Enagic Sports World Southern Hill (Photo by Shoji Kudaka/Stripes Okinawa)
Born and raised in Okinawa, I describe myself as a stranger to winter sports.
Although I have tried skiing a couple of times, my technique has never gone beyond snowplow.
Watching the Winter Olympics, I was curious to see what it would be like to glide gracefully like the “Blade Angels” or jump high on the ice like the “Quad God.”
Although I would never reach the heights of those Olympians given my lack of experience, I decided to give it a go at Enagic Sports World Southern Hill in Haebaru Town.
The amusement complex in the southern part of the main island is the only place with an ice-skating rink in Okinawa.
The rink holds lessons for both adults and children several times a week. Sunday lessons, however, are specifically geared towards beginners, perfect for a novice like me.
After checking in, I was geared up with rental skates, helmet, and knee and elbow protectors.
A blast of cold air made me shiver as I opened the door to the ice rink. As my body tried to adjust to the temperature drop, the sudden realization that my group lesson was with children made me freeze.
Although I spotted some adults, they seemed to be either parents of the kids or coaches and were not there to participate in the lesson.
So, there I was, a fish out of water surrounded by a group of little girls as we wobbled onto the ice and grabbed onto the walls of the rink for balance.
Our coach, Rin Sonda, led us with some pointers. Sonda, a young woman in her 20s, told local media in an interview that she has been skating since she was five and even competed as a figure skater in her high school and college days.
“The key is to walk like a penguin, taking small steps,” chimed in the coach as I wobbled about. Following her advice, I did my best to shorten my stride.
My group was using half of the ice rink, which is about the size of an ice hockey rink. We warmed up and walked back and forth along the back wall behind the goal post. On the second try, we did the walk without holding onto the walls.
We practiced picking up cones, how to fall correctly and then how to get back up from falling.
The coach advised us that we should try our best to land on our bottoms. Then, she said, to get back up, we would need to first get on our hands and knees before rising one leg at a time.
Next, we moved onto more challenging drills like zigzagging between the small cones the coach had placed on the ice.
My classmates were skating smoothly, likely a stark contrast with my awkward scratches as I advanced on the obstacle course. I was able to keep up, but as soon as I crossed the last cone without knocking any down, I let out a sigh of relief.
For the rest of the one-hour class, we practiced a few advanced skills like swizzle, a technique of going forward and stopping by repeatedly spreading legs to a stance wider than shoulder length before bringing them together with the toes almost touching each other.
We also tried jumping and spinning on the ice as well. Of course, we did not dare to try a triple jump or a layback spin. A small jump and a slow spin were thrilling enough for me.
When the coach announced the end of the lesson, I was relieved that I had survived without falling and without causing any injuries to my little classmates.
Once back at the rink side, I had a chance to chat with Suyin, a youngster who took the class with me.
Suyin and her mother at the skating rink’s reception room. (Photo by Shoji Kudaka/Stripes Okinawa)
“I especially enjoyed the drills that we did because it’s a different technique, it’s just not normal skating,” Suyin said. She also said she found the swizzle challenging, especially the parts where the skater has to maneuver around cones.
Although Suyin admitted she doesn’t have any Olympics goals, she said she mostly skates for fun and would like to continue taking lessons.
After my first ever skating experience at the age of 51, I don’t think my skating skills will improve anytime soon. But I would not be surprised to see a girl like Suyin becoming the next top skater.
Shoji Kudaka (Photo by Shoji Kudaka/Stripes Okinawa)
Things to know
GPS Coordinates: 26.208059, 127.728373
Hours (Ice arena): 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. (weekdays), 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. (Sat., Sun. and holidays)
Fees for ice skating: 1,900 yen (approx. $12.30) for those 18 years old and above, 1,700 yen for ages between 13 and 17, 1,500 yen for those between 7 and 12, 1,300 yen for those six years old and below.
Sunday Ice skating class for beginners
Time: 9-10 a.m. and 6-7 p.m. on Sundays
Fees: 2,500 yen per lesson (approx. $16.17) for adults.
*The first lesson costs 1,000 yen for elementary school students and below, 1,200 yen for middle school students and above.
*Reservation required.
*The ice arena is open year-round.
Website: https://www.southern-hill.com/live/ice-skating/
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