New Kulik/Gordeeva skating center

[Aussie Willy]

I certainly got a taste of that when I sprained my shoulder earlier this year - all of a sudden I was stuck answering the phone instead of helping at stocktake. Boss was not pleased but I was suitably repentent.

While I can understand that mindset/fear...perhaps something needs to be done in terms of adult skaters and addressing this concept that getting seriously injured skating is so easy to do? I've never seen a single broken bone at my rink in the two years I've been skating, and that's every level from Tiny Tot to Senior.

You are rare then if you haven't seen or heard about a serious injury at skating.

Still doesn't stop that fear and I don't think there is anything you do to allay it. What you can do is show people how to get started in a way that could help reduce the risk, build their confidence and help them get their balance so they get used to the ice (bend knees, keep feet underneath you, take small steps for an absolute beginner). But at the end of the day you have to say to them you are still going to fall. It is inevitable.

[jjane45]

In order to make it figure skating
only, the facility has a somewhat
smaller ice surface. At 80-by-130,
it's about two-thirds the size of an
NHL rink.

I'm not sure if I follow this reasoning, can someone kindly explain why they purposefully make it smaller? Can hockey force its way into privately owned rinks against the owners' will?

[Aussie Willy]

I'm not sure if I follow this reasoning, can someone kindly explain why they purposefully make it smaller? Can hockey force its way into privately owned rinks against the owners' will?

It is up the rink owners how they want to manage it. So no they cannot.

[Susan M]

I'm not sure if I follow this reasoning, can someone kindly explain why they purposefully make it smaller? Can hockey force its way into privately owned rinks against the owners' will?

LOL, attack of the hockey players. Maybe he's thinking it will help him resist the temptation of all that potential hockey revenue. Most rinks in the US depend on hockey to bring in enough money to make a profit. I really wonder how handling 30 or even 50 figure skaters can produce enough income to cover their expenses. With rates as low as they have set, I think maybe they are prepared to lose money for a couple years while building their clientele.

The page about Katia's tot classes was an eye opener. OMG, if I had a 5 yo who wanted to skate, I can't imagine a better deal that being one of a half dozen kids in Katia's class. With a group that size, every kid would be getting a lot of her attention.

[pixie cut]

I'm not sure if I follow this reasoning, can someone kindly explain why they purposefully make it smaller? Can hockey force its way into privately owned rinks against the owners' will?

The bigger the surface the more it costs to refrigerate and maintain. The more it costs, the more bodies you have to put on the ice per day to turn a profit. Less expenses, less need to turn to hockey to make $$$.

[query5]

good luck on your rink,
i am non-skater, so prices seem okay to me, but what woke me up is the use of exercise equipment. of $10 per machine-seems a bit much, but then i don't know, is your use of equipment usually included in your ice time, practice, coaching etc. i don't know.
for me it would seem better to get another club membership that focuses on overall atheletes like some gym memberships, but then i don't know.

good luck, seems nice and focuses just on skaters which is great. but partial to another rink-sorry

[Sasha'sSpins]

I wish Katia and Ilia every success with their skating center!

[jjane45]

The bigger the surface the more it costs to refrigerate and maintain. The more it costs, the more bodies you have to put on the ice per day to turn a profit. Less expenses, less need to turn to hockey to make $$$.

Thanks everyone, that makes more sense now. Especially if they have prior experiences with rinks at this size and feel it's a good balance of cost and return. If an OGM can do his program run through on smaller ice surface, guess others can do it as well...

[Macassar88]

LOL, attack of the hockey players. Maybe he's thinking it will help him resist the temptation of all that potential hockey revenue. Most rinks in the US depend on hockey to bring in enough money to make a profit. I really wonder how handling 30 or even 50 figure skaters can produce enough income to cover their expenses. With rates as low as they have set, I think maybe they are prepared to lose money for a couple years while building their clientele.

The page about Katia's tot classes was an eye opener. OMG, if I had a 5 yo who wanted to skate, I can't imagine a better deal that being one of a half dozen kids in Katia's class. With a group that size, every kid would be getting a lot of her attention.

If we could get even a half dozen five year olds to have her basic skating and posture, I would be so excited for the prospects of figure skating!

[jjane45]

I was reading the book "Second Mark" and they mention in the Soviet days, kids work on crossovers and just crossovers for a year before anything else. I am sure Katia and Ilia will really focus on basic skills, curious about the class structure

[Ziggy]

I was reading the book "Second Mark" and they mention in the Soviet days, kids work on crossovers and just crossovers for a year before anything else. I am sure Katia and Ilia will really focus on basic skills, curious about the class structure

This is something that every coach should follow.

In order to jump, you first need to learn how to skate properly.

I know a coach (that I respect a lot) that doesn't do any jumps with their skaters during their first year of training.

[Aussie Willy]

This is something what every coach should follow.

In order to jump, you first need to learn how to skate properly.

I know a coach (that I respect a lot) that doesn't do any jumps with their skaters for the first year of training.

I so wish that the skaters I judged focussed on this. They are all too keen to work on spins and jumps before learning to develop good skating technique.

[lulu]

The December issue of IFS features a nice interview with Ilia and Katia where they discuss their rink and transition into coaching.

[Sylvia]

Does the article address Kulik's reason(s) for the smaller-than-standard rink size?

[lulu]

Does the article address Kulik's reason(s) for the smaller-than-standard rink size?

It does. Ilia specifically wanted the rink to be a training facility for figure skaters, and as such, they don't offer hockey or public skating. In order accommodate the lack of revenue that hockey and public skating would have brought the rink, they had to adjust the size of the rink. Ilia does mention that the rink is large enough to practice quad jumps. They also mentioned in the interview that it was important to offer flexibility to skaters and their families, and to offer off-ice classes in addition to the on-ice classes. From the article, it looks like Ilia focuses on teaching jumping technique and Katia focuses on teaching skating skills and younger skaters.

[hanca]

I certainly got a taste of that when I sprained my shoulder earlier this year - all of a sudden I was stuck answering the phone instead of helping at stocktake. Boss was not pleased but I was suitably repentent.

While I can understand that mindset/fear...perhaps something needs to be done in terms of adult skaters and addressing this concept that getting seriously injured skating is so easy to do? I've never seen a single broken bone at my rink in the two years I've been skating, and that's every level from Tiny Tot to Senior.

My friend (adult skater) broke her ankle. Another friend (also adult skater) had broken leg on two places. I haven't broken anything, but I had concussion twice, and I needed surgery once for torn meniscus (knee) and once for torn labrum (in hip) and partially torn iliopsoas and gluteus medius. (All those are injuries within the last 5 years). I know about a lot of skaters (both adult and children) who has had injuries from skating. I really can't believe that you don't know about any injuries at your rink.

[Willowway]

As far as the size of the ice and the future is concerned, Ilia did what I think is a very smart thing. He told me that he had worked with Art Sutherland of the prominent Canadian firm, Accent Refrigeration to design a refrigeration system where the compressor and all those other key parts (which are usually in a machine room in the building) are contained in a trailor which is out behind the building (fenced in). If Ilia wants, eventually, to move to another building and offer a bigger ice surface, most of the the refrigeration system can go with him.

[lulu]

Thanks for the info, I certainly got the impression from the interview that Ilia put a lot of thought into the rink. Hopefully all of his hardwork will continue to pay off.
In the article, Ilia mentioned that it was important to offer off-ice training in addition to the on-ice lessons, do you know if they have a ballet/dance instructor at the rink?

[Willowway]

Not sure who, if anyone, they have there yet - it's all in early stages. I know he was planning on getting a variety of teachers in there so that the skaters can study various dance forms - ballet, jazz, modern, etc.

[MountainTime]

My local rink closed due to finacial hardship. I live in the high desert and the cost for electricity to make ice in summer was the death nell. I was told it was $8,000.00 a month.