2016 Ice Summit (formerly Skate Canada's ACGM), May 25-28 in St. John’s NL

[Sylvia]

Press release: https://skatecanada.ca/2016/05/skating-community-heading-to-st-johns-for-the-2016-ice-summit/

Over the four-day event, attendees will be able connect with some of the greatest skating minds in the country. The on-ice workshops feature top coaches and choreographers, including Bruno Marcotte, Joanne McLeod, Anne Schelter and David Wilson. Two-time World Pair Champions Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford will also lend their expertise. Keynote speakers Elvis Stojko and Dr. Stephen Norris will both be featured during separate social networking functions.
The annual Skate Canada Achievement Awards Gala and Banquet will take place on Friday evening. The gala celebrates the accomplishments of skaters, volunteers, officials and coaches who made significant contributions to progress the quality of skating in Canada.
Saturday’s activities include the inaugural edition of The Ice Den. Based on the popular TV show, Dragon’s Den, Skate Canada will be hosting a similar segment designed to generate new and innovative ideas. The event will conclude on Saturday with the 103rd Annual General Meeting of the association. Members will again be able to participate remotely as the AGM and voting will be available via live stream.

Event page: https://skatecanada.ca/icesummit/

Annual General Meeting (AGM) info: https://skatecanada.ca/icesummit/annual-general-meeting/

Live Streaming will be available for the events listed below. All times are Newfoundland Standard Time ( http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/canada/st-johns ). Subject to change.

Meet the Candidates – Friday, May 27 from 13:00 – 14:30
Bylaw Amendment Review and Discussion – Friday May 27, 14:45 – 16:00
Annual General Meeting – Saturday, May 28 from 12:30 – 17:00
Live stream link: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4...mmet-des-glaces-2016-de-patinage-canada_sport

 

[Mont]

Wow. Perusing the materials. The financial result was horrible! Look at the cash burn rate. Something is really wrong.

 

[overedge]

At Canadian adult nationals this year, the Skate Canada representatives were saying that adult nationals might be cancelled next year because it loses too much money. There was also a story that SC has laid off 13 people at its headquarters, although I don't know how accurate that is.

 

[DE93]

Wow. Perusing the materials. The financial result was horrible! Look at the cash burn rate. Something is really wrong.

Where are you finding that info? I can't find anything financial related - just stuff about the amalgamation of Ontario sections.

 

[Mont]

At Canadian adult nationals this year, the Skate Canada representatives were saying that adult nationals might be cancelled next year because it loses too much money. There was also a story that SC has laid off 13 people at its headquarters, although I don't know how accurate that is.

I heard the same thing from a coaching friend that a bunch of employees were fired (they said 12) so I think it's accurate. Plus the board minutes refer to a restructuring. That's too bad about adult nationals. Hard to say they encourage skating for life. Would also question where priorities really are as an event get cancelled but the large infrastructure remains.

 

[Mont]

Where are you finding that info? I can't find anything financial related - just stuff about the amalgamation of Ontario sections.

Under info centre. Then click events and there is a bunch of agm info including the audited statements.

 

[shutterbug]

Where are you finding that info? I can't find anything financial related - just stuff about the amalgamation of Ontario sections.

Direct link - Audited Financial Statements

 

[Rock2]

Looks like everything is fairly flat. Big losses came from devaluation of investments. Not surprising as the markets were tough last year. Also it seems that the last of the deferred payments came in from 2013 worlds from a few gov't levels.
Seems they invested more in 'events' and it paid back.

Overall not a tragic set of statements but sure, not much growth happening.
SC would be a tough org to cause growth. Big and broad, many volunteers, many who have been there for years, a not-for-profit setup makes it difficult to bring people together to innovate for the longer term (also hampered by lack of innovation at ISU level), so it's overall not a very inspiring backdrop.

The bright side though can often times be found in a crisis. If things start getting crappy then you can hold the uncertain future for all over people's heads to get them to think differently. It's sometimes a good thing if you're constructive about it.

I'm hearing the third Chief Marketing Officer in 3 years has left.

I hope SC at least understands the root cause of the problem so that there is some hope for change and progress.

 

[overedge]

Direct link - Audited Financial Statements

A couple of interesting things in here.

Merchandising has been outsourced to a third party (unnamed, but here's a press release about them: http://sirc.ca/news/skate-canada-goes-shopping-and-secures-new-merchandise-partner). That should generate revenue in coming years, depending on how the revenues are shared, but it has some risk if things don't work out.

According to one of the footnotes, it cost around $775,000 for "restructuring" which seems to have included the costs of the layoffs mentioned earlier.

SC also sold its offices and now rents its space. The revenue from the sale is going to improve the financial picture for this fiscal year, but only for this year. That won't be much help if there are ongoing financial problems.

The strategic planning exercise cost nearly $3 million It was a large scale project and IIRC sport organizations that are eligible for federal financial support have to have a strategic plan in place to get funding. But that seems like a very large expense in comparison to the costs of the programs that SC delivers. It's one thing to have a extensive strategic plan, but the organization also has to deliver. A plan is not worth much if the resources aren't available to carry it out.

 

[Rock2]

(deleted: my turd emoji didn't show up in the post)

 

[Moustaffask8r]

At Canadian adult nationals this year, the Skate Canada representatives were saying that adult nationals might be cancelled next year because it loses too much money. There was also a story that SC has laid off 13 people at its headquarters, although I don't know how accurate that is.

Very accurate ....12 people exactly

 

[Mont]

While Rock2 notes that it is fairly flat and in a lot of ways, that is true. I guess I come at it not as an accountant but as a business owner. I own a mid sized private business and if my company lost $1.6 million and went from cash of $1.9 million to into an operating line of $800k ie $2.7 million cash burn, I wouldn't be viewing that as a good year.

I think that merchandising is really tough. Other than Hockey Canada, few non professional league sports in Canada are able to get much of a merchandise program going. Realistically, it's a pretty tough market aside from participants and very dedicated fans. I just can't see this becoming a major source of funds. In fairness, I think this is a tough area.

The other concerning item is the decrease in membership. This looks like a loss of market share. Perhaps more of that strategic planning money should be put in accessibility programs for kids to learn to skate.

Skate Canada could learn a lot from Tennis Canada in my opinion. Tennis Canada has a board with high profile business people and is not loaded up with insiders (ie not former players or officials). They have a streamlined committee structure. This allows decision making for the best interests of the sport and reduces the decision making based on personal position in the sport. The result has been more good players emerging and tennis growing at the local level.

I just think the members should be asking very tough questions about priorities and decision making as, to an outsider, there are lots of reasons to be very concerned.

 

[skategal]

I'm not surprised that they have lost 3 chief marketing directors in 3 years. Their marketing has been consistently crappy for at least 5 years.

Also they do very little to encourage and nurture the future figure skating enthusiasts (ie kids)

 

[chewy]

the management document explaining the fiscals is a fascinating read
https://info.skatecanada.ca/hc/en-c...t_Discussion_and_Analysis_-_English_FINAL.pdf

A major sinkhole is IT, and from what I understand from friends, paralyized the entire membership system.

What posititions were affected by layoffs? Why is there a separate Toronto office?

 

[Mont]

the management document explaining the fiscals is a fascinating read
https://info.skatecanada.ca/hc/en-c...t_Discussion_and_Analysis_-_English_FINAL.pdf

A major sinkhole is IT, and from what I understand from friends, paralyized the entire membership system.

What posititions were affected by layoffs? Why is there a separate Toronto office?

Frankly, I find there is very little in the way of explanation of such a huge deviation from budget. Further, there is little reason to believe current management can change it. Loved the "laser focus" comment on sponsorship. Shouldn't that have been the case for the last 5 or 6 years? There is no reason to believe that it will suddenly be successful. If this were a public company, management would be seriously under fire.

While the balance sheet is strong, it is deteriorating and I believe will continue to do so.

 

[Rock2]

I think on the marketing side (just a guess) they have become so desperate for revenue that the sole focus has become short term, which means 'go get sponsorship revenue...quick'; this is what tends to happen to companies of all types.
The challenge is that you have to invest/reboot in a number of initiatives to make the sport palatable to more demographics and to a larger scope of people to have leverage to drive more sponsorship revenue.
Go to an event. If you factor out skating families and just profile the audience there just for the skating, you are probably starting with a demo of 50+.
Add in a smattering of younger women and gay dudes.

The older demo is perhaps the least desired demo for brands.
Great sponsorship discussions start with why SC is the best choice for brand X to develop and extend its brand. So you're basically screwed right out of the gate.

This is what we call the marketing death spiral...

 

[Rock2]

@Mont
great post.
On the financial results yes a bad year is a bad year; the game becomes, is this driven by a one time thing (market losses) or the start of a trend (membership)? Those diagnostics tell you if you should be dialing 911 and how fast.

Your Tennis Canada analogy is outstanding. Only Slipchuk in my mind is following their model for what he does. Stop being about giving a little to everyone and instead reward performance, supporting your high potentials. That's needed to breed success which in turn drives revenue. TC went this way in mid 2000s and POOF, tennis now has stars in Canada along with some insanely good juniors...and is making money from what I know.

You hit the nail on the head. Need a full mindset change from operating like a gov't dept to becoming a business with strong influence from outsiders. Not close enough to them to know how to get there....or if it will ever happen.

 

[manhn]

Isn't that what Skate Canada doing--rewarding the higher achieving athletes? That's why posters are bemoaning the ancient W&P, G&P and V&M for grabbing everything, and the other teams getting nada.

 

[overedge]

the management document explaining the fiscals is a fascinating read
https://info.skatecanada.ca/hc/en-c...t_Discussion_and_Analysis_-_English_FINAL.pdf

A major sinkhole is IT, and from what I understand from friends, paralyized the entire membership system.

What posititions were affected by layoffs? Why is there a separate Toronto office?

This is fascinating, thanks for posting it. Interesting to see that Adult Nationals did indeed lose money, but so did several other events, including the AGM.

The page explaining the variances in planned spending vs. actual spending (p. 4) is particularly scary. That's a lot of variations in the wrong directions.

I don't know all of the positions that were laid off, but apparently one of them was the skating programs manager/advisor, who had been with SC for more than 20 years.

 

[Rock2]

Well here's the new world we live in. Jobs aren't forever. Loyalty means nothing. Unless the company is early stage and growing like a weed every person in every job has to look at themselves to critically evaluate the impact they are having. This goes beyond 'doing your job' as the job itself may not be designed to be exceptionally meaningful...which leaves you as a sitting duck.

The term now is 'career entrepreneur'. That's how we all have to see ourselves no matter what role or level. We are all the CEO of our own company so we have to be aware of what we are causing every day/week/year we show up for work.

It sucks, but that's where we are. Any company that has leveled off is forced to create growth through expenses cuts. Take it upon yourself to ensure you're left standing when the dust settles.

 

[clairecloutier]

News from the Summit today, shared by PJ Kwong: Part of Gilles/Poirier's SD has been selected to become a new ISU Compulsory dance!

 

[Sylvia]

^^^ @clairecloutier, I've re-posted your info in the ice dance discussion thread: http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/ind...dance-fans-2016-17.98503/page-10#post-4801288

All 6 of the 2016 Canadian champions dressed up at the Ice Summit: https://www.instagram.com/p/BF8625vP2XE/

Elvis Stojko was the keynote speaker: https://www.instagram.com/p/BF4zrNxR6Si/

Live stream for AGM today: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4...mmet-des-glaces-2016-de-patinage-canada_sport (ETA: doesn't appear to be working)

 

[Dobre]

News from the Summit today, shared by PJ Kwong: Part of Gilles/Poirier's SD has been selected to become a new ISU Compulsory dance!

For a March, I assume? Not one of the SD patterns I was craving to see any time in the future. (Though maybe it is for athletes at a different level?) The jive, people. We need to liven things up out there.

 

[AYS]

News from the Summit today, shared by PJ Kwong: Part of Gilles/Poirier's SD has been selected to become a new ISU Compulsory dance!

I just saw this on twitter, what an honor! Congratulations to them!

 

[overedge]

Well here's the new world we live in. Jobs aren't forever. Loyalty means nothing. Unless the company is early stage and growing like a weed every person in every job has to look at themselves to critically evaluate the impact they are having. This goes beyond 'doing your job' as the job itself may not be designed to be exceptionally meaningful...which leaves you as a sitting duck.

The term now is 'career entrepreneur'. That's how we all have to see ourselves no matter what role or level. We are all the CEO of our own company so we have to be aware of what we are causing every day/week/year we show up for work.

It sucks, but that's where we are. Any company that has leveled off is forced to create growth through expenses cuts. Take it upon yourself to ensure you're left standing when the dust settles.

This perspective puts all the responsibility on the individual. I don't agree with that. There is also a responsibility for the company to be a good employer to work for. A company that treats people as disposable is going to get the same kind of attitude and productivity from its workers in return, which eventually is going to affect its bottom line and its reputation. There is still a lot of value in developing loyalty and commitment.

I also take exception to what you've said in terms of the particular individual that I mentioned. That person had been at SC for 20+ years, and no, they shouldn't have been retained just because of their length of service. But they had a HUGE amount of knowledge about SC and its operations, and had participated in multiple re-organizations, program designs, event management...a very wide range of activities, all of which they contributed a lot to and which they worked very hard on. SC has lost a very valuable source of information and expertise by letting this person go.

 

[mackiecat]

The vote went through to merge the 4 Ontario sections into one. Ontario will now be double the size of the next largest section ( Quebec)

 

[Rock2]

@overedge yup..what you describe is bad management...and it happens.
Companies don't have a responsibility to be good to work for, no; They can choose not to be. But if they don't, I agree, they are likely to lose out to competish and/or suffer losses.

I make my point because in my years (and years) of experience, I have had to educate many more people on the role they themselves play in retaining their jobs than I do on what they should expect out of the company. This is what has changed the most over time....because keeping your head down and nose clean is no longer enough to secure your job like it once was. Becoming indispensable is almost the new standard, sadly.

And given what you said about your friend, I cannot account for that decision from where I sit. The only thing I can suggest -- which is common -- is that being a long term employee means you likely carry a higher salary load relative to others. So when execs are looking to cut $ and shave as few bodies as possible, often the longer term employees get hit. Makes no sense on many levels...except financially.

Sorry it happened.

 

[overedge]

Just to clarify, this is not a friend of mine. It is someone involved with several SC programs offered in my area. And with that person having been at SC for as long as they had been, I can't imagine that they were unaware of having to be proactive in managing their own career.

I would also suggest that whatever financial gain SC made in laying this person off, and possibly the others as well, is going to be negated by the inefficiencies and loss of organizational memory it's now going to have to deal with.

 

[greenapple]

When an organization fires/lays off people who know what they are doing and are good at their job, they are left with people who have no clue what they are doing and therefore cannot do the job. That is basically what seems to be happening at SC. The person @overedge is talking about was amazing at her job. Whatever financial gain SC might have from letting her go will be negated by the screw ups that are bound to come with some inexperienced junior doing the job. That organization is swimming in very deep water right now.

 

[barbarafan]

When an organization fires/lays off people who know what they are doing and are good at their job, they are left with people who have no clue what they are doing and therefore cannot do the job. That is basically what seems to be happening at SC. The person @overedge is talking about was amazing at her job. Whatever financial gain SC might have from letting her go will be negated by the screw ups that are bound to come with some inexperienced junior doing the job. That organization is swimming in very deep water right now.

Well this person may be good at their job but I think Skate Canada totally sucks as they are biased and have favourites and they definitely are not supporting the elite skaters enough nor or they doing much to look for talent and develop them. So if this person is so good my guess is this person did not have enough decision making power so it is most likely the person with the decision making power should be let go.. They made this person a scapegoat. Canada rules at this sort of thing. And ..there probably are other people who have great ideas to make Skate Canada work and prosper and they were either let go as well or they are being totally ignored. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink.