LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON - Members of the Fort Simpson Speed Skating Club are displaying refined technique on their skates following a clinic held in the village.

Ian Keefe, left, pushes Tyler Pilling for resistance during an exercise designed to work on basic positioning during a speed skating clinic in Fort Simpson. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

Using two grants from Speed Skate Canada and the Mackenzie Recreation Association, the club brought Debby Fisher to Fort Simpson to provide four days of instruction.

Fisher is a full-time staff member at the Olympic Oval in Calgary where she works with both coaches and skaters.

Fisher was asked to come because of positive reviews she's received in other communities she's visited in the Northwest Territories including Inuvik, Norman Wells and Yellowknife, said Val Gendron, the coach for the Fort Simpson Speed Skating Club.

"I'd heard she's a very dynamic coach who has lots of ideas," said Gendron.

Having a professional coach run a clinic is beneficial for both the athletes and local coaches, said Gendron.

"I've already learned some new drills," she said.

During the clinic Fisher worked with the 15 members of the club to improve their basic techniques and develop strategies to improve their competitive performances.

"I think they've had improved technique," Gendron said.

Fisher also spent time on the ice with all of the students from Bompas elementary school and some of the junior high students at Thomas Simpson school.

Depending on their age level, Fisher played games on the ice with students and introduced them to speed skating.

Tyler Pilling, one of the original members of the club that is in its eighth year, said the clinic taught him about the importance of positioning his hips properly.

If you want to go faster you have to keep your hips in towards the centre of the track otherwise centrifugal forces will pull you to the outside where you could be passed, said Pilling.

The clinic was "very helpful," he said.

With Fisher's help, club member Alex Keefe said he's improved his skate crossovers.

You need to step over and put your blade down directly so you don't catch the end of the blade in the ice, said Keefe.

"It's helped a lot," he said.

All the speed skaters were eager to learn, said Fisher.

"They're really excited and enthusiastic," she said.

Intermixing technique drills with games, Fisher said she tried to keep the clinic fun while teaching the athletes.

"If they're having fun I certainly am," she said.

For athletes of this age it's important to reinforce good technique so that they can build a strong base that they can add to if they want to skate competitively, Fisher said.

"My philosophy is technique first and speed will come," said Fisher.

Fisher also encourages athletes to participate in multiple sports. The youth learn skills in each sport that they can transfer to others, she said.

"They'll all complement one another," said Fisher.

Members of the speed skating club will now be focusing on training for the upcoming NWT Speed Skate Championships that will take place in Yellowknife from Feb. 16-17.