January 2012 Newsletter

Happy New Years!

Ice Town would like to begin this New Year by thanking all those who donated their new toys to the Toys-for-Tots drive that was held at the rink.  It was a great success and countless children in need were able to enjoy the holiday in a way that wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for the many of you that donated.  Thank you, again.

After a very busy Holiday Season with new and familiar faces, Ice Town is excited to bring in the New Year with you.  If you had fun on the ice during our 12-hour holiday public sessions, then maybe it’s time to expand your skills.  Our public sessions will resume to our traditional times (See public session hours) along with our skating classes.  If you haven’t yet been a part of our Skating Academy, now is the time! Our classes are offered 3 days a week (Monday, Wednesday & Saturday) and there is plenty of room for children and adults alike…and with our brand new rental skates to start with, you’ll be sure to be doing laps effortlessly around the rink!

If you’ve missed out on Ice Town’s new themed nights, don’t worry, they are still coming.  Our next theme will be the “Celebrity Look-a-Like” Night on Friday, January 27, 2012.  This is sure to be a fun night of dress up and games on the ice.  So show up in your best get-up to look like your favorite actor, singer, show host or anyone you idolize for your chance to win the best-dressed prize.  Ice Town’s DJ will also enhance the night with today’s music mixings and your song requests.  So bring a friend(s) or family member and let the fun begin!

Director’s Words

Happy New Year!  Ice Town hopes that 2012 brings you health, happiness and A LOT of skating!

Congratulations to our United States Figure Skating Junior National competitors Max Lake, Jarred Druzynski, and Harrison Wong!  We are so proud of your accomplishments in Minnesota last month!

Our 2011 Holiday Recital was a success!  All 46 performances really put us in the holiday mood!  Thanks to our volunteers and all of the parents who helped with the recital!

On December 14^th, Ice Town was featured at the Make-A-Wish event, “So You ‘Wish’ You Could Skate” at the Hotel del Coronado!  Coaches Breanne and Natalia trained two of the five teams that competed to raise awareness for the Make-A-Wish Foundation!  Please enjoy the pictures from this event!

Good luck to our ISI competitors at the Kroc Center competition January 15^th and Ice Town’s ‘Be a Skating Star’ on January 29^th!

The deadline to sign up for the Anaheim Ice ISI is January 7! 

Private lessons are a great way to help your skater master the skills in his or her level, as well as learn new and exciting aspects of figure skating.  Inquire in the office about private lessons, or ask your Academy class instructor for more information.  One-on-one instruction will help skaters earn those difficult stickers for their button and is a great way to get into competitions!

If you were wondering where or when to watch skating, check out www.icenetwork.com!  Here is the TV schedule: http://web.icenetwork.com/events/schedule.jsp?mode=tv!

Learn more about ISI at http://www.skateisi.com/site/Sub.Cfm?Content=what_is_isi!

Learn more about USFS at http://www.usfsa.org/default.asp!

Skater of the Month

Mia Stewart

Mia's interest in skating began after she watched the 2010 Vancouver
Winter Olympics.  After watching the ice skating competition she really
wanted to give ice skating a try.  We brought her to a "free skate" on
Saturday, bit really expecting anything, but she really loved it and has
not stopped since then! She loves the feeling of gliding on the ice and
feeling the cold air blow against her face. Mia is a 3rd grader now and
loves to learn.  She's an active and happy girl who loves to sing and
dance.  Mia also loves soccer.  She plays the position
of full back and plays it well!

Coach of the Month

Nikki Baharie

Nikki Baharie has been skating at Ice town ever since she was 3 years old. Inspired by her mom Ann Baharie who is also a coach at Ice town. Once she turned 15, she started to assist with classes and started to be a Jr. coach at 16. She feels very lucky to be able to do something that she enjoys. She loves to help kids learn how to skate and watch them improve as they move up levels. Skating is her passion, and teaching it to kids and helping them succeed in skating puts a smile on her face.

Epic Edge

Keep up to date with our synchronized skating teams at:

http://www.epic-edge.org/!

Tip of the Month:

Falling Down

All figure skaters fall down, even the very best. When figure skaters begin to learn new jumps or spins, they may fall hundreds of times. If a skater falls in an ice skating competition, points are deducted.

If You Are Going to Skate, You Are Going to Fall:

If you are a figure skater, you must understand that if you are going to skate, you are going to fall. That's a fact. Practicing falling over and over again is the only way to learn how to fall safely.

How To Fall On the Ice Without Getting Hurt:

It may help to practice falling when you are off the ice. Then, practice falling on the ice from a standstill, then while moving slowly, and then while moving more quickly. Wearing gloves may help.

Don't Lean Backward:

If you anticipate a fall, do not lean backward, but try to move your body and head forward. Relax. Do not stiffen up; allow your body to go limp.

More Falling Tips:

Beginning ice skaters can practice falling from a dip position.

To do a dip, first glide forward on two feet and squat down as far as possible. Fall to the side and lean a bit forward. Do not lean back, or you may hit your head. Put your hands in your lap and not on the ice. If you leave your hands on the ice, another skater could skate over your fingers!

Don't Cry When You Fall Down:

All figure skaters should remember that falling down is part of our sport. If possible, avoid crying after a fall.

In addition, the skater should return to the ice as soon as possible and do the move on which the fall occurred.

The skater should remember to get up from a fall as soon as possible. Remaining sitting or lying on the ice poses a danger to both the skater and to others. It is important to get up quickly.

Hockey Tip of the Month

Skating Principals

Skating efficiently is the best and the quickest way to improve your game. In order for you to understand how to become a better skater, you must embrace three essential concepts that will affect you ability to perform on the ice: glide, drive and thrust.

Every skating maneuver has a element of glide. While you are skating, one foot will usually be gliding while the other is driving. Even when you are executing a power start or doing rapid cross-overs, the skate that is not driving is gliding, even if only briefly. In other skating moves where both skates are on the ice, you are gliding while you are driving. For instance, when going backwards the ball of your foot is thrusting while your heel is gliding. You must be on a flat blade to maximize glide. Placing your weight on and out in front of a flat blade will enhance glide, effectively drawing you toward that weight. This is why you can increase the speed of your glide with a deep knee bend that is over the toe of your glide foot and by moving your hands into the proper position ahead of your glide skate. The more efficient your glide, the less power you to need to exert to reach your desired speed on the ice. Great skaters keep their blades as close to the ice as possible, ensuring they are able to get their skates on the ice quickly and to keep them in contact with the ice as much as possible. The more your skates are on the ice, the more efficient a skater you will become.

Drive means the action of drive leg, such that the skate of that leg pushes against the ice, exerting force that is transferred to your glide skate. Remember that once you are moving, when one skates drives the other skate glides. The harder you drive, the more energy you will direct to your glide skate provided you are gliding efficiently. A powerful drive will translate into speed.

Thrust is the power generated by the balls and the heels of the feet while driving. You produce thrust in your drive skate by extending and rotating your ankle, which manipulates the ball or heel of your drive skate. When timed properly, this directs a surge of power toward your glide skate adding to the power from the initial drive and increasing the speed of your glide skate. Ideally, extension of your ankle occurs at the same time as the extension of your drive leg. Great skaters can extend and rotate their ankles in any direction in order to generate the most thrust possible. Timing is critical to maximize thrust and speed. Proper timing of the thrust  together with the proper weight transfer is what is commonly referred to as “rhythm” in skating.

When the ability to create thrust is combined with a strong drive and an efficient glide, a skater has an incredible ability to perform on the ice.

Player of the Month

The Player of the Month for January 2012 is Liam Murphy, the hard working winger is playing in his first season of Jaguar travel hockey as a member of the Peewee B team.  You can always count on Liam to bring a great attitude and a smile to the team. He has become one of the most improved players on the team by working hard to master all the hockey skills. Liam is the master at all our Jaguars ten commandments, he never complains, always listens and it is a pleasure to coach.

Unfortunately, Liam is out for the remainder of the season due to health issues. Liam’s teammates took it upon themselves to add his number “6” to their helmets to honor him and his place on the team. Congratulations Liam on being chosen Jaguars player of the month for January 2012. We all wish you a speedy recovery and hope to see you back on the ice soon.

Youth League Hockey News

Icetown is pleased to announce that in addition to the Robby Glantz power skating clinic in May 2012, we had added the Pro Ambition Hockey Camp in August 2012 to our schedule. The camp will run from August 13^th -17^th.

For more information on both camp please visit the links below:

www.robbyglantz.com  and www.proambitions.com

Icetown will also be hosting its own in house clinics, goalie gauntlet and camps starting in March 2012. Information for the new clinics will be out in the February newsletter.

Adult League Hockey News

Adult Ice Hockey Tournament in Europe

The annual tournament in Europe is almost upon us and this year marks the 20^th anniversary of traveling abroad to play hockey against teams from Czech Republic, Russia, Germany, Slovakia, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Iceland, Italy, and other countries throughout Europe.  Almost every locker room in San Diego has a player in it that has made the trip and will share memories with his teammates of the times had in Europe. 

This year the trip begins on March 22 and ends on April 2, 2012 beginning in Amsterdam and ending in Prague.  In 13 days you will play 12 to 15 games, see 3 countries, meet plenty of fellow hockey players and friends from all over the world, and hang out in historic towns in Europe.  Although this trip is filled with hockey, it is also a cultural and social trip in which you will mingle with locals from the towns we visit and people from all over the world. 

The trip includes roundtrip airfare, hotels, ground transportation, breakfast every day, 2 tournaments, exhibition games, trips to castles, opening and closing ceremonies in Czech, 2 Team USA jerseys(home and away) and socks, and a team bus to take us from Holland through Germany and into the Czech Republic.  Hockey players and guests are welcome with plenty of activities for any kind of traveler.  In Amsterdam you can choose to visit museums, take the water taxis through the canals, hit the coffee shops, tour the breweries, and then dance all night long in the clubs.  In Prague you will visit castles, see old town square, the astrological clock, walk the St. Charles Bridge, and enjoy one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. 

The price for the trip is $2200 for hockey players and $2050 for non-players.  If you get your own airfare and want to customize your trip the cost is $1400 for players and $1300 for non-players.  I can help you organize a custom trip if you want to arrive early or stay longer to extend your vacation.  Different payment plans are available on the website or through pay-pal. 

I can take 2 teams – an upper level and a lower level team with maximum 13 skaters and 1 goalie per team.  All talent levels from pro players to division 4 are welcome and we have at least 1 practice before leaving to establish who wants to play at which level. 

For more info, check out the website – www.Hecklershockey.com or e-mail me at Brickpuck@aol.com.  You can also call me at (619) 501-9968 with any questions about the trip. 

                                          -Chris Heaney

In the Crease:

Even goalies should have goals

So you're in the crease and aren't really supposed to be scoring too many goals. That doesn't mean you can't have goals of your own!

As 2012 starts, take time to look back at the first half of your season and see what you're good at and see what you could improve on.

If you're good at stuffing shooters on breakaways, recognize that and celebrate it! If your catch glove seems to snare everything that comes near it, go give your catch glove a hug and ask it to be as good to you in 2012!

Now, for weaknesses, you have to be honest with yourself! Are you getting beat five hole on shots from the point on a regular basis? Do shots to the high stick side seem to find their way into the back of the net every game? If you notice a weakness in your game, make it one of your goals this year to learn how to get better at plugging up holes and preparing yourself for stopping as many pucks as you can in 2012!  Find at least three things to improve on, and when the Goalie Gauntlet starts up again in March, you'll be ready to work hard at scoring some goals of your own!

http://hockeygoaliegearguide.com