $ A portion of the proceeds of the commemorative fry pans will help support current and future champions through Skate Canada s Athlete Fund, which provides financial support for skaters through training grants and scholarships. It s hard to express the wonderful work T-fal has done to support our athletes and sport. These new pans are absolutely gorgeous and are a perfect addition to any kitchen, said Debbi Wilkes, Skate Canada Director Marketing and Communications. This season is a very important year for our elite skaters and the more we can help them through our Athlete Fund the better. It s great to see a portion of the sales going directly to helping team Canada. 730E Broadway Ave Saskatoon, SK A proud sponsor of the 2009/2010 Skaters Lottery The collectible 28cm fry pans will feature attractive skating designs* on the base of the pan, perfect for those who display their cookware. Special to T-fal the fry pan will feature the Thermo-Spot which indicates when the pan has reached the optimal searing temperature. The enamel exterior ensures that these collectible pans will last a lifetime. The coveted metal utensil-friendly expert pro non-stick Page 4

5 coating makes cleaning a breeze and makes it ideal for fat-free cooking. In August 2008 T-fal joined the Skate Canada national sponsor family as the official small domestic appliance sponsor of Skate Canada. Since joining the Skate Canada team they have actively participated at Skate Canada events. Look for T-fal to be just as visible during the 2009/2010 season. Brampton to host 2010 BMO Skate Canada Synchronized Skating Championships to the event. Please visit for updates. *Following a change in competition structure there will be no adult categories at the BMO Skate Canada Synchronized Skating Championships. The adult section of the competition will now be held at the 2010 Skate Canada Adult Figure Skating Championships. In addition the competitive and festival categories have been combined. All synchronized skating teams will compete in one of five categories: senior, junior, open, intermediate and novice. OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada is pleased to announce that Brampton, Ontario will host the 2010 BMO Skate Canada Synchronized Skating Championships. The event will be held at the Powerade Centre from March 4-6, We are very excited to be in back in Brampton for another great event, said Skate Canada CEO William Thompson. This competition brings a team atmosphere that is unlike any other sport. The enthusiastic fans generate cheers that can be heard outside the arena. With support like that, it s no surprise that we have some of the best synchronized skating teams in the world. BMO Financial Group is proud of its partnership with Skate Canada and is pleased to be the title sponsor of the BMO Skate Canada Synchronized Championships for a fourteenth consecutive year, said Sandy Bourne, Vice- President, Advertising, Sponsorships, Corporate Events and Merchandising, BMO Financial Group. As Canada s skating bank, our support of this sport fosters a spirit of involvement and a passion for skating in the communities we serve." The 2010 BMO Skate Canada Synchronized Skating Championships will bring approximately 1,100 skaters from across the country to Brampton. Teams will compete for national titles in the senior, junior, open, intermediate and novice categories*. The top two senior teams will represent Canada at the 2010 ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships in Colorado Springs, USA, taking place April 9-10, WANTED: Skate Canada Saskatchewan is looking for individuals that would be interested in playing music and operating the video replay equipment at provincial competitions. Training will be provided. If you are interested please contact the Section Office at (306) The Weber BBQ Shop 1905 Quebec Street, Saskatoon (306) A proud sponsor of the 2009/2010 Skaters Lottery Ticket information will become available closer Page 5

6 Did You Know? In order for a Skate Canada member to be covered with insurance through Skate Canada, the member must be participating in a Skate Canada club program and bring instructed by Skate Canada coaches with only Skate Canada members on the ice. Should a coach or parent decide to rent extra ice for a skater or group of skaters to receive additional instructing because of an upcoming test day of competition, then provided there are only Skate Canada members on the ice and there is a Skate Canada coach instructing the group or individual, their insurance would be valid. NCCP Competition Development Fall Schedule Saskatoon 510 Cynthia Street Oct 6 8 Coaching & Leading Effectively Oct Developing Athletic Abilities Oct Psychology of Performance Nov 7 Prevention & Recovery Nov Managing Conflict Nov 26 Leading Drug Free Sport Regina University of Regina Oct 2 3 Coaching & Leading Effectively Oct Developing Athletic Abilities Oct Psychology of Performance Nov 14 Prevention & Recovery Nov Managing Conflict Nov 24 Leading Drug Free Sport To register online visit ule2009.php or contact Diane Wappel at (306) or dwappel@sasksport.sk.ca Cost: $ for all six (6) modules or $45 per module. Questions contact Mark Bracken, Manager of Coaching at (306) or mbracken@sasksport.sk.ca Online Tutorial for Directors and Officers of Non-Profit Corporations This tutorial provides directors, or those thinking of becoming directors, of non-profit corporations in Saskatchewan with information and tool to help you with this important role. For more information visit Waskesiu Resorts (306) Winter (306) Summer A proud sponsor of the 2009/2010 Skaters Lottery Registration is limited to the first 15 coaches so register early! Page 6

7 New RInC Funding New federal funding is now available for renovations and expansions to community and recreation areas through the Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program (RInC). The program is being administered by Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD). Through RInC, the federal government will contribute up to 33% of the cost of recreational projects, with the remaining funding provided by other sources, such as provincial or municipal governments, community organizations, and the private sector. The two (2) year funding program is for projects that will reach completion by March 31 st, For more information about RInC, including how to apply, visit WD s website at Office Closure Please note the Skate Canada Saskatchewan Office in Regina will be closed the following dates (subject to change): Reminders Be sure to check the web site for upcoming NCCP Courses, Seminars and other news. Be sure to check the Skate Canada Members Only Login for information for the upcoming skating season. Has your club registered for the 2009/2010 skating season? If not, your skaters are not eligible to compete in competitions, take tests and have no insurance coverage. Carnivals, Achievement Days, Invitational Competitions, Exhibition Skates, etc must be sanctioned. Sanction forms are available online at under Applications / Forms Sept 4 th EDO Sept 7 th Labour Day Sept 11 th Meeting Oct 12 th - Thanksgiving Calendar of Events Subject to Changes Aug Level 1 Phase 3 Primary STARSkate Regina Sept 3 5 Level 1 Phase 1 CanSkate Beginner Saskatoon Sept 3 7 ISPC Courses Saskatoon Sept 11 Skater Development Committee Meeting Saskatoon Sept 12 Section Board of Directors Meeting Saskatoon Sept 12 Section Marketing Committee Meeting Saskatoon Sept Regional Coordinators Meeting Saskatoon Sept 26 IBAS Regional Fall Skate-In Tisdale Sept 27 IBAS Regional Fall Skate-In Swift Current Sept 27 IBAS Regional Fall Skate-In Yorkton Oct 4 IBAS Regional Fall Skate-In Battleford Oct 9 11 SGI Canada Sask Skate / Sask Open Saskatoon Oct 23 Section Board of Directors Meeting Regina Oct Skaters, Officials & Coaches (SOC) Weekend Regina Nov BMO Skate Canada Sectionals Regina Nov Level 1 Phase 1 CanSkate Beginner Saskatoon Nov SilverSkate Regina Dec Saskatchewan Winter Games District Run-offs Moose Jaw Page 7

8 Jan 8 9 Section Board of Directors Meeting Saskatoon Jan 9 Region 10 Invitational Competition Rosetown Jan Region 2 Invitational Competition Moose Jaw Jan CanSkate Fun Festival Weyburn Jan Region 7 Invitational Competition Humboldt Jan SaskEnergy STARSkate Championships Yorkton Feb 6 7 Region 1 Invitational Competition Oxbow Feb 6 7 Region 6 Invitational Competition Melville Feb 6 7 Region 12 Invitational Competition TBA Feb Region 3 Invitational Competition Gull Lake Feb Region 11 Invitational Competition Melfort Feb Saskatchewan Winter Games Moose Jaw Feb Region 4 Invitational Competition Fort Qu Appelle Feb Region 8 Invitational Competition Delisle Feb SaskTel Jean Norman Competition Prince Albert Mar 6 7 Region 13 Invitational Competition Lashburn Mar Section Board of Directors Meeting Saskatoon April 23 Section Board of Directors Meeting Saskatoon April 24 Annual General Meeting Saskatoon April 24 Skaters Lottery Draw Saskatoon April 24 Annual Awards Dinner Saskatoon April 25 Section Board of Directors Meeting Saskatoon Page 8

9 Arborfield Arcola Battleford Bengough Biggar Birch Hills Blaine Lake Bruno Canora Canwood Carnduff Carrot River Central Butte Coronach Cudworth Cupar Cutknife Dalmeny Davidson Duck Lake Elrose Esterhazy Estevan Eston Fillmore Foam Lake Fort Qu Appelle Grenfell Hafford Humboldt Ile A La Crosse Imperial Ituna Kelvington Kerrobert Kipling La Fleche La Loche La Ronge Lanigan Leader Leask Lestock Luseland Macklin Maidstone Martensville Meadow Lake Melville Moose Jaw Moosomin Nipawin Nokomis North Battleford Onion Lake Oxbow Paradise Hill Porcupine Plain Preeceville Prince Albert Punnichy Raymore Regina Rosetown Rose Valley Rosthern Saskatoon Shellbrook Smeaton Southey Spiritwood Stoughton Strasbourg St. Walburg Tisdale Turtleford Unity Wadena Waldheim Wakaw Watrous Wawota Wilkie Wolseley Wynyard Yorkton Page 9

10 The Delta Bessborough Hotel is a proud sponsor of Skate Canada Saskatchewan WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU AS OUR GUEST TO SASKATOON S CASTLE ON THE RIVER We are pleased to extend a rate of $113.00* to SKATE CANADA SASKATCHEWAN members. standard accommodation/single occupancy based on availability/subject to applicable taxes applicable until December 31/ Spadina Cres E Saskatoon, SK S7K 3G Toll Free Page 10