SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006 Floyd Hall Arena A Unique Public/Private Partnership Benefits of Computerized Systems Comparing Mechanical Controls 5 Steps to a Stronger Party Program Volume 9, Number 21 September/October 2006 OPERATIONS CONTENTS Publisher Ice Skating Institute Electro-Mechanical vs. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006 Editor Direct Digital Control Systems . 6 Lori Fairchild by Gerry Fitzsimmons Editorial Advisors MANAGEMENT Peter Martell Floyd Hall Arena Patti Feeney Get with the Program! . .10 A Unique Public/Private Partnership Advantages of computerized Print Production and Advertising Sales Manager systems in the ice arena Carol Jackson by Richard Wise Art Director PROGRAMMING Cindy Winn Livingston Rethinking Your Party Program . .14 Contributors Gerry Fitzsimmons 5 principles for gaining David Jacobson the edge in your market ComputerizedBenefits of Rob McBride by Frank W. Price Frank W. Price Systems Richard Wise New iAIM Initiatives . 18 MechanicalComparing Bringing professional training Controls The ISI EDGE (USPS 017-078, within reach of the entire industry ISSN 1522-4651) is published 5 Steps to a Stronger bimonthly; January/February, by Rob McBride Floyd Hall Arena Party Program March/April, May/June, July/ COVER FEATURE: Floyd Hall Arena, page 24 August, September/October, November/December; by the ISI Profile: Paige Scott . 22 Ice Skating Institute, 17120 N. Dallas Pkwy., Ste. 140, by Lori Fairchild Dallas, TX 75248-1187. Annual Subscription Rate is $24.00 per year. COVER FEATURE Periodicals postage paid at Floyd Hall Arena . 24 Dallas, TX, and at addi- tional mailing offices. A unique public/private partnership by Lori Fairchild POSTMASTER NOTE: Send address changes to ISI EDGE, c/o The Ice Skating Institute, ISI District Fall Seminar Schedule . 28 17120 N. Dallas Pkwy., Ste. 140, Dallas, TX, 75248-1187. Printed in the U.S.A. Developing Competitors . 30 Subscriptions available Part 1 of a 2-part series through membership only. by David Jacobson ©2006 by the Ice Skating Institute. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibit- ISI 25-Year Awards . 44 ed unless expressly autho- rized in writing by publish- er. All rights reserved. Opinions expressed by con- DEPARTMENTS tributors do not necessarily represent the views of the Message from the President . 4 Ice Skating Institute, the publisher or the advertisers. Power Ice with Wendy Marco. 32 Submissions of manuscripts, materials, photographs, and ISIA Education Foundation Report. 34 artwork are made at mailer’s risk and must include self- Coaches’ Corner . 36 addressed envelope with suf- ficient postage for return. Ice Arena Association News . 38 No responsibility will be assumed for unsolicited Calendar ISI-Endorsed Competitions & Shows/Exhibitions . 42 materials. ISI reserves the right to edit material sub- Classified Advertising . 43 mitted for content and space consideration. And Another Thing . 46 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Dedicated to providing leadership, education and services to the ice skating industry. hen my predecessor, Jim Lange, con- vened the first ice arena industry sum- ICE SKATING INSTITUTE mit meeting on Feb.16, 2005, it was his 17120 N. Dallas Parkway, Suite 140 W Dallas, TX 75248-1187 hope that it would be the first step toward bring- Phone: (972) 735-8800 ing together all of the related organizations to Fax: (972) 735-8815 e-mail: [email protected] address the many issues and challenges that we www.skateisi.org share in the ice sports industry. I think all will agree that the meeting was a significant step in ISI INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS Executive Director that direction. Peter Martell It was agreed at the conclusion of the sum- Jim Hartnett Managing Director, mit that we should try to identify a project or President, Member Programs & Services ISI Board of Directors Patti Feeney initiative that we, as a group, could accomplish National Events & as a result of our historic gathering. After some Skating Program Coordinator Barb Yackel discussion it was decided that before we could do anything to further Administrative Assistant develop interest and encourage continued participation in ice sports, Kathy Chase Controller & Tradeshow Manager we needed to conduct a survey to learn more about the demograph- Karen Schaffer ics of our current members and customers, their likes and dislikes, Membership Coordinator and patterns of participation. A committee was formed under the Kimberley Russelle Advertising Sales & leadership of Tom Hillgrove of Rink Management Services Corp., Print Production Manager funding was secured from the five leading industry organizations and Carol Jackson Sponsorship Sales Manager an independent research company was hired. Stuart Sedransky I am pleased to report that the survey has been completed and Information Services Coordinator Jeff Anderson soon will be ready for distribution. While the results do not present Customer Service Coordinator any shocking revelations, there is, for the first time that I know of, Angela Tooley independent, statistical confirmation of figure skating and ice hock- ISI OFFICERS ey customer profiles. It is important to note that the survey sample President Jim Hartnett group consisted almost exclusively of USA Hockey and U.S. Figure 1st Vice President Mike Paikin Skating past and current members and did not include new or entry- 2nd Vice President Janice Forbes Treasurer Richard Arenella level users. Secretary Margy Bennett Immediate Past President Jim Lange Past President Boyd Wietecter Some of the information gleaned from the survey includes: • 77 percent of all user families had household incomes of DIRECTORS $75,000 or more per year. District 1 Katy Hayden District 2 Robyn Bentley • Having “fun” is the most important and greatest benefit District 3 Lisa Fedick received from participation. District 4 Christine Wilson Brinton District 5 Shane Douglas • Cost and parental time demands are the two major barriers District 6 Toni Cooper to participation. District 7 Maria Koman • There is too much travel involved in ice hockey, and figure District 8 Tom Hickey District 9 Dan Smith skating is viewed as being an “elitist” sport. District 10 Char Martin • Loss of interest by and time demands of the children are the District 11 Liz Mangelsdorf District 12 Debbie Lane two leading reasons for discontinued participation. District 13 Cindy Jensen District 14 Paige Scott District 15 Bert Blanchette Completion of this project is a significant accomplishment and District 16 Cindy Solberg the sponsoring organizations are to be commended for their com- District 18 Glyn Jones mitment. However, it is not an end unto itself. If we are to work Hockey Kevin McCormack Builders & Suppliers Doug Peters toward what we all agree is the ultimate objective — developing Instructors David Santee interest and increasing participation in the ice sports — then we must Commercial Facilities Scott Slavensky Public/Not-for-Profit Facilities Pete Carlson take it to the next step, which is to survey the casual participants Schools, Colleges, Universities and non-participants about their perceptions of our activities and iAIM Chair Rob McBride why they do not participate more. This next step will be even more PSA Representative Gerry Lane USFS Representative Homer Hagedorn time- and cost-intensive, and will require additional commitments ISIAsia Representative Raul Gomes from other stakeholders within our industry. As your professional AMMA Representative Trudy Ivory MAMA Representative Rob Mueller trade association, we will continue to press forward in the spirit of MIAMA Representative Russ Rose collaboration — not duplication. MIRMA Representative Judy Sniffen WIAMA Representative Members who would like a copy of the survey e-mailed to them Education Foundation Don Bartelson should contact the ISI office at (972) 735-8800. Lifetime Honorary Member Carol Zdziebko 4 ISI EDGE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006 The greatest risk on your ice may be the one you'd least expect. With over 43 years of winter sports insurance experience, Willis knows the risks associated with running an ice rink are not always obvious. That's why we created RinkGuardsm, SM an insurance program designed specifically to meet the RinkGuard unique needs of the ice rink industry. Cover your ice. To learn more about RinkGuard, call your insurance agent or broker today. 55 Bay Street, Suite 107, Glens Falls, New York 12801, 518-615-0314, [email protected], www.willisprograms.com ©2005 Willis of New Hampshire, Inc. "RinkGuard" and "Cover your ice." are registered trademarks of Willis. Ice Sharks logo trademarked by Boston Ice Sharks. Electro-Mechanical vs. Direct Digital Control Systems Decoding the Differences by Gerry Fitzsimmons The world continues to move along at a torrid pace, with 1 Floor Slab Tempera- digital everything taking over. But what is this all about ture) as the slab tem- and how does it impact ice arena operations? Let’s look at perature rises (indicat- both electro-mechanical and direct digital control systems ing a rising ice surface OPERATIONS in order to provide a better understanding of the benefits temperature) at a pre- of each system. determined set point (e.g., 24 degrees Fahren- Electro-mechanical (thermostatic) control heit), and a set of con- tacts closes and starts (EMC) systems the refrigeration plant Electro-mechanical components and systems have been (Fig. 2, Cold Glycol around since 1885, when the Buzz Thermo-Electric Regulator Pump No. 1). EMC con- Co. registered a patent for a thermostatic system that auto- trols have a predeter-