[SkateDC] Skate Leaders Wanted

[George Marinkovich]

I'll be putting the schedule together for May and June skates in a little while, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to let everyone know that here at WAR we have an insatiable appetite for new skate leaders.  We must constantly push skate leaders into the maw that is our skate calendar in order to keep the skates coming out the other end.  During our prime season we put on four skates every week.  Each of those skates needs a skate leader (although admittedly the Friday Night Skate leader doesn't have to be all that clever).

Being a skate leader might be easier than you think.  You move first and skaters follow you.  That's pretty much it.  Lemmings understand this concept very well.  You don't even have to start out developing your own routes, there are plenty of tried and true routes that can be recycled.  OK, there is a learning curve; the third or fourth skate you lead will probably be better than your first skate.  But the first skate you lead will probably be just fine.  Of course, there's only one way to find out about that:  give it a try.

If you think you might like to give it a shot, please reply to me.  We won't throw you into the fire until you're ready, but I need to know as soon as possible to leave gaps in the forthcoming schedule to accommodate the new skate leaders.  There's plenty of time between now and May or June to come up to speed on the business of leading a skate.  You will have help.  Your willingness to give it a try is the most important attribute to have.

Someone led her first skate last Wednesday night and it was a great success.  Thank you Haloran!  The more skate leaders we have, the less of a burden is placed on any individual skate leader.  Also the easier it is to find a substitute for a skate leader when things come up unexpectedly and he or she has to miss a scheduled lead.  One skate leaders has been leading on average of one skate a week for years.  He's never complained about doing that, I only mention it to indicate that we're stretched pretty thin on skate leaders.  Our starters are doing a fine job, but we have a very weak bench.  In fact, we have no bench.  We don't even have the place where a bench would go if we had one.  If you want to be a skate leader you will get your chance to bat.  (What a relief.  I've used up my year's supply of obligatory baseball metaphors and the season has only just started.)

Thanks,
George
Friday Night Skate Leader (see, anyone can do it)