Dirkman grew up on the ice

Published 12:00am Friday, November 18, 2005
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Ice skating remained a passion in her life and after high school she began teaching lessons in 1996. She has continued teaching group and private lessons, and although the names of the different programs tend to change from time to time, Dirkman said that she and others teach all ages on the ice. &#8220We have a basic skills program called learn to skate,&8221; she explained. &#8220Snow Plow Sam is for kids up to five, then there are basic levels one to eight, free skate levels one to six, and adult levels one to four.&8221; Dirkman and six other instructors spend Monday and Thursday nights at the rink teaching three 8-week sessions. She stays after group lessons to teach private lessons and teaches one-on-one Wednesday mornings before school as well. &#8220I enjoy working with the kids and seeing their smiles and the enjoyment they get out of skating,&8221; said Dirkman. &#8220Especially the Snow Plow Sams. Some of them can’t even stand up and then to see them marching across the ice is so fun.&8221; Because she also works as a nurse at Lake Region Hospital, Dirkman has to balance her time at the rink with her on-call duties. Currently pregnant (in her eighth month) she has recently scaled back her hours to be able to continue instruct ice skating. Although she admits she may take a few weeks off of both jobs when her baby comes, she also said she would like to get back to teaching as soon as possible. The second session of lessons starts Dec. 5. Costs for the eight week session are either $45 for once a week instruction or about $20 more for twice a week. Students involved in the third session also participate in a public performance that the community can come and watch. Dirkman said the show is a great opportunity for kids thinking about taking lessons to see other children who have already been through the lessons. She said the statistics for her last session group were higher than last year. Eighty-nine students, 33 of them first timers, participated at all levels. Sign up for the session starting Dec. 5 will be Nov. 28 at 7 p.m. or Dec. 1 at 6:30 p.m. Both registrations will be held at the rink. Call Heather at 736-4899 for further information.

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