Skip to content

Lacombe Figure Skating to reincarnate ‘Awesome 80s’

As the skating season begins to wrap up, Lacombe’s figure skaters are gearing up for the big show.
10486lacombeexpressSkaters022714
SHOW TIME – Members of the Lacombe Figure Skating Club who attended the recent Fun on Ice competition in Red Deer pose with their hardware. Back row from left are

As the skating season begins to wrap up, Lacombe’s figure skaters are gearing up for the big show.

On March 9, Lacombe Figure Skating Club will present its Annual Skating Carnival. This year’s carnival is entitled ‘Awesome 80s.’

Skate Carnival Director Karyn McNeill said the 80s were chosen as this year’s theme because there is a lot of fun music from that decade for the skaters to perform to.

She added that costumes would be bright, fun and easy to make because of the fashions from the decade.

“We thought it would work well for a skating program,” said McNeill. “The parents should appreciate some of the songs.”

Figure skaters in Lacombe get the opportunity to compete at a handful of competitions in the area held throughout the year, but have few chances to perform.

McNeill said the purpose of the carnival is to offer the skaters that chance.

“It’s just so much fun for the kids. They get to show off, show their stuff and be a star for a day.”

This event is what the skaters work towards all year, said McNeill. She added that whereas sports like hockey have many opportunities to play games and tournaments throughout the season, figure skaters get this one big show and put all they have into it.

“This is their big moment for the year to show what they have achieved and what they have learned,” said McNeill.

It is also an opportunity for the older skaters to show the younger ones what they can accomplish.

McNeill said each year, the Club tries to bring in an advanced figure skater from outside the Club (this year the Club is bringing in someone from Red Deer) to perform and show the younger skaters what they can aspire to.

“I think everybody usually has fun,” said McNeill. She added that watching the youngest skaters is her favourite part of the show.

“They are just so cute.”

McNeill has been involved with organizing the Skating Carnival off and on for the last 14 years. However, the Club’s roots in the community are much older.

The Lacombe Figure Skating Club has existed for more than 50 years, having received its 50-year recognition last year from Skate Canada. But McNeill added that the Club might even have been running in some fashion as early as the 1930s.

Over the years she has been involved, McNeill has seen a number of the skaters grow up and progress through the skating program.

She said the annual carnival is also an opportunity for non-skaters to see how much the skaters have improved.

There are 70 skaters in the Lacombe Figure Skating Club that will be part of the carnival. McNeill said the Club caters to skaters between the ages of four and 18.

Those in attendance will enjoy a show with performances from all nine of the different skating groups, as well as solo and other performances as well. There are 24 separate performances in this year’s program, said McNeill.

‘Awesome 80s’, Lacombe Figure Skating Club’s Annual Skating Carnival, will take place at 1 p.m. on March 9 at Barnett Arenas on March.

Tickets are available for $5 at the door.

news@lacombeexpress.com