For nearly five decades, the has been a fixture at the city-run Bowie Ice Arena, offering young athletes and casual skaters alike the chance to lace up their skates.
Heading into back-to-school season as the club approaches its 50th anniversary, its director said the focus remains on keeping the sport affordable and accessible to the community.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important to me that any kid who wants to put on a pair of skates has an opportunity to do so,鈥� said Christine Wilson Brinton, skating director of the club, in an interview with 小萝莉影视. 鈥淚 really want skating to be for everybody, not just for the super talented or the super wealthy.鈥�
Brinton, who has been with the club for 23 years, runs a learn-to-skate program in addition to its competitive skating program, which fields seven teams with skaters as young as four and five years old 鈥� and even an adult team.
鈥淲e do synchronized skating, and we do production, which is like a theater-on-ice group,鈥� Brinton said. 鈥淪o we have something for everybody in that age group. When we do our tryouts, everybody gets an invitation to something. So we don鈥檛 do cuts.鈥�
For Brinton, skating is about something higher than performance or competition.
鈥淚 think these are life lessons, far more than just skating lessons,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t’s scary to be out there on that ice all by yourself. It’s scary to throw yourself in the air wearing a little dress and tights on a hard surface with blades on your feet. So it really builds their confidence.鈥�
The Bowie Figure Skating Club has competed locally and across the country, traveling to California, Minnesota and Florida 鈥� and even overseas to Thailand. Along the way, the club has picked up its share of trophies and banners. But Brinton said winning isn鈥檛 the only measure of success.
鈥淚’m a weird coach, because my success isn’t really about the banners,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 have a skater who just got her medical degree, and she says, 鈥楳iss Chris, you told me when I was 17 I could be a doctor.鈥� When she got her white coat, she emailed me. So for me personally, that鈥檚 my success.鈥�
The club is preparing for its Fall 鈥渢eam preview,鈥� a four-week session on Thursday nights in September 鈥� beginning Sept. 4 鈥� where children and adults can meet coaches, learn about the different programs available at the Ice Arena, and try skating for the first time.
鈥淲e love reaching out to the community. We just invite everyone to come out and see us,鈥� Brinton said.
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