UNITY – The Unity Skating Club will be breaking the ice this season with a new coach, Hayleigh Royce.
Royce originally grew up on a farm outside of a small Ontario town, moving west for post-secondary education at Lakeland College. After graduating from the college, Royce moved back home for a while.
“After graduating, I missed being in the west. A job opportunity came up with a family I had gotten to know, and I decided to make the move from Ontario,” said Royce.
While this may be her first year as a skating coach, Royce, who is a Star 7 level skater, has been a program assistant in the past.
“Last year Hayleigh helped our CanSkate coach and was a great addition to the team. She is great with the kids and wants to help them succeed, so we know that she will be a great addition to the CanSkate program,” said Sheena Weber, president of the Unity Skating Club.
She is the most excited in getting to know all the CanSkaters and seeing how their skills progress through the season.
“I am excited to continue to build on the awesome program the skating club has already created,” said Royce.
Royce currently works on a cow/calf and crop farm and enjoys spending time outside, reading books, baking, and spending time with friends and family in her spare time.
The Unity Skating Club is excited to keep Royce on indefinitely, if her employment keeps her in the area.
“Qualified CanSkate coaches can be hard to secure, especially in rural areas, so we were so happy that Hayleigh was interested in our club,” said Weber.
The Unity Skating Club board is made up of nine members and three coaches, with the vice president role currently vacant.
