College offers figure skating for all ages.

By Kate Krieger. MCP Senior Correspondent.

VICTORY TWP – With summer bidding a cool goodbye and autumn taking over, many families will be looking for alternative activities to partake in since the beach is closed and the weather continues to cool off. The West Shore Community Ice Arena offers some of those alternative activities including open ice-skating and skating lessons.

The arena’s U.S. Figure Skating Basic Skills Director and figure skating coach, Devin Carrasco started skating at the age of 7 and has completed in many national competitions, including when her skating team opened for the Ice Capades one year while Dorothy Hamel was a member.

“I competed for 12 years,” Devin says adding that she is excited to be able to offer adult, children, group and private lessons at WSCC.  She says she believes ice-skating is a great way to keep families active during the cooler seasons, as well as during the summer months.

“Skating gets kids moving during the winter months,” she says. “This is a summer area and there is a lot less to do after football season wraps up. This is a great way to stay active and to learn a lot of different things.”

Devin says she would love to see more and more people utilize the arena for skating. No matter if for figure skating or for hockey conditioning, she says she can assist any age or ability with their skating techniques.

“I would love to get more kids into private lessons,” she says. “My biggest goal is to get enough kids involved to do an ice show. I want to make it a big and exciting thing.”

Devin encourages all ages to check out the lessons at the arena even if they have never tried ice-skating before.

“It can be scary when you first come out. After about two to three weeks it gets a lot better and the kids who come out are like little sponges. They progress very quickly.”

Devin says she enjoys being able to design programs for the ice arena and she’s excited to get more students as the word gets out more that they offer more than just open skating during the weekends.

“I love it,” she says. “I really like watching and helping people learn.”

Group lessons started October 5 and run until November 9 and the second session starts November 16 through December 14. Each session runs for one hour, once a week for five weeks and costs $50.

Anyone can still sign up for te first session and they will be pro-rated for starting late. Also, anyone can spend just $10 to try out the lessons and if they do not enjoy them, they do not spend $50 for something they aren’t using.

WSCC also offers tot skate for 3 years and under and beginner skate for four years to 7 years. These classes run the same dates as the group lessons and cost the same.

Private lessons cost $50 per lesson and each lesson is one hour long.

For more information, visit www.westshore.edu or call 231-843-9712.