SCA 50th Anniversary Celebration

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2018 marks a special milestone in the sport of figure skating.  The world will celebrate the XXIII Winter Olympics.  And locally, the Skating Club of Amherst turns 50 years old.

The Skating Club of Amherst was founded in 1968 at Amherst College, and quickly grew to welcome citizens of the entire Amherst and Five College community. 

Amherst College’s Orr Rink was the club’s primary home for 25 years, until the 1993 opening of the Mullins Center Ice Rink at the University of Massachusetts - Amherst. 

The club skates year-round. In addition to the Mullins Center, the club still skates at Orr Rink in the winter, as well as Olympia Ice Center in West Springfield in the summer.

Thousands of youth and adults from all over the Pioneer Valley have learned to skate with club since its founding.  Today the club has around 150 members. 

The Skating Club of Amherst is a member of the United States Figures Skating Association, and is a private, non-profit organization managed by dedicated adult volunteers.

The club offers a fun Learn-to-Skate program on Sunday evenings between September and June. Anyone, age 4 to adult, is welcome.  Professionally-licensed figure skating coaches, with the help of skilled SCA volunteer skaters, provide affordable group instruction.   
The club’s professional coaches also offer private lessons. Most of the club’s private students advance to compete throughout New England, with some representing the club at regional and national competitions.

On March 25, 2018, the Skating Club of Amherst will present “Gold”,it’s annual ice show, at the Mullins Center Arena at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.  The show begins at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $10, and go on sale February 23 at www.scamherst.org.

This year’s show will benefit the Dakin Humane Society. The club’s membership voted to select Dakin as our charity of choice to mark the 50th anniversary.

Calling all alumni!  This year’s show will also include an alumni reunion.  We are asking alumni to share their historic photos, and help us locate fellow alumni. Visit www.scamherst.org to reconnect with the club.

To celebrate the kick-off of the Winter Olympics, the club will host a skating exhibition as part of Amherst WinterFest on February 5, from 5:30 – 6:15 pm at the Mullins Center Arena. The exhibition is free, with donations to Dakin Humane Society accepted. Skaters from all levels will perform short programs.

The club will host a 50th Anniversary Skate-A-Thon on Friday, March 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Mullins Center Community Ice Rink to raise money for Dakin Humane Society.  Skaters are seeking pledges for each lap they skate around the rink.