A group of local skaters had the experience of a lifetime when they participated in the East St. Paul Skating Club’s (ESPSC) two-day Elizabeth Manley Seminar, on Jan. 11 and 12. Elizabeth Manley, the 1988 Olympic and World figure skating silver medalist, was present for the weekend event. She shared her expertise with fellow figure skating enthusiasts, offering pointers on technique and encouraging skaters to try new skills and unique exercises.
Manley has attended close to 200 seminars in many cities across Canada.
“I love doing seminars as it’s my chance to give back to skaters. Growing up in a small town I never had the opportunity to work with big names in the sport, and I feel it’s so beneficial for them to learn from the experience of a top skater,” said Manley.
It brings her much joy seeing the excitement on the skaters faces when she meets them for the first time, describing it to be an outstanding experience helping the skaters achieve their dreams.
Skaters from the area were invited to attend all sessions on Sunday during the seminar, spending the entire day practicing both on and off the ice at the Seven Oaks Arena in Winnipeg. Attendees took part in informative lectures, including a session on Sports Psychology with Dr. Melanie Gregg, which focused on mental fitness, goal setting, and exercise. Additionally, they participated in off-ice skill sessions with Diedre Sherk and a Musical Theatre performance class with Christina Peabody.
Tanya Pilat, head coach at ESPSC, coordinated the Elizabeth Manley Seminar and was thrilled to provide such an opportunity for figure skaters in East St. Paul and the surrounding communities. “This was the first time ESPSC has hosted a seminar like this. I have met Liz (Manley) several times over the past 15 years and attended a few seminars where she was the clinician. I learned so much from her. During the COVID shutdown, I arranged for her to hold a Zoom talk with our club skaters to keep them motivated and inspired during that challenging time. I always knew I wanted to bring her to the club to work with our skaters, and I was delighted to have the support of our club executive for this opportunity,” she said.
Skaters had the chance to enjoy lunch with Manley, engage in conversations, take photos, and obtain autographs throughout the day.
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Cora Gray, a skater from the Stonewall Skating Club, attended the Sunday sessions of the Elizabeth Manley Seminar with her coach, Leigh Nesbitt. Both skaters were excited to be part of such a prestigious event.
“It was really cool to skate with an Olympic medallist,” said Gray. “I especially enjoyed the musical theatre session. We focused on facial expressions and learned to lead with different parts of our bodies to interpret the music. We practiced serpentine crosscuts, and I had a lot of fun with that. She (Manley) played Cinderella in Disney on Ice! I would definitely love to attend another seminar because I learned so much.”
Nesbitt, who grew up figure skating while Manley was in the spotlight, knew she couldn’t miss the opportunity for herself and her skaters to participate in this seminar.
“A highlight for me was watching the adult session, where skaters of various skill levels took part in a movement session. While I was in awe of Elizabeth Manley, I was also humbled to see the adults move with the music. Manitoba has exceptionally talented adult skaters! That session sparked some ideas I’m excited to bring back to our club,” she shared.
The skaters at the Stonewall Skating Club are currently rehearsing for their year-end Ice Show. This will be the club’s first show in five years, following a hiatus due to the pandemic. Their competitive team is also preparing for several competitions from now until the end of March. All the skaters are working hard to perfect their routines to ensure they are performance-ready for the big event.
You are invited to attend the Stonewall Skating Club’s Ice Show on March 20 at the Veterans Memorial Sports Complex. A silver collection will be available at the door to support the local skating group.
