By Bruce Karnick

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Hastings Grad Amanda Truax took her very first skating lesson at the Hastings Ice Arena way back when. She then trained at the St. Paul Figure Skating Club and The Maplewood Figure Skating Club for many years growing up. That led her to many competitions and wins around the United States which then led her to the NHL.

For those who know Truax but do not know her history, she has a storied skating career and was a member of the North Stars Dance Team. That led to an eight-year career touring with Disney on Ice. Her list of accolades is long over her 20-plus years in the industry, but none are more important than the impact she has had on Hastings skaters the last 16 years.

River Blades Skating School was born 16 years ago, right in the same spot that Truax took her first steps and made her first falls on the ice: the Hastings Civic Arena.

“After every show, whether it’s our Skate with Santa show or our annual ice show after everyone has left the building, I leave my skates on, stand in the middle of the rink facing the stands where the audience sits and smile remembering all the moments I had performing and skating with friends on the McGree Rink growing up. There’s just something special about having a program in your hometown where it all started for me,” explained Truax.

“After performing and traveling the world for eight years with Disney on Ice I wanted to change occupations when I retired from professional skating with Disney. I felt it would be a good transition when moving back to Minnesota. When I returned the rink called, and the rest is history River Blades was born and 16 years later, I cannot imagine not having this program in Hastings for our youth,” she added.

This year was a unique one for River Blades, according to Truax.

“This season we were invited to perform at a boys varsity hockey game. We assembled a small group of figure skaters to perform a hockey cheer routine. It was such a fun evening it reminded me of my hockey cheerleading days back in high school and when I cheered at the Minnesota North Stars game with the UPA Electric Stars professional dance/cheer team. The energy and enthusiasm the dance/cheer teams bring to a game is immeasurable. It was exciting to be a part of the game and the team school spirit. Figure skaters want to be a part of the school/community spirit Hastings figure skaters are not recognized as a school/club sport, so this opportunity helped the figure skaters feel a part of the ice sports community. We appreciated the invite and hope we have another opportunity in the future,” said Truax.

Truax went on to talk about the focus of River Blades not being the skating piece, but the impact sports can have on kids in building confidence and self-esteem using sports as the foundation.

“I want to give skaters not only skating skills to help them reach their goals. I also want to give skaters more of the life skills that will build them up to be strong individuals,” said Truax. “The strength to believe that they can reach for the stars and the sky’s the limit. Teaching them that you have a choice when facing an obstacle, you can get hit by it and get stuck there or you can find a way to rise above it. When my students take the ice at competitions, we have a special motivational saying that I feel helps build them up to do their best and gives them a champion mindset-we always say this before they step on to the ice to compete. ‘I am confident, I am strong, I can do this!’ I hope someday they remember this when they have an important interview, speech, or event. I hope they realize how their skating prepared them to be successful in all areas of their lives.”

Non-figure skaters do not understand the knowledge involved in figure skating. It’s not just learning a few things and going out to ‘skate pretty’. When skaters take private lessons and compete, they are required to test through the Ice Sports Industry or US Figure Skating testing tracks. All tests are administered through one of these organizations by a certified instructor and judges. It can take a skater up to 10 years of training and testing on a yearly basis to pass all their tests and received the official title of gold medalist in testing.

“I always say to kids when you graduate high school you will already have your high school diploma and your degree in figure skating,” explained Truax. The sport of figure skating has standardized tests and you progress and pass these tests and are recognized as passing each test with a certificate. There are some arenas that require a certain number of tests to be passed before being hired.

Several students from River Blades have utilized the skills learned from Truax and her staff to have a career of their own on the ice. Some have gone to college and taught skating to pay for their schooling, others have been hired as skating coaches, some have been on a collegiate team. Not just for figure skating, edge work is a huge part of hockey. A student that excels at teaching edge work can have a gigantic impact on the careers of hockey players as a teacher.

Truax’s connections from working in the industry have given River Blades Skaters some wonderful opportunities to skate with professionals and former Olympians, including Scott Hamilton.

Truax explains, “In 2018 I had the honor of being on the organizing committee in Minnesota for 1984 Olympic Gold Medalist Scott Hamilton Cares Sk8 to Elimin8 Cancer Foundation. Hastings River Blades Figure Skaters raised over $15,500 in less than a month, and Minnesota figure skaters raised over $78,000 in less than one month. The Scott Hamilton Foundation donated money raised from the event to the University of MN Masonic Childrens Hospital. Hamilton also had a luncheon and an ice show at the Bloomington Ice Garden that honored those lost and celebrated the survivors of cancer. Several River Blades figure skaters were invited to perform with former Olympians performers Caryn Kadavy and Surya Bonaly. It was an unforgettable event that impacted our skaters from Hastings in such a positive way.”

Looking back on 16 years, Truax is thankful. “I’m most thankful for the God-given talent I have been given, and my business allows me to continue to impact others in a positive way to build their self-esteem and confidence. I think back to 2005 when I retired from Disney on Ice, I was planning on choosing a different career path. I am so grateful the rink called upon my return from Disney on Ice. I cannot imagine my life without my business River Blades Skating School and all the wonderful families and kids I get to have a positive impact on.”

To learn more about River Blades Skating School or to sign up for lessons, visit www.riverbladesskating.com.

Photo courtesy of Tague Patrick Photography.

Photo courtesy of Tague Patrick Photography.

Amanda Truax, owner of River Blades Skating School in Hastings, held a party showcasing her performers for the 16th anniversary of being a skating school.