Need Rink Info/References - Philly/Lancaster area

[Nate]

Can anyone help me.  Found a couple that answer the phone, but their websites are down even though they're on the phone telling me what URL to go to.  About to make the move to that area and want to know what my options are, see what coaches coach there, etc. etc.

Any help.  Greatly Appreciated.

Please?

XD

[sk8tegirl06]

I'm familiar with the area. Which rinks have you tried already?

Never actually skated there, only watched Liberty at Ice Works in Aston. Tested once at Phila. Skating Club & Humane Society in Ardmore,  has no walls only a handrail around the sides and a mirror at one end. Depending on whereabouts in the Philly area you are, there is always Skating Club of Wilmington or University of Delaware in Newark. I know of a couple rinks in Lancaster area that my coaches teach/taught at, but I personally haven't skated there. Also I know of at least one rink in Bethleham area if you end up more north of the city. There is also Hatfield Ice World, home to Liberty Figure Skating Club, usually have a decent freestyle schedule and occasionally some Saturday morning sessions. I know I visited Wissahickon Club once a long time ago, but don't remember much.

Hope that helps some! 

[Nate]

I'm familiar with the area. Which rinks have you tried already?

Never actually skated there, only watched Liberty at Ice Works in Aston. Tested once at Phila. Skating Club & Humane Society in Ardmore,  has no walls only a handrail around the sides and a mirror at one end. Depending on whereabouts in the Philly area you are, there is always Skating Club of Wilmington or University of Delaware in Newark. I know of a couple rinks in Lancaster area that my coaches teach/taught at, but I personally haven't skated there. Also I know of at least one rink in Bethleham area if you end up more north of the city. There is also Hatfield Ice World, home to Liberty Figure Skating Club, usually have a decent freestyle schedule and occasionally some Saturday morning sessions. I know I visited Wissahickon Club once a long time ago, but don't remember much.

Hope that helps some! 

One rink only has 1 FS session a day 3 days a week, which just won't work for me.  The other has someone answering the phone who is unintelligible and their website apparently doesn't work.  I might just take the Amtrak into Phila and deal with the travel time.  I'll see.

And yea, I seen a picture of that rink with no walls.  That's...  Interesting.  Almost thought it was a gym (for Gymnastics) at first.  Considering I'm always on the wall...  Might be an accident waiting to happen with the bleachers there and all

My job is paying to relocate me, but I need to find an apartment, so I'm not exactly sure where exactly I'll be, per se.  I have a week or so to do it, though, so I guess I'll find out sooner or later.

I need websites so I can view their coaching staff if possible.  I want a male coach who knows how to use a harnes.

[jjane45]

I need websites so I can view their coaching staff if possible.  I want a male coach who knows how to use a harness.

It puzzles me why so many rinks / clubs don't have coaching staff info publicly available.

[FigureSpins]

http://www.hersheyfigureskating.org/HFSCPros.html

Craig Horowitz meets your requirements.

[Query]

Good luck on your new job and life!

Are you trying to figure out whether you can get to the rink sessions in time before and after work? That is an interesting optimization problem. Too bad session times change.

Frogs on ice has spent a lot of time indexing neat resources. E.g.,

 http://www.frogsonice.com/skateweb/clubs/us.shtml

As an example, arenamaps.com lists 34 Philadelphia area rinks.

Personally, I would visit a few club and freestyle sessions, and ask skaters for opinions. Of course, skaters tell you their coach and rink are best...

It's been a while since I was there, but Philadelphia has skinny roads and some bad traffic. A GPS wouldn't hurt. I don't know how to site your apartment and rink so you can get to work and the ice quickly in spite of traffic, since a GPS only gives good-traffic transit times. Some people commute by train - e.g., look at www.septa.org  SEPTA is clean, fast and safe, but they don't go everywhere.

I was only there during a competition, but Aston is a really nice looking place, with lots of ice surfaces. The rinks and pro shop at the University of Delaware are famous, but the rink schedule supports the competitive student population better than the outside community, last I checked.

OT, but Delaware has nice beaches. http://www.delmarvakayak.net/ is a very active kayak club. Lots of nice places to hike around PA, like the Appalachian Trail. If you like plants, take a peek at Longwood Gardens. They have some nice social dance stuff too, e.g., very active Scottish dance groups. Many colleges and universities with the facilities and classes they offer.

Anyway, have fun!

[Skate@Delaware]

For the rinks up that way, I would agree that Aston is a great place-4 sheets of ice. Last time I checked (last year) they had a good schedule for freestyle.  U of Delaware is decent but their schedule is strange.  The Pond is decent as well, and they have sessions that run all day PLUS you can skate on publics and do almost anything.  Skate Club of Wilmington is very adult friendly but they are strict with their schedule-if it says "high" then you had better have the skating level.  Last time I checked, they had low level in the evening.  They also do social dances for ice dancers.

Skate Club of Wilmington:
http://www.wilmicesk8.com/
--Peter (owner/manager) sharpens skates, by appointment; does a great job, $20 or $22 if I recall correctly
U of De FSC:
http://www.udfsc.com/
U of De Ice Rinks:
http://www.udel.edu/icearena/
--MF in the pro shop sharpens skates while-u-wait; great job, $18
The Pond (which is <5 minutes from U of De):
http://thepondicearena.com/
--they are good if you are desperate for a sharpening, but I'd rather drive down the street to UofDe.