In The News

March 2, 2006
Skaters New & Old Converge On Pettit Center After Olympics

Is the next Joey Cheek preparing for the 2010 Winter Olympics? Is the next Sasha Cohen twirling her way to becoming a better skater? Is the second coming of Chris Chelios working on his stickhandling? The future stars of the Winter Olympics will be on display at the Pettit National Ice Center Skating School’s next round of classes.

With the 2006 Winter Olympics wrapping up just days ago, the next session of Skating School classes gets underway this Saturday at noon. The Pettit Skating School is one of the seven largest learn-to-skate programs in the United States and has been named a “Top Honors Program” by U.S. Figure Skating. Since 1993, the Pettit Center Skating School has helped more than 15,000 people learn how to skate.

“Throughout the last two years our Skating School numbers have grown, but the impact of the Olympics is really exciting,” said Executive Director Cindy Yomantas.

This session features classes six days a week during convenient times with instruction for all ages and abilities. There are parent/tot classes as well as instruction in figure, hockey and speed skating.

Before the skaters of tomorrow hit the ice, the Pettit Center will make way for the Dutch Club of Chicago. The "Mini Elfstedentocht,” which is Dutch for The Eleven Cities Tour, will commence on the Pettit Center’s Olympic Oval this Saturday at 10 a.m. “Elfstedentocht” is a time-honored tradition that is commonplace in Holland. Participants traditionally skate along frozen rivers and waterways on a “tour” of eleven different Dutch cities. Since the “Elfstedentocht” would be difficult to stage in the U.S., the next best option is the Pettit Center’s Olympic Oval.

The “Mini Elfstedentocht” is open to anyone and skaters can still sign up on Saturday. For more information on the “Mini Elfstedentocht”, or the Dutch Club, please check out www.dutchclubchicago.com.

For more information on the Skating School or any other happenings at the Pettit Center, please contact Rob Multerer by phone at 414.266.0100, ext. 132 or by email at rmulterer@thepettit.com.

Contact: Rob Multerer
Director of Operations
Pettit National Ice Center
414.266.0100, ext. 132
rmulterer@thepettit.com