Coffee Cup Skate offers seniors a safe place to play on the ice
Ice skating at a public rink can be a dangerous undertaking for older adults. Fast skaters moving swiftly on the slick ice can cause beginners and older skaters to trip and fall, which can lead to bumps, bruises and broken bones.
For adults 45 or older who want to skate in a safe environment, the Senior Skate Club is held from 12:30 to 1:50 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at the Fiesta Rancho SoBe Ice Arena, 2400 N. Rancho Drive.
“It’s great exercise, and it’s nice to be able to express myself through figure skating,” said Beth Leopold Crabill. “I like coming here because it’s a controlled environment. There aren’t a bunch of hockey players or kids.”
The crowd of regulars includes former Ice Capades stars, a speed skater, beginners and former or aspiring figure skaters. Many participants met in 2004, when the rink was at Santa Fe Station.
Rietje Beck-Skaar, 77, has been skating in Las Vegas since 1995. She alternates her time between Las Vegas and Missouri, which allows her to continue figure skating at the rink.
“I started skating right after World War II in the Netherlands,” Beck-Skaar said. “I began by practicing on frozen tennis courts, and I soon made my way up to become the national junior champion at 17.”
She said she has made lifelong friends through skating and has enjoyed the peaceful setting.
Others skate to keep their performance intact and to exercise.
“I started speed skating as a youngster,” said Joe “Super Joe” Kello, 85. “When I started, kids in my neighborhood had never seen a speed skater, so they started calling me ‘Super Joe.’ At my age, you can’t compete anymore, but I can still come here to get a good workout.”
On Wednesdays, cups of hot coffee and cookies are offered to all of the skaters visiting the 17,000-square-foot arena.
David Nickel, a former Canadian ice skating champion, teaches beginning skating lessons and different levels of figure skating. Private lessons are $30 for 30 minutes.
Nickel added that anyone can bring his own music to the rink, and it is switched out each week.
Adults are encouraged to wear protective head padding or knee protection before coming to the event.
Admission for the open ice rink is $5.
“I don’t come here to prepare for a competition. My only competition is against the clock,” Kello said. “You couldn’t do this in any other town.”
For more information, visit fiestarancholasvegas.com or call 702-638-3785.
Contact North View reporter Sandy Lopez at slopez@viewnews.com or 702-383-4686. Find her on Twitter: @JournalismSandy.