November 2008 CIFSC NEWSLETTER  

Tips for a Successful Competition
By Lynda Schrader

   Have your skates sharpened about two weeks before a competition in order to have good, sharp skates, but enough time to get used to them.  Make sure all screws are tight

  Bring TWO copies of all your music. Turn in one copy and keep one copy handy.

  Check to make sure you have all the costumes you need and that they are laundered.  Having a spare is a good idea as well.  Wear your competition costume to a skating session to get used to how it's going to feel and to make any adjustments it might need.  Skate in your costume without gloves or a sweater.

  Try to have a close-fitting sweater for warming up in.  A sweater looks better than a warm-up suit jacket.  White gloves look nice as well.

  Keep a spare pair of laces and tights in your skate bag.

  Bring along a needle, thread, safety pins, scissors, and a screw driver.

  Don't forget hair accessories and make-up

  Most importantly; DON"T FORGET YOUR SKATES!!

  Always remember to have a positive attitude; smile and have fun

  Arrive at the rink about one hour before your skate time.

  After your event, don't forget to pick up your music before you go home.

Ice Show Solo/Specialty Number Try-outs  Sunday December 7, 2008 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Skaters draw numbers beginning at 5:00 and go on the ice at 5:30.

For those unfamiliar with the process, here's how it works. Any skater who has passed Freestyle 3 may participate. From the participants, soloists and specialty number skaters are chosen for the Ice Show. On the night of tryouts, skaters choose a number upon entering the rink. This determines the skating order for the evening. The skaters then listen to a fast and a slow song. They are then sent into the locker room to prepare their program. No personal listening devices are allowed in the locker room. The skaters are not allowed to watch other skaters try-out until AFTER they have skated. Parents are welcome to stay and watch, as well as other club members interested.
 

****IMPORTANT REMINDER****

Ice Show costume forms and money MUST be turned in on or before the night of try-outs. The "solo and specialty tryout form" needs to be turned in before a skater can tryout. This form requires a parent signature and is available at the rink by the tryout sign up board or on the club website on the Ice Show page. Skaters who fail to turn in these forms will not be allowed to try out.

Book Ads Needed

We ask that everyone recruit one new business to advertise in the Ice Show Book. Last year we barely had enough advertisers to cover the costs. We will contact vendors from last year’s show book but we would like to expand our vendor list. Contact places where you regularly do business or family members owning businesses. Use the letter and order forms attached to obtain the ad.  The proceeds from these ads generate funds for the club, which reduce the cost of ice. Contact Bonnie Bauman for more information.   

Board Elections
We are looking to elect 3 new board members in the spring.  Please submit names of people you would like to see serve on the CIFSC Board of Directors to any board member.

Dress Exhibition: Monday, January 5, 2009
Watch the CIFSC board for sign up times.  Synchro teams will skate starting at 5:30; team members must be ready for pictures at 5:00.  Pictures for the scrapbook and for buttons will be taken.  There will be no pot luck that night. Again, club members not participating in the dress exhibition are welcome and encouraged to come and watch fellow club members prepare for competition.

Concession Stand News
At this time, you may sign up to work a 4th shift (per skater) at the concession stand.  There are still times available through Ice Show weekend.  You may sign up on our website at www.cifsc.net.  Click on “concessions” and follow the instructions.

 Pick Hole Reminder
A not so friendly reminder that skaters not in lessons are REQUIRED to file pick holes at the end of EVERY package.  Leaving the ice early does not excuse you from filling holes.  If necessary, we will have rink monitors start taking down names of skaters leaving early and not filling holes and they can come in on their own time and fill holes after hockey games if necessary.

Adjusted Synchro Practice Schedule for Dec. 7^th
3:00-3:50 PM -Crystalettes, 3:50-4:40 PM -Crystal Elite, 4:40-5:20 PM -Point Perfection (any Point Perfection skaters trying out for the ice show will be allowed to leave practice early).

Account Balances
Synchro team bills were handed out and payment is due January 9th. Additional bills will be sent soon for balances due on Packages, Synchro and Ice Show dresses which will also be due Jan. 9th.

Payments can be given or mailed to:
Julie Nagel,
1559 Holiday Court,
Stevens Point, WI. 5448

Reminder: If there is a remaining balance on your account at Ice Show time, your skater will not be allowed to participate in the ice show

Ice Etiquette
The primary right of way belongs to skaters during lessons with coaches.  A secondary right of way goes to those having their music played. Other skaters must yield to these skaters. The ice is very congested especially on Sunday evenings. It’s important to watch out for each other. Skaters continually in the wrong may be asked by coaches to move. If complaints persist, parents of offending skaters will be contacted.

Rink Monitors
Each year we have parents ask why they have to be rink monitors when their skater isn’t competing and not having music played.  We try to stress that you are not only there to play music but also for safety reasons.  We had a perfect example of this situation a few weeks ago.  Two skaters collided on the ice and one of them received a very serious laceration to her arm.  The rink monitors took over the situation and did an excellent job attending to the injured skater. In the past there were no adults at the Ice Hawks rink. This would have been a tragic situation if this accident would have happened there. The Willlett first-aid kit has been upgraded to help handle more serious injuries