A spin on ice: Toyota Arena rink holds weekly session just for seniors

By Loretto J. Hulse, Herald staff writer

KENNEWICK -- Zooming around a frozen indoor pond wearing shoes balanced on blades seems like it would only appeal to the young, the reckless, the brave-hearted.

But there's a group of skaters who meet almost weekly who prove that older bones, wiser heads and young hearts enjoy the ice, too.

They meet most Tuesdays from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Toyota Arena in Kennewick. That's when the ice is closed to all but senior skaters, which includes anyone over 50 who's brave enough to lace on a pair of skates and hit the ice.

One of those is Gerri Ann Taylor, 58, who drives over from Walla Walla about three times a week even though her city has an ice rink.

"It's very small," she said. "I need the larger surface."

She also likes the special session just for senior skaters at the Toyota Arena.

"Kids have no fear and swoop around the rink, not realizing that others can't always get out of their way or stop," Taylor said.

Taylor learned to ice skate when she was 12 and has skated off and on since. She skates for recreation and exercise but also has competed in figure skating.

"I love the freedom of flying like a bird," Taylor said.

In addition to enjoying kid-free ice, the senior skaters have become friends, exchanging family news, encouraging each other to try something new on the ice and cheering when one does do it without slipping or tripping, said Mary Cooke, 55, of Richland.

Ice skating appeals to two groups, said Lenore Corbin, 66, of Pasco.

"For some it's a return to a skill they already had. For others, it's learning a totally new skill," she said.

Corbin has been skating two years, ever since a friend, Marjy Leggett of Pasco, invited her to a Tuesday skate.

"Skating, it's out of the box for me. Learning was a brave move on my part. I used to stay close to the wall, it was a big move, skating across the middle of the ice," Corbin said pushing off and gliding gracefully across the center of the rink.

The challenge of learning a new skill also attracted Minobu Graybeal, 62, of Walla Walla to ice skating. She exercises for health reasons -- Graybeal has osteoporosis -- but finds she enjoys skating and the company of the other senior skaters.

Plus, learning to skate last year has given Graybeal a new appreciation for the sport.

"Now," she said, "when I watch ice skating on television it's more interesting because I know how hard it is to do those moves."

Martha Nelson, 61, of Prosser has been skating nearly 30 years, both for fun and in ice dancing competitions.

"I've found it's a very good social sport and (the rinks) a good place to meet people," she said.

When she moved to Prosser in November from Southern California, Nelson said, "I was thrilled to find a rink here, it's well worth the drive."

Nelson also credits her love of the sport with driving her to regain mobility after a serious injury in January 2007. She was hit by a car while riding her bike, breaking multiple bones and dislocating several joints.

Her recovery was long, painful and left her with a limp. But Nelson was determined to skate again.

"You can't go out there with a limp," she said, pointing at the rink. "You have to be balanced on skates."

Nelson had to relearn how to stay centered, to stand straight, even on ice, and she did. Today she's sure-footed on land and on ice.

Moving to the Tri-Cities 26 years ago, Richlander Annie Hoppe, 64, was disappointed there wasn't a local ice rink. She learned to skate when she was a young adult living in Brussels and found she missed it.

Now she rarely misses a Tuesday session.

"Skating is an aerobic exercise. You have fun (skating) without realizing you're getting warm and perspiring. It's exercise without pain," Hoppe said, adding, "it's a shame more people don't participate (in the Tuesday sessions)."

Cooke, a member of the Fun, Fit and Over 50 Club, agrees. Right now there's just a handful of skaters, and without more support Cooke is afraid seniors will lose their special time slot.

The arena has a special seniors rate, $5 per day which includes the extended seniors only session, the public skate, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and skate rental.

For more information on public skating, call the skating hotline at 737-3720.

* Loretto J. Hulse: 509-582-1513; lhulse@tricityherald.com.

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Sunday, Jan. 11, 2009

A spin on ice: Toyota Arena rink holds weekly session just for seniors

By Loretto J. Hulse, Herald staff writer