Chevy Champions on Ice Partners With Figure Skating in Harlem

[Mazurka Girl]

Figure Skating in Harlem & COI (http://new.stockwatch.com/newsit/newsit_newsit.pasp?bid=U-pDETU025-U:GM-20030408&news_region=U&symbol=GM)

I wish there were more programs like Figure Skating in Harlem for kids who want to skate but don't have easy access to rinks & lessons.

[btqkta]

that's so really cool! i can't wait to hear about it! :)

[skaterdujour]

This is a really great initiative, however, I must comment that IMHO if one of its objectives is to "empower" African American and Latina girls through access to figure skating, then they are really possibly misunderstanding (at least from my perspective), the real needs of these communities. I have nothing against empowerment of girls, but it's the boys in these communities (well, I'm speaking for African Americans especially) that are falling behind. Black girls are outperforming them in nearly every aspect of education, career, etc and when they grow up, they have trouble finding accomplished men of similar achievements.

I think this initiative should be open to boys as well (unless there is some special after-school hockey program that I am not aware of?). It would be nice to see more African American male figure skaters...

[Ruth215]

I believe the Figure Skating in Harlem program was preceded by the Hockey in Harlem program founded by former NY Ranger Pat Hickey and others at least 15 years ago if not longer.

[Mazurka Girl]

Why would people whose expertise is figure skating be expected to run a hockey program anyway? I'm happy to see programs like this available & can only hope other cities will consider them as well. It is a relatively new program & is still developing. Programs like this in my area do not have a lot of interest from boys for figure skating at this time. They also have the comparable hockey programs run by hockey people, not figure skating people. I'm sure if this organization receives enough interest from boys who want to figure skate, they will take it into consideration & make adjustments.

I say good for them for starting the organization & sticking with it. People with good ideas for their group should stop talking, start doing by getting involved & helping them. It's easy to find plenty to criticize about volunteer & non-profit initiatives, usually in areas requiring a lot of additional manpower. But when they need the people to implement the improvements of the critics, they cannot be found.

[skaterdujour]

Ruth thank you for this information. I was not aware of that.

In general I do think this is a great initiative. Having been raised myself in these kinds of communities, I'd be disappointed if the needs of young boys in these communities were not considered (for figure skating, hockey, or whichever sport interested them) by them or other groups.

[skaterdujour]

By the way, there is a similar initiative in my town.