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A Little About Figure Skating

Ice Skating is a wonderful family sport. All ages can have fun together. Skating uses all of the body muscles and improves blood circulation. The sport develops coordination probably better than any other and gives poise, grace, rhythm and good posture.

Little Sun Valley sponsors U.S.F.S.A. Basic Skills programs on Sundays and Wednesdays at Smead Arena from September through June. This program of group instruction takes a skater from the very beginning up until they are ready to pass the Pre-Preliminary Moves test of The United States Figure Skating Association.

Little Sun Valley Junior Skaters are those who are taking private lessons and at the same time are also enrolled in the Basic Skills group instruction.

Little Sun Valley Senior Skaters are those skaters taking private lessons who have passed the Pre-Preliminary Moves test of The United States Figure Skating Association or have skated in a USFSA sanctioned competition above the Basic Skill level.

Skating is divided into three areas:

1. Freestyle: The skating seen on TV and ice shows.

Many of the Little Sun Valley Skaters compete in local and regional competitions. Skaters compete in their levels against skaters of the same skills. As they progress up through the levels, the number of skaters decreases and the competition becomes more difficult.

Our Club History

Little Sun Valley Skating Club, Inc.., has the distinction of being one of the oldest skating clubs in New England. Established in 1942 by the late Marion and Herbert Meyer, the club centered its activities around an outdoor pond and skating lodge in West Springfield.

With the construction of I-91, it became necessary to sell the original property. Some of these profits remain in a private trust administered by a group of longstanding club members, many of whom are Charter Members. The Board of Trustees maintains a genuine interest in the well-being of our club and continues to make financial contributions.

In 1969 Little Sun Valley took up residence at the newly constructed state rink in Blunt Park, Springfield. Today, Smead Arena remains our "home rink," with additional club sessions offered at the Enfield Twin Rinks in Enfield, Connecticut.

Little Sun Valley Skating Club, Inc., is a non-profit organization with a general membership exceeding 200 skaters and parents. Many of our club skaters are medalists in U.S.F.S.A. sanctioned competitions throughout New England and nearby states. Several of our past members have gone on to compete at the national level.

Since 1950 LSV has been a member of The United States Figure Skating Association, the governing body of amateur figure skating on ice in the United States. Our club abides by all the rules and regulations of the U.S.F.S.A. Over 50,000 skaters throughout the country are registered with the U.S.F.S.A.

Our club is also one of the 64 member clubs participating in the New England Inter-Club Council (NEICC), the third largest figure skating organization in the United States. Little Sun Valley has the distinction of being the first club in Western Massachusetts to win the NEICC Free Skating Trophy. This was achieved in 1982, and again in 1983, 1989, and 1994.

There have been many changes in figure skating since 1942 when Little Sun Valley members began skating on a pond. Our club has grown and changed through the support of its members.

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