Scutchings’ focus on fun opens doors in speed skating

Lions member skates at Canada Games, ready for home meet

By Darren Steinke
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

Melissa Scutchings enjoys skating fast on the oval track.

Melissa Scutchings discovered that zeroing in on fun still opens big doors in the world of speed skating.

At age five, Scutchings followed her older brother Matthew into the sport joining the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club. At age 15, Scutchings was one of the youngest skaters taking part in the Canada Winter Games that ran February 18 to March 5, 2023 across Prince Edward Island. She took part in the long track speed skating competition at the Halifax Oval in Halifax, N.S., during the first week of the games.

“It was a little intimidating,” said Scutchings. “I remember on the first day on the very first practice I fell.

“I remember being kind of embarrassed, because I fell in front of these like national skaters, and they are all like these 20-year-old really buffed guys. I was like, ‘Oh.’After I kind of got over that, it was really fun.

“I had a lot of fun at the Canada Winter Games. There was a lot of community stuff like a lot of team building. I thought that was really fun.”

With being one of the youngest skaters at that multi-sport event, Scutchings was there to soak in the experience. While she didn’t win any medals, she skated lots taking part in the female 500-metre, 1,000-metre, 1,500-metre, 3,000-metre, mass start and team pursuit races.

In getting used to being at the Canada Winter Games, Scutchings said it helped she was there with a large contingent from the Lions including veteran skaters Luca Veeman and Serena Dallaire. Veeman won five medals and Dallaire captured a pair of medals at the Canada Winter Games. Scutchings said there is a good family feeling with the Lions club, which was a big plus going into a multi-sport competition.

“I feel like it is easier to go to a new competition, if you have someone you already know like someone you can warm up with and like skate warmup with,” said Scutchings. “I feel like it is easier than going there, and be like, ‘Oh. I don’t know anyone else. I am here by myself.’”

This season, Scutchings, who is now 16-years-old, finds herself as one of the older skaters at the majority of Lions practices as Veeman and Dallaire are both attending first year university in Calgary and training at the Olympic Oval. While Scutchings is a veteran skater with the club, she still focuses on having fun and enjoying the sport.

The Lions will be hosting their annual the John Sands Classic Long Track Meet on January 20 and 21 at the Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval, and Scutchings has been a regular skating at that competition over the years. She has a pretty high comfort level when it comes to skating at events at home.

“It is just a lot of fun,” said Scutchings. “You are just competing against people you’ve know for like forever.

Melissa Scutchings skates at the Oval on February 28, 2023.

“It is really easy going. I think it is just a lot of casual fun.”

When she was younger, Scutchings saw the older skaters as being really fast and really cool and was always watching her brother. Now that she is older skater, Scutchings enjoys watching the skaters in the Lions younger age groups take to the track in events like the John Sands Classic Long Track Meet.

“I think they are just really cute,” said Scutchings.“They are really short, but they’ve got these big, long speed skates, and they are skating.

“I think it is really funny and they are cute.”

Chris Veeman, who is the Lions head coach and president of Speed Skating Saskatchewan, said it has been enjoyable to coach Scutchings over the years. Back in January of 2021, Scutchings was presented the Robb Family Olympic Trophy, which is the Lions club award that goes to the most improved female skater as shown by improvements in skating times as compared to previous years and faithful and consistent attendance at practices.

“She is great to have in our group,” said Veeman. “She is now one of the older women in the group.

“She has been with Group 4 for a number of years. She is a quiet personality, but I think you can tell that she really likes skating. I think at this point that I try to tell her that her focus should really be on enjoying the sport and getting to enjoy the movement.

“It can be an activity that you do your whole life. That is what I hope that she is getting out of it at this point.”

Veeman thought it was big for Scutchings to be able to take part in the Canada Winter Games as one of the youngest skaters in the field.

“It is a great opportunity, because there is not a lot of pressure,” said Veeman. “If you are 15 or 16 skating against 19-year-olds, you’re not expected to win medals or anything like that.

“It is more about enjoying the event – the multisport aspect of it where you get to meet all kinds of different people. It is a really big production with all the uniforms and that sort of thing. I feel like she made the most of it.”

Melissa Scutchings enjoyed being at the Canada Winter Games.

Scutchings looks up to Isabelle Weidemann who was a speed skater for Canada at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China. Weidemann, who stands 6-foot-2, won gold in Team Pursuit, silver in the women’s 5,000-metre race and bronze in the women’s 3,000-metre race.

“I like watching her skate, because you can always tell really clearly which one she is when she is skating like the team relays and the team pursuits just because she is so tall,” said Scutchings, who stands 5-foot-7. “I really like the way she skates.

“She makes it look really easy.”

Scutchings said the biggest influence in helping her in the sport was long time Lions head coach Tim Comfort, who retired at the conclusion of the 2022-23 campaign. She said Comfort cared about how she was doing as a person asking if things were going OK and how she was doing.

“A lot of the way the practices went and a lot of the repetitions and stuff like that it came from Tim (Comfort) mostly,” said Scutchings. “I feel like we got pretty close, and it was fun traveling with him to Canada Winter Games.

“He was pretty encouraging and supportive.”

Scutchings said the current season, which is the Lions first campaign without Comfort as a coach, has been going well. She said Veeman, Jason Warick and Olivier Larocque have been doing well as a collective coaching unit.

Due to the fact there is no Canada Winter Games to prepare for this season, Scutchings said the competitive aspect has felt more relaxed and there has been more of a focus on the craft of skating. She believes it benefits the skaters coming into the Lions top competitive skating level in Group 4 to get their feet wet with that higher tier of competition.

Away from skating, Scutchings is completing her Grade 11 year at Walter Murray Collegiate. She has been on the honor roll throughout her time in high school.

Scutchings is looking forward to continue skating with the Lions during her high school years, but isn’t sure what she will do with the sport once she graduates.

Her family is still well connected with the sport as her father Roland Scutchings in a member at large on the board of directors for Speed Skating Saskatchewan, and her mother Carina Ong-Scutchings is the director of finance for the Lions.

Melissa Scutchings, left, enjoys skating with her Lions teammates.

When it comes skating after graduating from high school, Scutchings said she will decide what she wants to with the sport when that time comes.

“I might not do it after high school just because of university,” said Scutchings. “I might not go to Calgary.

“If I do, I think it will be a lot of fun. It might be a little bit of a struggle finding somewhere to live close to the Oval, because everyone wants to live near the university. I might just stay here with the club and go to university here, so I guess we will see.”

For more information about the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club, feel free to check out their website at www.slspeedskating.com.

Veeman, Dallaire lead Lions’ Canada Winter Games medal parade

By Darren Steinke
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

Luca Veeman, right, leads Fergus English down a straightaway.

Luca Veeman and Serena Dallaire thrived under the new experience of the Canada Winter Games spotlight.

Together, they led the medal haul for the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club and Team Saskatchewan at the Multi-sport event that took place from February 18 to March 5 across Prince Edward Island with long track speed skating taking place at the Halifax Oval in Halifax, N.S. Both were competing in their first Canada Winter Games.

Veeman, who was Saskatchewan’s flag bearer for the opening ceremonies, took home five medals in long track speed skating. Dallaire captured a pair of long track medals.

In total, Lions skaters accounted for eight of Saskatchewan’s 20 medals at the Canada Winter Games. The medal wins gave Saskatchewan a fast start at the games as speed skating was held during the first week of competition from February 18 to February 25.

Veeman won gold in the men’s mass start race, silver in the men’s 1,500-metre race, and bronze medals in the 1,000-metre and 5,000-metre men’s races. In the men’s team pursuit, Veeman teamed with Lions members Bon Lowe, Fergus English and Daniel Pauli to claim the silver medal. Lowe captured silver in the men’s 5,000-metre race edging out Veeman by just over six seconds.

Earlier in February, Veeman skated for Canada at the International Skating Union’s Junior World Cup Final and World Junior Speed Skating Championships both held in Inzell, Germany. Those international appearances lead to Veeman being the flag bearer. Having represented Team Saskatchewan at the Canada Summer Games that were held in the Niagara Region of Ontario in August of 2022, the 17-year-old had a great appreciation for being named the flag bearer.

“Being nominated as the flag bearer is almost hard to believe,” said Veeman, who stands 5-foot-10. “I went to the summer games in Niagara in 2022.

“I got to do the closing ceremonies and walk out with Team Sask. It was cool moment where I kind of realized what it means to represent your province. It was a real cool thing to experience those closing ceremonies, and it just made it so much more special walking in and leading Team Sask at these games.

“It was definitely a little bit of added pressure being named the flag bearer, but it was a pretty incredible experience all in all.”

Serena Dallaire won two bronze medals at the Canada Winter Games.

Veeman was pleased he could live up to that honour by winning the medals he did. The men’s mass start race was Veeman’s final race at the Canada Winter Games, and he was pumped to close out with a gold medal win.

“It was such a great games,” said Veeman, who attends Grade 12 at Walter Murray Collegiate. “I think every medal just felt so special.

“In a sense, it almost felt like every medal was like a weight lifted off my shoulder. With the pressure of being the flag bearer, each medal was like a little bit of a weight off the shoulders. I’d say the gold at the end was just such a good moment.”

Dallaire went into the Canada Winter Games in search of personal best performances and wasn’t expecting to medal. The 17-year-old jumped into the spotlight for Saskatchewan capturing bronze medals wins in the women’s 1,500-metre and 3,000-metre races.

“I really didn’t have any expectations,” said Dallaire, who stands 5-foot-4. “I knew that I was in the middle of the pack.

“I just wanted to perform like what I knew I could do in Calgary (at the Olympic Oval). I just wanted to execute my race plans and do the best I could. I really just wanted to have fun.

“I didn’t really expect to get any medals out of it, so I’m happy with how it all turned out.”

Dallaire won her first bronze medal in the 1,500-metre race. She skated her race early in that day and was surprise to find out her time was going to hold up for a medal.

“I was the first race of the day,” said Dallaire, who is completing her Grade 12 studies at Walter Murray Collegiate. “I didn’t know I won until like a while after, so after the race, I was just kind of glad it was over.

“A few minutes after people were telling me they think I was third. It was like surreal, because I didn’t expect it. I was really happy.”

Luca Veeman won five medals at the Canada Winter Games.

She was pumped to follow up that skate with a bronze medal win in the women’s 3,000-metre race a couple of days later.

“I just wanted to skate the best I could and perform,” said Dallaire. “Because it was like near the end, we were kind of tired.

“It was still the same feeling inside. I was excited and really happy to win the medal.”

Veteran Lions coach Tim Comfort, who is the Saskatchewan Speed Skating Association’s provincial coach and technical director, served as the long track coach for Team Saskatchewan at the Canada Winter Games.

He was proud of the performances by all the Saskatchewan skaters and was happy to see the multiple medal wins by Veeman and Dallaire, who have put in a tonne of work at the Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval over the years.

“Saskatchewan speed skaters had a strong Canada Winter Games,” said Comfort. “In particular, Saskatoon club skaters really performed well.

“Luca and Serena’s success has come from hours and hours of hard work pursuing their dream.”

Veeman said his experience at the Canada Winter Games and the ISU’s Junior World Cup Final and World Junior Speed Skating Championships made for a memorable February. He said those experience’s will help his confidence going into big meets in the future.

“It was a big month for getting some big competitions under my belt like my international debut and Canada Games is a big one,” said Veeman. “It would help with my confidence going into the big meets just kind of reminding me of what I need to do to race my best.

“It is not changing things for the big competitions. It is just staying level headed and relaxed going into every race. That is what works.

“I know that if I get hyped up and I try and do something differently because I want this race to be so better than the last one, it is not going to work out in the end. I just have to stay relaxed and do what I always do.”

Serena Dallaire will reflect fondly on the Canada Winter Games.

For Dallaire, she said in the future when she is at big meets she can look back on her time at the Canada Winter Games to remember how positive experiences at big meets and events can be.

“It is a pretty big meet, because Canada Games happens every four years,” said Dallaire. “This was my only time to do it.

“It was just a fun experience.”

For more information about the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club, feel free to check out their website at www.slspeedskating.com.

John Sands Classic is back at Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval

Lions host first long track meet since 2019

By Darren Steinke
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

Serena Dallaire, right, and the Lions skate at a recent practice.

Serena Dallaire is happy the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club will have the John Sands Classic Long Track Meet back, and she added it is huge to the club’s younger members, who see it as the highlight of their skating season.

Dallaire, who is one of the Lions 17-year-old elite level skaters, speaks from experience, because she remembered the annual home long track meet being the biggest thing in her world when she was a young skater.

“I feel like it really is important for the younger kids, because I know that when I was younger I was like five or six skating, and I was skating as like a fundamental,” said Dallaire, who has been skating for around 12 years. “I was watching all the older kids skate, and I was like, ‘I can’t wait to be just like them.’

“I feel like it is really important for the younger kids to have like someone to look up to just in those meets. That is why it is important for the older kids to go. It is so important to have those role models.”

For the first time since January of 2019, the John Sands Classic will be returning to the Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval. It is slated be held over two days on Saturday, January 14 and Sunday, January 15 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days.

The John Sands Classic wasn’t able to be held in January of 2020 due to weather conditions being too frigid. In January of 2021 and 2022, the annual meet was cancelled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Frigid weather isn’t expected to be a concern this year as temperatures are expected to be around -7 C for both days of the upcoming John Sands Classic. Those conditions should provide perfect days for speed skating.

While Dallaire’s competitive focus is on peaking for major national level competitions, the Grade 12 student at Walter Murray Collegiate and the rest of the Lions older elite level skaters will all take part in the John Sands Classic. For the older skaters, Dallaire said the home long track meet is important in a different way, because you interact the club’s younger skaters in a race event environment.

Serena Dallaire made the Top 30 RBC Future Olympians list.

Dallaire said it feels like a full circle moment for her being an older skater meeting the club’s younger skaters and realizing they look up to her.

“It is a different experience being the older kid, because you kind of have to set what it is like for the younger kids and like be a good role model and do everything right,” said Dallaire, who stands 5-foot-4. “It is still fun, because all the younger kids like look up to you, and it is so cute seeing them like saying ‘oh good race’ after your race.

“It reminds me of when I was younger. I love watching the younger kids just like having that passion for it, because that was me, when I was younger as well. I think it is really good.”

Veteran Lions coach Tim Comfort, who is the Saskatchewan Speed Skating Association provincial coach and technical director, said there are no qualifications for the John Sands Classic and the event provides a way for skaters to take part in a meet environment without having to go to a provincial or national championship. He expects to draw skaters from across the Prairie provinces.

“We hope to get people from Manitoba,” said Comfort. “We did for our short track meet.

“We hope to also get people from Alberta. We did for our short track meet, so hopefully, that happens again, and we get 80 to 100 people here skating. There will be skaters from Melville, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, Regina and Prince Albert all from Saskatchewan.”

Be it a practice or a meet, Comfort said it is always special to skate at the Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval. He said the current Lions club members are aware the Oval is the place where superstar Catriona Le May Doan, who competed in four Winter Olympics, grew up skating and first learned the skills to become a competitor in speed skating. Overall, Comfort said the Oval has a natural feel.

“You come here, and it’s just the purest thing, because you’re outside,” said Comfort. “The snow is in your face, and the wind is in your face and the lights at night.

A group of Lions skaters speed down a straightaway.

“It is kind of a magical place. For most of them, it doesn’t matter how fast they are in a race. The workouts are invigorating.

“You go home, and you’re tired and happy.”

Comfort added that speed skating is a volunteer rich sport and numerous volunteers help make the Lions Speed Skating Club and John Sands Classic go. He gave a tip of the hat to Rob Makowsky for stepping up to be the Lions new president, and to former president Chris Veeman for taking up a new role as the president of the Saskatchewan Speed Skating Association. Veeman is also the meet coordinator for the Bob Sands Classic.

Comfort added Mike Dallaire, who is Serena’s father, is handling the electronic timing at the John Sands Classic and will also handle the electronic timing at the Canada Winter Games, which start February 18 and run to March 5 with most events being held across Prince Edward Island. Speed Skating runs February 18 to 25 with short track events to be held at the Eliyahu Wellness Centre Canada Games Place in North Rustico, P.E.I., while the long track events are set for Halifax Oval in Halifax, N.S.

“We have a rich tradition of volunteers here,” said Comfort.

Serena Dallaire will be heading to the Canada Winter Games too representing Saskatchewan on the female long track team. This past Dec. 6, Dallaire was named to the Top 30 RBC Future Olympians list along with Lions clubmate Fergus English.

Last season, current Lions skater Oskar Stack-Michasiw, while former Lions members Daniel Pauli, Bon Lowe and Luca Veeman were named to the Top 30 RBC Future Olympians list. Pauli, Lowe and Veeman are all currently skating out of Calgary at the Olympic Oval indoor facility.

The Lions will host their first long track meet since January of 2019.

Dallaire is focused on having a good finish to the current 2022-23 season. When the season is done and she graduates from Walter Murray Collegiate, she wants to see how far she can go with elite level speed skating.

“I plan to move to Calgary, so I’ve applied to university,” said Dallaire. “I’m all ready.

“I’m planning on continuing skating for at least a few more years to see where it takes me until I am done being a junior. The Oval program is like the next step I feel like, so that is where I am planning on going next year after I graduate.”

For more information about the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club, feel free to check out their website at www.slspeedskating.com.