2021 Annual Meeting

2021-22 Year in Review & Planning Ahead

MEMBERSHIP

Membership chair Idoia Subinas tells us that we have 102 members -- 11 more than at this time last year.  We have restored our membership fees to their pre-pandemic levels; it is worth noting that our payments to U.S. Figure Skating remained the same even though we lowered fees last year. More members will also join throughout the year -- our final membership count for the year that just ended was 127, down only 9 from the end of the previous year even though skating competitions and tests weren't held through much of the year. We want to thank our Club members for their continued support! 
 

FINANCES

La Jolla FSC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
 

Our main sources of income include portions of annual membership dues, competition fees, donations, and sponsorships for the La Jolla Open. Testing sessions often cost the club more than we recoup in testing fees. Though we had fewer skaters in the Open this year due to Covid-19 regulations, we still managed to make the competition pay for itself and even net a small amount of money toward future events.

We were so privileged to have donations this year from multiple companies and individuals: D.A. Davidson Wealth Management, Augustine Design Group, Honorary Club Life Member Alice McCurdy, and an anonymous donor who contributed to the Competition Fund. Sponsorship and donations help us to plan and hold more activities that encourage skating skills and recognition, as well as to maintain a fund high-level competitors who may need financial assistance to compete.
 

Our main expenditures include expenses for the Open, ice time rental, payments to U.S. Figure Skating for our members' registration and testing fees, storage fees, tax preparation, donations to members in the form of honorariums, subsidized memberships for lifetime members, and scholarships, and events that encourage community and recognize our skaters, such as the Awards Gala.
 

If we have any members who are CPAs willing to do our very simple tax returns on a pro bono basis, we recently lost the volunteer who did them free or very low cost for many years. We also need a volunteer this year to train to be our treasurer next year. It is an important, but not difficult role, and our current treasurer, Susan McCasland, will be happy to share the steps she has set up to keep us current with our finances!
 

SAFESPORT

Susan McCasland, our longime treasurer, holds the position of club SafeSport chair for her fourth year. This year all board members will complete both Safesport certification and background checks. We follow SafeSport guidelines at all club events, including the Open. Incidentally, Susan also stepped up and singlehandedly completed our nonprofit organization's taxes this year after our volunteer tax preparer was no longer doing them.
 

​LA JOLLA OPEN​

The La Jolla Open came back with a bang in 2021! Even though the registration was limited to Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and Imperial Counties, and events included No-test and above rather than including Learn to Skate Compete USA levels as usual, registration filled up LESS THAN THREE DAYS after it opened.  As the first sanctioned post-pandemic competition in California, our competition was closely watched as a model of how to conduct an event while still meeting county, state, and U.S. Figure Skating regulations. 

Our Competition Chair Idoia Subinas and Event Registrar Carylyn Landt fought a mountain of red tape to get approvals, and we walked through every detail from arrival to awards to departure.

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The extra regulations meant we needed extra volunteers for each and every shift. Our club members came through: 47 volunteers, mostly skaters and parents, put in 247 hours of time to make the Open a success! We heard from many, many judges, officials and coaches that they really loved how smoothly events ran this year.

We had a record number of high level skaters, including four novice, five junior, and six senior ladies' free skates, 22 ladies short programs at the same levels, and three junior or senior men. Among well-known skaters, we were delighted to have Starr Andrews skate at the Open!
 

Because we weren't able to host all levels in May, we're holding "La Jolla Open 2.0: Compete USA" on August 21. It's open to Snowplow Sam through Freeskate 6, and No-Test through Preliminary - find more details and a link to register on our website or in your email.

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TESTING SESSIONS

Testing Sessions began again in February, increasing in frequency as regulations have relaxed. We're hoping soon to be able to provide a schedule for 2021-22 testing sessions.
 

AWARDS

This year we did not select winners for our Get Up, Silver Blade, Junior Board Superstar, and Club Skaters of the Year awards, however we did welcome new U.S. Figure Skating Gold Medalists who passed tests this year. They will be recognized at our awards event in the fall. We aren't sure what format this year's awards event will take, but we will keep you informed as it comes closer.

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​UTC ICE

UTC Ice skate school director Heather Cristobal and rink CEO Joe Polonsky have worked tirelessly this year to keep UTC Ice open, while  meeting ever-changing state and local public health orders that keep us as safe as possible.​​ Thanks for giving our kids something to do while we faced lockdowns and closed schools!
 

THE YEAR AHEAD

We're so happy to be cautiously returning to our favorite sport: attending skate school classes and freestyles, testing, competing, and planning events for the club. The Board and Junior Board can meet in person once again, looking into fun community events once more.

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Please remember that, as  adult members and parents of minor members, you're welcome to  attend  monthly meetings or address the board.  Our younger skating members can communicate with the board through our Junior Board members, and they're welcome to attend Junior Board meetings, which are held once a month on Saturdays at the rink.