1. Liam McFarlane Skates Fastest Ever
Medicine Hat's Liam McFarlane smashed the 500m Canadian record at the Calgary Oval's Oktoberfest competition last weekend. McFarlane completed the race in 40.572 seconds, beating the old record of 40.86 set by Cory Rasmussen (Prince George, BC) in 2007. His time is well below the current World Record (41.051) but it can't be ratified by the International Skating Union due to the nature of the competition. Despite this technicality, McFarlane, who was inches away from qualifying for Canada's Short Track Olympic Team in August, can now say he is without a doubt the fastest short track speed skater in the World.
2. Oktoberfest Thank You’s
A big thank you to all volunteers who worked at the Oktoberfest Meet on October 9, 10 and 11. The Protocol is available at www.oval.ucalgary.ca/results/short_track.
Changes at the Olympic Oval meant that for the first time the Oktoberfest competition was organized and hosted by AASSA, with the considerable technical assistance of Gregg Planert of the Oval. The three-day competition showed that parents, friends and skating colleagues of high performance and other advanced short track skaters could support a competition of this nature. Those athletes (and AASSA) extend their thanks to those volunteers who worked as timers, marshals, starters, referees, waterers, lap counters, and in hostessing over the weekend. Many of these volunteers were parents of Oval Program skaters. Individuals like Dave and Lianna Richmond, Joyce Aksenchuk, Gino Junio, Linda Davidchuk, Bob Irvine, Jackie Shoemaker have been around speed skating for many years, and brought considerable experience to the event and made this high-level competition go very smoothly.
As part of this volunteering, the Calgary Club was able to train three of its members on the Oval’s Finish Lynx system, with the aim of reducing reliance on Oval staff at future Club Meets.
A very big thank you is owed to Cheryl Szostakiwsky, former Board Member of the Calgary Club and mother of Oval Program skater and Calgary Club member Matt Szostakiwskyj, for her considerable work in collecting and coordinating volunteers for the weekend’s competition. Thank you Cheryl!
4. Sport Trainer Course
The Sport Medicine Council of Alberta is hosting a Sport Trainer course in Calgary on October 24-25, 2009. This course is a combination of their 8-hour Athletic First Aid course on the Saturday and our 8-hour Sport Taping & Strapping course on the Sunday. The cost per participant is $175. Each participant receives 2 course manuals, all the supplies used in the course, an SMCA annual membership and certificates current for 3 years. To register and for further details please visit their website at http://www.sportmedab.ca/courses.
5. Mike Marshall as Director of Skating
Calgary – Alberta Amateur Speed Skating Association is pleased to announce the appointment of Mike Marshall as Director of Skating. Mike will lead coaches and clubs in Alberta in the introduction and application of the SSC Long Term Participant and Athlete Development (LTPAD) model. He will support and guide speed skating coaches in development and delivering an athlete development program, coaching development, club support, and technical assistance, with the aim of giving every skater in Alberta the best opportunity to reach their high performance potential. Mike’s work will help prepare Clubs in Alberta for an expected upsurge in interest in speed skating throughout the Province in connection with the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
While attending the NCI Mike Marshall was a coach in the Olympic Oval High Performance Long Track Program. Mike then moved into a National Long Track Team coaching position for five years through the 1998 and 2002 Olympics. During this time Mike worked with such notable skaters as Kristina Groves, Susan Auch, Jason Parker and Steven Elm. Mike has most recently worked with and mentored short track and long track coaches at the Olympic Oval. In his own skating career Mike competed in both Long and Short Track speed skating for 16 years, and was a member of Canada’s Long Track National Team for 2 years.
Mike Marshall was a contributor to Speed Skating Canada’s Long Term Participant and Athlete Development plan, a comprehensive document designed to aid in optimally training skaters from a young age through to their high performance potential and lifetime participation. “Mike’s deep understanding of the LPTAD and his extensive coaching experience provides the Alberta Amateur Speed Skating Association with a significant resource to aid and develop coaching and athlete development at all levels of introductory skating, development skating and high performance, competitive skating” states Blair Carbert, President of the Association.
Mike Marshall looks forward to advancing speed skating in Alberta: “There are many dedicated volunteers, skaters and coaches in Alberta, with a great deal of experience from club to International level. I am excited to have the opportunity to work with them to continue building a great program across the province.” Mike will continue his coach mentorship role at the Olympic Oval’s Short Track program.
Alberta Amateur Speed Skating Association has approximately 1000 members, from learn-to-skate participants to Masters, including 17 members of Canada’s Short Track and Long Track National and Development Teams and Talent Squads. AASSA’s Provincial Team represents those top Alberta skaters in Short Track and Long Track who are currently vying for positions on those national teams and squads. Clubs in AASSA train at facilities ranging from local arenas in cities such as Edmonton, Red Deer and Lethbridge, in centres like Rocky Mountain House, Grande Prairie and Edgerton, as well as Calgary’s Olympic Oval. Skaters from Alberta regularly compete at the highest levels in provincial, national and international competitions.
For more information, contact:
| Blair Carbert President Alberta Amateur Speed Skating Association (403) 705-3304 | Mike Marshall Director of Skating Alberta Amateur Speed Skating Association (403) 210-8914 |
