One of Richmond’s biggest skating clubs is back on the ice again and its coaches and members can’t wait to get going.
Like most youth sporting organizations, the pandemic either shut down or severely restricted their activities over the last six months or so.
The same could be said for the Connaught Skating Club, which has just started back on local ice, at the Richmond Ice Centre and the Richmond Olympic Oval.
Connaught spent most of the spring training its skaters via Zoom video conferences, with more than 75 classes offered each week to help instruct more than 100 different skaters.
They also offered a few socially distanced outdoor training classes in Richmond to its members.
June, July and August were spent training at the ScotiaBarn in Burnaby, with 25 Connaught athletes competing in their first virtual event of the season at the end of August.
"To be back on the ice in Richmond gives a much needed relief to the children, parents and coaches who wish to thrive in their sport of passion, figure skating,” said Keegan Murphy, Connaught’s director of programs.
“We are so proud as an organization to have navigated this time with health and safety, but also creativity.
“It has been the innovation of our coaching team, the trust of our board of directors and the dedication of our athletes that has allowed us to return to Richmond with a wonderful start to the fall 2020 season."
Connaught’s Learn To Skate Program and Skate Canada CanSkate Program, will begin in October with new social distancing measures in place.
For more information, email [email protected] or go online to Connaughtsc.com.
