Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1313524
over the years, which allows me to give back and help other clubs. // You mentioned the Family Ice Center in Falmouth, tell us more about your involvement there and the facility itself. Back in 1997 I was a new USFS member and parent of a figure skater. A group of individuals were working on a new rink located one mile from my house and the figure skating club that I was with decid- ed to support the project. I participated in phone banks and fundrais- ers in order to support this new 501c3 rink, now known as Family Ice. I was one of the founding board members and have been on the board since the day that we opened in 1998. Family Ice is a two-sheet facil- ity with an indoor sheet and an outdoor seasonal refrigerated rink. The rink's customers include a fig- ure skating club, two high school teams, a speedskating club, youth hockey, learn to skate and adult hockey leagues. Family Ice also has a program called Opportunity Skate whose mission is to bring skat- ing sports to children and adults with physical, mental and social deficiencies. Opportunity Skate offers skating oppor- tunities to youth groups disadvantaged children, senior citizens, teens at risk and programs that support people with cogni- tive and physical disabilities. // What do you think some of the challenges that rink operators will have to contend with in the coming year? Any words of advice? 2021 for rink operators will be a year like no other. The problem is that the local, state and national rules are always chang- ing. Family Ice is constantly listening to the rules set forth by the state's CDC, which has resulted in closing the rink twice and pivoting at a moment's notice. That's the issue that all operators are going to have. The challenge is balancing the chang- ing rules with the safety of the users of the facility and the rink's finances. Stay patient and stay informed and most importantly—follow the rules. You don't want to be that rink that did not follow the rules and had an outbreak. Also, keep a careful eye on the finances. At a lot of rinks, the expenses are up, and the income is down, so everyone has to be diligent. Reach out to U.S. Ice Rinks with your questions. Along with US Figure Skating and USA Hockey, U.S. Ice Rinks helped develop a Returning to the Rinks brochure to help all of the rinks survive the pandemic. // Speaking of advice: best advice you have received? The best advice that I received as a lawyer was actually when I was still a law student. I attended a negotia- tion meeting with an older, expe- rienced lawyer who gave me some advice that I still remember: Listen. When you are at the negotiation table, always listen and let the other side start talking first. This advice has resulted in many successful negotiations in my profession and in helping solve disputes between figure skating clubs. // We gotta know: best lawyer joke you've been told? There are lots of lawyer jokes—many are well deserved. One that I remember is: A lawyer opened the door of his BMW, when suddenly a car came along and hit the door, ripping it off complete- ly. When the police arrived at the scene, the lawyer was complaining bitterly about the damage to his precious BMW. "Officer look what they've done to my Beemer!" he whined. "You lawyers are so materialistic; you make me sick!" retorted the officer. "You're so worried about your stupid BMW, that you didn't even notice that your left arm was ripped off!" "Oh my god," replied the lawyer, finally noticing the bloody left shoulder where his arm once was, "Where's my Rolex!" J 46 / NOVEMBER.DECEMBER.2020 USICERINKS.COM PHOTO: RINK ARCHIVES CEnter ice Q&A with a rink professional , I know most of us, from skaters to parents to facility operators, can't wait to get back on the ice again. Stay patient and stay safe, and we will be there soon enough. THE CHALLENGE IS BALANCING THE CHANGING RULES WITH THE SAFETY OF THE USERS OF THE FACILITY AND THE RINK'S FINANCES. STAY PATIENT AND STAY INFORMED AND MOST IMPORTANTLY— FOLLOW THE RULES. YOU DON'T WANT TO BE THAT RINK THAT DID NOT FOLLOW THE RULES AND HAD AN OUTBREAK.