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Halfway through four weeks of skating camp at Terry Conners Rink, Stamford resident Natalia Paluchniak is working on balance and practicing her glides and turns. The 6-year-old has tumbled once or twice, but taking a spill on the frozen surface doesn't faze her. She gets right back up and tries again until she successfully executes her moves.
"She likes coming here a lot," said Natalia's mom, Monica Paluchniak. Other moms said the same about their youngsters.
"It's great to have this facility," said Jeanne Salzman. Compared to other rinks they've tried, "here there's more free skating and free play," she said, adding that's needed to reinforce skills and build confidence.
"I have most of the qualities of a good skater," said Salzman's son Nicholas, 12, about his enjoyment of skating. "I have pretty good balance and I'm good on my feet." Nicholas comes to the rink with brothers Jared, 10, and Teddy, 5, to practice hockey.
Located at 1125 Cove Road, the Terry Conners Rink has been a respite from the summer heat for some, but for others, like Natalia and the Salzman boys, it's a place to sharpen skating skills. On any given day, while public skating may be in one area, basic skills camp or figure skating camp may be in another, and Mighty Mites hockey clinic in yet another.
"We try to utilize as much of our ice as possible," said rink manager Dennis McKiernan, who knows the lure of skating first-hand. He started in grammar school. "It's a fun sport, the type of sport that gets in your blood and never leaves."
Greenwich resident Madeline Frost said sons Andrew, 9, and Brendan, 6, benefit from coming.
"It's just a good program, the people are very nice, and they like it," she said.
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