In hopes of growing figure skating in Jefferson City and eliminating confusion, leaders of two local figure skating clubs plan to merge next month.
The Jefferson City Figure Skating Club and Capital Classics Figure Skating Association plan to merge in August, said Washington Park Ice Arena Manager Kerri Gates.
The Jefferson City Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department currently operates CCFSA and co-sponsors JCFSC, which are both United States Figure Skating organizations.
The organizations have been working on the merge for more than a year, Gates said.
After the merge, all learn-to-skate programs will be offered by Parks staff. The club will focus on the adaptive program, memberships, test sessions and fundraising.
JCFSC and CCFSA each offered several similar programs, such as learn-to-skate programs, so "we were basically competing for the same people," JCFSC President Christie Kincannon said.
Merging the clubs will help with consistency and allow figure skating to grow locally, Kincannon and Gates said.
"For skating to grow, there really isn't room for two clubs," Kincannon said. "It's going to require us to work together."
The merge will involve some growing pains, Kincannon said, such as organizing documents, working out finances and possibly rebranding.
Kincannon and CCFSA President Steve Gaw will co-chair the new club, Gates said.