As a bonus to emphasize the 40th anniversary being observed by the area figure skaters this weekend, here’s some added information about their fine organization.

Friday, March 23, 2001

As a bonus to emphasize the 40th anniversary being observed by the area figure skaters this weekend, here’s some added information about their fine organization.

The past four decades have involved several significant changes for the figure skaters in particular, and other ice skaters in general. Part of this was featured in the March 12, 2000, issue with an article about the Albert Lea Hockey Association and their &uot;barn&uot; reunion game. Still more information regarding those 40 years have been a part of the articles about ice skaters in the Tribune’s last three Lifestyles sections.

The &uot;barn&uot; mentioned in the last paragraph refers to the livestock show arena at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds. It may be hard to comprehend now, but the floor in this building was flooded during the winter months to provide an indoor rink with both natural, and later artificial, ice.

About 1975 a change for both the ice skaters and hockey players came when the city took over the former Lea College Fieldhouse west of Albert Lea. And here’s one of the most significant changes during the past 40 years for the figure skaters.

With thanks to Carol Colstrup, I can pass along several other contrasts for the figure skaters between 1961 and this year.

One important change has come with the skater’s costumes. (Hey, there may be a pun there somewhere.)

In the 1960s, Carol wrote, &uot;We designed them – created patterns – mothers sewed them. Coaches shopped for appropriate bolts of fabric and would write up instructions.&uot;

Now, this year, she reports, &uot;Costumes are ordered by the costume chair. She measures everyone in November and hopes they don’t grow too much before our March show. The costumes are prettier. Most moms are working these days so (they) don’t have so much time for sewing.&uot;

Another significant change from the 1960s to the present time comes with the preparations for the yearly programs.

Back in the 1960s, Carol wrote, &uot;Show tryouts? There were none. Coaches simply selected the most advanced skaters to be soloists, duos, trios, quartets. Some of it would depend on if the parents were willing to provide a costume. The skaters were always excited about performing.&uot;

At the present time she says, &uot;Preparation and music selection starts six months to one year prior to tryouts. Some students use programs from competitions and will substitute more advanced jumps and spins than done previously.

… The skaters also tryout for gold, silver and bronze lines with different requirements of increasing difficulty from bronze through gold.&uot;

Music is another topic where Carol has commented about contrasts. She wrote, &uot;45s – LP – 33 1/3 – are pretty antiquated terms these days, but in the ’60s skaters carried their records in a wood frame (box) so they wouldn’t warp in the cold. We didn’t have tapes (cassettes) or CDs. … The phonograph had to be kept in the warming area as it wouldn’t work in the cold. Neither did the reel to reel tape player, so Adele Mittelstadt brought a heating pad and put it and the … player inside a box. If it wasn’t too terribly cold it would work.&uot;

Music for the ice skaters has certainly changed since then. Carol comments, &uot;The arena has the sound system ready for us to use in the main arena. We cut the music from CDs which is so much easier than going from records and recording onto the reel to reel type tape players.&uot;

Last year, with the excellent cooperation of Dick Lindell, Warren Johnson, Gary Hillman and Mark Carlson, I passed along information about the Albert Lea Hockey Association and their &uot;barn&uot; reunion game.

This year, with the excellent cooperation of Carol Colstrup and Betty Rake, I was given the opportunity to feature the Albert Lea Figure Skating club and highlight their upcoming ice show at the City Arena this weekend.

Feature writer Ed Shannon’s column appears Fridays in the Tribune.