Learn to Skate Skills Program-Sign up Today!!!

The Menard Center continues its long standing tradition in providing the community a Learn to Skate program for youth to adults. This successful and instrumental program has been a key to the foundation of our valley's future skaters. Many families have taken advantage of this program to start their children off in the right direction with superbly taught skating fundamentals, whether it be for recreational, competitive figure skating or hockey. The program strives to meet these basic skating fundamentals in a fun and enjoyable learning environment as the program continues to grow and expand in future years. 

The program is set for ages four to adult, but will take three year olds under consideration. The Menard Center, a longtime member and affiliate of the ISI (Ice Skating Institute) is proud to provide area residents with accredited professional ice skating instructors. Each class is 45 minutes in length. This class is perfect for the beginning hockey student that wants to gain a competitive edge by learning foot work and skills not provided by league coaches.

Click here to register 
 
Please visit the Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more information.



About our instructors:



Natasha Bowers
Natasha has been skating either competitively or professionally for over 35 years. She has 13 years of competitive figure skating experience; receiving titles as the 1990 & 1992 Northwest Regional Intermediate and Novice Champion. Natasha has 20 years of experience coaching both group and private lessons, accompanying students to many local and international competitions. She is an ISI Certified Gold Level Judge, and ISI Referee, and has a Professional Skating Association rating for Certified Freestyle and Registered Choreography. She has over 18 years of ballet, dance, movement and design training, and currently teaches dance at two studios in the Mat-Su Valley. Natasha is a founding member of the Mat-Su Figure Skating Club and is recognized by the PSA, USFS & ISI as a coaching professional.

Jessica McDonnell
Jessica is a lifelong Alaskan with over 12 years of competitive figure skating and coaching experience. In 2019, she began coaching at the Menard Center as a Learn to Skate Instructor. As a young skater, she competed at many local and out-of-state ISI and USFS competitions; earning medals in freestyle, dance, and figures. She has tested through Freestyle 8 in ISI, Juvenile Freeskate in USFS, and is an ISI Certified Gold Level Judge. She has completed the Basic/Core and Intermediate/High ISI Instructor Training Program, and holds a certification from ISSA as a Youth Fitness Coach. Jessica has had the opportunity to accompany skaters to local ISI competitions as a private skating coach, and be a part of the local competitive skate team, On Ice AK.

Outside of skating, Jessica is the Wellness Director and Conditioning Coach for the Mat-Su Seahawks Youth Football Organization. She also has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and an AAS in Accounting from UAA. Jessica enjoys spending time at her family cabin, snow machining, skiing, and being outdoors.






Contact us:
City of Wasilla
Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center
1001 S. Clapp Street
Wasilla, AK 99654
Phone: 907.357.9100
Email: recreation@cityofwasilla.gov 

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