Just like her mom
Brenda Tuckey uses mother as role model for helping out at Fort Smith Skating Club
Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Published Monday, January 12, 2015
THEBACHA/FORT SMITH
Brenda Tuckey, president of the Fort Smith Skating Club, only has to look back to her own childhood for inspiration in helping out with the community group.
Brenda Tuckey is president of the Fort Smith Skating Club. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo |
She explained her own mother – Nicole Woodard, now of British Columbia – was "everyone's mom" for children in the club, and got them ready for performances by helping with their hair, makeup and costumes.
"She was always there, and I knew that that was the mom I wanted to be," said Tuckey. "I wanted to be the one that was there, and I am."
That goes for all the children in the club, she added.
"It doesn't matter if you're my kid. You're all my kids."
Tuckey has been on the club's executive for eight years, which has included time as treasurer, vice-president and president. She is currently halfway through another term as president.
Born and raised in Fort Smith, she skated in the club herself until she was about 10 years old, but now – as a 41-year-old – doesn't really skate anymore.
She became involved in the club a decade ago when her then five-year-old daughter Jewel joined up.
Tuckey has nothing but positive things to say about what involvement in the club has meant for her daughter, who has learned everything from co-ordination, to creating friendships and developing self-confidence both on and off the ice.
For example, she described her daughter entering Grade 7 at Paul William Kaeser High School and effortlessly fitting in because she already knew many older girls from the skating club.
"You create these incredible relationships and supports that you don't have just in your classroom, or just playing soccer with your teammates and your ages," said Tuckey.
"It's amazing."
Plus, for parents, getting their children involved in a sport like skating is the biggest anti-drug there is anywhere, she said.
Currently, the skating club has 80 members, aged three years old and up.
"I think it's the most we've ever had," said Tuckey.
She explained the increase is probably due to the 50 skaters in the CanSkate program, a national learn-to-skate program from Skate Canada which has been offered at the club for three years.
"It's completely a beginners skating program," Tuckey said, explaining it teaches all kinds of skating styles and is not just designed to lay the groundwork for figure skating.
The skills focused on such things as agility and balance that can be used for a number of ice sports, including figure skating and hockey.
Children are usually in the CanSkate program for about two years.
Tuckey pointed out the club is called a skating club, not a figure skating club.
In fact, she said the club has, on occasion, even taught adults how to skate.
"We did this last year for an adult skater who had never skated," she said, adding the schedule, fee and coaching were tailored for the woman in her mid-20s.
The number of participants in the club has increased from about 50 last year despite the ongoing renovations at Fort Smith Centennial Arena prompted by a fire in May of 2013.
"That speaks for our CanSkate program. It speaks for our coaches. It speaks for just the mood in the club," said Tuckey. "The atmosphere is very welcoming. We do our best to welcome everybody. We help each other."
Because of the ongoing work at the arena, the club will not host its popular skating carnival this winter, for the second year in a row.
However, some skaters are expected to participate in the skating carnival in Hay River.
As club president, Tuckey said she oversees the things that need to be done, everything from attending ice-users meetings, to writing reports, to checking the mail.
"If there are any issues or concerns, they come to me," she said.
Tuckey, who works as an educational assistant at Joseph Burr Tyrrell School, said she will step away from the skating club's board when her term as president ends in October, although she plans to continue to support the club in other ways.
