Times Advocate, 1994-01-26, Page 13()RTS
Precision skating
What's happening
In high school basketball action last week, the SHDHS Panthers beat Sea -
forth 66-30 on Thursday. Greg Agnew had 30 points for the winners while
Wayne Robinson added 15. The juniors beat Seaforth 66-52 as Dwayne
McNab had 15 points and Gavin t'oole netted I4...The Exeter Fury of the
Western Ontario Soccer League is looking for a coach, anyone interested can
call Jason McFails at 235-0368...Congratulations to Bob Hamathcr and
horse Staying Together for being named Canadian Harness Horse of the Year
at the O'Brien Awards.
Classics bring home bronze medal from Fort Erie
Stories and photos
by Fred Groves
T -A staff
EXETER - Just a few short years
ago, figure skating carnivals took a
double take when a group of young
women joined in unison to perform
a routine that, up to that point, was
unheard of.
Precision skating is quickly be-
coming an outlet for girls who ei-
ther simply don't want to compete
in singles competition or who have
gone as far as they can in singles
but want to keep skating.
This past weekend, the Exeter
Junior Precision Skating Team, The
Classics, travelled to Fort Erie for
their first of four competitions this
year.
Of the nine teams participating,
the Classics brought home the third
place bronze medal.
If you've never seen precision
skating, visualize a chorus line of
accuracy skating to music in a well
practiced routine that lasts about
tour minutes.
Judges award marks for composi-
tion and it's technical merit as well
as presentation and the artistic im-
pression.
Thursday night, less than 36
hours before they boarded the bus
and headed off to Fort Erie, the Ex-
eter girls went through their warm-
up exercises and then, in front of
parents and friends, donned their
black costumes and performed their
routine.
It was a nervous time but they
worked hard, got through it and
were rewarded with applause from
the audience.
"This is more team orientated and
for me, more fun," said Clasics'
Anita Wein.
Like most of the other girls on
the team, she skated singles before
trying out with the precision group
- there is a big difference between
the two.
"You can't be thinking about
yourself. You have to be thinking
about what everyone else is doing,"
said Wein.
In singles, if someone makes a
mistake, not only do the judges
pick up on it but so does everyone
else who is watching. Precision al -
Members of the Exeter Precision Team, the Classics, go through their routine at the South Hu-
ron Recreation Centre during a practice session Thursday night.
Mernsx_#urns$ tit coaching
EXETER - At least for the time
being, Kathy Merner's suitcase is
empty.
The 23 year-old Zurich native, a
past performer with many profes-
sional ice skating shows, is taking a
bit of a breather.
Don't misread this, she's now
turned her talents to coaching but
for now, she's not spending count-
less hours at strange arenas.
Merner is coaching the Exeter
Figure Skating Association's preci-
sion team, of which she is a past
member. She's also lending her as-
sistance to the Zurich Figure Skat-
ing Club.
"It's exciting and it's a lot more
work than I thought it would be,"
said Merner of coaching.
• The last six months have been
vett busy for her as she was per-
forminf at Canada's Wonderland
from April 12 to October 10.
"It was a cast of nine people, five
shows a day. We did 580 shows. It
was the ,hardest I ever worked. It
was harder - than travelling to a dif-
ferent city every week for nine
months."
Follow! g the job at Canada's
Wonder' d, Merner skated fqr a
show in ontreai for five weeks
before ret ing to her home and
taking up aching.
The tran 'tion from participaht to
coach isn't always easy. Merner has
had to take the coaching clinics and
while taking charge of the Exeter
team at first was tough, she now
seems to have everything under
control.
"If you have a disciplined team
you're going to see results and
things are going to progress so
much faster. They respect me and I
respect them."
While the immediate future
seems to be towards coaching the
precision team, Merner admits that
the phone is still ringing at home
with job offers.
••••••••••••••••••••••
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
RANI
MacLeans can give you
PEACE OF MIND-_=
IN A BAG
NOKIA
LX12
fro C.'
44,t1..
00
Nakiq
15otJRC6 FOR Br-oRT$
Automotive
Parts
v
The Nokia LX12 Cellular Bagphone gives you 3 watts of power
and versatility in one attractive, economical package. It transfers
between vehicles easily, and is available with optional handsfree
use. Add the optional battery pack, and you can use it out of the
car - anywhere there's cellular service.
The Nokia LX12. Mobility. Versatility. Rugged Reliability. All
backed by Nokia's world-wide reputation for superior cellular
technology PLUS MANY, MANY FEATURES
g14
99
Conditions
apply
Illaclea ns
110 Main St. N. Exeter 235-0800
bon r , %,utttiy
& frrcn, i . n,,rryrng
if t•nu're OK on
'tie road
!ladle lhaek
hardware
ilk
Bell Mobility
Approved Cellular ent
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
lows for the little miscues to go un-
noticed.
"If one person does a tiny little
slip up, chances are they (audience)
won't see it," said Wein.
Working together: The only
time the audience really notices an
error in the routine is when somc-
Qne falls. That happened a couple
of times during Thursday's dress re-
hearsal hut it's easy to stumble and
fall.
During part of the routine, the 16
girls break up into four groups of
four skaters, when they come to-
gether in a very quick fashion. Run-
ning into each other sometimes
can't be avoided.
Rochelle Geoffrey is also a vete-
ran member of the local team and
she likes this better than singles
competition.
"I prefer this...it's a team thing
and you have to solve your prob-
lems as a team. You're part of
mething."
Echoing the thoughts of her team-
mate Wein, Geoffrey said the girls
have to depend on each other a
great deal.
"We try to help each other out. If
someone doesn't get the steps, we
help them out."
At any one of the figure skating
carnivals later this winter, moms
and dads will• sec their tiny tots
wabhle out onto the ice in a group.
While the Exeter Precision team
has certainly come a long way
since they first laced up their
blades, it's a return tet their basics -
working together.
Coaching the Exeter team is a
very familiar skater to this part of
Huron County - Zurich's Kathy
Merner.
A former member of the Ice Ca-
pades and a professional performer
with many shows, she seems to be
•,`tlirei%g-itier attention to precision
skating.
The 23 year-old admitted that
coming from a career which is very
demanding to one which is more
recreational in nature, at first was
tough to adjust to.
"I heard precision is fun, that's
why they're there hut it was so im-
portant for me to have a disciplined
team," said Merner.
When the 16 girls performed
Thursday night, their routine
looked both polished and disci-
plined.
After Fort Erie, the Exeter team
will compete in Durham, Lucan, St.
Marys and of course, the Exeter
Skating Carnival on February
Kathy Merner, coach of the Classics chats with her precision
skating team during a practice session in Exeter.
Local opinions
U.S. skaters actions
somewhat surprising
EXETER - On January 6, the figure skating world and for that n'tter
the entire world of sports was rocked when Nancy Kerrigan, the U.S. fig-
ure skating champion and an Olympic bronze medalist, was attacked after
a practice at Cobo Arena in Detroit.
Since then there have been arrests, finger pointing and accusations.
,.stat is most surprising at1Qut entire.incicient is that it is taking place in
a sport where competitors are usually very good friends.
Images are being conjured up that Kerrigan and Tonya Harding are any-
thing but friends.
"It's unfortunate that something like this has happened," said Zurich na-
tive Kathy Merner who is a former Ice Capades performer. "It doesn't sur-
prise mc. I've skated with her (Harding) before."
Locally, figure skaters are also in awe somewhat of what happened. Ani-
ta \Nein and Rochelle Geoffrey, members of the Exeter Precision Team
both said this is quite out of the ordinary.
"I don't think it's right. It doesn't seem to be the right kind of sport for
it," said Geoffrey. "It's a shock to the skating world, it's an innocent sport."
"With all competitive sports there is danger," said Wein. I've never seen
anything where people hate each other."
Locally: Skaters from the Exeter Figure Skating Club are preparing for
the H.O.M.E. (Huron -Oxford -Middlesex -Elgin). competition in Ilderton
on January 2S-30.
Representatives of the local club met Thursday night to discuss recent
complaints from the Soup Huron Recreation Board regarding vandalism
being caused to washro nu. The club was to meet with the board this
week.
A
INNOVATIVE
MIN -TILL
.ad
NO•TiLL
EQUIPMENT
on DISPLAY
NEW YEAR'S LEVEE
FRIDAY, JAN. 28 - 9:3o A.M.
CENTRALIA, ONT. (next to Centralia College)
• Guest
Rep.
• Product
Introductions
• Movie
• CASE 111
' KONGSKIIDE
'M&W
• TRANS -TILL
• BRENT
• PICKETT
• HAREM
• CUB CADET
' WEBER LANE
• BEFCO
• BLU JET
• and MOI
awe
FARM
EQUIPMENT
+' SHOW 19':
Beckers know what's most Important
to their dealership... YOU!
That's why we're Inviting you to see the MAGNUM
encore - the debut of the new
7200 Series MAGNUM tractors.
Plus, there will be an entertaining video
presentation, lots of other Case International
equipment dozens of door prizes,
• A Deluxe Weber® • Case IH
Gas Grill Sweatshirts ,
• Case IH Jackets • MAGNUM Caps
• and much, much more
Be sure to register for a chance to win one of five Regional Grand
Prizes -Use of a New MAGNUM Tractor for 50 Hours!
"JOIN US AND FIND OUT HOW IT FEELS TO BE APPRECIATED"
FARM EQUIPMENT - EXETER, ONTARIO
Sales, Service 9 Rentals since 1932
(519) FAX (519)
5-212t 1-800-265-2121 235-271 _
•
i***************•
15.1)[10
square feet
of indoor
Display at
Presentation
Areal
rrrrrmrr.rr•
n.AA.r,.,,AAAA.*n„r
PANCAKE
SAUSAGE
LUNCHEON
Yltrrrrrr•
..ee+rw+ewaww***11
• Dicky Dun
Magic Show
• Mw Dean
Kidq ogram
rrrrrrr
CARNIV t,
GAMES!
Challenge
You►
Neighbour
veer, rrrr
***************/
GIFT
FREE
1.Ar1too
1'.oy . lo
err