Olympic Medalist Visits Kids At Ice-Skating Camp
POSTED: Monday, June 5, 2006
UPDATED: 9:16 am EDT June 6,
2006
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Rising temperatures in Jacksonville have not been keeping some children from having a cool time on ice. Some kids have been spending their break from school at a figure skating summer camp.
The figure-skating camp at First Coast Skates gives kids tips on proper style and balance.
The camp attendees received a special visit Monday from Jim Milns, who in 1976 was the first American win a medal during the Olympics in ice dancing.
"These kids are getting an earlier start than I ever had. So, maybe greater things for them," Milns said.
He lent his expertise as part of the camp. In one drill, Milns used a pole harness to help the skaters with their jumps.
"I live in Florida, and I truly believe that Florida is the next frontier for figure skating in the United States. There's talent everywhere in the United States, and Jacksonville definitely has talent," Milns said.
Something else Milns utilized during his visit was dark fish video analysis, which was used to evaluate a skater's performance.
The camp's hostess Vicki Lampros-Weigel was a proressional skater for more than 12 years, and she offers lessons year around.
"There's a lot of challenges when you are a skater. From learning how to stand up and skate, to learning how to fall and get up, learning the jumps and just the training activities themselves keep children out of trouble," Lampros-Weigel said.
The skills the children have been learning at the ice-skating camp have influenced some lofty aspirations.
"I hope to go to nationals, and if I don't, I hope I go pro and if I can, then I hope to go to the Olympics," camp attendee Rachel Arcuri said.
Copyright 2006 by News4Jax.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.