It all started when I found I was moving to Jonesboro over two years ago. I was going to have to leave behind all of my figure skating students, the wonderful hockey players, speed skaters and the amazing staff I worked with at a rink that only our prayers had managed to bring into being. That arena was my baby and now I was to leave all of it behind, going to a new place with no ice arena, no job, no new students, no new sweet, smiling, shining,excited faces during the group lessons, no ups and downs with the smiles, laughter, sweat and tears.
Sure, the Figure Skating Club of Memphis has skating time at the DeSoto Center, I thought I'll go teach there. We don't have enough time to truly train figure skaters there, but just enough to get them to fall in love with ice only to be cut off from it from April, May, June, July, August and September. Ice comes back and we skate again in Mid-October. Then begins the cycle anew come spring. It is heartbreaking for all of us, the figure skaters and the hockey players. There is not enough time to go around. The figure skaters get 1-3 hours a week to fit in the lessons and practice and the hockey teams only get about an hour each week, which is hardly enough time to teach them to skate and forget trying to establish skills. The once very robust hockey teams there are now travelling as far as Georgia for ice time. There are 20 teams there looking for ice close by. At an hour away, we are the logical choice, if I am able to get an ice rink built here.
So begins the saga.........
I talked with everyone here starting with the Parks and Recreation, City of Jonesboro, The Chamber of Commerce, The Banks and just anyone who would listen. I hoped that somehow the City would want to build it. I know they want the youth here to have another sports venue that also provides lots of fun in an atmosphere that encourages healthy living. But, sadly no, the City said that while they thought it might be a good idea, there was not any money in their budget that could accomodate such a request.
At this point major discouragment has set in and I am just ready to scrap the whole thing and just be a good housewife and mother. I sat at the computer with my spreadsheets in front of me and cried. I didn't think there was any way on earth that I could do this alone, crying out to God for people to band with me in efforts to bring the rink to Jonesboro. I remembered that several months before I had actually moved here during one of my visits I had seen a white SUV with a hockey player sticker on the back of it with their sons name. I prayed that they lived here and that I would be able to find that car again. I told God that I would step out in faith and get in the car, go to Highland Street where I had seen the car driving many months ago and drive up and down the street and if I happened to see that same car then I knew He wanted me to continue the quest for ice. It took me 3 minutes to get in the car and get to Highland and I turned east past the McDonalds. Suddenly I see the white SUV coming the other direction and I turned my head around to look for the sticker as it went by......... Instant HYPERVENTILATION!!!!! It was the car! I pulled a u turn (I know, not a smart move, but I was not going to lose her!) right there in the middle of the road and followed her home. Turns out, my showing up and pronouncing I wanted to build an ice rink in Jonesboro was an answer to their prayers. Her name is Carol Jordan and her hockey player is O'Neal. Their love and support mean the world to me and this ice arena.We started a non profit together to help struggling skaters whose parents meet financial hardship. In order to raise money we have sold Krispy Kremes, sold and delivered Poinsettias at Christmas and hosted a Gala. At our Gala, known as the Annual Chicken Chef Challenge, our mayor, Doug Foremon said that while the City of Jonesboro could not help our endeavor financially, he would show his support for the project. He said he fully believed that we could make it happen.
Sure, the Figure Skating Club of Memphis has skating time at the DeSoto Center, I thought I'll go teach there. We don't have enough time to truly train figure skaters there, but just enough to get them to fall in love with ice only to be cut off from it from April, May, June, July, August and September. Ice comes back and we skate again in Mid-October. Then begins the cycle anew come spring. It is heartbreaking for all of us, the figure skaters and the hockey players. There is not enough time to go around. The figure skaters get 1-3 hours a week to fit in the lessons and practice and the hockey teams only get about an hour each week, which is hardly enough time to teach them to skate and forget trying to establish skills. The once very robust hockey teams there are now travelling as far as Georgia for ice time. There are 20 teams there looking for ice close by. At an hour away, we are the logical choice, if I am able to get an ice rink built here.
So begins the saga.........
I talked with everyone here starting with the Parks and Recreation, City of Jonesboro, The Chamber of Commerce, The Banks and just anyone who would listen. I hoped that somehow the City would want to build it. I know they want the youth here to have another sports venue that also provides lots of fun in an atmosphere that encourages healthy living. But, sadly no, the City said that while they thought it might be a good idea, there was not any money in their budget that could accomodate such a request.
At this point major discouragment has set in and I am just ready to scrap the whole thing and just be a good housewife and mother. I sat at the computer with my spreadsheets in front of me and cried. I didn't think there was any way on earth that I could do this alone, crying out to God for people to band with me in efforts to bring the rink to Jonesboro. I remembered that several months before I had actually moved here during one of my visits I had seen a white SUV with a hockey player sticker on the back of it with their sons name. I prayed that they lived here and that I would be able to find that car again. I told God that I would step out in faith and get in the car, go to Highland Street where I had seen the car driving many months ago and drive up and down the street and if I happened to see that same car then I knew He wanted me to continue the quest for ice. It took me 3 minutes to get in the car and get to Highland and I turned east past the McDonalds. Suddenly I see the white SUV coming the other direction and I turned my head around to look for the sticker as it went by......... Instant HYPERVENTILATION!!!!! It was the car! I pulled a u turn (I know, not a smart move, but I was not going to lose her!) right there in the middle of the road and followed her home. Turns out, my showing up and pronouncing I wanted to build an ice rink in Jonesboro was an answer to their prayers. Her name is Carol Jordan and her hockey player is O'Neal. Their love and support mean the world to me and this ice arena.We started a non profit together to help struggling skaters whose parents meet financial hardship. In order to raise money we have sold Krispy Kremes, sold and delivered Poinsettias at Christmas and hosted a Gala. At our Gala, known as the Annual Chicken Chef Challenge, our mayor, Doug Foremon said that while the City of Jonesboro could not help our endeavor financially, he would show his support for the project. He said he fully believed that we could make it happen.
posted by Jonesboro Ice Skating Coach at 8/10/2006 09:27:00 PM
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