A love of figure skating is being passed down through generations within the Williams Lake Skating Club.
Parents Jenni Mason and Nicole Andrews, both former figure skaters themselves, are now cheering on and supporting their children in the sport they found so much enjoyment in.
And, it’s all been under the tutelage of Williams Lake Skating Club coach Joanne Macnair.
Jenni’s children Wyatt Mason, 10, and Sydney Mason, 8, and Nicole’s daughter Camdyn Cochran, 9, are current members of the club, and are following in their parents’ footsteps in the sport.
“I was thinking about this the other day, and I started competitive skating in 1987, and Sydney started in 2017 so it’s been exactly 30 years,” Jenni said.
Macnair, who was awarded the Skate Canada Provincial Club and Recreation Coach Award in 2015, has been passing on her knowledge of figure skating to her students since 1979.
“I started in Vancouver at the Kerrisdale club, but when I came here we were at the old arena,” Macnair recalled. “In September of 1988 we moved over to this arena.”
Nicole, meanwhile, began skating with the club at the age of seven in 1995.
“I think my best memory of the club was having our home competition, the Cariboots ‘n’ Blades,” Nicole said. “It used to be an awesome opportunity to skate in front of family and friends.”
Both Jenni and Nicole said Macnair definitely helped mold them into the people they are today, and are hoping their children will reap the same rewards.
“Just the amount of discipline it takes to be a figure skater carried on through my figure skating and into my adulthood,” Jenni said.
“From around the time when I was seven until around 17 or 18 Joanne taught me,” Nicole added. “Some of the highlights for me were travelling and the competitions. You really made good friendships, learned work ethic, and I think a lot of it was the self confidence I have now, and that’s something I hope Camdyn gets out of it.
“When they did their [skating] showcase this year I was in tears — she wore my old dress.”
Jenni and Nicole both said their kids are much better skaters than they were at their age, and added they’re both really proud to have Macnair as their coach.
“It’s crazy,” Camdyn said of having the same coach as her mom. “I really like it. I like learning how to do lots of jumps, competing and being able to skate really well. I’ve improved a lot since I started, and I’m really enjoying making new friends.”
“I love competing,” Sydney added. “It’s just a lot of fun, and Joanne’s a great teacher.”