Let’s Skate!

To skate is to fly.

And right now, Emma Bailey is soaring.

In a black leotard adorned with silver ferns, she glides with grace around Revolution Skate Centre in Mount Maunganui, enjoying every corner of her new home rink.

The 19-year-old artistic skater represented New Zealand for the first time last year and is on a roll, in more ways than one.

She’s improved rapidly in recent months and is gaining speed – fast. Emma says she no longer needs to worry about “crashing into walls” during training sessions at small community halls around Tauranga.

She now has the space to spread her wings.

“It’s nice to have somewhere that’s just for us and we’re not having to fight everyone else for hall time.” 

Revolution Skate Centre opened earlier this year after Pavilion 3 at Mercury Baypark was converted into a purpose-built indoor skating rink for Tauranga.

The facility is being leased by Bay Roller Sports, a joint community sports venture between Mount Mustangs Inline Hockey Club and Tauranga Roller Skating Club.

Both clubs have spent years hopping between community halls for their training and travelling out of town for events and games. Now, through the collective power and persistence of passionate volunteers, they have somewhere to call their own.

Revolution Skate Centre is the first dedicated multi-code indoor skating rink in the region, catering to inline hockey, artistic/figure skating, speed skating, roller derby, as well as learn to skate and play programmes, roller discos, and other community events.

“It’s been a dream come true,” says Joel Coppins.

Joel started playing inline hockey back in 1997 and a year later competed in Tauranga’s first-ever regional junior inline hockey tournament. Ten years ago, that annual tournament moved to Hamilton when Tauranga lost its rink.

Joel’s been fighting to get it back ever since.

“I’m proud of what we’ve achieved,” he says, fatigue from the last decade hanging off his words.

“We were homeless … we’ve fought for this.”

Joel is President of both the Mount Mustangs and Bay Roller Sports and is determined to put his city on the map for roller sports enthusiasts around the country.

The annual junior inline hockey tournament returned to Tauranga this year over King’s Birthday weekend and featured more than 200 players from 22 teams. Spectators were spilling out of the building and standing on benches to get a better look.

“To bring it back here is pretty special,” Joel says. “Some kids said it’s now their favourite rink in New Zealand.” 

That’s a huge leap forward from five years ago, when Brett Speirs first moved to Tauranga and joined the club, which then consisted of just one team.

They trained on a single basketball court in the Mount and travelled out of town for fortnightly home games in Hamilton. Now, the Mount Mustangs train, play games, and have regular drop-in sessions at Revolution Skate Centre. They have five teams – the Under 10s, Under 12s, Senior As, Senior Bs, and Masters – with hopes for a team in every grade.

“Jeez, in 10 years, we could outgrow this and might need another rink,” Brett says.

He’s now Club Captain and believes the future is bright for the next generation of Mustangs. 

That includes Hunter Pert, who has been playing inline hockey since he was 3.

“I slept with a hockey stick when I was a baby,” the 13-year-old says. 

Hunter is now training and playing inline or ice hockey most days of the week. He competes in about 10 national events a year and had his first two international competitions last year, with another two lined up this year. He dreams of making the National Hockey League in the United States one day.

That kind of mindset and potential is also alive and well at Tauranga Roller Skating Club, where members are thriving now they have longer training sessions and a space specifically designed for their sport.

“To come here and see the rink ready to go just felt like coming home,” Club President Jackie Evans says.

“We’ve got one of the country’s leading coaches right here, so if you want to be a world-level skater, this is the club to come to. Or you could just come and have a roll around for fun.”

The club’s numbers have tripled to around 100 skaters since the move – from beginners to international competition level – with some skaters training up to eight hours a week.

The club now has a consistent training schedule with five coaches (three accredited) teaching competitive artistic freestyle, figures, dance, precision and speed skating disciplines. 

Tauranga Roller Skating Club committee member Jo Russell says she was “so overwhelmed with emotion I couldn’t talk” when she first walked through the doors of Revolution Skate Centre.

“I had a bunch of skaters with me … it was like several Christmases came at once.” 

She says the club has been able to add structured learn-to-skate programmes, as well as a range of recreational classes for adults and kids, and public discos are in the works. 

This September, Tauranga Roller Skating Club will also host a regional competition for the first time in eight years. It is set to become an annual event in Tauranga. 

“We are honoured to be able to host it again in our new home rink, and we will also be hosting a new beginners’ competition alongside it to cater for all skaters at every level who want to give competing a go,” Jo says. 

Many more hours of training, competition – and fun – lie ahead at Revolution Skate Centre. 

The flight path is set, and Tauranga’s skaters are on their way.