Message from the President
Message from the President
Embedded Files
February has arrived, and while we are definitely missing skating at our home rink, our club spirit has not missed a beat. Instead, MFSCH members have been spreading out across other rinks—bundled up, slightly frozen, and proving once again that skaters are nothing if not adaptable.
Many of our skaters are gearing up for Alamo Skate, Houston Invitational, Sugar Skate—and before we know it, our own Memorial Trophy will be here. Planning is well underway, and registration for 2026 Memorial Trophy opens February 9th. We’re excited to welcome skaters and officials and to once again showcase the wonderful energy of our club.
Beyond getting our ice back, I’m especially looking forward to the Winter Olympic Games, which begin Friday, February 6th. This is such a fun time to share our love of figure skating—answering those inevitable (and sometimes hilarious) questions from friends and family, cheering for our favorite skaters, and enjoying the excitement that only Olympic skating brings.
Thank you for your flexibility, your resilience, and your continued passion for this sport. I can’t wait to see what the rest of this season brings—on every sheet of ice we touch.
Warmly,
Wendy Barnard
President, Memorial Figure Skating Club of Houston
👋 Meet the Board Spotlight:
👋 Meet the Board Spotlight:
Courtney Nicholas, SkateSafe Chair
Courtney Nicholas, SkateSafe Chair
Courtney is the current SafeSport Coordinator and an adult skater! She began skating on the frozen lakes of Pennsylvania. She has called Texas her home for the past 12 years. Currently in pursuit of a clean 3-turn; occasionally seen on the ice around the holidays wearing a giant hoop skirt 😁. When she's not at the rink, Courtney is an Institute Research Scientist at MD Anderson Cancer Center with 21 years of research experience in cancer biology. She is always happy to help with questions or concerns. Please reach out to Courtney at SafeSport@MemorialFSCH.org or call / text 614-302-9317.
🏆2026 Memorial Trophy - May 7th-10th
🏆2026 Memorial Trophy - May 7th-10th
Registration and Practice Ice Pre-Sales will open in EMS on February 9th! We are looking forward to singles, dance, high school team, athlete development, basic skills and TOI events. We are part of the Excel Series this year. Plan on set-up and practice ice to begin the evening of May 7th with events on May 8th-10th.
The Westin Hotel is our host hotel for 2026. Please let your out-of-town skater friends know rooms are available at a special rate of $169 (before taxes of course). The cut-off date for reservations is 4/16/2026. Check the club website for competition details: Competition Information | Memorial FSCH
Competition Co-Chairs: Wendy Barnard and Annabelle Helin Competition questions: MemorialTrophyChair@gmail.com
Practice Ice questions: MTPracticeIce@gmail.com
Yes, that is Olympian, Amber Glenn at 2018 Memorial Trophy!
📰 Community Connection
📰 Community Connection
Did you know that MFSCH was once the home club of Olympian, Emily Mei-lin Chan!
Coach Karla recently posted on FB that 13 years ago the club held her sendoff party for US Nationals in Omaha to compete in the Novice Ladies division and now she’s heading to Milano Cortina to compete in pairs at the Olympics! Grassroots to champions! We are so proud of Emily and her accomplishments and look forward to watching her dreams come true!
How You Can Help - Emily's GoFundMe - Fundraiser by Emily Chan : Support our Olympic Dream!
Contributions go directly toward expenses.
🏆Competition News - 2026 Winter Olympic Games Begin February 6th!
🏆Competition News - 2026 Winter Olympic Games Begin February 6th!
Where to Watch:
Television - NBC and USA will broadcast figure skating Feb. 6-21.
Streaming - Every skate of the Olympic Winter Games will be livestreamed on Peacock and can be accessed on Peacock for 72 hours following their conclusion.
Full Schedule - Olympic Figure Skating Live Streams & Schedule | NBC Olympics
Medal Results: Winter Olympics Results - Skating - ESPN
TEAM USA
👕Looking for Spirit Wear?
👕Looking for Spirit Wear?
Shop MFSCH branded merchandise at our website. Personaliteez is the vendor included under Membership and Club.
ℹ️ Volunteer at the Club Info Table!
ℹ️ Volunteer at the Club Info Table!
Proud of MFSCH skaters? Volunteer at the Club Info Table to tell others about club membership. All ages are welcome to volunteer at the table (volunteers under 14 need a parent/guardian present).
📅 Thursdays: 4:30–6:30 PM
📅 Saturdays: 11:30 AM–1:30 PM
✅ Meet fellow skaters
✅ Learn more about the club when people ask questions!
✅ Help make our community fun & welcoming
Contact: Courtney Nicholas
👏 Notes of Appreciation - Thank you!
👏 Notes of Appreciation - Thank you!
Karen R and Courtney N for a successful move of club assets to our new offsite storage location. Thank you for spending your Saturday lifting, moving, and organizing--it is greatly appreciated.
ℹ️ Frequently Asked Questions - FAQs
ℹ️ Frequently Asked Questions - FAQs
Q: How do skaters miss school for a U.S. Figure Skating competition or event?
A: USFS offers an absence letter request form. Letters must be submitted ahead of the event.
School Absence Letter Request Form
Q: Where do I find rule-type documents such as the rulebook, technical notifications, test requirements, competition requirements, levels of difficulty, and marking guides on the USFS website?
A: Here's a central hub for members: Skating Rules & Resources - U.S. Figure Skating
Q: How do Adult skaters qualify for the U.S. Adult Figure Skating Championships?
A: This is a 2-part answer. Both Qualifying and Non-Qualifying events are offered at the Adult Championships.
"QUALIFYING" events require qualification at Sectionals: Championship Masters Junior-Senior free skate, Championship Masters Intermediate-Novice free skate, Championship Adult Gold free skate, Championship Adult Silver free skate, Championship Masters Pairs, Championship Adult Dance and Championship Adult Solo Dance. (All age classes are combined.)
MFSCH skaters will attend Midwestern Sectionals March 13-15, 2026 in Livonia, MI to qualify for Championship events.
“NONQUALIFYING" events do not require qualification from Sectionals: Free skate, Pairs, Partnered Pattern Dance, Partnered Free dance, Centennial dance, Solo dance, Showcase events. (Levels are Adult Bronze through Senior.) There are age categories (I, II, III, IV, V) for singles events. Solo dance events are grouped Class I/II and Class III/IV/V.
📸 Showcase your skater!
📸 Showcase your skater!
Got great skating pics or videos? Share them with us and you might see them on our club Instagram or Facebook! We love it all—fun on-ice clips, learning a new skill, practicing a program, milestone moments, and more!
Questions? Contact Catherine Ridley at socials.mfsch@gmail.com
Upcoming Events & Important Dates
Upcoming Events & Important Dates
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