Okotoks Shorts: Inside Big Rock Figure Skating Club’s Rising Stars

Big dreams don’t need big cities, just early mornings, strong coaches, and belief. 

In this Okotoks Shorts episode of the Okotoks Podcast, Carlin spotlights three standout young athletes from the Big Rock Figure Skating Club, Londyn, Vlad, and Presley, as they prepare for the Alberta Winter Games and national competition in Halifax. 

The skaters share what it takes to train before sunrise, travel long distances for ice time, and stay motivated through nerves, pressure, and hard work. In the second half, head coach Barb Westhaver explains how commitment, discipline, and joy are intentionally built into the club’s culture, and why a small, community-driven skating club in Okotoks is producing confident athletes and remarkable results.  

Listen For

2:46 What does a real training week look like for competitive figure skaters?

4:25 Why do these athletes love figure skating despite the sacrifices?

7:14 What is the hardest part of learning elite-level figure skating skills?

17:11 How is a small skating club in Okotoks making a big impact?
 
Guests: Barb Westhaver | Head Figure Skating Coach & Club Director, Big Rock Figure Skating Club

 Londyn, Presley, and Vlad | Competitive Figure Skater, Big Rock Skating Club

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 Connect with Carlin

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Transcript

Announcer (00:00):

Hey everyone. Welcome to the Okotoks Podcast, brought to you by Carlin Lutzer Real Estate. Glad you're here.

Carlin Lutzer (00:17):

Today's episode shines a spotlight on three incredible young athletes from the Big Rock Skating Club. I sit down with Londyn, Vlad, and Presley as they prepare for big moments ahead, including the Alberta Winter Games and nationals in Eastern Canada. We talk about early mornings, hard work, family support, and the passion that keeps them coming back to the ice. In the second half of the show, I'm joined by their head coach, Barb Westhaver. Barb shares what it takes to build not just strong skaters, but confident, disciplined young people, and how a small club here in Okotoks is starting to make a big impact. This is a conversation about commitment, community, and chasing big dreams from a small town. Let's get into it. Well guys, thank you so much for joining me. Now I am in the presence virtually of some local talented athletes. You guys have done an amazing work to achieve. The achievements that you guys have are basically, you're reaping the rewards of all your hard work in the next few weeks, aren't you?

Londyn (01:34):

Yeah.

Carlin Lutzer (01:35):

Yes, you are. Now, tell me, where are you guys going? What are you doing and how did you get there? What kind of trips are you guys going on?

Presley (01:42):

Winter gains,

Carlin Lutzer (01:44):

Where are the winter games this year?

Presley (01:45):

Alberta Cold Lake, Bonneville.

Carlin Lutzer (01:48):

So you're driving, you and your dad are driving to Cold Lake Bonneville for the Alberta Winter games, and you got there on a solo skating, what do you call it? I'm not all that up on figure skating, but on a solo. Do you call it a solo routine?

Presley (02:07):

Yes.

Carlin Lutzer (02:07):

Yes. Good for you. That is fantastic. Well, good for you. That's going to be awesome. And then Vlad in Londyn, you guys are traveling somewhere as well. Where are you guys going?

Londyn (02:18):

We're going to Nationals and Halifax.

Carlin Lutzer (02:21):

Halifax. And when did those start?

Londyn (02:23):

Next week.

Carlin Lutzer (02:24):

Next week. So that's February. What are we looking at? February the sixth. Somewhere in there.

Londyn (02:29):

Yeah.

Carlin Lutzer (02:30):

Yes. Well, good for you guys. That is an amazing accomplishment for you guys because you guys are skating as pears and for Presley, you're skating alone, but you're going to Cold Lake and you guys are going to Halifax and you guys all skate at the same skate club. Now what's the name of the skate club?

Londyn (02:46):

Big Rock Figure Skating Club.

Carlin Lutzer (02:48):

Big

Vlad (02:48):

Rock figure skating.

Carlin Lutzer (02:49):

Big rock figure skating. That's amazing. Now tell me a little bit, what kind of work, you guys, you put in a ton of work. What does a regular week look like for your guys' training?

Londyn (03:02):

For me, I do three mornings a week and four afternoons.

Carlin Lutzer (03:09):

Okay, so three mornings, and then how many afternoons?

Londyn (03:13):

Four.

Carlin Lutzer (03:13):

Four. And from what I hear, getting ice time is really, really difficult. So Vlad, you would do the same amount of skating as Londyn, right? When you're skating, you're always skating together.

Vlad (03:25):

Yes.

Carlin Lutzer (03:25):

Now Presley, how many times a week are you skating?

Presley (03:28):

Three times a week. Two mornings. One afternoon.

Carlin Lutzer (03:32):

Boy, you guys and your mornings are crazy early sometimes. Yeah. Yeah. What time do you sometimes have to set your alarm clock?

Londyn (03:40):

5 45.

Carlin Lutzer (03:42):

I wake up at five 30. Five 30 to get to your early morning skate. You're skating all over the place?

Vlad (03:51):

Yes.

Carlin Lutzer (03:52):

Where do you skating rinks do you guys skate at?

Londyn (03:57):

We skate in High River and we skate in Calgary sometimes.

Carlin Lutzer (04:01):

Yes.

Londyn (04:02):

And there's this place next to my school, Scott Seaman. Scott Seaman.

Carlin Lutzer (04:06):

Oh, Scott Seaman. Okay. Yes. So you guys kind of have to go all over just to get ice time, don't you?

Londyn (04:11):

Yeah. It's been a lot of drama.

Carlin Lutzer (04:12):

Yeah. What do you guys like about, or do you guys figure skating?

Londyn (04:18):

I love it.

Carlin Lutzer (04:18):

Yes. You love it? That's awesome. What do you like about it? Tell me what's so awesome about it?

Vlad (04:25):

That you can be fast, but you can still be elegant while being fast.

Carlin Lutzer (04:30):

Yes. Yes.

Londyn (04:33):

You can do crazy stunts and jumps and spins, but you know how to do it so it looks scary, but it's not.

Presley (04:42):

I also love how fun. It's when you love what you're doing, it's fun and you

Carlin Lutzer (04:47):

Just

Presley (04:49):

Dancing on us.

Carlin Lutzer (04:50):

Yeah, for sure. I imagine the performances are pretty cool once you've put in all that work for your routine and then you get to perform in front of people, right? This is both for Vlad in Londyn and for you, Presley, this is going to be an incredible experience and we're just so proud to have people like you that are going out to represent Okotoks and really this little skate club that's producing some high quality skaters. And that's you guys, right? Who do you guys, when you think about it, who you guys, who's helped you out the most in your skating careers?

Londyn (05:34):

Probably my coach and my family.

Carlin Lutzer (05:38):

Coach Barb?

Londyn (05:39):

Yeah.

Carlin Lutzer (05:39):

Yes. Yeah, your coach. And what's your coach's name?

Londyn (05:42):

Barb Leah. Lindsey?

Carlin Lutzer (05:45):

Yes. I'm going to, as soon as I'm done talking to you guys, I'm going to talk to Barb as

Londyn (05:49):

Well. And Tyler,

Carlin Lutzer (05:51):

Matt and Tyler. That's very cool. I also heard you said your parents. Now are you saying that just because they're sitting close to you and they can hear you right now?

Presley (05:59):

No. No. It's because without them I wouldn't be skating and I can't drive and they drive me.

Carlin Lutzer (06:07):

Well, yes,

Londyn (06:08):

Absolutely. They encourage us. And then number one fan.

Carlin Lutzer (06:12):

Number one fan. Yes. No, for sure. Absolutely. No parents, they do have to do so much work to get you guys there, but they obviously see the importance of what they are doing for you guys. Now we're about to get to the Olympics. Would you guys like to one day go to the Winter Olympics?

Londyn (06:31):

Yes,

Carlin Lutzer (06:33):

Of course.

Londyn (06:33):

Free one?

Carlin Lutzer (06:34):

Yeah. Wouldn't that be cool? That'd be quite the experience actually, in a podcast I'm releasing next week, I'm talking to a lady that was a speed skater. Her name's Katrina, lame. Do, I don't know if you've ever heard of her before, but she's got quite the amazing story, kind of like you guys, right? Where you guys were at, where she was starting to pick up the momentum at this age and starting to realize that she had a real ability. And man, what an experience to go represent your country. Wouldn't that be amazing? So what would you say is the hardest part about figure skating?

Londyn (07:14):

Probably the jumps and the technique. The technique that, like Presley said, the technique that you have to know when you're jumping so you don't fall on your face.

Carlin Lutzer (07:25):

How many times do you do one spin and then land? Or are you getting to the point where you're trying two spins? Where are you at with the

Londyn (07:34):

Spins?

Carlin Lutzer (07:35):

Two spins and land in them. Really? Wow, that's awesome.

Vlad (07:38):

For me, it's making the most out of each session.

Carlin Lutzer (07:41):

Yes. Yeah. Do your coaches have you kind of on where you're eating properly as well, and you guys are exercising outside of practice as well? Yes. Really? Yeah. Good for you. That's crazy. So what else, outside of the skating point, when you go to competitions, what else do you like about competitions? I

Presley (08:02):

Feel like they make you excited and nervous at the same time and it makes you butterflies in your stomach.

Carlin Lutzer (08:08):

Yeah,

Londyn (08:09):

It gives you thrill and it's just super exciting and you just get this adrenaline and it feels awesome.

Vlad (08:15):

Yeah, absolutely. Vlad friendship with the competitors. Yeah, absolutely. You get to

Carlin Lutzer (08:20):

Meet new people. Yes. How long have Londyn and Vlad, how long have you guys been skating together?

Londyn (08:28):

Like two years.

Carlin Lutzer (08:29):

Two years? Okay. No, that's awesome. And obviously you guys are clicking because I don't know if you'd be going to nationals if you weren't. Right. That's got to be sometimes that obviously a relationship where you guys are relationship, trying to work towards a goal together, trying to figure things out. There's got to be, obviously sometimes there's probably some frustrations inside the relationship, but obviously you're working towards that goal and I've seen some of your videos on social media and what you guys do. It looks fantastic. Well, you guys okay, some quirky questions for you. What is your favorite post practice snack?

Londyn (09:13):

Ooh, if I skate in the morning, then it's probably a Nutella sandwich.

Carlin Lutzer (09:20):

Oh, Nutella. Have you ever mixed Nutella and peanut butter together?

Londyn (09:23):

Yeah,

Carlin Lutzer (09:25):

It's

Londyn (09:25):

So good.

Carlin Lutzer (09:26):

That is so good

Presley (09:28):

For me. It's chocolate.

Carlin Lutzer (09:29):

Chocolate. I know. Yeah. Chocolate. Anything. Yeah, peanut butter and chocolate. I'm the same. I love. How about you Vlad?

Vlad (09:39):

For me, I usually practice in the mornings, so I just eat breakfast and then go to school.

Carlin Lutzer (09:45):

Yes.

Vlad (09:45):

And breakfast is whatever my grandma cooks.

Carlin Lutzer (09:48):

Oh, nice. She a good cook. Very good cook. Ooh, okay. Okay, good, good. That's awesome. What music do you love? Skating to

Presley (09:57):

Beat music. It gives you pumped out. Yeah, I was going to say pop music with a good vibe and that makes you feel the energy around you. Or if it's a solo, then emotional. I like things like that, but it's still with an upbeat.

Carlin Lutzer (10:13):

Yes.

Londyn (10:14):

You know what I mean?

Vlad (10:15):

Yeah, absolutely.

Londyn (10:17):

Yeah.

Vlad (10:18):

Rock and roll and rock of any genre.

Carlin Lutzer (10:22):

Yeah, no, for sure. No, it is. We're coming onto it the time that a lot of Canadians are going to be watching figure skating, right? And getting excited about it. And then I don't know if you guys, do you guys remember? Do you guys even remember the last Olympics?

Vlad (10:40):

No.

Carlin Lutzer (10:41):

Are you old enough to remember that?

Vlad (10:42):

Yes, I am old enough

Carlin Lutzer (10:43):

Four years ago. Yeah. This one will be fantastic for you guys to be able to watch because you guys are going to be watching the figure skating and it is so exciting to watch. If you could skate anywhere in the world, where would that be? Where would you go? Skating.

Presley (11:00):

Well, I love it here in Canada. It's so beautiful and this is in my dream place already, so I just want to skate here. I love it here.

Carlin Lutzer (11:11):

How long have you been in Canada for? Presley?

Londyn (11:13):

Six years.

Carlin Lutzer (11:15):

Six years. Where'd you move from?

Presley (11:17):

Joberg, South Africa.

Carlin Lutzer (11:19):

I love seeing your enthusiasm for Canada. That's awesome. For us that have been born here, we probably don't see it the same way that you do. Right? And that's very cool. Your enthusiasm for Canada certainly comes across. How about you two? Where would you want to skate?

Londyn (11:39):

I would keep skating here because it's like Presley said, it's really good here and I used to skate in France, but I feel like it's better here. It's more fun. And you have more friends here

Carlin Lutzer (11:52):

Also. Also

Londyn (11:54):

Lakes.

Carlin Lutzer (11:55):

Sorry, what?

Presley (11:56):

They're beautiful. The lakes like Lake Louis ice.

Carlin Lutzer (11:59):

Yes, absolutely. How about you flat?

Vlad (12:02):

I would pick Canada because I haven't experienced anywhere else.

Carlin Lutzer (12:07):

Yeah, yeah.

Vlad (12:09):

Still have to experience them.

Carlin Lutzer (12:10):

Yeah. Yeah. And I do. I think we're pretty lucky that we are from this great country. Right, absolutely. What else? Is there anything else you guys could tell me about anybody else you want to talk about that has helped you along in your career so far?

Londyn (12:27):

Me and Vlaada last. You got to skate with e Catarina used to go well, she's an Olympian and she used to do Paris.

Carlin Lutzer (12:38):

That's very cool. That's awesome. And where was she? Was she in Calgary or was she She was

Londyn (12:44):

In Edmonton. In Edmonton.

Carlin Lutzer (12:45):

Very cool. That's awesome.

Presley (12:48):

The Art of performance, because it's a place where Olympians,

Carlin Lutzer (12:52):

Okay, and sorry, where is that?

Presley (12:55):

It's held in Calgary.

Carlin Lutzer (12:56):

Is it? Okay. That's awesome. And when is, do you know when that is? It's in May. In May. That's perfect. No, that's awesome.

Londyn (13:03):

Yeah,

Carlin Lutzer (13:03):

No, you guys, we are really proud of you guys. We're proud that we're sending such great representation from the area to go represent the big rock skate club out of little old Oke sending you guys the best of luck with your performances. Now, this might air, people might be hearing this after you guys have performed, but is there a way that we can watch you guys on YouTube or something like that once you're there? Yes. Is there? Okay, that's awesome. No, we look forward to watching that and cheering you guys on. So thanks you guys. I appreciate your time tonight.

Londyn (13:45):

Thank you so much.

Carlin Lutzer (13:46):

Thank you. Thank you. Now I get to go chat with your coach and find out all the good and the bad about you guys.

Londyn (13:55):

Oh no,

Carlin Lutzer (13:59):

That's awesome. Well thanks guys. We will chat soon. Good luck. Thank you.

Londyn (14:04):

Thank you.

Carlin Lutzer (14:05):

Bye-bye.

Presley (14:06):

Thank you so much. Bye. Have

Carlin Lutzer (14:08):

A good day. Hi Barb. Thank you for joining me.

Vlad (14:12):

You're welcome.

Carlin Lutzer (14:13):

Now I just spent a few minutes with three of your skaters and they were fantastic. Vlad got the giggles a little bit. You know Vlad, right?

Barb Westhaver (14:25):

Oh yeah.

Carlin Lutzer (14:28):

Interesting. No, he didn't. He was very to the point, very stoic, which was awesome. The girls certainly let me know what was going on and they did a great job and they speak so highly of you. So you are the head coach for the Big Rock Skating Club. Now I don't know a lot about figure skating. I do some of my earliest memories of figure skaters. I'm really dating myself here. Del Barb was Elizabeth Manley at the 1988 Olympics. I was only 15 out

Barb Westhaver (15:00):

Of four. I was there, I was there. I watched

Carlin Lutzer (15:02):

Her. You were there.

Barb Westhaver (15:03):

I was there.

Carlin Lutzer (15:04):

Really?

Barb Westhaver (15:05):

So do you want the story behind it?

Carlin Lutzer (15:07):

Yes, please.

Barb Westhaver (15:10):

I was teaching figure skating in Newfoundland and I had a really good friend and we'd go for coffee together and he, instead of drinking coffee, drank coke and Coca-Cola had a contest that you could enter and win a trip through the Olympics. And so I would take his coke liners and then I entered and I won and I ended up out here at the Olympics.

Carlin Lutzer (15:34):

No way.

Barb Westhaver (15:36):

So yeah, I got to see her. I was there

Carlin Lutzer (15:38):

Really when she won her. It was a gold medal that she won, wasn't it?

Barb Westhaver (15:42):

No, I think she was bronze.

Carlin Lutzer (15:46):

Bronze. Okay.

Barb Westhaver (15:46):

Bronze are silver. Yeah. She didn't win it.

Carlin Lutzer (15:48):

Well, it sure felt like it. I just remember the crowd reaction and Okay. No, that's very cool. And then of course the drama inside of figure skating, the Nancy Kerrigan and Tanya Harding. And then I know enough, I know enough about figure skating that as most Canadians, very disappointed and had a hard time believing that Tessa Virtue and Scott Moyer were not going to move on from their ice skating career and actually be married. It just seemed like they just were the perfect cuff wall. But that, that's probably another conversation for down the

Barb Westhaver (16:24):

Road. Okay. Yeah,

Carlin Lutzer (16:28):

That's maybe just me, but whatever. Okay, so now we're heading into the Olympics. And it's interesting because when I met with your students, your skaters, they had a very hard time remembering the last Olympics because of their ages. They didn't. But this year is going to be something, no doubt that they're really going to catch the Olympic buzz over the next few weeks, which is awesome. So what can you tell me about the Big Rock Skating Club? You are the head coach there and it seems like it's this little club that is starting to make some marks on the skating community.

Barb Westhaver (17:11):

Yeah, we're tiny right now. We've been running for two years. We started as a non-state Canada, not-for-profit club, so it took a lot of effort with all of us together. And I have an amazing support crew as board members. So we were able to get insurance that was actually the same insurance company that Skate Canada uses. And so we were able to get a really good insurance program, allow our skaters to train, and then we applied for a Skate Canada membership and initially were declined. And so we continued training and supplementing at other Skate Canada clubs so that they were still viable to compete and do Skate Canada membership stuff. And then in networking with my other coach colleagues and people within the system, the understanding became obvious that it would be a good idea if we reapplied again and they granted us a Skate Canada club, which was really, really exciting. So now we're still the same group of people and the kids are training hard. We're transitioning with all the formalities now of becoming a Skate Canada Club and it's just a lot of paperwork and boy, I appreciate my board members when this happens

Carlin Lutzer (18:49):

For sure.

Barb Westhaver (18:50):

And it allows me to keep coaching and do my job and yeah, there's some great skating going on and we're just, our biggest push is being able to get enough ice time to continue building what we've got.

Carlin Lutzer (19:05):

Right. Alright. So how early can you tell if a skater actually has something that goes beyond just loving being on ice?

Barb Westhaver (19:14):

Sometimes you can tell when they're really, really young. But the big piece, you see balance, you see a desire to do things and stick with whatever they're doing when they're really, really young, you see balance, you see athleticism and talking to the parents, you might find out that whatever they do, it's easy for them and then it's commitment. And sometimes you see three and four year olds that just love it and keep going and keep going. No matter what's going on, they're happy to just practice. Or eight year olds that pick it up and go, oh, this is great. So it's the commitment. And someone like you talked to Presley and she just started skating a couple of years ago

Carlin Lutzer (20:11):

Really?

Barb Westhaver (20:11):

And that was that I pulled her right away and went, there it is. She just doesn't stop. She's so committed to what she wants to learn and do. So talent, you want athleticism like any sport, you see that. But probably more than that. It's a commitment to learn and do and be coachable.

Carlin Lutzer (20:35):

And that was one of the first things when, well, they all said right off the bat, who are their biggest influences in their success in their careers. The first one they said was you. And then there was two other coaches, I believe there was a Matt. And then is there another coach that they mentioned as well?

Barb Westhaver (20:56):

Maybe Ashlyn.

Carlin Lutzer (20:57):

Ashlyn. Okay. So they mentioned their coaches right out the gate. And then

Barb Westhaver (21:03):

Ashlyn's new to us, she's brand new. Tyler. Tyler is really a positive influence for

Carlin Lutzer (21:10):

Us. And then second of all, they mentioned their families and obviously how important it is to have that support from families. If you don't, you might have families that, yeah, okay, they, they'll pay pay for it, but they don't really support. They're not really there. They're not really involved in that. Certainly makes a difference. So how do you balance pushing for excellence while still keeping the joy of the sport there? Again, I asked them right away, do you guys love figure skating? And it was a reflex. It was almost like they were almost offended that I asked that because it's just like, well, duh. Yeah, of course I love it. They all love it

Barb Westhaver (21:51):

And it comes, right. I think about Vallan, he also started at a late age. He was kind of a COVID kid and was tripping and falling and he could not skate at all. And then you communicate with the parents, you give the kids a chance to be who they are away from the rink, and you just get to know them and know that, okay, if they're going to love this, we have to have a balance schedule. And it's my job too, to talk to the parents and say, you know what? It's worth it. They love this, let's support them. And they do. Vlad's parents both work and have to work all the time, and they do what they can to get 'em there. Presley's parents, there's a little bit of flex in their schedule and they can be there. Londyn's parents, her mom is home, but she also works. She also supplies all the figure skating attire. She, that's what she does for a living. So she's very involved in other parts of skating. So you just ask for that commitment in all that variety. They all find that their kids love it and the kids pull that from their parents and I'm thankful they support that. Yeah,

Carlin Lutzer (23:14):

For sure. Yes. Yeah, absolutely. So for parents that are listening who might be considering skating for their kids, what do you want them to know about the club and the culture of your skating club?

Barb Westhaver (23:26):

Wow, that's a big one for them. If they're going to come, we build an atmosphere that come skate, be your best. We combine our level so everybody gets to know everyone. The littles and my teenagers all have relationships because they all skate together. We're a small club. We're a small club. I don't want to put numbers on the ice and not know everyone. So if you're coming to my club, you're going to see that we look after you as best to our ability and the people that we're surrounded by and nurture whatever skating skills your skater has.

Carlin Lutzer (24:12):

Right. So did I hear you correctly that you were coaching in 1988? Were you coaching at that time?

Barb Westhaver (24:19):

Yeah. Yep.

Carlin Lutzer (24:20):

So you have some time, you've been coached for a while. Is there ever a moment when it just hits you and you stop and think, this is exactly why I'm doing

Barb Westhaver (24:31):

This? Right. The time you put in, it just never stops. I am always available and I think, oh, and then I go, yeah, no, it's what I want to do. The little tiny successes, I have an ongoing joke with the skaters and sometimes they'll do something that's just one little glide, or sometimes they'll land a big jump or do a fantastic spin or something bigger than that and run a clean program. But it can be the littlest thing or the biggest thing. And my ongoing joke is I'll throw my arms up and go, good, I can go home now. You've just made my day. And then I say, I'm not going home. But that's how I feel. You've given me that joy of success from the littlest things to the biggest things and shaping people for life, not just at the rink, is I hope I can be a constant positive. So it's not an event, it's not a thing, it's just a love of coaching

Carlin Lutzer (25:33):

For sure.

Barb Westhaver (25:34):

And seeing people learn and be

Carlin Lutzer (25:37):

Right, I would imagine the seeing them, it's not, at times, it stops being about figure skating. It could really be about anything. But you are developing perseverance, you're developing discipline commitment in these kids at a very young age, which is something that, yeah, some of them they might not be skating for in four years again when the next Olympics are on. Or you could have kids that are really trying to get to the next Olympics, and how cool would that be? So what a great success story, and this is why this podcast exists, is to highlight organizations, skate clubs like yours that is seeing success. And even when the kids were describing you, Barb, I said, what is it about Barb? And they go, well, right out the gate, she says, well, she's strict,

(26:37):

But she's fun. She can make it fun. But we also know that there's rules and there's boundaries. And also so many kids are looking for those rules. They're looking for the boundaries, and they're looking for parameters. And they realize that if they're going to do anything, if they're going to make it to the Alberta Winter games, if they're going to make it to nationals, they need to follow these rules and parameters. So Barb, I do thank you. I thank you for what you're doing in these kids' lives and building a community in the smallness, and really, it's called Big Rock Skating Club, but really it's the little club that is making a big difference in our community. We certainly hope that you guys can find some ice time because just talking to the kids and the travel that they need to do to different ice times and the crazy times that, and no doubt, those early mornings certainly do develop the discipline for these kids as well. But wouldn't it be nice if we could find some more ice time in this community that ice time is such a high

Barb Westhaver (27:46):

Demand? Yeah, and that would be, if I have a wish, my wish is for ice time that would be more consecutive so we're not back and forth and maybe some afternoons for the kids that need it so we have more ice time would be my wish

Carlin Lutzer (28:08):

For sure. No, Barb, thank you very much and we look forward to hearing the results from the Alberta Winter Games and from nationals, and we look forward to chatting with you again soon.

Barb Westhaver (28:19):

All right, thanks, Carlin. That was great. Thanks. Par.

Carlin Lutzer (28:31):

Just want to thank Londyn, Vlad, and Presley for sharing their journey and best of luck as they head to the Alberta Winter games and nationals in Eastern Canada. And thank you to Barb for the work you do every day at the Big Rock Skating Club building, just not great skaters, but confident, resilient young people. This is exactly why this podcast exists to highlight the people, programs, and passion making a difference right here in our community. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow rate and share it with someone who loves local sport and great stories. If you have a story that you think needs to be told, please do not hesitate to reach out. I would love to hear from you. I'm Carlin Lutzer, and this has been the Okotoks podcast.

Announcer (29:24):

You've been listening to the Okotoks Podcast, brought to you by Carlin Lutzer Real Estate. Thanks for joining us. We'll catch you next time.