The Orillia Figure Skating Club has been a cornerstone of figure skating in Orillia, ON since 1951, and is proudly currently serving over 400 skaters of all ages and levels.

Photo Credit: Orillia Figure Skating Club

Recent Successes and Milestones

This season marks an especially exciting time for this wonderful club, filled with outstanding achievements that reflect a commitment to excellence and growth. When asked about these highlights, Orillia FSC club president Nicole Hankin listed the following:

• We are proud to have been recognized by Skate Ontario with the CanSkate Excellence designation, earning the “Exceeded Standard” status for our exceptional delivery of the CanSkate program.
• Our CanSkate program has experienced tremendous growth, more than doubling in enrolment in recent years, welcoming even more young skaters to the joy of learning on ice.
• Head Coach Tracey Zwiers has been honored with the 2022 Skate Canada National Club Coach Award for her outstanding contributions to club and recreational coaching. She also received recognition from the Special Olympics by being nominated and selected for the 2025 Petro Canada Coaching Excellence Award for her dedicated work supporting athletes of all abilities.
• Long-time volunteer Lori Irwin was celebrated with a Skate Canada Volunteer Award for her invaluable service to the club and skating community.
• Sandy Wink earned the Skate Ontario Volunteer Award, highlighting her tireless efforts in supporting our programs and events.

“Adding to the celebration, this season is our momentous 75th Anniversary!”, Nicole told Skate Ontario, “We’re commemorating 75 years of skating excellence with a spectacular Carnival Ice Show on March 7 featuring headline guest Elvis Stojko, followed by an Alumni Social on March 8—bringing together generations of skaters, coaches, and families to honor our legacy.”

Photo Credit: Orillia Figure Skating Club on Facebook

Supporting Skate Ontario’s Values: Leadership, Accountability, Collaboration, and Excellence

Operations at this club are a true team effort. Along with the skaters, parents and coaches, Nicole attributes part of this club’s success to the hard work and expertise of their Board of Directors, volunteers, and community partners. “The Orillia Figure Skating Club embodies Skate Ontario’s core values of leadership, accountability, collaboration, and excellence every day,” she said.

“Leadership shines through our dedicated volunteer board, our experienced coaches (including those with National Coach of the Year honors, international backgrounds, and Special Olympics expertise), and the opportunities we provide for skaters to set personal goals and lead healthy, active lives.

In terms of volunteers, this club has over 50 Program Assistants that volunteer their time on PreCan and CanSkate sessions that run four days per week through the fall, winter and spring sessions. “Our Program Assistant program empowers young skaters to invest in the growth of our club, fostering the next generation of positive leaders in our community,” Nicole says.

“Collaboration is at the heart of our programs. We promote teamwork during group sessions, building strong skater-to-skater relationships while embracing all abilities and supporting participants across PreCanSkate, CanSkate, StarSkate, and adult programs. Our club is proudly recognized as a Special Olympics figure skating club, and we are honoured to have athletes train with our talented coaching team to achieve all their goals and compete in various events worldwide. We are also deeply proud of our community involvement, both on and off the ice—from securing corporate sponsorships and representing our club at local events, parades, and carnivals, to partnering with Orillia and surrounding area organizations. The success of our club simply would not be possible without this strong spirit of collaboration with our community partners.

Accountability and Excellence guide our daily operations. Each session, we strive for clear communication, transparency with our members, and high-quality programming tailored to skaters of all levels. Our club has been proudly recognized for exceeding standards in CanSkate programming through Skate Ontario’s CanSkate Excellence designation, and we remain committed to continuous growth with nationally recognized instruction—supporting athletes from the STAR Pathway to the Podium Pathway.”

Photo Credit: Orillia Figure Skating Club on Facebook

What Makes Us Most Proud

When asked what makes her the most proud to be part of the Orillia FSC, Nicole said, “We are most proud of our inclusive, family-like community that has nurtured skaters for over 75 years—from beginners taking their first steps to those achieving provincial podiums and beyond. Seeing skaters of all abilities grow in confidence, form friendships, and pursue their passion in a safe, fun, and positive space is truly special. Our dedicated volunteers, talented coaches, and supportive families make it all possible—we’re proud to be part of Orillia’s skating legacy!”

Please join us in congratulating the entire Orillia Figure Skating Club community—keep shining on the ice!