I'll be moving from Long Island, New York (many, many rinks) to Raleigh, North Carolina in January. I have visited Iceplex in Raleigh and know there are rinks in Cary and Garner. Also I heard that they are building a huge sports complex called "The Factory" which will have two sheets of ice. My question is this: anyone skating at Iceplex now? (looking for skating buddies) and also, any coach recommendations? I am looking for a coach who likes teaching adults and is patient, fun, but most importantly expects things to be done correctly and doesn't let things slide because I'm an adult. Thanks anyone who can help with this. If there are any coaches out there reading this from Raleigh, feel free to e-mail me at JWRNSKTR@aol.com or reply on this forum.

You know that there are at least 4 people on this forum, Skaternum, NCSk8er O2, Skatingatty and Inside Axel that are all from the Raleigh area!

Hooray! Another adult skater!!

I sent a PM, but thought I'd restate some of it here, in case others want this for reference. There are quite a few local rinks here.

The Iceplex

The Reczone

Ice House in Cary

Ice House in Garner

The Factory, which is the 2 sheet rink in north Raleigh. It'll be open in mid-October, and will be managed by the same people who run the Ice Houses.

Sportsplex in Hillsborough.

Other info about sessions, coaching, etc. is in the PM.

The Factory has a website now. www.eatshopplay.com/TheFactory/

Jumpingbeans (I'm also from Raleigh )

Yep, as has been stated, there are a few of us there. In fact, we have a very active adult program, not only at our club, but the whole area in general.

As I was considering your inquiry for coaches, I went through the list of all the skaters in our club and realized that nearly everyone has a different primary coach. I think that speaks pretty well to the diversity of our coaching staff and the overall support for adult skating.

Good luck with your move to Raleigh!

Kelton

I am from South Florida, and we don't have lots of Adult skaters here. I want to pretend I am from Raleigh! ;-)

I wish some of you Raleighites could send some of the wealth of adult skating over to my part of the state. We do have some adults here in the Triad, but it's nowhere near as active as it is in the Triangle.

And you lucky peeps! Two more sheets of ice! I'll grin for you guys, but of course I'm green with envy!

Oh well--next time I'm at the 'rents house for an extended visit, may as well mosey on over to The Factory and check it out!

__________________
All that glitters has a high refractive index.

Ooohhh ... now I really miss living in the Triangle area!

(Don't worry Loops; I ain't going anywhere just yet ...)

__________________
Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.
"Do what you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
-Haha, I've *arrived*! I am listed as a reference on Wikipedia.

<cue sappy music> Yes, as a little girl growing up in South Carolina in the 60s, wanting desperatly to ice skate, who knew that I'd live in an area with 7 sheets of ice! And still be in the south. <sniff>

Dani, we'll make you an honorary citizen of Raleigh!

edited to add:
Au revoir, mes amis! Je vais en France pour deux semaines. A bientot...

I am really happy to know that there are so many adult skaters in Raleigh! Thanks so much for the responses. I will email again as the move gets closer. This will be quite a change for this Yankee, but as long as I have the ice to get me through and the possibility of making some new friends, I think I'll come through OK! The information you all (or is that y'all ) sent is invaluable to me. Jeanette

I think there's room for both of ya'.

Hi, Jeanette! As the others have already mentioned, there are lots of adult skaters in the Raleigh area, and we all have different coaches too. My coach is Tina B., who worked previously as a pro skater in Europe and with Disney on Ice. I have lessons at the Raleigh Iceplex, but I also skate at the Reczone (just a mile or so away from Iceplex) and the rink in Hillsborough, because they have public sessions on Tues. and Thurs. nights and it's close to where I work. Occasionally, I skate at Cary Ice House (closest to where I live), but it's an older rink, and it can be hard to find someone to play your music on a freestyle session. Their tape player is up in a booth, not right off the side of the rink as it is at the other places. Plus, Cary Ice House has the worst public sessions I've ever been on around here-- lots of kids and teens zooming around everywhere with no ice monitors. I am looking forward to visiting the new rinks at The Factory, north of Raleigh. Let us all know when you move here! You'll like the skating here.

<cue sappy music> We have about 12 ice rinks within a 50 mile radius <sniff>

You add me as an honorary skater of Raleigh and I'll add you as an honorary Bay Area skater!!! (And there are TONS of adult skaters in the Bay Area, believe me! But we always welcome more!!!)

Au revoir, skaternum!!! Bon voyage!!! (You lucky dog!!! I wanna try some REAL French food too!!!)

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Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

Amuse-toi bien! Tu nous manqueras!

__________________
Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.
"Do what you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
-Haha, I've *arrived*! I am listed as a reference on Wikipedia.

(((ding, ding))) Another Raleigh adult skater chimes in;]

Hi Jeanette and welcome to the Triangle! I get my lessons at the Iceplex in Raleigh but practice in Hillsborough b/c it's closer to my work. That seems to be pretty common practice around here. With the new rink opening in Wake Forest you couldn't have picked a better time to move...enjoy!

J'ai dû employer le babelfish pour traduire ceci - ayez l'amusement mon ami !


;-)

Hi Jeanette--I sent you another email--this one about working.

Can't wait to meet you.

Yup, add me to the list of NC adult skaters, too!!!! Although I'm west of Raleigh, I am a Central Carolina SC member and I do make it to the Triangle to skate...great ice, great test sessions, too!

Actually, I didn't realize that we had it so good, until I went to the Peach Classic a few weeks ago. We DO have lots of adult skaters in this area...and I'm counting my blessings.

So welcome to club, and email one of us if you need anything!

Lisa
lookingglassproductions@earthlink.net

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"Gravity is a harsh mistress." -- The Tick

Ok all you Triangle people- maybe you guys can get your clubs to bid on 2006 Adult Easterns????

Hello! I am a transplanted Yankee, adult skater. I'm going to the rink at The Factory in Raleigh for the first time today. We moved to Rolesville, NC on Thursday. My "stuff" isn't coming til Friday, but my skates came with me in the car (of course) and I am looking forward to my first skate here. I would love to experience some "southern hospitality" on the ice! So, if you see me - tall, brunette, - please say "HI!" I'm missing my NY skating buddies... Thanks, Jeanette

I hope you have a great skate at your new rink Jeanette! I'm sure you'll make plenty of new skating buddies in no time at all.

Nicki

I'm a North Carolinian (though I don't get over to Raleigh much to skate), and I can tell you there are some fab rinks in the area and some well-established programs. There is particularly a strong adult community there.

I haven't been to The Factory yet but another good rink in the area is the Iceplex, if you're ever interested. It's olympic size (200'x100'); the rink at the Triangle Sportsplex in Hillsborough is nice too, if you're ever on the other side of the Triangle area.

Other rinks can be found in Greensboro, a seasonal rink in Winston-Salem, and a couple of rinks in Charlotte. However, the rinks in the Raleigh area are by far the superior facilities in the state, IMO.

Welcome to NC! There will be no shortage of Southern hospitality on ice for you here!

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All that glitters has a high refractive index.

Hi there!

I'm one of them! There are very, very many out there, too. You're lucky to have the Factory so close to you ...it's a fantastic new facility!

Look for posts on this board from me, Skaternum, skatingatty, insideaxel and others who are your new neighbors. (I know I'm forgetting people, too.) Welcome to the neighborhood!

Also, look for NoVaSk8er ... he used to be one of us, but we let him get away

Best of luck!

__________________
"Gravity is a harsh mistress." -- The Tick

Jeanette, I skated at the Factory this morning on a freestyle session, but I didn't see you on it. There were only 2 adults this morning (me & InsideAxel) on the freestyle session. I wasn't looking for you, since I didn't read this thread until the afternoon, but with only 2 adults, I'm sure I'd have noticed you!

The adults in the area are scattered amongst all 6 rinks, so you're not likely to find tons at any one place at one time (except Mirko Mueller's adult spin clinic on Thursdays at the Iceplex). What will be your primary rink? We have a great bunch of adult skaters in the area. Looking forward to meeting you!! PM me if you want and let me know when/where you'll skate. Maybe we'll overlap!

Aw ... I miss my NC folk and skating down there!
Good luck jwrnsktr ... you're in good hands.
I also was a transplanted Yankee and actually didn't skate till I moved south. Enjoy!

__________________
Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.
"Do what you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
-Haha, I've *arrived*! I am listed as a reference on Wikipedia.