Sports

“During Olympic years, we always almost double our enrollment.”

The Skating Club of Boston

Every four years, the ice gets a little more crowded at the local skating rinks.

As the Olympics get underway this weekend, directors of local skating clubs say the Games have an immense impact on the sport each time they come around. 

“Unequivocally,” said Doug Zeghibe, executive director of the Skating Club of Boston. While the club always sees a bump in enrollment after Christmas, in Olympic years “it’s always a much bigger bump.”

“Kids just get excited [about it],” Zeghibe said.

Boston Common Skating School student Pia Mercurio takes a turn around the ice. (Courtesy Jackie Mercurio)

In the club’s First Steps program for toddlers and preschoolers, eight kids were enrolled in September for the Fall session. When the current session began last week, there were 46 kids on the ice, Zeghibe said.

Advertisement:

While he doesn’t know if the Olympics prompted them to sign up or if it was coincidental, he said with a laugh, it’s interesting to see such a jump in numbers. 

At Boston Common Skating School, the story is the same.

“During Olympic years, we always almost double our enrollment,” said owner Jackie Mercurio. Her school offers classes for all ages at rinks in Charlestown and the North End. In fact, students currently range in age from 3 years old up to 80.

As kids see glimpses of the Olympian skaters on television, Mercurio said, it’s impressive and exciting, and they view it as an activity that would be fun to learn and keep them active.

The Winter Games have been a huge topic of excitement at the skating school for months since the trials began.

“A lot of people are talking about the Olympics at the rink,” Mercurio said. “We’ve been so excited for it.”

While in previous years, Mercurio and her staff of coaches — all current or former competitors themselves — would hold a watch party for the figure skating events, COVID restrictions are making that difficult this year.

Advertisement:

But students and staff are all following their favorite skaters and their performances. Everyone is eager to watch Nathan Chen, of course, as he returns to the Games, Mercurio said. 

“Everyone wants to be like Nathan,” she said.

The public becomes invested in the figure skaters and their stories, said Zeghibe of the Skating Club. Take for example Michelle Kwan and how popular she became as the public rooted for her in her quest for the gold, he noted.

“[People] followed her from the very start of her career,” he said. “People were very invested.”

With Chen, fans are eager to see his comeback following his struggles during the last Games. “It’s personal for them,” Zeghibe said.

“Everyone’s rooting for Nathan,” he added.

That zeal for the athletes and ice skating won’t fade after the Olympics torch goes out in Beijing or any time soon. Its presence is no longer confined just to one group, after all. Temporary rinks are popping up in backyards with more frequency, and at neighborhood parks or outdoor shopping centers where families, couples, teens, and adults all test out the ice.

Advertisement:

Mercurio agrees that the popularity of backyard ice rinks is drawing new eyes to skating.

Since the pandemic began, especially, it allows friends to gather safely outdoors and have fun, she said. Then, after getting a first taste of hockey or figure skating, it leads some to seek out lessons. 

“Skating is synonymous with winter in New England,” Mercurio added.