Local figure skater gets Skate Canada award

North Bay Figure Skating Club member Kaitlin Smith was awarded last week a Barbara Graham Bursary Grant from Skate Canada. Smith was awarded this grant as she was a Pre-Novice Sectional Champion. Smith is 15 years old and a student at Widdifield Secondary School.

Smith won the 2006 Skate Canada Northern Ontario Sectional Championship title this past November and went on to represent Skate Canada-Northern Ontario at the Skate Canada Western Challenge in December.

In Smith's letter she received from Skate Canada it stated that Barbara Graham worked as a Technical Director for Skate Canada for many years. She spent her entire life dedicated to figure skating and was immensely interested in the development of young skaters, especially those with a strong work ethic and a desire to succeed and even through her courageous battle with cancer she continued to attend events and took a keen interest in the sport. Her legacy continues through financial assistance for young skaters. Smith was also notified earlier this month that she has been selected to attend the Skate Ontario Development Camp in Kitchener-Waterloo in July. Fellow club mate Chad Mathieu has also been invited to attend the Development Camp.

Both Smith and Mathieu are coached by Debbie Cottrill-Olivier.

Submitted to BayToday.ca