TOGO — Young skaters and their coaches performed on the ice at the Togo Centennial Arena March 2, when the Togo Skating Club presented Country Roads, the group’s annual carnival.
“Our 2024-25 skating season has been very successful,” said Amanda Burback, MC for the carnival.
Burback thanked Christine Friesen, the coach, and Meredith Burback and Lucas Stone, the assistant coaches, for attending lessons and working hard on the routines.
“Your long hours and dedication on the ice are the reason we are all here,” she said. “Keep up the good work, and we will see you on the ice again soon.”
She thanked “all the parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, great-aunts and great-uncles, and our community members for your support all season long. Having you come to our lessons each week is such an encouragement to our club.”
The year’s carnival theme, Country Roads, was a nod to the old days and the old ways. The song list consisted of classic country songs.
“Christine Friesen has returned to us as coach after a year off with her family,” she said. “We were lucky enough to have two assistant coaches, Meredith Burback and Lucas Stone, available for nights when a little extra help was needed on the ice.
“Our group is smaller than it once was, as the pandemic put a halt to our momentum, but we are gaining strength and numbers every year.”
Those attending the carnival were urged to check out a raffle table, take a chance with the 50/50 raffle, buy a ticket for a “lotto tree” that was covered in more than $100 worth of $2 lotto scratch tickets and make a guess on the number of jellybeans in a sealer jar. Flowers were available to purchase for the skates by their fans.
The carnival began with O Canada, which was followed by flagbearers in the ice: Meredith Burback, Lucas Stone and Jacey Marteniuk.
Skating to Old MacDonald Had a Farm by Bob Lido and his Music Makers were Lacie Friesen, Jack Musclow, Sophia Perepiolkin and Asher Wonitowy.
Stetson Burback, Rhoyer Cockerill, Sam Malowany and Daelan Radford skated to John Deere Green by Joe Diffie.
Meredith Burback and Lucas Stone performed a routine to Chattahoochee by Alan Jackson.
The Boot Scootin’ Boogie by Brooks and Dunn was the music for a skating performance by Amara Barrowman, Jexlyn Burback, Kaisley Cockerill, Nikita Chutskoff, Sawyer Chutskoff, Charlie Musclow and Claudie Musclow.
Meredith Burback demonstrated her skating skills to Workin’ Nine to Five by Dolly Parton.
While Billy Ray Cyrus sang Achy Breaky Heart, Alicia Palmer, Ellie Palmer, John Radford, and Ryker Barrowman performed.
Meredith Burback, Bridgette Lenderbeck, Jacey Marteniuk and Lucas Stone performed to Shania Twain’s That Don’t Impress Me Much.
Hockey skills were demonstrated by Atlas Gaber, Silas Guillet, Asher Guillet, Hudson Lenderbeck, Westyn Mitchell, Charlie Musclow, Lucas Stone, Bowen Zahnd and Dustin Wilson (coach).
The grand finale had all the skaters and the coaches on the ice for a final bow.
Refreshments and snacks were served.
The Togo Centennial Arena celebrated its 75th anniversary this season, the facility having been built over the summer of 1949 and officially opening for the 1950 winter season.
“We celebrated the anniversary on Jan. 4 with free skating, wing night and menu specials in addition to a huge cake,” Burback said. “We asked The Crafter's Corner of Togo to design and make 15-ounce coffee mugs that were sold that night.”
The Togo Figure Skating Club, now called the Togo Skating Club, has been around since the beginning, she said. “We changed our name in recent years to emphasize that whether a skater decides to wear figure skates or hockey skates, this program is built for people of all ages.”
A demonstration of the hockey skills group was included in the program, Burback said. Once a week, the group of hockey skills kids met with Dustin Wilson of the Togo Terriers for one hour. It was a program where kids who have started in hockey have a solid skill in skating but want to better their hockey skills or have been playing hockey for years and want that little bit extra. They attended to improve their hockey skills.
This program was first offered by Jeremy Allard as a power skating class, then was transformed by Levi Erhardt into a hockey skills program.
“We are very fortunate to have a Togo Terriers hockey player on our roster,” she said, adding that the Togo Terriers hockey team has games scheduled weekly at the Togo Centennial Arena.
The entire group of skaters with the Togo Skating Club, who performed in the grand finale at the annual carnival called Country Roads on March 2: back row - Dustin Wilson (hockey skills coach), Jacey Martenuik, Bridgette Lenderbeck, Lucas Stone, Meredith Burback, Silas Guillet, Alisha Palmer, Ellie Palmer and John Radford; middle row- Charlie Musclow, Asher Guillet, Bowen Zahnd, Hudson Lenderbeck, Rhoyer Cockerill, Stetson Burback, Daelan Radford, Jexlyn Burback, Sawyer Chutskoff, Nikita Chutskoff, Ryker Barrowman, Kaisley Cockerill, Claudia Musclow, Amara Barrowman, Westyn Mitchell, and Atlas Gaber; front row - Asher Wonitowy, Sophia Perepiolkin, Lacie Friesen and Christine Friesen (coach). | Photos courtesy Togo Skating Club
At the Togo Skating Carnival on March 2, Claudia Zangl of Togo attended with three of her daughters, one of whom is the current instructor of the Togo Skating Club, and a grandson. The group was able to reminisce about 20 years of skating because her daughters had been students in the club. In the photo are Andrea Zangl, Claudia Zangl, and Christine Friesen, the current instructor of the club, holding her son Carter and Sophia Robertson.
Skating to the Boot Scootin’ Boogie by Brooks and Dunn were Nikita Chutskoff, Charlie Musclow, Sawyer Chutskoff, Amara Barrowman, Kaisley Cockerill, Claudia Musclow and Jexlyn Burback.
Performing on ice to Old MacDonald Had a Farm by Bob Lido and his Music Makers were Coach Christine Friesen with Lacie Friesen (a duck), Assistant Coach (cowgirl) Meredith Burback with Jack Musclo (cow), Asher Wonitowy (chicken) and Sophia Perepiolkin (donkey).
On the bench waiting to go on ice are Daelan Radford, Jack Musclow and Ryker Barrowman.
Meredith Burback and Lucas Stone performed a duet on ice to Chattahoochee by Alan Jackson.
Performing as a chicken at the carnival was Asher Wonitowy.
This group of skaters demonstrated their hockey skills, including diving, rolling and getting up all while moving forward.
Skating to John Deere Green by Joe Diffie were Stetson Burback, Rhoyer Cockerill and Daelan Radford.
Performing a hockey skills drill are Silas Guillet, Hudson Lenderbeck, Bowen Zahnd, Charlie Musclow, Lucas Stone, Asher Guillet, Westyn Mitchell and Atlas Gaber.
Wearing an Edmonton Oilers jersey with a rose in his teeth was Asher Guillet.
Skating to That Don’t Impress Me Much by Shania Twain, from left, were: Lucas Stone, Jacey Martenuik, Meredith Burback and Bridgette Lenderbeck.
