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Women In Sport Week: Active Participation

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To mark Women In Sport Week (6-12 March), the Ice Skating Association of Ireland asked the women who make ice skating happen in Ireland a series of questions to hear about the challenges and unique culture of the sport within the country.

The theme for today is Active Participation. The ISAI’s Emerald Skate Learn To Skate programme is the great success story of Irish skating with demand continuing to grow year on year for the courses. It is a programme that also happens to be administered, taught and participated in almost entirely by women. ISAI CEO Karen O’Sullivan shares her thoughts on why women are so instrumental in ice skating in Ireland.

You have been involved in the Emerald Skate programme since its inception and it has always had very high percentage of female participation. What is it about ice skating that appeals to women so much as a sport?

O’Sullivan: Gosh, the Emerald Skate programme has to be my highlight of skating in Ireland. Yes, it is  predominantly women, but we encourage the boys too. I think it’s the challenge, the sense of accomplishment on a medium so outside our comfort zone that allows women to realise our freedom and self-reliance. Skating is all you. When the skater stands on the ice and pushes forward, she is in control. It’s a space for women to express themselves and discover their inner strengths. When a women puts on a pair of skates she becomes a skater. There is no gender divide.

Women in sport have historically faced barriers to participation and recognition. Have you experienced any challenges or obstacles in ice skating in Ireland because of your gender?

O’Sullivan: I am sure there have been, but with the perseverance that skating has taught me I have ignored them. We don’t use the #UpAgain hashtag in ice skating for no reason! Our sport develops a strong inner core to face and overcome any obstacle life puts in front of us.

What do you feel are the positive aspects of being a woman involved in ice skating in Ireland?

O’Sullivan: Respect. Respect from and for each other. We know the mental and physical demands the sport requires from putting on your first pair of skates to stepping onto World Championship ice, and everything in between. We admire and support each other. Even though we might not get the respect, understanding and recognition from those not directly involved in our sport, it is empowering to see women supporting women at all ages, celebrating each other’s accomplishments. Some of my best moments have been when a younger skater lands her first axel jump and her faces lights up with the realisation she ian do It. Sometimes it’s the child that lets go of the penguin and moves freely to the centre ice. The parent’s face as they realise their child can cope with any adversary.

Representation and visibility are important issues in all areas of life, including sport. What would you like to see happen in the world of ice skating to encourage more women to participate and succeed ?

O’Sullivan: Two things.

One: The perception that the sport is “fluffy” changes. There is nothing soft about the falls, the cuts, the blisters, the pain, the heart-breaking frustration waiting for it to click, the cold, the unsocial hours, the isolation, the core strength and fitness that is need, the mental and physical strength for endurance that is necessary. Did I mention the cold? And through all this the skater has to give the appearance that it is easy. It is not. I would like credit to be given for what the skater does to effortlessly glide across the ice on a steel blade no thicker than 4.8mm!

Two: Meaningful support for access, to give the girls and the boys more ice in Ireland.

Women In Sport Week: Leadership & Governance

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To mark Women In Sport Week (6-12 March), the Ice Skating Association of Ireland asked the women who make ice skating happen in Ireland a series of questions to hear about the challenges and unique culture of the sport within the country.

The theme for today is Leadership and Governance. Clara Peters was the first skater to represent Ireland in international competitions and she competed four times at both the European and World Championships. She is currently the Vice-President of the ISAI.

What inspired you to get involved in ice skating, and how has the sport influenced your life?

Peters: I have no fancy story, I wasn’t at a birthday party, I didn’t grown up watching ice skating movies, I just knew I was always going to spend my life in the skating world. To say skating has influenced my life is an understatement. I have participated in many roles, I have been a competitor, a coach, a technical specialist, a board member, and now I am the Vice-President of the National Governing Body. I have travelled the world, met many interesting people, learnt how to be strong and resilient. In short, ice skating has made me into the person I am today.

Women in sport have historically faced barriers to participation and recognition. Have you experienced any challenges or obstacles in ice skating in Ireland because of your gender?

Peters: I have faced all the possible barriers that there are, including gender. In the very early days I was only seen as a girl in a sparkly dress doing a novelty activity. At that time few even recognised ice skating as a sport in Ireland. In the early days of my competitive career ice skating was treated as a lifestyle segment. It took time to make the sport pages as I continued to write ice skating history for Ireland. For me just to be featured on the sport page was a massive win. Even though Figure Skating is perceived as a female dominated sport, even in Ireland, I find it is still hard for our voice to be heard, and our skills to shine.

What do you feel are the positive aspects of being a woman involved in ice skating in Ireland?

Peters: The unexpected positive I have found is the great sense of community that exists in Irish ice skating. I have gotten to play many roles in ice skating in Ireland and the common trend has been the wonderful ice skating family we have built. From the skaters I’ve coached, their moms with cups of tea at the ready, the volunteers making sure every event runs smoothly, the coaches I’ve gotten to work alongside – these friendships now go beyond the skating world. I have gotten to know girls who watched me compete become my students. I have gotten to help skaters grow from their first days on the ice to the next generation of coaches.

Ice Skating has empowered me to persevere. I quickly learnt that success comes with hard work. Ice Skating allowed me to achieve my childhood dreams. I set out to be the first skater for Ireland, I have won National titles, International medals, and been to European and World Championships. I received recognition in the form of Sport Awards and IOC Scholarships, sectors I never expected to support me.

Representation and visibility are important issues in all areas of life, including sport. What would you like to see happen in the world of ice skating to encourage more women to participate and succeed ?

Peters: The women in Irish ice skating are a creative and resourceful group. We are determined to be on the ice, even when many would have given up. Without question an ice rink that is open for more than 12 weeks is critical to give women in Ireland greater representation in their chosen sport and physical activity. As we continue to develop ice sports in Ireland I fear the start-stop nature of seasonal rinks will hinder a lot of girls and young women staying in the sport. If ice skating was perceived by the government as a serious sport and physical actively we would have hundreds of women and girls involved on a weekly basis throughout the country; it’s time our government gets behind the women of Ireland and commits to providing facilities and opportunity.

Women In Sport Week: Coaching And Officiating (Part 2)

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To mark Women In Sport Week (6-12 March), the Ice Skating Association of Ireland asked the women who make ice skating happen in Ireland a series of questions to hear about the challenges and unique culture of the sport within the country.

The theme for today is Coaching and Officiating. In the second of two parts, we hear from Margery Hilko who was the first judge from Ireland to officiate at an international competition.

What inspired you to get involved in ice skating, and how has the sport influenced your life?

Hilko: Ice skating has been very important to me. I skated when I was younger, as well as dance and a number of other sports, but figure skating was always my biggest love. I remember growing up watching my idols like Paul Wylie and Yuka Sato in the Olympics and jumping around the house to my mother’s horror. When I moved to Ireland and was afforded the chance to become involved with ice skating, I jumped at it. Judging has been a wonderful way to still be involved in the sport I love.

Becoming a judge has really helped me grow both personally and professionally. Many of the skills I’ve developed judging, like spotting details and making quick decisions, have great applicability to my everyday work. It has given me a lot of confidence and the belief and skills that I can overcome obstacles.

While I don’t get on the ice as much as I’d like to anymore, it has provided me so many opportunities to grow and learn.

Women in sport have historically faced barriers to participation and recognition. Have you experienced any challenges or obstacles in ice skating in Ireland because of your gender?

Hilko: Skating in Ireland is lucky to have a core of strong women who have been dedicated to helping skating, and other women, succeed in Ireland. I have benefited from this, and am very grateful for all the support and opportunities I’ve been given.

The ISAI has always been very accepting of women, so I don’t feel that in Ireland my gender has been a challenge within the sport. However, the opportunities afforded to skating in Ireland have probably been hampered by the perception that it is a ‘women’s sport’ despite Ireland having successful male skaters as well. This has hurt the sports development in Ireland, in my opinion. I think this has meant that the sport has been given lower priority in terms of funding from outside sources.

What do you feel are the positive aspects of being a woman involved in ice skating in Ireland?

Hilko: Being a woman in ice skating in Ireland has been incredibly rewarding. Our smaller community has meant that we are very supportive to each other in our development, both on and off the ice.

Representation and visibility are important issues in all areas of life, including sport. What would you like to see happen in the world of ice skating to encourage more women to participate and succeed ?

Hilko: The easy answer is always to say better access to ice time. The past few years have seen a lot of rinks go under or close.

However, the skating world has also seen a lot of officials leaving during this time period as well. I would love to see more Irish take up the other side of skating and become an official. Irish skaters have the opportunity to skate across the globe, and we don’t currently have judges to send to every competition.

Officials are a vital part of ensuring that our skaters can properly develop. If we had more who were interested, we could assist skaters better, as well as increasing Irish visibility outside of the country. There are lots of opportunities to participate and find personal success as an official too.

Women In Sport Week: Coaching And Officiating (Part 1)

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To mark Women In Sport Week (6-12 March), the Ice Skating Association of Ireland asked the women who make ice skating happen in Ireland a series of questions to hear about the challenges and unique culture of the sport within the country.

The theme for today is Coaching and Officiating. In the first of two parts, we hear from Diana Haemer who was one of a group of instructors entirely composed of women for this season’s ISAI Emerald Skate Learn To Skate classes that took place recently.

What inspired you to get involved in ice skating, and how has the sport influenced your life?

Haemer: The first time I set foot on the ice was during a friend’s birthday party at my local rink back in Virginia (USA), and I immediately loved the independence and freedom of skating. I also had the privilege of training with many internationally-competitive skaters, such as Ashley Wagner, nearly all of whom were female. Each skater takes to the ice in different way in that some people are jumpers, others love choreography, etc. Growing up as part of a large, diverse group of athletes also gave me a lot of important female role models in both coaches and fellow skaters. From them I learned how to persevere through failures as well as the importance of showing kindness in a highly-competitive environment. Their legacy is one that has continued to influence me long after my last competitive performance. Indeed, no matter how far away I am from the nearest rink I will always feel like a skater.

Women in sport have historically faced barriers to participation and recognition. Have you experienced any challenges or obstacles in ice skating in Ireland because of your gender?

Haemer: I am grateful that here in Ireland there is such a supportive and close-knit skating community. The figure skating world is predominantly female, and it can feel as though we skaters receive less attention in the Irish sporting world than athletes doing other, more rugged sports. Indeed, people often underestimate the strength a skater needs to be able to master any edge or spin, let alone doubles or triples. Skating’s beauty is often what draws people to the sport, with elegant and creative choreography connecting the deceptively difficult elements. I think the greatest barrier female figure skaters face in the Republic is not being taken seriously enough as athletes. One could argue that if we were, there would be permanent year-round training facilities.

What do you feel are the positive aspects of being a woman involved in ice skating in Ireland?

Haemer: The ice is a great space for self-expression, regardless of one’s gender identity. My friends and I enjoy challenging each other during practice and teaching each other new moves. This was also my first year coaching during our short skating season, and I loved working with an all-female coaching team to help our skaters pass through as many Emerald Skate and Freestyle levels as they could. All of my students, from age 7 to adult, came to the rink before the crack of dawn each weekend with a truly inspiring amount of motivation. A majority of them were women and girls, so it was wonderful helping to inspire this new generation of skaters to excel, even though we only had a few months together.

Representation and visibility are important issues in all areas of life, including sport. What would you like to see happen in the world of ice skating to encourage more women to participate and succeed ?

Haemer: Since women are adequately represented in the figure skating world as a whole, the next step is to increase representation within Ireland. The sport is somewhat of a mystery in people’s minds, which I understand can be isolating for Irish skaters. Some may even feel misunderstood by their peers and neighbours and can only invite them to showcases or practice sessions during the winter months. Thus in order to create a supportive environment for female figure skaters, it is necessary to increase skating’s popularity by building a permanent ice rink. This will legitimise the sport in people’s mind and make it easier for Ireland’s skaters to excel in international competition. After all, no one can participate in a sport if they do not have access to it.

Women In Sport Week: High Performance

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To mark Women In Sport Week (6-12 March), the Ice Skating Association of Ireland asked the women who make ice skating happen in Ireland a series of questions to hear about the challenges and unique culture of the sport within the country.

Today we focus on Laura Hegarty and Sophia Tkacheva, two members of the figure skating national team who represent Ireland internationally in competitions. Hegarty, along with her brother Kevin Hegarty, competes in ice dance, while Tkacheva particpates  in singles skating.

What inspired you to get involved in ice skating, and how has the sport influenced your life?

Hegarty: Ice skating has been a part of my life since childhood. The sport has allowed me to travel abroad through competitions and training, expanding my understanding of other athletes and their culture.

Tkacheva: I started ice skating when i was five years old and as an easily-influenced child I was watching TV one day and my parents put on the sports channel to keep me entertained. A women’s’ice skating competition came on and I was instantly mesmerised. In this very moment, I realised that this is exactly what I wanted to do and my life has never been the same since. If it wasn’t for the women ice skating on the TV screen, I wouldn’t be where I am right now. I wouldn’t have had the opportunities to represent Ireland at countless international competitions, including the Junior Grand Prix. I wouldn’t have had the experiences and discipline that only comes from figure skating and I wouldn’t have learned the significant life lessons that come with this incredible sport. I started ice skating because of the influence of women in this sport and almost 12 years later I’m skating like I wanted to when I was five.

Women in sport have historically faced barriers to participation and recognition. Have you experienced any challenges or obstacles in ice skating in Ireland because of your gender?

Hegarty: I haven’t felt any restrictions either in training or in competitions. Gladly, it’s an easily accessible sport to any sex. Unlike sports like football or rugby, the “field” (rink) isn’t separated by gender.

Tkacheva: As a woman in ice skating in Ireland, I’ve experienced both obstacles and challenges in my career. There were times where I’ve felt that my injuries and pain weren’t taken seriously because I was labelled as “dramatic” or that I was “overreacting” and other stereotyped micro aggressions which completely dismissed me and my experiences in this sport as a whole. The lack of resources for training and practice in this country are definitely the biggest obstacle that I’ve faced in my career. The struggles that come from not being able to train for the sport that has shaped my life because of greater focus on training resources distribution to more male dominated sports is astounding. Ice skating is a sport that is underestimated and overlooked in Ireland and I as a woman in ice skating have felt the effect of this more than anything. There have also been several occasions where I, as an ice skater, have not been taken seriously and was even laughed at when I mentioned my participation in this sport.

What do you feel are the positive aspects of being a woman involved in ice skating in Ireland?

Hegarty: Statistically there are more women in the sport, and therefore, I feel a strong sense of an empowering community.

Tkacheva: There is an abundance of positive aspects of being a woman in ice skating in this country. From my experience, since it is so unusual and unheard of, this sport is greatly admired by people. It’s not a common skill, so people tend to be very impressed when they find out that I’m an ice skater. Being a woman in this sport I also feel like there is a great support circle specifically around women. At all competitions, women always help each other out in any way and it is very comforting to know that despite the difficulties of being a woman in ice skating, there will always be other women athletes supporting me.

Representation and visibility are important issues in all areas of life, including sport. What would you like to see happen in the world of ice skating to encourage more women to participate and succeed ?

Hegarty: Within Ireland I definitely believe the rate of participation from not only women, but the general public will increase with the presence of an ice rink. Globally the sport is being popularised through media. The more access people have to figure skating and its facilities, the more people will attempt it and potentially succeed.

Tkacheva: The biggest limit that is preventing women from participating and succeeding in ice skating is access to training resources, specifically in Ireland. There is simply no way for more women to participate in a sport that only seems to exist during Christmas time at small, temporary ice rinks. It is the main issue surrounding the world of ice skating in Ireland and if it is not dealt with, there is little to no chance of an increase of participation and success of women in ice skating in Ireland. This is especially discouraging, so the first course of action here would be to build an ice rink in Ireland. Something else that I would like to see happen in the world of ice skating to encourage women would be an increase in representation of women in this sport. This would lead to more support for women from all around the globe which will lead to encouragement to participate and succeed in ice skating.