The latest news about WMSC!

Posted 10/20/09
Today is the relay meet in G.R.! It's free to the public to watch so come on down to Belknap Arena and see some fast short track speedskating.

Posted 10/20/09
This being an Olympic season all the competitions are moved up and that may mean that they sneak up on you sooner than you think.
Although we just started the training season, our relay meet is less than a week away, Saturday, October 24, in Grand Rapids. If your team is not registered yet then do it today! (call the WMSC hotline or email)
All of our Michigan meets are fun but I don't think I exaggerate when I say that the most relaxed and fun competition in the entire Midwest is our club's relay meet. No awards, no big pressure to win, divisions for everyone--including first time ever skaters and novices, learn as you compete, build your endurance (most events are of the 3,000 to 5,000 meter distance), make friends in a relaxed setting, get ready for the competition season. Don't forget the most awesome event of all, unseen at any other competition...the 9 person caterpillar races! Get your team together and have a blast in Grand Rapids next week. Let the fun begin!

Mad Mark

Posted 10/5/09
Congratulations to WMSC alumni skater Kimberly Derrick in making the US Olympic speedskating team for the second time in four years.
She competed in the Winter Games in Turin in 2006, and is in line to go to Vancouver in February.
Travis Jayner (Midland, MI) also made the team, so Michigan is well represented!

WMSC practices start on Tuesday (Oct. 6) so everyone get a jump on this Olympic season and come hit the ice right away! New skaters always welcome too!

Posted 9/29/09
Hi Skaters!

Mad Mark here with a quick message to remind you that the countdown is on for the start of our 22nd speedskating season. You still have a week to get those spring bulbs planted, your lawn fertilized and even your skates sharpened. Turn in those pop cans to Meijers to get some money to help pay for your ice fees! Our season begins in Grand Rapids on Tuesday, October 6, 6-7:30 PM. The following day is Skate-A-Thon day in Muskegon from 4:30-6 PM. No group instruction that day as it is just 90 minutes of non-stop jumbo lap skating to music. Kids get your pledge sheet circulated to your rich aunts, grandpas, teachers and really close friends. (Do not go door to door asking strangers or weird people to donate to your cause!) Adult skaters and those youngsters that do not wish to participate in the skate-a-thon fundraiser can still just skate to get ready for the season. Brand new skaters will receive one-on-one instruction at center ice. The rest of you are just skating laps. Any youngsters from Grand Rapids that can't make it to the skate-a-thon can do your laps at any public skate in Grand Rapids and count your own laps, then turn in your pledge sheet to Mark next week. Thursday, October 8, is our first Muskegon session at our new time slot of 5:30-7 PM.

If you are going to need different skates or blades, let me know in advance and get to the rinks early so I can get you fitted.

A reminder about about the first meet of the season in Alpena, which actually comes the following Saturday, October 10. You have to be registered by October 5. Since that is the day before our first practice, I will not be able to get you a registration form on time, hence I am forwarding you the link to get it electronically on your own. ***PLEASE NOTE: The Alpena people printed the wrong day of the week on the registration form. It says Sunday, but the meet is actually SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10. (I think they are in a different time zone in Alpena. That is a joke!)

Thank you,

Mark
(Eat less. Move more.)

Posted 9/8/09
This year's meet schedule and practice times have been posted. Get ready as the season is about to start just as soon as October gets here.
This is a Winter Olympics year so plan to get right in on the season because our club will get added attention and we need all of you to participate!

Posted 8/3/09
Our summer speedskating camp was a great success and everyone had a great time! Thanks to former U.S. Team Member Chris Weaver for coaching.
Plan to attend it next year if you can.

Posted 3/31/09
With last Thursday's practice, our season has come to an end until next October.
Get out there and keep in shape this summer so you'll be ready for next season!

Thanks for the nice comments on my brush with fame being on last night's national news. (If you missed it, they have it posted on the web site by Googling: "Assignment America.") The main reason I asked you, my friends, to watch was not because of any ego thing (even though I do have a big one) but because of the message I wanted to send to the kids in our club. Unfortunately, none of that message made it off the editing room table. So, like the recently deceased news commentator Paul Harvey, I would like to pass on, "The Rest Of The Story."

Cut out was what I thought was the most important part of the 4 hour interview...the answer to his question as to why I am so optimistic about the country. He shot me sharpening a pile of skates for twenty minutes while I talked about the kids in our club. He even asked if I could forward him some recent still photographs of you (the kids) in our club skating. Dr. Mimi accommodated him by shooting a bunch of really nice photographs at that night's Tuesday practice. All of that got cut out--much to my chagrin because that was my reason for doing the interview in the first place. It was about the kids and not me! So, I will take this opportunity to tell you the message I felt was a lot more important than my pie making abilities. That message was that I have faith in this country because I hang out with a lot of really great kids in our skating club and with the other kids I sometimes see and don't see in the other sports in which I am associated with via our West Michigan Youth Wintersportsfest. I told him that the doomsday, negative and cynical people that keep getting interviewed in the papers, television and radio are all too old. The people that "get it" are the kids of this country. They understand the need to help others, to conserve resources, to protect the environment, to shop wiser, to be compassionate to their fellow citizens, to avoid war and to get an education that will fit the current needs of the job market. I suggested that those that are so negative need to hang out with some young people to bring a little hope and happiness into their lives. Then we will get the country moving forward again. My final comment addressed to the television audience (which also did not make it on the air) was for everyone in America to get out and do something positive this weekend. Say hi to your neighbors, take your kids for a walk around the block, visit a nursing home or do something nice for someone.
That is what you did not see on the program...but you can still do all of those things this weekend or Monday!

Posted 2/19/09
DEADLINES FOR MEETS
The Petoskey meet for this Saturday is definately on. They have great ice and the heavy snow will be over by Friday, so excellent ski conditions at Boyne if you want to make a weekend of it. You may still register for this state championship as late as Wednesday, so if you want to go, phone Holly at: 231-347-5934.

Still time to register for the state short track championships the following Saturday, in Lansing, on Feb. 28. We ALL need to be entered in this meet to end the season for us.

The national championships are being hosted by MICHIGAN in Midland, March 13-15. All six Michigan clubs are serving as hosts so that means we are expected to send volunteers to help out along with maybe sending some skaters. This is volunteer work you will want to do just to get a free front row seat to see these great young skaters from across the United States. I will find you an on the job training postition from timing to judging to filling buckets of water or selling tickets. No job too difficult and no age limits.

SCHEDULE CHANGES
Remember, that due to the circus, there will be no Thursday skate in Muskegon on Feb. 26, you are welcome to skate Wednesday, Feb. 25 from 4:30-6 PM.

Also, on Tuesday, March 3, due to the Mayor's Cup hockey tournament in Grand Rapids, we are skating at 5:30-7 PM on the OTHER sheet of ice at Griff's.

Our Grand Rapids skate season ends on March 10, and not March 17, as previously printed on your calendar. Muskegon skates through March due to losing the Christmas and New Year's holidays and circus.

Posted 2/4/09
~~Registration deadline is today (2/4/09)~~ for the Petoskey State Long Track Meet.

Posted 1/31/09
MICHIGAN WINTER TRIATHLON
SUNDAY FEB. 1, 2009
MUSKEGON STATE PARK--MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN
(462 SCENIC DR.--N. MUSKEGON, MI. 49445)

This is your opportunity to try out three exciting Winter Olympic sports (luge, ice speedskating and cross country skiing) in a family friendly, competition smack in the heart of "Pure Michigan." The event is geared toward those that have never done at least one of these sports. There are no big awards. There is no pressure to win. We want you to simply have fun doing a sport you would not normally think about trying. It will be a fun competition. Serious competitors are allowed to participate (because we need your money to pay the bills) but our main focus is to introduce you to a new sport that you have never tried before. We will teach you everything you need to know to get through this competition in continuous 20 minute clinics at each venue. We give you the basics and hope you will have so much fun that you will want to come back for more serious lessons and competitions. There are age divisions for everyone. The entire family is encouraged to participate in this unique winter adventure in the snow-covered dunes along the shores of Lake Michigan. Don't worry, you will finish in time to catch the Super Bowl on TV in the cozy lodge or you are welcome to keep on luging, skating or skiing into the night at the fully lighted sports complex. Why not make a mini-vacation by coming Friday evening? There are plenty of hotel and motel rooms available.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION
10 AM-11:30 AM Check in and registration in the lodge.
YOU MUST HAVE PROOF OF HEALTH CARE INSURANCE!
No day of race sign ups after 11:30 AM!

Posted 10/18/08
The first meet of the year is rapidly approaching (next Saturday, October 25) in Grand Rapids, from 5-10 PM. This is a fun, fintness and conditioning meet. $20 entry fee per skater. No awards just skate until your legs fall off. If you do not have a team we will put you on a team. Come prepared to skate hard and have fun.

Posted 9/30/08
Tonight is a free introductory ice session for anyone interested in trying speedskating at Griff's Icehouse (downtown Grand Rapids).
It runs from 6-7:30pm. Club members are encouraged to show up and help any new skaters...and to skate themselves.

Posted 9/15/08
The 2008-2009 season starts on these dates so get ready to skate:

GRAND RAPIDS:
October 7 Tues.
6pm-7:30pm

MUSKEGON:
October 1 Wed.
4:30pm-6pm

Oct. 2 Thurs.
5:00pm-6:30pm

Posted 7/28/08
RANDY SAWYER DEVELOPMENTAL SPEEDSKATING CAMP
August 1-3, 2008 Griff's Icehouse in Grand Rapids

COACH STAFF: CHRIS WEAVER, MIKE KOOREMAN, MATT KOOREMAN, JOE ROHRAFF
ASSISTANT COACHES: JON CHAMBERS, MARK JASTRZEMBSKI, SHAUN THOMAS, DR. MIMI EMIG,
DR. JEFF CARPENTER, SUSAN RENSHAW, COREY BAKER
ADDITIONAL TENTITIVE COACHES: BILL WEAVER

The end of the season is upon us! Next Tuesday (March 18th) is the last practice session in Grand Rapids.
The Lansing club will have ice on Tuesdays for the next month or two are you are invited to attend for free so don't hang up your skates for summer yet!

Posted 2/21/08
Some extremely sad news...Long time club member, good friend and all around great guy Randy Sawyer died Tuesday night from a heart attack

Sandy and the children invite you to the viewing this Sunday from 2:00 to 5:00 PM at the Van Zantwick Bartels & Kammeraad Funeral Home at 620 Washington Avenue in Grand Haven.
This is on the main street in downtown Grand Haven, just off of US 31.
The funeral service will be this Monday, at 3 PM at the Covenant Life Church at 101 Columbus Ave. in Grand Haven.

Many of our skating friends asked about the family wishes regarding flowers. The following is a message from Sandy addressing that topic:

Dear Mark,
Please forward this to the wonderful people in the speedskating world that Randy was a part of. On behalf of my family, thank you to everyone for your support over the last days. Randy so enjoyed his friends on the ice. He loved every moment he spent there and was so tickled when the boys began to show an interest in skating. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the West Michigan Speedskating Club in Randy's name. He was always telling me about the new skaters that showed up that week or how far someone traveled to come and skate that night. He really believed in promoting the Club and did what he could to make sure expenses were covered for the season. I just hope I can continue to support the Club in a way that Randy would be proud of.
God's blessings to all of you.
Sandy Sawyer
Erin, Cameron and Ethan

I can think of no more fitting memorial than to create a special fund separate from our club money that we will name; "The Randy Sawyer Memorial Youth Fund." This fund will be used to help those youngsters in our club that demonstrate a desire to skate with our club but that may be lacking the necessary funds to pay for registrations, skates, equipment and ice fees. Randy was adamant that kids and their parents first needed to make an effort to help themselves. We will be sensitive to those conditions. That is where these funds will go to help out those youngsters.
So, in lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to "The Randy Sawyer Memorial Youth Fund."
You may make out your check to: "WMSC" Please write on the memo line: Sawyer Memorial. You may mail these to:

WMSC
2179 Lake Ave.
Twin Lake, Mi. 49457

We will forward to the Sawyer Family a listing of those that contributed.

Posted 2/21/08
The State Short Track Meet in Lansing is just around the corner....get your entry forms in now.
(forms downloadable from the races page)

Posted 1/31/08
The Midland meet this weekend is now a Saturday only meet. Some of you booked rooms so hopefully you can bail without penalty. You will still end up doing the same number of races but with a lot less time in between.
The plus side is saving motel room rental and getting home a day earlier so you can watch the Super Bowl or better still participate in the best kept secret in Michigan, our own club sponsored Michigan Winter Triathlon at Muskegon State Park Sunday!

An article in the paper about the upcoming Youth Sports Festival in Muskegon Feb. 8-10:

Posted 1/9/08
Sorry to say that the meet in Petoskey scheduled for last Sunday was cancelled due to the highly likely prospect of rain showers and 50 degree temperatures all up and down the coast of Michigan.
The good news is that this meet is now going to be loosely tied into the state championship meet on January 20th (Sunday), by it being held on Saturday, January 19th.
So, as long as you are driving that distance (about 4 hours) on a weekend, you might think about doing two meets--one regular meet on Saturday with their own set of awards and stay overnight and do the state championships on Sunday morning.
If you cannot afford to stay overnight and had to pick between the two meets, I would suggest you do the state championships on Sunday as there will be a lot more competitors at that meet.
The updated entry forms are posted on the meet schedule page (get them in as soon as possible, the deadline is the 16th!).

Posted 12/29/07
Long track meet!
Sunday, Jan.6--Petoskey, MI
The ice is great so get your registration forms in!

Also, we have a new batch of WMSC club long sleeve shirts available for $12 each (black with white logo).
Bring some money to practice, we'll have the shirts there. Limited quantities so get them quick.

Posted 10/23/07
The short track relay meet is coming up fast so make sure you are signed up and that Mark has your t-shirt size.
This is one fun, no pressure meet so if you aren't skating then come watch and bring friends! It's agreat show for a Saturday Night!
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27
GRIFF'S ICEHOUSE--5-10 PM

Posted 9/18/07
The Season is right around the corner, here is the form to register with the club.

The unofficial kickoff for our practices will be with our annual DR. DAVE'S SKATE-A-THON (form) on Wednesday, September 26, in Muskegon, from 4:30-6 PM.

The official skate season starts in Muskegon, on Thursday, September 27...note the new ice times below:

GRAND RAPIDS:
BELKNAP ARENA

Tues. 6pm-7:30pm
Season begins October 2!

--------------------------

MUSKEGON:
WALKER ARENA

Wed. 4:30pm-6pm
Season begins October 3!
&
Thurs. 5:30pm-6:30pm
Season begins Sept. 27!

We think these new skate times will help increase attendance by allowing our current one night a week skaters to make it to a session in the other city. We also feel the new start times will entice more working adults to make it to the rink and hopefully, they will show up with their skating age children! We had a lot of skaters drop out over the years because it was too difficult to make it to the practices because of work or school conflicts with our kind of bad start times. So, this is a call to all former skaters to look at our new times and get back in on the fun, fitness and competition. We want all of our skaters from last season to make an extra effort to bring a friend for free to the first four sessions. We welcome new skaters anytime throughout the year but particularly during the first month because we don't want them to fall behind the rest of the club. Get them to try our sport out now when our coaching programs are going over the basics for everyone.

Remember; ice speedskating is the least expensive and most fun winter sport around!

Please note, that our first meet of the year is THIS SUNDAY in Midland. Everyone skates three races with combined times. The Samalog format has kids skating three 500's and adults (juvenile and up) skating three 1,000's. As usual, we need skaters and workers. Contact Mark for details!

Posted 4/9/07
Tomorrow is the club banquet so if you are planning on going and have not reserved a spot then get a hold of Mark ASAP.

Posted 2/26/07
Tomorrow our practice in Grand Rapids starts early and ends early: 4:30pm-6pm
So, get there early so you can get stretched out.

Posted 1/19/07
We are again hosting the super fun
Michigan Winter Triathlon
February 4, 2007
Muskegon State Park--Muskegon, Michigan
(entry form here:)

Posted 1/19/07
To all Michigan Skaters,
Petoskey Speedskating Club is pleased to let everyone know that our ice has shaped up very well and we are looking forward to a successful meet on Saturday the 20th.
With that, we are giving everyone one more day to sign up! Registration will now continue through Thursday the 18th.
Please contact Holly Russell: Phone # 231-347-5934
OR
E-mail Address:
ehmk@charter.net

WMSC news archives:
1999 / 2000 / 2001 / 2002 / 2003 / 2004 / 2005 / 2006

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