Interview with Jane Rizzo

Partial Transcript: Yes, I was. Well, I love the sport. When we were taught there was a program call the NST program, the National Skating Association had it and they were looking for volunteers so a lot of the senior skaters were asked to do it…

Segment Synopsis: Jane introduces herself and explains her connection to the Garden City Arena through the Winter Club. She shares that she started figure skating in 1963 and began coaching in 1977 through the NST program. Jane coached figure skating for 35 years and 25 of those years were at the Garden City Arena. She then discusses the levels she skated at (silver) and how it has changed since she skated. She also mentions summer skating schools in Niagara.

Keywords: NST; Skate Canada; Sport -- figure skating; figure skating -- athlete; figure skating -- coach; national skating association; women & gender

Subjects: Figure Skating; Winter Club

Partial Transcript: Mostly, yes. I would think so. I would say, majority of the time, yes parents would bring you in, either do your skates up if you needed help and most parents— Some parents stayed, back in those days, remember people didn’t work, the moms especially, as much as they do now…

Segment Synopsis: Jane discusses how she perceived the Garden City Arena as safe and a home away from home. She then discusses being on the Winter Club board and helping to run one of the first power skating courses for hockey players and the integration of figure skating and hockey today. She mentions changes in coaching and skating culture which she feels has hurt the sport.

Keywords: figure skating -- athlete; figure skating -- coach; hockey -- player; national skating association; nst; rink rats; skate canada; sport -- hockey; women & gender

Subjects: Figure Skating; Winter Club

Partial Transcript: It just— From my own experience, it was a place that you saw your friends, you worked hard. There was just joy. Being a skater and being on the ice, even now if I get on the ice, there is just exhilaration of being able to be on the ice…

Segment Synopsis: Jane discusses the carnivals the Winter Club would put on and how seeing the senior and championship skaters would motivate her. She also shares that some of the girls would have loved to play hockey but there were no opportunities for them to play hockey. She goes on to discuss the rewarding nature of coaching, coaching 3-5 year olds, and starting a special needs skating program in Niagara Falls.

Keywords: Sport -- figure skating; disabilities; figure skating -- athlete; figure skating -- coach; paralympics; special olympics; women & gender

Subjects: Figure Skating; Winter Club

Partial Transcript: I believe so. I think it was normal. I think it was Garden City in this city because we also had the Black Hawks. It was a very big hockey town, big hockey town, and those rafters, when the Black Hawks used to play, the rafters were coming off…

Segment Synopsis: Jane discusses her father’s hockey history. Her parents met at the Garden City Arena, and though he was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings, he never played for them due to World War II. Her father coached the St. Catharines Junior B Falcons and Jane mentions that he coached a lot of NHL players while they were young. Jane also attributes her coaching to her father. She then shares a story about the Garden City Arena roof being damaged in the early 1980s and having to go to Merritton Arena to skate.

Keywords: Facilities; Hockey -- coach; Hockey -- player; Merritton Arena; NHL; Sport -- Hockey; St. Catharines Black Hawks; St. Catharines Falcons; St. Catharines Saints; World War II; figure skating -- coach; sport -- figure skating

Subjects: Figure Skating; Junior A Hockey; Junior B Hockey

Partial Transcript: But one thing I do remember about that arena, somebody always asks me, and I said I remember the wooden floors as a kid. They had wooden floors when you walked from the dressing room…

Segment Synopsis: Jane recalls the wooden floors of the Garden City Arena. She recalls that she would skate from 9 to 11 before the St. Catharines Black Hawks would skate and she tells a story about getting onto the ice and Marcel Dionne getting out hockey sticks and trying to convince the figure skaters to play hockey with him. She then shares that her grandmother billeted hockey players, and recalls the Bryan Adams concert and Grape and Wine events at the Garden City Arena.

Keywords: Bryan Adams; Fundraising; Grape and Wine; Linda Evangelista; Marcel Dionne; Queenston Neighbourhood; Sport -- hockey; St. Catharines Black Hawks; Tasty Treat; Tony's Tasty Treats; billeting; figure skating -- athlete; hockey -- player; sport -- figure skating; women & gender

Subjects: Figure Skating; Junior A Hockey; Winter Club

Partial Transcript: Oh everybody. You’d have anybody come. It would be parents, it would be people that just wanted to come see a skating show…

Segment Synopsis: Jane describes the carnivals put on by the Winter Club. She recalls one carnival was Sesame Street, she was Snoopy while her friend was Big Bird and she remembers that they collided and her friend couldn’t get up and how funny it was. She then discusses the difficulties of coaching and getting volunteers but also how rewarding the work is.

Keywords: Sport -- figure skating; figure skating -- athlete; figure skating -- coach; women & gender

Subjects: Figure Skating; Winter Club

Partial Transcript: Not really, I think they’re all special. I think they all have their own special—You know, an ordinary day could be a great day…

Segment Synopsis: Jane recalls off ice figure skating training in her parents living room and kitchen before discussing how different coaching is today compared to when she skated. She then recalls when the World Juniors were in Buffalo that they did a skating program and ushered in Team Canada. She also shares that her skates were made to measure and she never had them sharpened in St. Catharines.

Keywords: Sport -- figure skating; figure skating -- athlete; figure skating -- coach; sport -- hockey; women & gender; world juniors

Subjects: Figure Skating; Winter Club