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PAGE 8THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, FEBRUARY 27,2002 Sports ^Leisure CANADIAN STATESMAN FEB. 2 7, 2 0 0 2 HOCKEY SUNDAY MARCH 3 VS KITCHENER 2:05 pm Box Office Info: 905-728-5163 A.J. GRO EN/ Statesman photo Some of the youngest members of the Clariiigtou Speed Skating Club line up on the starting starting fine during a recent practice. Speed skating club is building Olympians Clarington club on short track to success I! Y BRAD KELLY Sta ff Writer CLARINGTON - Four years ago, Kathlynn Hoch followed through on a vision to bring a speed skating club to Clarington, hoping to build a program program that would prosper and continue continue for years to come. Almost immediately, the sport attracted attracted a group of committed skaters, and over time, those numbers have continued to grow. And while there have already been proud moments too endless to list, one of the most satisfying moments for the club takes place every Friday night from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. It's during this time that the club's smallest members, some as young as four, take to the ice to learn the basics. basics. While they may not be quite ready to step on to the medal podium at a competition just yet, they will continue to carry on the legacy of the club for years to come. "Fun, fun and more fun," says coach Rick Morrison of the approach taken with the newest members of the club. "We do a lot of games with them and teach the skills through that." While the more experienced members members of the club whisk their way around the track at the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex in Bow- manville, the younger members gather gather on the inside of the track to go through practice. Among them is Ayre Richards, who is in his first year with the club. The 6-year-old originally saw a picture picture of speed skating in the paper and decided to join "because I wanted to go fast," says the Oshawa resident. If the Richards name sounds familiar, familiar, it should. Ayre's dad, Ron, represented Canada in ski jumping at the Winter Olympic Games in 1984, 1988 and 1992. His mom, Pamela, was also a member of Canada's national national figure skating team. "(Ayre) started in Canskate and he liked to go fast and when he saw speed skating he wanted to come," says his father. The club has members from all over Durham Region, ranging in age from four to 63, who venture out onto the ice in non-traditional skates to learn the basics of a spoi l that is gaining gaining popularity in Canada. In fact, one of its brightest stars, Catriona LcMay Doan, carried Canada's flag at the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah and subsequently won a gold medal. "Balance and edging," says Morrison Morrison of the most important aspects of the sport. "We show them everything from basic positioning to the most technical crossovers. "They really look up to the older kids and envy their speed. Most of the younger ones want to go last." While Cassic Mason, 5, hasn't reached the speeds of some of the older members, the Bowmanville resident resident joined last season because "we go fast." After watching a friend speed skate, she decided to give it a try, although she notes at first it was "hard" because she "kept falling down." The sport will also get another boost when a new speed skating oval is built in Lindsay, projected to open in time for the 2003-2004 season. Because of the proximity proximity to Lindsay, Clarington is one of the clubs that will benefit from the new oval. "We have athletes now, that if they continue W mir , !; prove as they have in thc jiisCT three years, we may -see ' them on a future Olympic team," says an optimistic Hoch. One of those athletes, Dave Stewart, will be repre senting the club at the Ontario Ontario Winter Games in Guelph from March Il-l4. He is expected to compete in the 1000m, 1500m and 3000m races. On Saturday, March 2 the club will be hosting a short track speed skating competition competition at the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex Complex in Bowmanville. As a special highlight to the event that will run from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., former Olympic speed skater Gaétan Gaétan Boucher will be available, available, to sign autographs from 7hboïLtiri/p.m. • ■ T Teams from all over Ontario Ontario will be competing, along with entries from New. York State and Michigan. 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