jazzpants
07-18-2005, 04:34 PM
Remember icepony or oneicepony from the old days??? She's famous!!! :mrgreen:
From the Ventura County Star newspaper:
http://www1.venturacountystar.com/vcs/county_news/article/0,1375,VCS_226_3934894,00.html
Oxnard ice rink's sales manager has driving the Zamboni down cold
http://www1.venturacountystar.com/vcs/images/spacers/spacer.gifhttp://mas.scripps.com/VCS/2005/07/18/npprofile18_d.jpg (http://javascript<b></b>:popup('http://mas.scripps.com/VCS/2005/07/18/npprofile18_e.jpg',350,450))
Dana R. Bowler / Star staff
http://www1.venturacountystar.com/vcs/images/spacers/spacer.gif
"It's a lot like trying to drive a garbage truck backward," Chris Compton said about maneuvering a Zamboni machine.
July 18, 2005
Chris Compton of Newbury Park might have the coolest job around, literally.
When she's not busy teaching ice skating classes, running birthday parties or fulfilling her official duties as sales manager at the Oxnard Ice Skating Center, Compton is perfecting her skills behind the wheel of the Zamboni machine.
With each trip around the rink in the four-wheeled vehicle, Compton is becoming more keen to the art of ice resurfacing, learning how best to navigate around corners and just how much water to spray down on the ice.
"It gets better every time," she said.
As temperatures rise outdoors, Compton is content to stick with what she calls "natural air conditioning," whether that means driving the Zamboni or lacing up her skates and enjoying the fruits of her labor.
While she's becoming more proficient in navigating the Zamboni, Compton, 37, certainly isn't losing focus of developing skills as a skater. With about eight years under her belt as a recreational skater, Compton plans to compete in the Ice Skating Institute World Recreational Team Championships later this month at a handful of Southern California facilities, a competition drawing skaters who are in the sport for fun and don't necessarily have Olympic aspirations.
Q: How did you get into driving a Zamboni and how does it handle?
A: Labor shortage: In the summers we tend to scale back, and sometimes you're the only one in the building who can. It's a lot like trying to drive a garbage truck backward, and you're on ice. Every little detail makes a difference.
Q: How long does it take to resurface the whole rink?
A: Theoretically, start to finish, it takes 15 minutes.
Q: What do rink patrons think about having a job where you get to drive a Zamboni, and what drives their fascination with the machine?
A: All the kids think that would be so neat. The Zamboni is the biggest draw we've got. There's nothing else like it. A lot of the kids have never even seen ice.
Q: Has your Zamboni driving changed anything for you, whether on or off the ice?
A: I do drive a little differently. I tend to take corners a little wider, and I worry about the back end of the car more. Every time you learn something new, it's kind of a pick-me-up, like a boost of confidence, and that shows up in skating.
Q: How hard is it to learn to ice skate as an adult?
A: I'm a klutz. I can't walk across the lobby without falling on my face. If I can do this, anyone can.
Q: What events will you compete in at the world recreational competition, and what's your best move?
A: Five events: freestyle, footwork, spotlight (an entertainment event), a surprise event and a production extravaganza. My best move: somewhere between a really low sit spin or a flip. -- Jean Ortiz
From the Ventura County Star newspaper:
http://www1.venturacountystar.com/vcs/county_news/article/0,1375,VCS_226_3934894,00.html
Oxnard ice rink's sales manager has driving the Zamboni down cold
http://www1.venturacountystar.com/vcs/images/spacers/spacer.gifhttp://mas.scripps.com/VCS/2005/07/18/npprofile18_d.jpg (http://javascript<b></b>:popup('http://mas.scripps.com/VCS/2005/07/18/npprofile18_e.jpg',350,450))
Dana R. Bowler / Star staff
http://www1.venturacountystar.com/vcs/images/spacers/spacer.gif
"It's a lot like trying to drive a garbage truck backward," Chris Compton said about maneuvering a Zamboni machine.
July 18, 2005
Chris Compton of Newbury Park might have the coolest job around, literally.
When she's not busy teaching ice skating classes, running birthday parties or fulfilling her official duties as sales manager at the Oxnard Ice Skating Center, Compton is perfecting her skills behind the wheel of the Zamboni machine.
With each trip around the rink in the four-wheeled vehicle, Compton is becoming more keen to the art of ice resurfacing, learning how best to navigate around corners and just how much water to spray down on the ice.
"It gets better every time," she said.
As temperatures rise outdoors, Compton is content to stick with what she calls "natural air conditioning," whether that means driving the Zamboni or lacing up her skates and enjoying the fruits of her labor.
While she's becoming more proficient in navigating the Zamboni, Compton, 37, certainly isn't losing focus of developing skills as a skater. With about eight years under her belt as a recreational skater, Compton plans to compete in the Ice Skating Institute World Recreational Team Championships later this month at a handful of Southern California facilities, a competition drawing skaters who are in the sport for fun and don't necessarily have Olympic aspirations.
Q: How did you get into driving a Zamboni and how does it handle?
A: Labor shortage: In the summers we tend to scale back, and sometimes you're the only one in the building who can. It's a lot like trying to drive a garbage truck backward, and you're on ice. Every little detail makes a difference.
Q: How long does it take to resurface the whole rink?
A: Theoretically, start to finish, it takes 15 minutes.
Q: What do rink patrons think about having a job where you get to drive a Zamboni, and what drives their fascination with the machine?
A: All the kids think that would be so neat. The Zamboni is the biggest draw we've got. There's nothing else like it. A lot of the kids have never even seen ice.
Q: Has your Zamboni driving changed anything for you, whether on or off the ice?
A: I do drive a little differently. I tend to take corners a little wider, and I worry about the back end of the car more. Every time you learn something new, it's kind of a pick-me-up, like a boost of confidence, and that shows up in skating.
Q: How hard is it to learn to ice skate as an adult?
A: I'm a klutz. I can't walk across the lobby without falling on my face. If I can do this, anyone can.
Q: What events will you compete in at the world recreational competition, and what's your best move?
A: Five events: freestyle, footwork, spotlight (an entertainment event), a surprise event and a production extravaganza. My best move: somewhere between a really low sit spin or a flip. -- Jean Ortiz