Deb Cole-Gerber, director of the Ice Terrace’s skate school. (photo courtesy the St. Joseph Figure Skating Club)
t he sounds of scratching metal against ice, accompanied by plenty of laughter, an- nounce that it’s the holiday season in Kansas City once again. Crown Center’s Ice Terrace has been there for nearly half a century to help ice skaters at both the professional and novice levels enjoy every moment of it. The ice terrace celebrates its 45th anniversary this year and, like any tradition of its size, it takes weeks or even months to prepare. In fact, from sharpening skates to cleaning the rink, crews have been hard at work since early October, pre- paring the terrace for friends old and new. The ice terrace itself opened for its 45th season on Nov. 3 and will remain open until March 11. “(In Western culture), ice skating is so popular because it’s centered around the holiday theme,” says Amy Blomme, lead manager for the ice ter- race. “The Christmas tree goes up, lights go up. We’re a holiday tradition for people.” According to Oxford University, the sport of ice skating itself traces its roots back thou- sands of years, to Finland, where skates were merely flattened bone fragments strapped to the soles of one’s feet. Men and women didn’t actually skate over the ice, but merely glided over it. The Dutch, in the 13th century, added sharpened steel blades to the bottom of boots, allowing skaters to cut into the ice instead of merely gliding along the surface, according to OU. China introduced skating around roughly the same time.
skating session lasts seven weeks, and the class roster is nearly always diverse, filled with students from a variety of ages and backgrounds. “The skaters come (to the ice terrace specifically) for the atmo- sphere,” she says. “A lot of our skaters are recreational, and I’ve had everyone from adults to 3-year-olds. We cover all ages.” Riley Youngblood was one of many skaters who brought his family to the ice terrace on opening weekend in November. He says he has been ice skating since he was an eighth-grader. “I love flying around on the ice,” says Youngblood, 21, of Lee’s Sum- mit, as he watches others glide across the rink. “We’ll definitely be back here. Ice skating helps you get the entire seasonal experience.” Vince Bowen, of Grandview, brought his wife and young son on opening weekend as well. “It’s just a good time, to show off Kansas City,” Bowen says, cra- dling his 1-year-old. “And we’ll put this little guy out there on the ice next year.” Cole-Gerber says she’ll be ready for the new skaters, and she does all she can to make sure they’re comfortable, too. From the first time a student laces up his or her skates, Cole-Gerber says she works carefully to ensure he or she can make it out to the rink itself. “As long as I know they can walk into the rink in their skates,
The Dutch brought the sport to Great Britain in the mid-17th century, and skating clubs were established throughout Western Europe for the next two centuries (France’s King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were among the most well-known skating enthusiasts of the time). Those skating clubs were the precursors to the skating rinks we know and visit today. Though little has changed since, new skaters step onto the ice ter- race’s rink every winter season to learn the sport that has captured the interest of many over the years. Deb Cole-Gerber, director of the ice terrace’s skate school, has been there to help impart her love of skating to Crown Center’s newcomers. Her own passion for skating is one she’s held for nearly her entire life. “When I was 7 years old, I was at Brownies. I had to get a badge, so I earned a skating badge,” Cole-Gerber explains. “My mom asked me, ‘Did you like that?’ I said, ‘Yeah!’ . . . and here is my career.” Cole-Gerber has taught ice skating at the ice terrace for nearly 20 years, but she doesn’t do it alone. She has a small team of coaches to assist – most of them former students who know how daunting it can be to step onto the ice rink for the first time. Altogether, Cole-Gerber and her coaches instruct between 30 and 40 students each season. Each
VINTAGEKCMAG.COM 13
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter