Yellowknife (Oct 17/03) - Grassroots speed skating took a hit last year but this year the club is back on track and looking toward the future.

The Yellowknife Speed Skating Club cancelled their learn to skate and learn to speed skate programs last year because of ongoing construction at the Multiplex arena.

These two programs start with kids as young as four and focus on basic skills on the ice.

They wear figure skates or hockey skates, and many of them are just out there to get used to the rink to see if they like the ice.

Like most sports, the grassroots program feeds the competitive program at the club. With no kids on the ice last year, growth stalled.

Pam Dunbar has been involved in the club for 12 years as a parent and volunteer and says last year was tough on them.

"It's the learn to skate program that feeds our club," Dunbar says.

Most of the junior and senior competitive skaters started in the learn to skate program, Dunbar says.

"Everyone is a product of this club," she says.

Longtime coach Mike Vaydik agrees. He coaches the program on the weekends and finds himself coaching alongside Mackenzie Bentley-Little, who started in his program years ago.

"A lot of the kids I coached at this age are skating competitively now," he says.

The learn to skate program has approximately 20 kids signed up this year. The learn to speed skate program has 15 skaters.

Linda Bussey, the new president of the club for 2003/2004, is excited that things are back on track after last season.

"When people come back, it's a good sign. They (young skaters) are tomorrow's crew," Bussey says.

Volunteers run the show

The club in Yellowknife is run entirely by volunteers like Dunbar, Vaydik and Bussey.

They need growth through the levels of the club to keep the volunteer levels up. This year's five-year-old speed skater may be the coach 20 years down the line.

Dunbar is optimistic about the upcoming season.

"It's definitely looking more healthy this year," she says.