Universities/Colleges with great Recreational skating cultures?

[cw-nyc]

They do. They purchase ice time at Chelsea Piers (as I recall, the school either buys this or subsidizes it), and the school pays for your Columbia FSC uniform and any entry fees you need for competitions or tests.

Columbia U. does not have a skating team or even a club. I mean, they have had one at various times, but I believe it is currently defunct even though their web page is still up and running. Things may have changed this year (though unlikely due to covid), but I was informed of this by the University's Club sports administrators when I was there from 2018-2019, 2000-2003, and 1994-1998. While there I met other Columbia U. students, both undergrad and grad who skated at Chelsea Piers and other rinks, but they don't have an organized program the way NYU does.

 

[Debbie S]

Columbia U. does not have a skating team or even a club. I mean, they have had one at various times, but I believe it is currently defunct even though their web page is still up and running. Things may have changed this year (though unlikely due to *********), but I was informed of this by the University's Club sports administrators when I was there from 2018-2019, 2000-2003, and 1994-1998. While there I met other Columbia U. students, both undergrad and grad who skated at Chelsea Piers and other rinks, but they don't have an organized program the way NYU does.

Do the Columbia students skate together at Chelsea Piers or is it all individual? Any suggestions on how a new Barnard student could meet/join up with the skaters?

 

[overedge]

IME at many schools, whether there is a skating club or not depends on having a student or students who are enthusiastic and organized enough to set one up, and keep it running. A couple of schools I know have had active skating clubs that fell apart when the organizer(s) graduated. Even if the school is willing to give a club ice time on its rink, the club still needs people to organize it and run it, and that can be hard for students to balance with school, work, family, and other commitments.

 

[cw-nyc]

Do the Columbia students skate together at Chelsea Piers or is it all individual? Any suggestions on how a new Barnard student could meet/join up with the skaters?

It's all pretty much individual. These are the main rinks in the NYC area - Chelsea Piers (manhattan), City Ice (Queens, but right next to Manhattan and cheaper), Wollman (winters in Central Park and about to be under new management) and World Ice (even farther out in Queens), also Riverbank (manhattan but only in winter). Lasker Rink is closed for renovation. There's an active adult skating community in NYC. I've met people just by going to Freestyles and Coffee Clubs and if people are in school where they are tends to come out pretty early in conversation. So ironically it may be easier to meet other Columbia U. people at the rink than on campus.

 

[syzygy]

No one has mentioned Miami in Oxford, Ohio. They are fairly competitive but from what I know since so much of the focus is on synchro, the freestyle is a little less hardcore while still being a great team.

 

[cheremary]

I’d also suggest looking into schools in the Chicago area. It’s because I went to college there that I started learning to skate since there are plenty of rinks that are easily accessible, friendly for recreational skaters, and also some of the most affordable I’ve seen. (While I may be slightly biased, I’ve since lived and skated in many different parts of the country and still think Chicago was the easiest for skating. From what I’ve heard, this may be true of other parts of the Midwest too.)

While some schools do have on campus rinks, I think many of these rinks are more dedicated to hockey and ice for figure skating is not always available, but this varies by the school.

 

[bethy135]

I’d also suggest looking into schools in the Chicago area. It’s because I went to college there that I started learning to skate since there are plenty of rinks that are easily accessible, friendly for recreational skaters, and also some of the most affordable I’ve seen. (While I may be slightly biased, I’ve since lived and skated in many different parts of the country and still think Chicago was the easiest for skating. From what I’ve heard, this may be true of other parts of the Midwest too.)

While some schools do have on campus rinks, I think many of these rinks are more dedicated to hockey and ice for figure skating is not always available, but this varies by the school.

Thank you so much! We are doing major research into everyone's super helpful suggestions right now!!!