Olympic Skaters Create Ice Storm at Area Rinks

It may be cold and wet outside, but inside the massive Iceoplex there is an outbreak of Olympic fever.

“Max used to be a roller-blader,” said Marla Geisinger, of Encino, as she watched her 8-year-old skating in a circle a few yards beyond her peaceful perch behind the plexiglass. “All the kids in the Valley roller-blade. They’re all athletic. This is new to many of them and they want to do it.”

Since the Olympics began in Nagano last week, the two-rink facility in North Hills has had a 30% increase in attendance, manager Lisa Sakata said.

Saturdays at the 6-year-old facility begin with tightly scheduled group lessons, attracting the greenest tots to the practiced teens, who speed about in maddening geometries between patient instructors and awe-struck Kwannabes.

The afternoons play host to free-for-alls that allow anyone with blades and grit to glide onto the crowded ice rink.

“It’s cool,” said Brandon Gunaer, 8, as he watched a school buddy finish a group lesson. “When I get out there, I try to skate like they do on the Olympics.”

Many of the kids--and their parents--bring a serious demeanor to the neighborhood skating rink. Some here for practice were wearing $100 skating outfits.

“It’s a very expensive proposition,” said Laurie Galen, of Agoura Hills, whose young daughter recently began skating and whose 3-year-old son, Jordan, is now asking to play ice hockey.

“It’s good for them. But for Jordan, I say he first needs to learn how to use the potty, then he can do hockey.”

In another part of the rink, Nicole Galen, 5, smoothed out her pink overcoat, cut so that her legs were unencumbered as she glided along the ice.

Her goal is to be Olympian one day, Galen’s parents said. But for now, she still has to learn the basics, such as skating without falling.

Nicole didn’t seem to mind the mishaps. “I like this, a lot,” she said.

Today, hockey enthusiasts will be able to view the world’s oldest team-sport trophy, the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup.

The cup will arrive at the Iceoplex--accompanied by NHL chaperons who never let the giant silver chalice out of their sight while it’s on tour--at 1:30 p.m., and is expected to be on view for 90 minutes.

But from the talk at the Iceoplex on Saturday, it seemed that an Olympic medal would be of much more interest to Southern California’s newest crop of skaters.