Springvale skater Jayson Sutcliffe, a four-time world champion, will lead the new figure-skating program at Dandenong Skate Centre.By Paul Pickering
AFTER two decades on the international roller-skating and inline figure-skating circuit, four-time world champion Jayson Sutcliffe made a triumphant homecoming to Dandenong last week.
The lifelong Springvale resident, who retired from competitive skating in 2005, has announced that he will be launching the new artistic skate club at the Dandenong Skate Centre.
Sutcliffe, 37, has trained and coached at Caribbean Rollerama in Scoresby for the past 15 years, but says he’s excited to return to the city where his sporting journey began some 27 years ago.
As he recalled this week, Sutcliffe discovered his passion for roller-skating during a trip to the old Springvale rink at the age of 10.
“I went along to one of the regular public sessions at Springvale, saw some kids messing around with tricks and that was it,” he said, adding that he began to dream of competitive glory within a week of his first skating experience.
During his decorated career, Sutcliffe made 15 appearances at the world championships, culminating in a gold medal at the 2005 World Inline Figure Skating titles in Rome.
In that time, he has seen many fellow skaters from the Dandenong area migrate to more powerful Melbourne clubs.
“A lot of people from Dandenong belong to clubs in Frankston, Caribbean Gardens and Bayswater because the coaches have slowly drifted away,” he said.
“But I think people are keen to get back here.”
In retirement, Sutcliffe has focused on nurturing the next generation of young skaters, taking time out from his coaching duties at Bayswater for a four-month stint with underprivileged youths in ‘skating-mad’ India in 2006.
He has also seen long-time student Kristen Slade, 21, become the world’s second-ranked inline figure-skater.
With Slade accompanying Sutcliffe in the move to Dandenong Skate Centre, rink manager John Brogan is hoping to encourage a new breed of artistic skaters to the venue.
“I love the artistic skating and with Jayson driving its development there are no limitations,” Brogan said.
Dandenong Skate Centre is at 41 Princes Highway, Dandenong South.
For further information phone 9794 8039.
