Floyd Hall Arena Floyd Hall Arena

Transcription

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006
Floyd
Hall
Arena
A Unique Public/Private Partnership
Benefits of
Computerized
Systems
Comparing
Mechanical
Controls
5 Steps to a Stronger
Party Program
Volume 9, Number 21
Editorial Advisors
Peter Martell
Patti Feeney
Print Production and
Advertising Sales Manager
Carol Jackson
Art Director
Cindy Winn Livingston
Contributors
Gerry Fitzsimmons
David Jacobson
Rob McBride
Frank W. Price
Richard Wise
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Electro-Mechanical vs.
Direct Digital Control Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
SEPTEM
BER/O
CTOBE
R
2006
by Gerry Fitzsimmons
M A NAG E M E N T
Get with the Program! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Advantages of computerized
systems in the ice arena
Floyd H
al
A Uniqu
e Public/P l Arena
rivate Pa
rtners h
hip
by Richard Wise
PROGRAMMING
Rethinking Your Party Program . . . . . .14
5 principles for gaining
the edge in your market
by Frank W. Price
New iAIM Initiatives . . . . . . . . . . 18
Bringing professional training
within reach of the entire industry
by Rob McBride
ISI Profile: Paige Scott . . . . . . . . . 22
by Lori Fairchild
na
Editor
Lori Fairchild
CONTENTS
Floyd H
all Are
Publisher
Ice Skating Institute
O P E R AT I O N S
September/October 2006
COVER
FEATU
RE: Flo
yd
Compu Benefits of
teriz
Systemed
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Co
Mechamparing
ni
Controcal
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5 Steps
to a Str
onger
Party P
rogram
Hall Ar
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24
COVER FEATURE
Floyd Hall Arena . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
A unique public/private partnership
by Lori Fairchild
ISI District Fall Seminar Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Developing Competitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Part 1 of a 2-part series
by David Jacobson
ISI 25-Year Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
D E P A R T M E N T S
Message from the President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Power Ice with Wendy Marco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
ISIA Education Foundation Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Coaches’ Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Ice Arena Association News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Calendar ISI-Endorsed Competitions & Shows/Exhibitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Classified Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
And Another Thing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dedicated to providing leadership,
education and services to the
ice skating industry.
ICE SKATING INSTITUTE
17120 N. Dallas Parkway, Suite 140
Dallas, TX 75248-1187
Phone: (972) 735-8800
Fax: (972) 735-8815
e-mail: [email protected]
www.skateisi.org
ISI INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
Executive Director
Peter Martell
Managing Director,
Member Programs & Services
Patti Feeney
National Events &
Skating Program Coordinator
Barb Yackel
Administrative Assistant
Kathy Chase
Controller & Tradeshow Manager
Karen Schaffer
Membership Coordinator
Kimberley Russelle
Advertising Sales &
Print Production Manager
Carol Jackson
Sponsorship Sales Manager
Stuart Sedransky
Information Services Coordinator
Jeff Anderson
Customer Service Coordinator
Angela Tooley
ISI OFFICERS
President
1st Vice President
2nd Vice President
Treasurer
Secretary
Immediate Past President
Past President
Jim Hartnett
Mike Paikin
Janice Forbes
Richard Arenella
Margy Bennett
Jim Lange
Boyd Wietecter
DIRECTORS
District 1
Katy Hayden
District 2
Robyn Bentley
District 3
Lisa Fedick
District 4
Christine Wilson Brinton
District 5
Shane Douglas
District 6
Toni Cooper
District 7
Maria Koman
District 8
Tom Hickey
District 9
Dan Smith
District 10
Char Martin
District 11
Liz Mangelsdorf
District 12
Debbie Lane
District 13
Cindy Jensen
District 14
Paige Scott
District 15
Bert Blanchette
District 16
Cindy Solberg
District 18
Glyn Jones
Hockey
Kevin McCormack
Builders & Suppliers
Doug Peters
Instructors
David Santee
Commercial Facilities
Scott Slavensky
Public/Not-for-Profit Facilities
Pete Carlson
Schools, Colleges, Universities
iAIM Chair
Rob McBride
PSA Representative
Gerry Lane
USFS Representative
Homer Hagedorn
ISIAsia Representative
Raul Gomes
AMMA Representative
Trudy Ivory
MAMA Representative
Rob Mueller
MIAMA Representative
Russ Rose
MIRMA Representative
Judy Sniffen
WIAMA Representative
Education Foundation
Don Bartelson
Lifetime Honorary Member
Carol Zdziebko
4
W
hen my predecessor, Jim Lange, convened the first ice arena industry summit meeting on Feb.16, 2005, it was his
hope that it would be the first step toward bringing together all of the related organizations to
address the many issues and challenges that we
share in the ice sports industry. I think all will
agree that the meeting was a significant step in
that direction.
It was agreed at the conclusion of the sum- Jim Hartnett
mit that we should try to identify a project or President,
ISI Board of Directors
initiative that we, as a group, could accomplish
as a result of our historic gathering. After some
discussion it was decided that before we could do anything to further
develop interest and encourage continued participation in ice sports,
we needed to conduct a survey to learn more about the demographics of our current members and customers, their likes and dislikes,
and patterns of participation. A committee was formed under the
leadership of Tom Hillgrove of Rink Management Services Corp.,
funding was secured from the five leading industry organizations and
an independent research company was hired.
I am pleased to report that the survey has been completed and
soon will be ready for distribution. While the results do not present
any shocking revelations, there is, for the first time that I know of,
independent, statistical confirmation of figure skating and ice hockey customer profiles. It is important to note that the survey sample
group consisted almost exclusively of USA Hockey and U.S. Figure
Skating past and current members and did not include new or entrylevel users.
Some of the information gleaned from the survey includes:
• 77 percent of all user families had household incomes of
$75,000 or more per year.
• Having “fun” is the most important and greatest benefit
received from participation.
• Cost and parental time demands are the two major barriers
to participation.
• There is too much travel involved in ice hockey, and figure
skating is viewed as being an “elitist” sport.
• Loss of interest by and time demands of the children are the
two leading reasons for discontinued participation.
Completion of this project is a significant accomplishment and
the sponsoring organizations are to be commended for their commitment. However, it is not an end unto itself. If we are to work
toward what we all agree is the ultimate objective — developing
interest and increasing participation in the ice sports — then we must
take it to the next step, which is to survey the casual participants
and non-participants about their perceptions of our activities and
why they do not participate more. This next step will be even more
time- and cost-intensive, and will require additional commitments
from other stakeholders within our industry. As your professional
trade association, we will continue to press forward in the spirit of
collaboration — not duplication.
Members who would like a copy of the survey e-mailed to them
should contact the ISI office at (972) 735-8800.
ISI EDGE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER
2006
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O P E R AT I O N S
Electro-Mechanical vs. Direct
Digital Control Systems
Decoding the Differences
by Gerry Fitzsimmons
The world continues to move along at a torrid pace, with
digital everything taking over. But what is this all about
and how does it impact ice arena operations? Let’s look at
both electro-mechanical and direct digital control systems
in order to provide a better understanding of the benefits
of each system.
Electro-mechanical (thermostatic) control
(EMC) systems
Electro-mechanical components and systems have been
around since 1885, when the Buzz Thermo-Electric Regulator
Co. registered a patent for a thermostatic system that automatically adjusted room temperatures in a residential building. In 1924, another pioneer named Mark C. Honeywell
developed a clock-controlled thermostat. This was the start of
the electro-mechanical control industry as we now know it.
EMC controls are individual controls that measure a single parameter, such as temperature or pressure, and through
some mechanical action use this force to cause a mechanical/electrical switch to operate (for this discussion, thermostats are included as electro-mechanical devices due to
their singular control functionality). With an electrical power
source and relays connected to these controllers, various
pieces of equipment are started and stopped. The earliest versions were completely mechanical, with moving parts including springs, levers and mercury switches (Fig. 1). Over time,
new technology replaced many of the
mechanical components, reducing the
costs and improving
the reliability of the
controllers.
Although the hardware has improved
over the years, the
basic system architecture has remained the
same. These devices
continue to measure a
single parameter and,
through a manual setting, have a single
stage of control.
For example, in an
arena, a temperature
controller measures
Figure 1: Reverse acting high-pressure the rink slab temperature (Fig. 2, Rink No.
controller
6
1 Floor Slab Temperature) as the slab temperature rises (indicating a rising ice surface
temperature) at a predetermined set point
(e.g., 24 degrees Fahrenheit), and a set of contacts closes and starts
the refrigeration plant
(Fig. 2, Cold Glycol
Pump No. 1). EMC controls have a predetermined dead band (e.g.,
between 23 F and 25 F)
in which no action
takes place. Once the
set point is achieved,
the control turns off
the refrigeration plant.
The logical control
sequences for an EMC
system reside within
the control and the
wiring between various
components. The most Figure 2: Two-stage slab temperadifficult challenge with ture controller
this system is the constraint on control strategy.
Then, along came direct digital control systems.
Direct digital control (DDC) systems
Although the EMC systems provide basic operation, the technology boom has yielded more sophisticated electronic controls. The transistor patent was completed in 1928, but it was
not until 1948 that Bell Labs produced working models and
set the digital revolution in motion. Over the next 50 years,
these products progressed and became commercially viable,
allowing the use of digital controls for everyday functions
and equipment.
A key difference with a DDC system is the ability to separate the control strategy and system logic from the control
devices, components and wiring. With DDC systems, control strategies are only limited by the knowledge and imagination of the system designers. How is that possible?
DDC systems are set up under a completely different
architecture. The systems are divided into three functional
blocks. The first block is inputs. Inputs are all types of measured parameters (temperature), date and time functions, virContinued on page 8
2006
Continued from page 6
tual inputs (set points and desired operating temperatures or
pressures), status points (pump on) and positional points
(valve is 75 percent open).
The second block is outputs. Outputs are signals and
information leaving the DDC system, including equipment
stop/start signals, variable signals to modulate valves and
pumps, and equipment status for other control equipment.
The third and most important piece of the puzzle is
the programming, or intellectual property, component. The
DDC controllers have no built-in intelligence and require a
human to tell them what to do in every situation. For example, the DDC programmer tells the DDC controller to start
the refrigeration system if the ice surface temperature is
greater than 22 F, and to shut it off if the surface temperature
goes below 18 F. The logical controller will continue automatically performing this and many other functions until
programmed otherwise. Figure 3 shows the relationship
between inputs, outputs and system intelligence.
EMC and DDC System
Comparisons
EMC
Advantages
•
•
•
•
•
Lower initial cost
Interchangeable components
Larger labor service pool
Generic vendor options
Troubleshooting ease
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Inflexible
Limited capability
Single function
Single-facility oriented
Limited measured parameters
Adjustment requires manual intervention
Manual changes will not revert back
Calibration points move with time
Disadvantages
DDC
Advantages
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Lower life-cycle cost
More energy-efficient operation
Multi-facility capability
Very flexible
Programmable logic
Better operating conditions
Ability to look ahead
Intelligent data management
Built-in operational protection
Improved remote communication capability
Disadvantages
•
•
•
•
8
Proprietary systems
More difficult to troubleshoot
Smaller/specialized service labor pool
Higher first-time costs
Figure 3: Direct digital controller
The DDC hardware (Fig. 4) resembles the block diagram, with the various system inputs wired on the left side
and the resulting outputs
located on the right. The
DDC controller contains
all the programming and
system intelligence.
Both EMC and DDC
systems have their place in
ice rink applications. As
an arena owner, ensure
that you completely
understand the longterm advantages and disadvantages prior to making important decisions
regarding your control
system. Using either system with an effective pre- Figure 4: DDC hardware
ventive maintenance program, you will realize the maximum operational performance available.
Gerry Fitzsimmons, P. Eng., is the business development manager-service for Cimco Refrigeration.
2006
Get with the Program!
Advantages of Computerized Systems
in the Ice Arena
by Richard Wise
MANAGEMENT
A
nyone who works in the ice skating industry will probably agree
that the majority of us are stuck
in the dark ages when it comes to fully
utilizing technological advancements
to improve and streamline our day-today facility operations. This is because
most ice arenas still lack inexpensive,
out-of-the-box, user-friendly solutions
that can tie together all the facets of our
daily operations.
In most skating facilities, outsourcing technology upgrades is not economically viable; therefore, arena operators are forced to take on myriad roles,
including that of the information technology specialist. It isn’t easy to find
the rare individual who is not only a
career ice arena professional but also
a mechanic, electrician, plumber,
accountant, marketing guru, human
resources manager and, last but not
least, techno-savvy computer geek.
Like so many other arena managers, I frequently struggle to find ways
to improve the efficiency of our daily
operations through automation in a
way that is economically practical and
beneficial to both the company and the
bottom line. The most common challenges I am faced with today in implementing new technologies are finding:
• applications that are (or can be customized to be) pertinent to our industry and that actually improve operations while justifying their costs
• new technologies that are easy
enough to use so that when combined with reliable employees they
are fully implemented and administered, not put on the back shelf and
demoted to the functions of a glorified paperweight
tem. Many immediate benefits can be
realized from investing in a PC-based
POS system versus a standard dedicated
cash register/keypunch system. First and
foremost is the accuracy and efficiency
in transaction processing, reducing the
chance of human error. Transactions are
less complicated for the cashier, who is
assisted visually step by step, often with
added helpful tips that are simultaneously displayed on the computer screen
as the transaction data is keyed in or
scanned. Less training and memorization
are needed; the byproduct is a significant
reduction in the cost of educating new
employees or retraining existing ones.
Another benefit is that even the
simplest of PC-based POS systems
include some form of employee tracking for added security and assistance
with reconciling daily balances. It also
helps eradicate any temptation to steal.
Depending on the system, you may also
be able to automatically transfer your
daily cash register activity into a backend accounting system that generates
your daily and monthly income reports.
Implementing a combined PC-based
POS and accounting system will allow
you to spend more useful time on the
floor or out in the community generating awareness of your facility.
Perhaps a PC-based POS system’s
most valuable tool is the ability to
retrieve and maintain customer data,
allowing for the ability to create categorized mailing lists and accurately track a
customer’s spending habits in your facility and other statistical data. This might
assist you in developing and maintaining a customer rewards program for your
loyal patrons or an informational tool to
assist a cashier when customers enroll in
new programs. Many POS systems give
you the option to track customer data
only when necessary, so a cashier is not
inundated during peak hours with
inputting customers’ contact information into the system.
There are even more customized
all-in-one applications developed by
several companies to address some of
the challenges facing the skating industry, although not always without a hefty
Continued on page 12
Thomas E. Blackburn
PC-based POS systems
Fortunately, while operational costs are
steadily rising, off-the-shelf technology
costs are coming down. There are countless advantages to utilizing computerized technologies in the skating arena.
Consider the point of sale (POS) sys-
10
A PC-based POS system offers numerous benefits, including accuracy, efficiency and reduced
training costs.
2006
price tag. These applications, in addition to functioning as your POS system,
may also include the ability to process
class enrollments, manage facility
scheduling, process contract rental
agreements, generate customer billing,
process employee time-clock functions,
monitor safety equipment, etc. Some
are even modular, so you can reduce the
cost of the entire software package by
eliminating the functions you don’t
find necessary. You also have the option
of implementing one module at a time
in order to spread out the cost and ease
the burden of having to train your
employees on too much all at once.
ISI applications
The Ice Skating Institute recently showcased its new weSKATE application at
the 2006 iACT event in Boston. This
comprehensive program assists a skating director with program development, student enrollment and individual skater histories. Among its most
attractive features are the ability to
process and manage ISI memberships
and automatically update ISI test and
membership transcripts via the Internet, specific to your own arena. Gone
tools we need are
here now. We just have
to start using them.
The
will be the days of scouring through an
index card file for a skater’s test records.
No more frantically calling ISI for the
membership status or test history of a
skater to see if she is eligible to compete. The weSKATE program also prints
your instructor class sheets for you
along with a predefined, yet customizable, class curriculum.
An application that has been finetuned and readily available for some
time is ISI’s Edge competition software.
In a nutshell, this is an ISI competition
organizer, scheduler and scoring calculator that takes you from the start of
your competition to the finish. Once
12
you have completely entered all the
information from your event registrations, you can quickly and easily create
a minute-by-minute competition
schedule using a built-in automatic
scheduling feature. It will even warn
you of potential schedule conflicts for
skaters who are participating in multiple events. Pre-designed event categories and judges’ scoring criteria
(based on ISI competition judging standards) take the guesswork out of setting
up and printing score sheets for judges.
The Edge software even has a quick
entry feature for event scores that
allows you to post results within minutes of an event’s completion. At the
end of the day, it tallies the team scores
in just seconds. The bottom line is that
it saves you hours of tedious paper
pushing and number crunching, eliminating the headaches brought on by
dreaded scheduling and scoring errors.
Reduced labor costs, paperwork
Among the other obvious benefits of
computerized systems — whether an
all-in-one package or several individual
applications categorized by function —
is the reduction of labor costs associated with managing and processing data, not to mention
the significant reduction of
paperwork. All-in-one customized software packages
further help to eliminate
redundancies often created
by utilizing applications
developed by different companies that might have
incompatible data formats.
In the back office, computers and their accompanying graphic design software
can turn the amateur artist
into a regular Picasso while
helping create vibrant, eyecatching flyers and brochures
with ready-to-go, pre-designed templates plus extensive, built-in tutorials
to guide the artist with the project. Similar to graphic design applications are
Web design applications that allow
anyone with little or no graphic design
knowledge to easily create and maintain their own Web site, enabling customers to view general information
about your facility on the Internet.
Taken a few steps further, customers can submit personal information that automatically gets stored in
your client database for future reference, purchase advance-sale admission
tickets or even enroll in a skating
school class and a hockey league, all
prior to setting foot in your facility.
Safety monitoring systems
For safety issues, equipment monitoring systems alert you via pager if one of
your compressors goes offline or CO
levels in the arena area are reaching
harmful levels. Maintenance logs and
checklist databases allow your shift
managers to record the day’s events and
stay on track with preventive and general maintenance.
With the recent introduction of
inexpensive digital video recorders
(DVRs) and cameras, anyone can afford
to install a high-tech surveillance system to monitor their entire facility and
replay in a matter of seconds an event
that took place weeks ago — all with
just a few keystrokes and without loss
of video quality. If you want to get really fancy, you can link your cameras to
your Web site so your customers can
view the arena online, perhaps to
watch a hockey game or skating competition in real time.
Music innovations
Another new innovation showcased at
iACT was RinkMusic’s automated
music-queuing system that allows figure skaters to play their music just by
waving a unique key tag in front of a
sensor built directly into the barriers
on the ice. The complexity of the software that drives the system allows for
the queuing of music to be prioritized
based on pre-set criteria determined
by you, such as when a skater’s program music was last played. The
coaches even get a key so that, based
on your customized settings, they can
bump a skater’s music to the next line
in the queue during lesson time. The
system acts as the music moderator,
eliminating the need for a rink attendant or skating parent to be available
to play tapes. How about no more
coaches and skaters fighting over
whose music will get played next?
That’s music to my ears.
In the long run, computer technology
will only help to improve your “welloiled machine.” The majority of the ice
skating industry is still catching up. The
tools we need are here now. We just
have to start using them.
Richard Wise, CAM, CAO, CAP, MCSE, is
vice president of facility operations for
VSC Sports Enterprises Inc. in Sherman
Oaks, Calif.
2006
Rethinking Your Party Program
5 Principles for Gaining the Edge in Your Market
2
by Frank W. Price
R
ecreation and leisure businesses involving families are
evolving at a rapid pace. Owners and operators need
to be open to change if they are to maintain and grow
their business. The demand for ice time for traditional ice
activities also is changing. Hectic schedules, inconvenient
ice times and even the cost of ice have deterred many families from these activities, making it harder to offset operational expenses, not to mention profitability.
Birthday parties, though, are in high demand. They are
consistent throughout the year. They are also profitable and
becoming a dominant source of income. Here are five things
ice arena managers need to remember in order to grow their
party business.
1
Birthday parties are not about skating.
Commercial birthday businesses have forgotten about the
most important ingredient of a memorable birthday party.
Where’s the TLC?
The next generation of party services must be delivered
through an experience, meeting individual needs. No longer
can ice rinks count on a perpetuating market that continues
to attract new customers. New facilities generate curiosity,
but not enough to maintain repeat visits. Great service is
expected — not always delivered — but no longer sets you
apart. It’s the “human touch” that make your parties special
— particularly since party parents tend to lose the ability to
add this when they host a party outside the home.
The factor that distinguishes the best of the best is not the
physical environment or even the quality of the birthday offering. It’s the interaction and relationships developed between
your party team and your guests. Your team of party experts
makes any environment come alive with energy, personal
impact and an emotional attachment. This interaction between
individuals makes each party experience unique and special.
Experience-based birthday businesses are creating new
sources of value in the minds of their consumers. They are
engaging guests in a personalized way, creating experiences
that will remain top of mind and live longer through stories
repeated over and over.
PROGRAMMING
Create your party concept around FUN. It’s not the facility, the act of skating or any other “play attraction” that
makes a commercial birthday party special. Hockey or figure skating draws a select group, whereas fun appeals to
all. The ice rink is merely a stage for the birthday presentation. Skating is just one of the activities that assists in
making it more fun. The human interaction that surrounds
the skating makes the party memorable and talked about
for a long time. Family, friends and your party team are
keys to this success.
Add intangible value.
14
2006
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Charge more!
5
Satisfied party parents, touched by positive emotions as
they leave with lasting memories, never ask how much it
costs.
The value of your birthday offering increases as it
saves the consumer time and energy while eliminating
frustrations. When your party achieves these, you can
charge more. Today’s time-starved families are willing to
pay top dollar for a personalized, positive experience,
especially when it comes to their child’s happiness. It’s
all about their perception. If their perception of your
offering doesn’t match the value they paid, your party
business will suffer. They won’t come back!
Be unique. Eliminate frustration. Save them time.
Create convenience.
4
Break out of the box.
Some of the best new ideas are simply old ideas borrowed from the
past or from completely different industries, transformed in a brand
new way.
The question to ask yourself is: “Why must I grow my business
using the same methods my competition is using?” The answers are
found by thinking out of the box. Use dramatically different marketing and operational methods, totally foreign to your industry. When
visiting other businesses or organizations, look closely at what they do
different from or better than you. This can be any type of organization, from a manufacturing plant to a professional baseball team to a
dry cleaners. Look at their success methods; then interpret, adapt and
adopt them to fit your business. Rather than assuming that what
works for a different industry could never apply to yours, engage in
“possibility thinking” — consider how you can modify their methods
to make them work for you. You’ll stand out and be far more effective,
more successful, more productive and more profitable.
View your ice rink as an entertainment center.
Offer FUN as well as sports-related activities. Find the
right mix. The market for recreational skating, shared
family activities and non-competitive sports is much larger than the market for traditional ice activities. Skating
around in an oval in a noisy, uncomfortable, run-down
and cold environment is not the formula for repeat visits.
Add on-ice games, costumed characters, social activities,
soft-play sport games (non-competitive), fun relay races,
music games and live interactive entertainment facilitated by your DJ.
16
Use these five principles as the foundation for change. They will
enable you to re-engineer your party business and maintain or establish a significant edge within your market or industry.
Frank W. Price is the founder of Birthday University, a national touring school that educates children’s and family-oriented enterprises
on the business of producing memorable and profitable birthday parties. His session at the 2006 iACT was one of the conference’s most popular presentations. For more information, call (919) 387-1966, e-mail
[email protected] or visit www.birthdayuniversity.com.
2006
You’re in the business of fun.
We’re in the business
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At Rice Specialty Risk, we understand the unique risks associated
with rink and arena ownership. We offer comprehensive insurance
products at competitive rates designed to protect your business.
So you can concentrate on more important things, like having fun.
Turn to us for:
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• General liability
• Umbrella coverage
To learn more, contact Joan Rice
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fnrm.com
New
Initiatives
Bring Professional Training Within
Reach of Entire Industry
by Rob McBride
T
hese are exciting times for the Ice
Arena Institute of Management
(iAIM), ISI’s education and certification program for ice arena managers, operators and programmers.
iAIM has embarked on a series of new
initiatives to expand program offerings
and update delivery methods.
These initiatives will make it even
easier and more affordable for arena
professionals to participate in iAIM certification programs and schools. With
options available for regional training
seminars, online certification courses
and specialized and advanced executive
classes, iAIM is bringing professional
training within reach of everyone in
the industry.
Chairman’s View
I had the honor of being appointed chair of the iAIM board of regents
in May, and I eagerly look forward to working with Director Jack Vivian
and the other regents to achieve iAIM’s mission of educating and supporting ice arena professionals.
Having participated at all levels of the iAIM program, I have seen
firsthand the real benefits that it provides to our industry. Even someone like myself, with more than 20 years of experience, will learn new
theories and practices that lead to greater success and personal growth.
To me, what separates iAIM from other industry training programs
is the comprehensive approach to all the responsibilities and proficiencies required to be a successful arena professional. The program curriculum doesn’t simply teach technical skills; along with those skills it
teaches you to be an effective manager and leader.
Whether our facilities are publicly owned or private, we all face
challenging times in our industry. To be successful, we will need to
operate our facilities in a more cost-efficient manner, invest more of
our budgets in maintaining the building and equipment, be effective
at recruiting and motivating a quality staff, provide a consistently
exceptional experience for our customers and become more actively
involved in managing and marketing the activities that take place on
our ice and in our facility.
In short, we will need to be well educated on all aspects of our industry and committed to achieving the highest possible standards for ourselves and our facilities.
As I look ahead, my primary goal as iAIM chair is to raise awareness
throughout our industry of the critical influence that
professional education will have on the future stability of arenas and the growth of ice sports.
Rob McBride, CAE, is the founder and CEO of Norwell,
Mass.-based Facility Management Corp., which leases and
operates 23 publicly owned ice arena facilities. He is an
active, award-winning ISI member with 24 years of experience in all facets of ice arena management, operation,
programming and renovation.
With the support of industry sponsors, iAIM is able to keep tuition fees
affordable for even the most limited budget. In fact, with most ice arena insurers
now offering substantial premium credits to facilities that are managed and
staffed by iAIM graduates, the certification program is one of the best financial
investments an arena can make.
Following are details of the new
initiatives.
Web certification exams
on iAIM Online
iAIM Online is the industry’s only Webbased ice arena education and certification program. It was created to provide
the same professional development
courses that students receive at iAIM
schools, in a convenient and affordable
online distance-learning format.
The online courses have allowed ice
arena professionals from around the
globe to expand their knowledge and
proficiency in all aspects of arena management, operations and programming.
Students receive the comprehensive iAIM
education on a timetable and pace that
they can adapt to fit their busy schedule.
The program is being retooled to
allow participants to complete their
certification through a secure online
examination. By early this fall, students
in all three certification tracks will be
able to complete the coursework, take
their exam over the Internet and
receive their professional certification
from the comfort and convenience of
their arena or home.
Fall training seminars
iAIM is offering three one-day regional
training seminars for arena managers
and operations staff. The seminars offer a
combination of classroom instruction
and technical “hands-on” training in key
areas of arena operations and maintenance. They are being held at ice arenas
to allow participants to learn the theory
18
2006
and principles in a classroom setting,
and then experience their practical application in an operating ice arena.
refrigeration to modern refrigeration
controls
and
dehumidification.
Refrigeration room safety and system
troubleshooting will be
taught in the facility’s stateof-the-art
mechanical
room. Participants will also
have the unique opportunity to see a new ice floor system during the construction process.
The final seminar in the
fall series will be held Sept. 26
in San Jose, Calif., on the subject of ice resurfacer maintenance and operation. This
seminar will give participants
an in-depth understanding of proper
ice resurfacer and ice edger maintenance, operation, safety and operator
training.
The registration fee for each seminar is $75 per person. A group discount is offered for multiple registrations from the same arena ($125 for
two; $50 per person for three or
more). Each registrant will also receive
a $25 coupon redeemable for any
upcoming iAIM school or online certification program.
If you are interested in hosting a
iAIM certification
program is one of the best
financial investments
The
an arena can make.
The first of the seminar series, on
the topic of ice installation and maintenance, was held Aug. 22 in Chicago.
Arena managers and operations staff
from throughout the upper Midwest
attended. All aspects of ice installation,
painting and maintenance were covered, including hands-on instruction in
the art of ice painting.
The second seminar in the series,
set for Sept. 22 in Bridgeport, Conn.,
will cover basic refrigeration and
HVAC. This seminar will take participants from the principles of basic
20
regional seminar at your arena in the
future, please contact Peter Martell at
the ISI office, (972) 735-8800 or
[email protected].
2007 schools:
A new course and venue
Plans for 2007 iAIM schools are being
finalized, with an exciting new course
offering as well as a weeklong Certificate of Arena Operations (CAO) school.
Both schools will be offered May 6-11
at Adrian College in Adrian, Mich., just
outside Detroit.
A new advanced course that covers the design, construction and renovation of ice arenas will be offered
to arena professionals, designers and
consultants as well as public recreation agencies. Participants will learn
the steps required for a successful
project, from concept to completion.
The Adrian College campus combines excellent dormitory, dining and
athletic/recreational facilities for participants, with a new state-of-the-art ice
arena training center that will serve as
the home base for iAIM.
Look for more information on
these schools to be available soon.
2006
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ISI PROFILE
All the World is Paige’s Stage
by Lori Fairchild
I
can’t believe I’ve gone from wearing
fishnets and feathers to reading compressor gauges and changing an auger
chain in a resurfacing machine!”
That’s
how
Paige Scott describes her reaction when she
first cracked open
the iAIM operations manual. A
lifetime performer
who inherited her
parents’ love of the spotlight, Scott
is one of the few in the ice arena
industry who truly has worn all the
proverbial hats (and costumes).
Attaining the full complement of
iAIM’s programming, management
and operations certifications was
one more feather to add to her colorful wardrobe.
Each of those disciplines gets a
workout in Scott’s daily life. When
San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Ice Skating Center opened in 1998, she was
hired as its skating director. Within
six months, she had become its general manager. Perhaps the writing was
on the wall several years earlier, when
she was driving a Zamboni a week
after giving birth.
Making the leap from skating director to arena manager was a “huge
stretch,” Scott says. “But I guess it just
comes from being bossy. Choreographing, directing, producing, running companies and managing a small troupe of
skaters with large attitudes gave me some
good background. It’s been challenging,
but if I stop learning, I get bored.”
22
In addition to running Yerba
Buena, Scott is the head coach of the
San Francisco Tremors synchronized
skating team and the District 14 representative on the ISI board of directors.
She is well known for the creative characters she and her colleague Shane
Douglas portray at ISI annual conference closing parties.
“Paige is a people person from the
word ‘go,’” says Michael Paikin, president of VSC Sports Enterprises Inc.,
which manages Yerba Buena Ice Skating Center. “She’s very innovative, positive and enthusiastic, and can work
with any person at any
age, male or female.”
A native San Franciscan, Scott was born into
show biz. Her late mother, Elizabeth Mae Huber,
was a silver medalist ice
dancer at Easterns who went on to tour
with the Ice Follies and run the skating
school at Belmont Iceland. Her father,
James (“Happy”) Carroll was a stage
hand at San Francisco’s legendary Winterland venue and later became the
stage manager of the San Francisco
Symphony. And her stepmother, Janet
Carroll, was a costume designer for the
Ringling Brothers.
Scott was a childhood ISIA member when she learned to skate and
began competing in her mother’s
school at Belmont Iceland. She progressed to FS 8 and turned professional
on plastic ice in a polar bear costume.
“I was making $50 an hour, and at 13,
I thought ‘Wow, this is IT,’” she recalls.
By age 14, she had choreographed
her first show for the San Francisco Show
Place, exhibiting her talent for design.
Immediately after high school came a
two-year stint with the Ice Capades, followed by small traveling shows in which
she started choreographing new numbers for the producers. World-renowned
choreographer Karen Kresge hired Scott
as her assistant at the Redwood Ice Arena
in Santa Rosa, providing the learning
experience of a lifetime.
Scott served as assistant choreographer of the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1992 World Figure Skating Championships in Oakland, Calif.
and four years later produced, directed
and choreographed the opening and
closing ceremonies at the National Figure Skating Championships.
She continues to get her show
production fix with several annual
events at Yerba Buena, including the
Holidaze Ice Show and a fundraiser
benefiting an AIDS wellness center.
Her arena also hosts several competitions as well as the Mayor’s Youth
Hockey Program for at-risk youth and
the Brian Boitano Youth Program.
Plume Productions is Scott’s plastic
ice company, which produces shows for
small events and private parties. “They
don’t make what I have anymore,” she
says of the Fiberglas Teflon squares
sprayed with glycerin. “I load it up in
the back of my Ford Explorer, pull up
to a venue, unload it, lay it down, put
on a costume and skate.”
She recently recruited her 10year-old daughter, Erin, to skate on
the plastic ice at a health and fitness
fair to promote the ice arena.
Scott and her engineer husband,
Mark, also have a college-age daughter, Natalie.
If life with Paige Scott is anything
like a conversation with her, there’s
never a dull moment. She sums up her
coaching philosophy in an acronym:
PACE (Positive Attitude Changes
Everything). And her management
style? “Interpretive isn’t just an event
in a competition. Life throws curve
balls; think fast.”
2006
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Floyd Hall Arena
by Lori Fairchild
W
hen former Target and KMart CEO Floyd Hall was
considering ways to give back
to the communities of Montclair and
Little Falls, N.J., two primary goals
emerged: to provide first-class facilities
for the local university and to create
wholesome activities for local families.
The result was a unique public/private
partnership formed 10 years ago, with
Yogi Berra Stadium and Floyd Hall
Arena built on Montclair State
University property and Floyd Hall
Enterprises funding all construction
costs. Hall donated both facilities to the
university when they were completed
in 1998, and his company was granted
a long-term lease to operate them.
The partnership has proved cooperative and mutually beneficial, says
Kevin McCormack, vice president of
arena operations for FHE. “Through
the arrangement to have the rink on
campus, the university receives 750
hours of free ice time each year, primarily for its club hockey program and
ice skating classes. In addition, students, faculty and staff receive free
public skating admission Monday
through Friday,” McCormack explains.
“This is good for us, because the university uses many hours of ice during
the day, when the facility would normally be quiet. The partnership has
Floyd Hall Arena staff includes: (from left,
front) Jon Sagui and Rosemarie Pallino; and
(from left, back) Brian Miller, Al Karl, Kevin
McCormack, Patty Ensign, Catherine Hacker and Kristen Vanorski.
All photos courtesy of Floyd Hall Arena
also allowed the arena to use university dormitories as housing for summer
camps and visiting figure skaters.”
The arena offers year-round parttime employment opportunities and
internships for university students. In
addition to servicing the university, the
facility provides ice time to four community travel/recreational hockey programs,
four high schools and its own girls’ and
women’s travel hockey program.
“The biggest challenge we face
with the arrangement is the fact that
we are a private for-profit entity on a
public university campus. Sometimes
the two organizations work at different speeds, but overall, we have been
able to get past that and create a positive relationship for both of us,”
says McCormack.
In addition to Floyd Hall Arena,
company holdings include Danbury
Ice Arena, the Sussex Skyhawks minor
league baseball team and the Essex
Equestrian Center.
Floyd Hall Arena offers a variety of ISI skating and hockey instructional programs on two
NHL-size ice rinks.
Facts and figures
Open 362 days a year and 18 hours a
day, Floyd Hall Arena attracts more
than 500,000 visits annually. It has
served as a practice and training site
for more than 20 NHL teams and
numerous international figure skating
champions, including 2006 Olympic
gold medalist ice dancers Tatiana
Navka and Roman Kostomarov.
The 85,000-square-foot ice arena
includes two NHL-size rinks, an off-ice
training area, meeting rooms, a concession area, a pro shop, nine locker rooms,
a dance studio and a party room.
The main rink seats 500 spectators, and has hosted the New Jersey
Youth Hockey League playoffs, the
Garden State Games, elite-level skating
exhibitions, New Jersey Devils alumni
charity hockey games and the
MIRMA/ISI District 3 Skate for
Knowledge competition.
The 15,000-square-foot lobby and
parts of the rink areas recently received
new Nora rubber flooring from
Athletica, Freudenberg Building Systems
and Phazer. Additional flooring will be
installed in stages over the next three
years. New 6-foot double-gate entrance
doors and new kick plates were also
among the recent improvements.
On the operations side, the facility
uses an EI Solutions energy management system, natural gas engines to
drive the compressors and two Munters
AM30 dehumidification units. “We are
The 2006 Olympic buzz started a full year ago at Floyd Hall Arena, which continues to see solid
numbers for its learn-to-skate and public skating programs.
A busy concession area is one of many amenities in the 85,000-square-foot arena building.
2006
25
in the process of installing an EI
Solutions automated building energy
management system with heat recovery,
which we expect to pay for itself within
two years through reduced energy
costs,” McCormack notes.
With both natural gas and electricity now deregulated in New Jersey,
McCormack says his arena is ready to
comparison shop for better utility rates.
People and programs
Floyd Hall Arena’s staff comprises
seven or eight full-time employees and
50 to 75 part-timers, many of whom
are Montclair State University students
and graduates.
“Our general manager, Brian
Miller, and our operations manager,
Kenny Conlon, were university graduates who had worked as part-time shift
supervisors before becoming full-time
managers,” McCormack says. “We
have had more success growing staff
from within the company than we
have had hiring from outside. We also
cross-train many of our staff to give us
the most flexibility.”
Kristen Vanorski has been the
arena’s party coordinator for less
than a year but already has boosted
party and group revenues by more
than 30 percent.
Hockey director Tommy Gross is
Open Door, Open Mind
A
staff that enjoys coming to work is not a gift; it’s a reward for strong
management practices. And it’s one that Kevin McCormack has
earned, says his hockey director, Tommy Gross. The two have worked
together at three different rinks over the last 18 years.
“Kevin’s greatest strength is how personally he takes things,” Gross notes.
“He truly loves his staff and goes more than the extra mile to make sure everyone is contributing and giving their best efforts. When there are bumps, he
never points fingers, but instead takes the responsibility as if he didn’t do
enough. He cares how we all feel and how much we enjoy coming to work.”
As vice president of arena operations for Floyd Hall Enterprises, he supervises operations at both Floyd Hall Arena in Montclair, N.J. and Danbury
Ice Arena in Danbury, Conn.
While earning a biology degree at State University of New York in Brockport, McCormack worked as a rink guard. After graduation, he became an assistant manager at the Bryan Trottier Skating Academy and later moved to Long
Island Skating Academy, where he eventually was promoted to general manager. He has held various positions for Floyd Hall Enterprises for the last nine years.
McCormack has been actively involved with the
Metropolitan Ice Rink Managers Association (MIRMA)
for 15 years and now serves as its second vice president. He is also the hockey section representative on
the ISI board and serves on its membership and strategic planning committees as well as the iAIM board of
regents. Last year he was recognized with the ISI District 3 Merit Award.
“I bring an open mind to listen to what all groups
and
individuals have to say,” he notes. “I have been
Kevin McCormack
in the industry for a long time and I have learned
many things, but I do not know everything. I hope to
grow and increase membership in the ISI hockey program, and my current
goal is to finish the revamped ISI hockey manual.”
He also has a clear goal for the ice arena industry. “We can bring together the great minds in this business and work together on common challenges
rather than dividing and fracturing the industry, creating separate agendas
and working against each other. I see the professionals in ISI as being the
force that will bring people together.”
McCormack and his wife, Patti, live in Pearl River, N.Y. and enjoy traveling, their extended families, antiques, golf, gardening and the outdoors.
— Lori Fairchild
26
known for his infectious personality as
well as his excellent power skating
instruction, which draws students
from miles around.
The arena’s skating department is
composed of three part-time positions:
skating director Patty Ensign, learn-toskate on-ice director Diane Cross and
skating
program
administrator
Catherine Hacker.
The programming philosophy at
Floyd Hall Arena encompasses a broad
mix of figure skating, hockey, adult
leagues, rental groups, in-house programming and specialized programs
such as adult-only public skating. “We
try to run as many things in-house as
possible to maximize profitability, but
we realize that we need a core group of
ice rental customers for revenue stability,” says McCormack.
Both the Floyd Hall and Danbury
arenas have been administrative members of ISI since opening. Floyd Hall
Arena alone registers 1,200 to 1,500
players and skaters each year in ISI
hockey and learn-to-skate programs.
“We have found the ISI program
to be easy to administer and a much
better value than other programs,”
McCormack notes. “The insurance
coverage is unmatched and we believe
the ISI has contributed positively to
the growth of our facility.
“We are also a big believer in the
iAIM program and the ISI annual conference,” he adds. “The education that
ISI and iAIM provide is incredible. Our
managers have gained valuable knowledge and important ideas that they use
in their jobs every day, and we like the
fact that the programs are structured
with the manager, owner and user
groups in mind.”
Located just 30 minutes from midtown Manhattan, with some 3 million
residents within a 10-mile radius,
Floyd Hall Arena has a customer database of more than 20,000 names.
“We are close to some of the more
wealthy areas of New Jersey, but we
realize that we need a broad reach to
all demographics to be successful,”
McCormack says, adding that nine
new sheets of ice have opened within
30 miles of Montclair in the last five
years. “The demand is starting to catch
up with the oversupply of rinks and
recreational opportunities in the area.
We have also adapted to demand by
cutting back some programs and
increasing others. We’re working at
our business more, rather than waiting
for business to come to us.”
2006
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28
ISI District Fall S
The following ISI district seminars have been scheduled.
For more information and updates received after press
time, go to skateisi.org and select “educational programs,”
or contact your district representative, listed below.
District 1
District Rep: Katy Hayden
(781) 740-2255
[email protected]
Instructor: Oct. 1
Radisson Hotel, Rockland
Contact: Katy Hayden
Manager/Operator: Oct. 3, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
* NOTE: Districts 1,2 & 3 welcome *
Radisson Hotel, Rockland
Contact: Scott McCoy
(781) 982-8166, [email protected]
—————
District 2
District Rep: Robyn Bentley
(315) 685-1678
[email protected]
Instructor: Sept. 17
Thomas Creek Ice Arena, Fairport
Contact: Robyn Bentley
—————
District 3
District Rep: Lisa Fedick
Instructor: 3 seminars, TBA
Parkwood Ice Rink, William Mennen Arena,
Sky Rink@Chelsea Piers
Contact: Lisa Fedick
Manager/Operator: Oct. 24
The Rinx
Contact: Judy Sniffen, (516) 281-2335, [email protected]
—————
District 4
District Rep: Christine Wilson Brinton
Bowie Ice Arena
Contact: Christine Wilson Brinton
—————
District 5
District Rep: Shane Douglas
Iceland Irmo
Contact: Bethany Raymond
—————
District 6
District Rep: Toni Cooper
Instructor: Sept. 24, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Taylor Sportsplex
Instructor: Oct. 8, 10 a.m.
Wings Stadium, Kalamazoo
Contact: Toni Cooper
—————
District 7
District Rep: Maria Koman
(330) 707-2187, zoominternet.net
Instructor: Oct. 1
Chevrolet Centre, Youngstown
Contact: Maria Koman
2006
Seminar Schedule
District 8
District Rep: Tom Hickey
—————
District 9
District Rep: Dan Smith
Instructor: Oct. 1
Washington Park Ice Arena
Contact: Dan Smith
—————
District 10
District Rep: Char Martin
Schwan Super Rink
Contact: Jane Schaber
—————
District 11
District Rep: Liz Mangelsdorf
(972) 758-7528, Ext. 237
[email protected]
Instructor: Sept. 9
Aerodrome Willowbrook
Contact: Andrew Foland
—————
District 12
District Rep: Debbie Lane
(303) 798-7881
—————
District 13
District Rep: Cindy Jensen
(541) 682-7363
[email protected]
Kent Valley Ice Centre
Contact: Cindy Jensen
—————
District 14
District Rep: Paige Scott
(415) 725-7635
[email protected]
Instructor: Oct. 9
Vacaville Ice Sports
Contact: Paige Scott
—————
District 15
District Rep: Bert Blanchette
Instructor & Manager/Operator:
Oct. 17, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Pickwick Ice Center
Contact: Bert Blanchette
—————
District 16
District Rep: Cindy Solberg
(907) 694-7328
[email protected]
—————
District 18
District Rep: Glyn Jones
Fort Myers Skatium
Contact: Glyn Jones, (813) 854-4010
or Cindy Sokolis, (239) 461-3145
2006
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29
Developing
Competitors
Part 1 of a 2-part series
by David Jacobson
I
ce skating instructors can be extremely
influential in helping their skaters hone
their competitive edges. An important step
is to consider what ISI and Positive Coaching
Alliance mean by “Developing Competitors.”
In Positive Coaching Alliance’s “Developing Competitors” workshops, we define “competitors” as those who
strive to make themselves better, make teammates better
and make the sport better. You can begin by considering
your own view of “competition” and considering your
answers to these questions:
• Does competition mean “striving with” — in keeping with the word’s Latin root — or does it mean
“seeking domination”?
• Do you view competition as a partnership or as a
war?
• Are opponents gifts who inspire your skaters’ best
effort, or are they enemies?
• Do you see officials and judges as facilitators or as
obstacles?
• Are rules an imperfect guide to fairness or are they
partially tolerated restraints?
• Is your goal to help skaters achieve mastery and excellence or to win at all cost?
Most skaters — indeed, most athletes — are
“participants.” They enjoy skating and they
may even excel and win championships. But
“participants” should not be confused with
“competitors.”
We will share our answers toward the end of this article.
Meanwhile, you might notice that our questions address
some of the concepts at the center of the PCA-ISI partnership, such as “Honoring the Game” by getting to the
“ROOTS” of positive play. Remember, ROOTS stands for
respecting Rules, Opponents, Officials, Teammates and Self.
Honoring the Game improves the skater not only mentally and emotionally, by building character, but also physically, in performance. Skaters can perform at a much higher
level if they concentrate on their routines rather than how to
get around rules, how their opponents might perform or how
judges or teammates may react.
Skaters who honor the game can inspire teammates to
do the same. As those skaters’ performances improve, it
demonstrates that the skaters who led by example really did
help make their teammates better.
In turn, all skaters honoring the game makes the sport itself
better, because each individual, the team as a whole, opponents
and judges are free of distraction and able to perform their best,
so the entire competitive environment improves.
Now, back to the answers to our questions. In each case,
PCA and ISI adamantly advocate the first option. Coaches,
ice arena leaders and parents who frame their thinking that
way remove much of the pressure that comes from focusing
on elements of competition that are outside the skaters’ control. Then skaters are free to pour all of that extra energy into
their performance, meaning they likely will enjoy better
“scoreboard success” and definitely will come away a winner in terms of honoring the game.
These ideas are worthwhile to consider as you help
your skaters prepare for upoming events. Next time, we
will provide exercises that will help your skating programs
develop competitors.
David Jacobson is PCA’s media/communications manager. To learn more about PCA’s workshops and how
the ISI-PCA national partnership benefits your skating community, contact PCA at (866) 725-0024 or
[email protected], or visit PositiveCoach.org.
ActionPhotos.com
30
2006
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Stop … Stop
...
STOP!!!
inline players aren’t beginners, and they
skate, and attempt to stop, at the speed
with which they are comfortable on
asphalt. Without slowing down to a
beginner’s speed while they learn to
stop, they simply won’t be able to gain a
level of comfort with the feeling of skidding; subsequently, they’ll continue to
struggle through their on-ice stops.
To conquer this challenge, it is
important to encourage them to skate
slowly while they’re learning to stop.
Making going slow the goal of a stopping exercise can work even better.
It’s easy to add pressure and
speed to a good skid; the trick is to
become comfortable with the skid
itself. Inline players are unfamiliar
with the feeling of skidding, which is why they
default to those wide
power turns. By mastering long, slow skids,
they’ll gain that necessary level of comfort.
If you have the full
length of the ice to work
with, ask the players to
skate from the goal line
to the first blue line, and
then challenge them to
hold a one-foot snowplow stop in a consistent
(not letting up off of the
skid) and completely
straight line, from blue
line to blue line, or
longer if they can.
This exercise should
be repeated on the other
foot, and then repeated
again using T-stops. Once
they can control the
straight, long, slow skids,
cut the distance in half,
then in half again, etc.
It’s amazing how quickly
they’ll learn to stop once
their bodies understand
what a skid should feel
like. After they can come
to a complete, controlled
stop, they are ready to
take on more challenging
stopping drills, such as
JP Lorenzen receives instruction from his Power Play Hockey
the “Stop in a Box.”
School coach as he executes the “Stop in a Box” drill.
A
bout this time each year, rinks all
over the country experience the
annual rush of inline hockey
players testing their skills on the ice. If
they survive that first public session,
they often sign up for lessons with the
intention of mastering just one skill:
STOPPING.
The toughest part of teaching inline
players how to stop on the ice is convincing them to SLOW DOWN! Their
stopping level just doesn’t match their
skating level. They can skate — usually
pretty well — but when it comes to stopping, they are absolute beginners.
When most beginners learn to tackle new skills, they do so at a speed that
is typical of all beginners — slow. But
Wendy Marco
32
The Stop in a Box drill is easy to
run with large numbers, simple to
explain and extraordinarily effective. It
actively utilizes instructors, and
because it seems more like a carnival
game than a skating drill, players want
to keep trying it.
To set up this stopping drill, use
cones or hockey sticks to make three
sides of a box that is just big enough to
stop in, with the open side facing a line
of players. Make enough boxes so that
there is at least one per instructor and,
ideally, no more than five players per
box. The skaters will line up about three
body lengths away, facing the open end
of the box. The instructors start off
directly behind the box facing the
skaters. The skaters will go one at a time,
at a speed appropriate for their level,
toward the open end of the box. Just as
the player is about to reach the box, the
counselor will pick a side. The player
should stop inside the box so that he or
she faces the coach, then immediately
execute a start to return to the line.
The player’s objective is to go in and
out of the box without hitting the cones
or sticks. The instructor should randomly select the side that the players face and
run the students through the drill
enough times that each skater has several opportunities to attempt this exercise
in both directions. If they are successful,
back the skaters up so they can generate
more speed as they approach the box.
The Stop in a Box drill is intended to
clean up the stop/start transition in each
direction and to get the players stopping
on a dime.
Wendy Marco is a
two-time speaker at
the International
Hockey Skating
Symposium, a USA
Hockey Level 4 CEP
instructor and a
professional hockey
skating coach in
Washington, D.C.
Her instructional DVD, “Breaking Out
of the Ice Age,” features hockey skating
drills and games, and can be found,
along with more hockey skating tools,
at www.ColdRushHockey.com.
2006
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Benefit on Ice Starring Emily Hughes
Raises Funds for Scholarships
by Lisa Fedick
T
ActionPhotos.com
Scholarship recipients Stephanie Crisp (in red) and Kaylyn McDaniel
(in yellow) with Foundation President Donald Bartelson and Heather
Aseltine, freshman trustee and 2002 scholarship recipient
34
Both of the 2006 scholarship recipients were not
only present at the show,
but also performed in it.
Kaylyn McDaniel of Stillwater, Minn., a freshman at
the College of St. Catherine,
performed an upbeat program to “Walkin’ on Sunshine.” Hometown heroine
Stephanie Crisp of Hanson,
Mass., a freshman at Northeastern University, skated a
lovely artistic program to
“On My Own” from Les
Miserables.
New Foundation trustee
Heather Aseltine joined
President Bartelson in hosting the scholarship awards
ceremony. Heather, who
was a 2002 scholarship
recipient, has completed
her undergraduate studies
and returned to our industry as a coach, mentor and
role model.
Despite one stellar per- Benefit on Ice celebrity
formance after another by skater Emily Hughes
our ISI champion skaters,
the 2006 show did have a spectacular highlight: 2006
Olympian Emily Hughes, whose infectious grin, youthful exuberance and tremendous talent have made her one
of the great ambassadors of our sport, both on and off the
ice. Emily treated us to two programs. The first was a
powerful artistic routine laced with double jumps, intricate footwork and uncommon flexibility, which included
an inside back spiral that somehow turned into a layback
spin. This unlikely combination of moves left most of us
scratching our heads, thinking, “Did I just see that?” But
it was Emily’s second program that brought the house
down. Dressed in a black and silver unitard, skating to
“Proud Mary,” Emily was pure electricity. I’m sure the
near-capacity crowd would have demanded multiple
encores, had they not been so eager to get into the autograph line.
Emily appeared in the lobby a short time after the show
in jeans and T-shirt, accompanied by her parents and looking every bit the part of a typical teenage girl having a great
night out. For well over an hour she smiled for every photo
and signed hundreds of autographs on a multitude of
objects, until everyone left with smiles on their faces and
dreams in their hearts.
ActionPhotos.com
he 2006 ISI World Recreational Team Championships,
hosted by the New England Sports Center in Marlboro,
Mass. July 24-29, was one of the best-orchestrated
events in recent memory, and the ISIA Education Foundation’s scholarship program was well represented.
Staffed by executive board members Don Bartelson,
Robyn Bentley and Judy Sniffen, the Foundation’s tradeshow
booth provided an ideal opportunity for networking and
marketing of the Foundation’s programs and philosophies.
This year’s silent auction, which produced a number of
bidding wars, included a wide assortment of signed skating
photographs, Olympic memorabilia and equipment. Special
thanks go out to all who supported the auction with donations as well as purchases.
Each year it is difficult to remember a Benefit on Ice
show that was any more entertaining than the current one,
and the 2006 event was no exception. Foundation trustee
Jean Albrightson selected a variety of performances throughout the course of the week to star in the show, and stars, they
truly did become! These performers represented nine states,
the Philippines and Great Britain, with ages spanning multiple decades. Trustee Boyd Wietecter did his usual outstanding job as announcer.
Melinda McMullen of Poland, Ohio and Jacqueline
Sullivan of Yonkers, N.Y. were the two lucky young ladies
whose winning Foundation raffle tickets earned them each
a solo spot and the opportunity to join the cast of the
show. This popular raffle has rapidly become a major component of the Foundation’s fundraising program for annual scholarship endowment.
2006
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www.canlanicesports.com www.icesports.com
COACHES’
CORNER
by Barb Yackel
ISI National Events & Skating Program Coordinator
F
all — already? Hard to believe, I know, but the exciting
events of summer never let our engines cool down!
Beantown was turned upside down and sideways with
the dynamic energy of more than 1,900 skaters competing
at the 2006 Worlds. It was unanimous among skaters, coaches and parents that the ’06 Worlds was truly the crowning
event of the competitive season!
Raking the leaves will have to be put on hold, as we need
to refuel and get energized for a nonstop fall of ISI events.
•
Adult Championships — The adults will boot-scoot
their way to Nashville Sept. 8-10 for a weekend of fun,
both on and off the ice!
•
ISI FREE Fall Instructors’ and Managers’
Seminars — Plan to attend your district seminar (see
page 28 or check the ISI Web site for schedules and locations).
•
weSKATE
National
Instructor
Training
Program — Don’t miss out on the last training session
for 2006, on Sept. 26 in San Jose, Calif.
•
Artistic Challenge — Unleash your creativity for this
second annual event, Nov. 3-5 in Denver. This national
ISI event gives your skaters the chance to showcase their
artistic side.
Taking some time for ourselves is usually easier said than
done (as I well know), but if you have a moment or two for
a walk through the leaves, a drive in the country or some
quiet time at home, think about these:
There are no shortcuts to anything.
_____
Anyone who has never made a mistake
has never tried anything new.
_____
Try and fail, but don’t fail to try.
_____
The price of victory is high, but so are the rewards.
_____
Winning isn’t everything, but wanting to win is.
_____
Obstacles are those frightful things you see
when you take your eyes off your goals.
_____
Whatever you are, be a good one.
36
2006
North East Ice Skating
Managers Association
(NEISMA)
by Tom Morton, President
The recent joint
NEISMA/ISI conference
and
tradeshow held
in Boston — the
first of its kind in
the ice rink industry — is now another
positive milestone in NEISMA’s efforts to
work closely with all other organizations
in the ice rink industry. Those who Tom Morton
missed the joint conference, I believe,
missed a great opportunity for valuable training, new ideas
and sharing ice rink experiences.
The speakers and seminar subject matter were excellent. Of particular interest were the discussions on ways to
expand ice rink business opportunities. For instance, the
session on establishing curling clubs as an additional way
to sell ice time was thought-provoking. It was interesting
to note that in 2003 there were only 1,000 curling club
members nationwide, and today that number is 20,000
and growing. Obviously, this is a new frontier for ice rink
managers to explore.
The joint conference laid a foundation for more positive interaction between all organizations in the ice rink
industry. Communication, relationships, mutual goals and
interaction are all key elements for establishing a commonality between organizations, while at the same time
allowing each organization to maintain its independence
and meet the needs of its own membership. An interagency ad hoc committee might be a timely consideration.
NEISMA thanks all those who served on the joint planning committee and all the vendors who participated and
who supported the joint conference. We also thank the
boards of directors of both NEISMA and ISI, all staff members and, most important, all those who attended.
Minnesota Ice Arena Managers Association
(MIAMA)
by Tom Moriarty, President
MIAMA’s fall conference is being held
Sept 6-8 at Ruttger’s Bay Lake Lodge
near Deerwood, Minn. The board met
in August and finalized a four-hour
iAIM course offered by ISI to precede
our welcoming event. Chico Resch will
be our featured speaker and provide
interesting tales of his career.
Many arena and vendor members
will participate in roundtables and cours- Tom Moriarty
es, and enjoy the great opportunity for
camaraderie. The conference offers additional information
38
2006
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and opportunities for our members to join with ISI next May
for the MIAMA/ISI conference in Bloomington.
With the conference next spring, we will break with
tradition and hold our 32nd annual fall conference until
2008. Our emphasis will be for our members to “show off”
our industry and our hospitality to visitors from all corners of the globe. With Peter Martell’s involvement, we are
continuing to fine-tune our effort.
Three new board members will be elected to start their
terms with the closing of this year’s fall conference. Yours
truly is writing my last column as MIAMA president, and
I have appreciated the opportunity to share news of our
organization’s activities. Pete Carlson of the National
Sports Center and Mike Bauer of Eagan Civic Arena also
have completed their terms. Thanks to Pete and Mike for
their involvement. The new president will assume the writing task and continue to share our news, especially in the
next months leading up to the spring conference. I hope to
meet some of you then!
Our organization continues to develop our Web site,
providing users and visitors a chance to buy ice, check job
postings, get directions to an arena and take advantage of
many other features. Check out www.rinkfinder.com.
Many of us have put final ice hours in place and
received signed contracts for the start of the ice season. It’s
hard to believe summer is already over! Now, for the
inquisitive look of the first-time skater or parent …
Contact MIAMA when you have a question or want to
share a unique idea to better serve our customers and
employees.
40
Metropolitan Ice Rink
Managers Association
(MIRMA)
by Lisa Fedick, Secretary
MIRMA would like to welcome
our newest member, Rob McBride
and the FMC Corp. We also welcome new ISI administrative
member Aviator Sports Complex
and its general manager, Chuck
Arnold.
The MIRMA fall managers’
seminar and tradeshow will be
hosted by The Rinx in Haup- Lisa Fedick
pauge, N.Y. on Tuesday, Oct. 24.
The seminar will feature a classroom presentation on
curling as an alternative ice usage, followed by an onice opportunity for all attendees to throw a few rocks.
Other seminar topics will include: employee hiring,
retaining and avoiding state-specific labor problems;
Zamboni maintenance tips; and an extensive questionand-answer session.
Multiple fall instructors’ seminars will be held in
Great Neck and Manhattan, N.Y. and in Morristown, N.J.,
with dates to be announced. The MIRMA board feels that
this year it is particularly important to provide opportunities to assist our member arenas with the implementa-
2006
tion of the ISI weSKATE program and in the training of their
instructors following the national seminars.
For all updates, please visit our Web site:
www.skateMIRMA.org.
Arena Managers of the Mid Atlantic
(AMMA)
by Trudy Ivory, Co-Director
Out with the old and in with the new!
MAMA is now AMMA. In an effort to not
confuse the ice skating world (as if we aren’t
confused enough), our co-directors and
some members, we met a few weeks ago and
decided to “reinvent” our association.
We will be meeting twice a year. Our
May meeting will be a gathering that will
consist of a visit to a member arena, a Trudy Ivory
guest speaker, a facility tour and a roundtable discussion to wrap things up.
Our fall meeting, to be held each September, will be a
mini conference that will include an evening social gathering followed by a day of speakers and vendors. Our first mini
conference is scheduled for Sept. 19-20 at Oglebay Resort &
Conference Center in Wheeling Park, W.V.
AMMA members who want to be a part of the meeting
committee may contact me at (724) 834-4880 or
[email protected].
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2006
41
CALENDAR
ISI-endorsed competitions & shows/exhibitions
Deadline for November/December EDGE calendar: Sept. 15
For regular calendar updates, see www.skateisi.org, Event Info
COMPETITIONS
SEPTEMBER
8-10
28-29 Rockland, Mass.
Winterland Skating
School
20th Annual Winterland
Halloween Classic
NOVEMBER
Westminster, Calif.
Westminster Ice Arena
District 15
Championships
6-9
MARCH
3-4
Highland Park, Ill.
Centennial Ice Arena
Lucky Stars Open
30Knoxville, Tenn.
April 1 Ice Chalet
38th Annual MVDC
8-9
8-10
APRIL
8-10
3-5
8-10
Nashville
Centennial Sportsplex
ISI Adult
Championships
4-5
9-10
Valencia, Calif.
Ice Station Valencia
1st Annual Autumn
Classic
15
Arlington, Texas
ICE at The Parks
3rd Annual ISI Open
Competition
29Houston
Oct. 1 Polar Ice Galleria
21st Annual Gulf Coast
Open Team
Invitational
OCTOBER
Newark, Ohio
Newark Ice Arena
Newark Ice Arena ISI
Competition
14
Coral Springs, Fla.
Incredible Ice
7th Annual Incredible
Challenge
26-29 San Francisco
Yerba Buena Ice Skating
Center
Skate San Francisco
12
Denver
South Suburban Ice
Arena
ISI Artistic Challenge
Yorktown, Va.
Hampton Roads IcePlex
5th Annual Fall Classic
Open
Anaheim, Calif.
Anaheim ICE
6th Annual Anaheim
ICE Synchro
Championships
JANUARY
13-14 San Diego
Kroc Center
5th Annual ISI Open
Competition
9
13-15 Blaine, Minn.
Schwan Super Rink
ISI Synchronized
Championships
JULY
13
ISI World Recreational
Team Championships
17
22-28 Bensenville, Ill.
Edge Ice Arena
ISI World Recreational
Team Championships
SHOWS &
EXHIBITIONS
7-8
FEBRUARY
APRIL
15
Highland Park, Ill.
Spring Exhibition
MAY
18-20 Highland Park, Ill.
Heroes and Legends
OCTOBER
1Houston
Dec. 31 Aerodrome Willowbrook
Skating Academy
Exhibition
16-18 Oxford, Ohio
Goggin Ice Arena
ISI Winter Classic
Visit the ISI Web site:
skateisi.org
42
9
Knoxville, Tenn.
Ice Chalet
Nutcracker On Ice
San Francisco
Yerba Buena Ice
Skating Center
Holiday 2006: Once
Upon A Time On Ice
Houston
Aerodrome Willowbrook
9th Annual Nutcracker
On Ice
Evanston, Ill.
Robert Crown Center
32nd Annual Nutcracker
Anaheim, Calif.
Anaheim ICE
12th Annual Holiday
Spectacular
Highland Park, Ill.
An Evening At
Centennial
San Diego
Kroc Center
Holiday Magic On Ice
Arlington, Texas
ICE at The Parks
Holiday In The Park
2006
NOVEMBER
14Houston
Jan. 14 Aerodrome Willowbrook
Holiday Exhibition
DECEMBER
1-2
Springdale, Ark.
Arkansas FSA
A Rootin’ Tootin’
Country Christmas
29Minneapolis
June 1 Sheraton Hotel
iACT/MIAMA Annual
Conference &
Tradeshow
2006
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING
GRAPHIC DESIGN/MARKETING COORDINATOR — Full-time
position at ISI headquarters in Dallas. Responsible for development, execution and ongoing management of ISI’s marketing and
communications programs. Experience in business-to-business
and business-to-consumer marketing required. Must have strong
graphic design portfolio, including knowledge of Macintosh and
Creative Suite 2 software. Strong copywriting skills a plus.
Competitive salary and excellent benefits. Contact Peter Martell
at (972) 735-8800 or [email protected].
SKATING COACHES — Beautiful, sunny central Florida ice skating rink seeks highly motivated coaches to continue the growth
of our learn-to-skate and figure skating programs. Must have
excellent professional references, experience with ISI learn-toskate and USFSA. Please submit cover letter only by e-mail to
[email protected].
FIGURE SKATING INSTRUCTOR — Houston, Texas — All candidates must be experienced in ISI and USFSA, and willing to teach
all ages and abilities. PSA membership and ratings are strongly suggested. Candidates should be enthusiastic, hardworking, team players and possess excellent communication skills. Continuous new
clientele for successful instructor to develop. Contact Natasha
Smith at (713) 621-1500 or [email protected].
FIGURE SKATING PROFESSIONALS — Brand new, state-ofthe-art facility just opened in growing Charlotte, N.C. suburb.
Offering two NHL-size rinks and one studio rink. Other amenities include dance studio, fitness center, meeting space.
Accepting résumés for all figure skating disciplines. Must be a
U.S. citizen. Must be confident and self-motivated, provide
instruction at all levels including learn-to-skate classes and,
most of all, be able to contribute to the competitive training
and recreational programs offered within the facility. USFSA,
ISI and PSA membership required, PSA ratings a plus. English
a must, bilingual a plus. Please e-mail résumé and inquiries to
[email protected].
ARENA MANAGER — Palos Verdes Ice Chalet (California) seeks
qualified self-starter to manage and operate a skating rink. Fulltime position includes weekdays, weekends and evenings. Fax
résumé with salary requirement to (804) 550-7004. Rink
Management Services Corp. E-mail: [email protected]
RESURFACER BLADE SHARPENING MACHINE FOR SALE —
Plymouth Knife Grinder No. 646. Works great. $1000. Includes
wheels and all parts needed to sharpen resurfacer blades. Very
heavy — must pick up. Located in northern California. Call Scott
at (916) 783-8550, Ext. 106.
Free Classified Advertising for ISI Members!
ISI facility and professional members are entitled to FREE classified listings (excluding retail products and
services) up to 50 words. Call Carol Jackson at (972) 735-8800, fax to (972) 735-8815 or send e-mail to
[email protected]. The deadline for the next issue of the EDGE is Sept. 15.
2006
43
ISI 25-Year Awards
The following facilities were recognized for their 25
years of ISI membership during the annual awards
luncheon June 1 at the ISI/NEISMA conference and
tradeshow in Boston.
Apple Valley Sports Arena
Bay State Blades-Brockton
Beacon Hill Club
Beaver County Ice Arena
Center
Biddeford Ice Arena
New Hope Ice Arena
Bloomington Ice Garden
North County Recreation
Cass Park Ice Rink
44
Mercer County Skating
Mid Hudson Civic Center
Carmel Ice Skadium
American Athletic Shoe Co. Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
American First Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Athletica Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Bonestroo & Associates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Canlan Ice Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Cimco Refrigeration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Concepts & Designs MS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Facility Management Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Fire Tech & Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Frontline Solutions Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Goldner Associates Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Heartland Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Ice Rink Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Jet Ice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
K&K Insurance Group Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Kimball Power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
LSK Enterprises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Maximum Solutions Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Mondo USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Pace Industrial Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
PSA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Rice Specialty Risk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Riedell Skate Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
The Richardson Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Rink Guard/Willis Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Rink Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
SP-Teri Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Valley Ice Skating Assoc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Zamboni . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Development
Belmont Complex
Bountiful Ice Arena
ADVERTISER INDEX
Marc Nelson Ice Skating
Complex
Oak Lawn Park District
Ice Arena
Chaparral Ice-Northcross
Ober Gatlinburg Ice
Charles Moore Arena Inc.
Ocean Hockey Supply
City of Bowie Ice Arena
Old Bridge Arena
City of Cottage Grove
Olympic Center
Ice Arena
Pasadena Ice Skating Center
Cleland Skating Rink
Pilgrim Skating Arena
Dearborn Ice Skating Center
Plymouth Cultural Center &
Dorothy Hamill Skating Rink
Dublin Iceland
Eagles Ice-A-Rena
Eastland Ice House
Face Off Circle Inc.
Goggin Ice Arena
Greensboro Ice House
Ice Arena
Randall School of Ice
Skating Inc.
Rockbridge Figure Skating
Club
Silver Blades Figure
Skating Club
Hastings Civic Arena
South Park Ice Skating Rink
Holiday Twin Rinks
Southwest Ice Arena
Homewood-Flossmoor
Sprinker Recreation Center
Ice Arena
Sunrise Ice Skating Center
Ice Center@Cupertino
Superior Ice Rink
Ice Oasis Skating and
Swonder Ice Arena
Hockey Club
Tampa Bay Skating Academy
Ice Town
Victory Memorial Ice Arena
Long Beach Arena
Wayne C. Kennedy
Lynnwood Ice Center
M.NCPPC/Herbert Wells
Recreation Complex
Wissahickon Skating Club
Ice Rink
2006
AND ANOTHER
THING...
by Patti Feeney
ISI Managing Director, Member
Programs & Services
M
ost New Year’s resolutions are made at the end
of December, leading into the new calendar
year. In the ice arena business, our new year is
marked by the arrival of fall and the beginning of the
ice skating season. May I suggest making some resolutions for the new year?
Resolve to take advantage of ISI’s outstanding training programs designed to benefit your staff and facility.
The weSKATE National Instructor Training Program is
an exciting new educational opportunity for skating
instructors looking to advance their careers. The program
will also help managers and skating directors educate their
staffs to make them more valuable in their facility. Four
classes will be offered this year, in Chicago, Boston,
Minneapolis and San Jose, Calif. An exam and the awarding of a certificate to the attendees will follow each course.
46
The Ice Arena Institute of Management (iAIM) will
offer three regional seminars this fall at ISI member
facilities. The one-day seminars will provide a combination of classroom and hands-on training for ice
arena operations professionals. These courses will be
offered in Bridgeport, Conn., Chicago and San Jose.
Among the topics covered will be basic refrigeration,
basic air conditioning, ice maintenance and ice resurfacer and edger operation.
If your staff is unable to attend any of these training opportunities, encourage them to attend their local
district seminar. All ISI districts offer free fall educational seminars, which cover current trends, the latest
information and rule changes from ISI to prepare them
for the upcoming season.
iAIM online is a distance-learning certification program for ice arena management, programming and
operations. The exams for all three tracks will soon be
available online as well. The courses give employees
more marketable skills and make them greater assets to
their facilities. Benefits to you, the employer, include
substantial insurance discounts, increased employee
productivity, strengthened employee technical skills
and increased profits.
Resolve to take advantage of any of these educational opportunities, and watch your staff bloom. Make
2006 their season for growth.
Happy skating!
2006
“We would not accept anything else other than Mondo products.
Sport Impact is a superior product, it withstood many years of
skate traffic, it is easy to clean and requires low maintenance.
It is the best product we have found for all of our centers.
We have it everywhere in our ice arenas as well as in our fitness
centers. We are extremely pleased with Mondo's Sport Impact.
It is now our standard!!”
J e f f P e y t o n , F a c i l i t y M a n a g e r, W o o d b r i d g e M e m o r i a l A r e n a , C i t y o f Va u g h n
HIGH PERFORMING
S U R FA C E S
EXCEPTIONALLY DURABLE,
WITHSTANDS HEAVY ABUSE
FROM ICE SKATE BLADES
SUPERIOR LIFE-CYCLE COSTS
WITH PROVEN TRACK RECORD
LONG TERM
SOLUTIONS
LOW MAINTENANCE
(NO COATINGS)
ANTIBACTERIAL THROUGHOUT
(MINIMIZE RISK OF STAPH
INFECTIONS)
MEETS ADA REQUIREMENT
FOR SLIP RESISTANCE
(WET OR DRY)
RUBBER SPORT SURFACES
sales office: 800 441 6645
email: [email protected]
website: www.mondousa.com
ECO CHILL...THE NEW
ENERGY EFFICIENT ICE RINK
Today the effect of greenhouse gases on our environment combined
with current electrical and gas rates are the cause of serious concern
for all ice rink owners, operators and users.
ECO CHILL by CIMCO® is our newest, most energy efficient system available.
ECO CHILL begins paying back both the owner and the environment
the day the system starts.
ECO CHILL Overview
ECO CHILL is an engineered solution to lowering
energy costs in your facility. Using Cimco’s 90
years of expertise in the ice rink business,
ECO CHILL collects and recycles the energy used
to maintain the ice surface, providing abundant heating for the building; and hot
water for showers, underfloor heating, ice
resurfacing and snow melting,
as well as air conditioning services.
ECO CHILL is modular in nature, allowing the designer to choose those com-
ponents that best match the needs of your facility.
In all cases, quality ice is the number one priority
of an ECO CHILL system, ensuring your facility
users' satisfaction while you benefit from greatly
reduced energy costs.
ECO CHILL systems may entitle the
purchaser to municipal or other
government energy grants to assist
in the purchase of this
high performance product.
Over 4,500 ice surfaces installed around the world!
CIMCO REFRIGERATION
¤
1-800-263-3035
Hartford • Syracuse • Detroit • Mobile • Houston
Dallas/Ft. Worth • Salt Lake City • Phoenix
London, UK • Beijing, PR. China
Visit our website at www.cimcorefrigeration.com

Floyd Hall Arena Floyd Hall Arena

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