Millbrook Figure Skating Club’s year end carnival was cancelled by the ice storm last month, eliminating the chance for the club’s 181 members to demonstrate the new skills they had acquired over the season to an appreciative audience of friends and family.
Another tradition at these year-end events is the distribution of awards recognizing specific achievements and contributions of some of the club’s members. This took place on April 14thwhenclubmemberscongregated at the CMCC to pick up their awards, thank their coaches and assistants and say goodbye to the teammates until the start of the next season.
Melissa Davidson, a member of the Millbrook Figure Skating Board, reports that the club has grown over the years, rising from 160 last season to its record181 members in 2024-2025. The club continues to recruit new members for all programs, including the Starskate, synchro team which launched last season, and are hoping to launch an adult synchro team this fall.
Melissa has been a member of the Millbrook Skating club for more than 30 years, beginning at the age of five and moving into the Program Assistant role and becoming a coach at 19 years of age. She represents coaches on the Board Executive and has coached skaters of all levels from Pre-CanSkate to STARskate levels.
Looking beyond the athletic and physical skills members build in the figure skating club, it also offers an opportunity for skaters aged ten and older to take on a mentorship role as a Program Assistant in the Pre CanSkate of CanSkate programs. High School level participants can earn Volunteer hour credits towards their high school diploma in this role.
Children can begin to develop their skating skills as early as age three, when they can join the Pre-CanSkate program which is targeted to skaters ages three to five with little or no experience on the ice who are comfortable to be on the ice without the support of a parent or guardian. The program teaches the basics of standing up, falling down, getting up, and moving forward in weekly sessions.
CanSkate is Skate Canada’s learn-to-skate program, designed for beginners of all ages that focuses on fun, participation, and basic skill development. Participant progress is acknowledged with badges and other incentives as members acquire fundamental skating skills in group lessons delivered by certified professional coaches. Trained Program Assistants support coaches and bring down the coach to skater ratio and help deliver active lessons using teaching aids, music and fun activities to promote learning. The key areas of performance are balance, control and agility, which translates into turning and jumping skills.
More advanced skaters are part of the STARskate group. New this season was STARSkate Synchronized Skating team, where eight to sixteen skaters performed together as a team, flowing at high speed over the ice and demonstrating intricate footwork as a cohesive unit. This group will continue next season.
Congratulations to all Millbrook Figure Skating members, coaches and Assistants. See you in September!