Dear Sue,

I coach both at the ice rink and at the roller rink. I started on quads as a
two year old some 38 (Oh, gosh can it really be that long ago!) years ago and
continued until I was about 11. I had started on the ice at age 9 and loved
doing both. The quads laid such a wonderful foundation for the ice and to
this day I make my ice skaters do some sessions (down time of course---not
during crazy public sessions) in quad skates. Even my inline skaters!! It
really creates balance awareness.

But what I hear at the ice rink-----Did you see so and so on TV last night. I
really thought she might take it away from Michelle Kwan! All the girls
oooohhhhing and aaaahhhhing! TV is mostly the reason for the popularity of
ice versus roller. Availability is the other. At one time just 20 years ago
ice was not readily available and roller rinks were the place to be if you
had the desire to skate. Now ice rinks are popping up everywhere and the
roller facilities that have had good programs find themselves losing their
older clientele to nursing homes or middle aged middle class people who are
now staying home taking care of their aging parents. The younger crowd has
already migrated to ice if they are competitive and the only people you find
are the "rink rats" and those who would love to do ice and can't afford it.
Some rinks have a few dinosaurs like myself who still love to do both! I do
love the roller especially in my PIC frames because the floor always feels
like freshly zammed ice without the Zamboni exhaust in the air! The PIC's are
so quiet at times I really feel as though I have sprouted wings, but then I
am reminded I might have a tarnished halo---slightly disheveled at that---by
one of my kids! I wish there was something we could do maybe with TV carrying
the National's highlights or the World's highlights that would give us a
boost. Until then I guess I will continue to advocate for the sport that
taught me so many things so well, so long ago.

Jenny


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