Local News
Still rolling out the good times
By Tony Lascari
of the Daily News
Daily News/ BRIANA SCROGGINS Curled up behind the DJ booth at 6 a.m., Joseph Breen, 13, of Midland, naps during the "Fright Night" all night skate at Roll Arena on Sunday morning.
The skaters who turned out for an all night skating party Saturday night would probably agree that the Roll Arena in Midland is helping to "let the good times roll."
A recent list in USA TODAY from Budd Eversman of the Roller Skating Association International placed the Midland arena among 10 in the country that are keeping skating alive.
The list was published as part of October's National Roller Skating Month.
Ann Behan, who manages the Roll Arena, said skating can be fun and beneficial.
"We've been here about 42 years," she said. "It's fun. It's easy exercise. It's a lifetime sport. It's also very social."
The arena offers skate times for youths and adults, is working to form an inline hockey team and supports speed inline skating. In June, it hosted a regional speed event.
"We put on a good meet," Behan said. "That was a pretty big deal. The people qualified for nationals."
The arena hosts three all-night skating events each year, and Saturday's party drew Dane Burton, of Midland.
"I come here just about every Friday night," he said. "It's fun. I see a lot of my friends and it's fun skating."
He started on regular inline skates and then switched to speed skates. Now he wears his inline hockey skates as he rolls around the arena. He wants to see an inline hockey team form in Midland.
A friend who got good at hockey on skates made the transition to ice hockey and recommended Burton try the same thing.
"I've been playing it for three years," he said. "It's really good training for ice."
On the floor, different age groups took turns racing and then everyone joined to dance and roll to music played by a disc jockey as flashes of color twirled around the arena.
"I haven't been here in a long time," Midland High School freshman Richie Waite said as he sat with friends Shelby Stevely and Noel Schmidt.
Stevely said she came because the event lasted all night, and she likes the feeling of being on the skates as they roll across the flooring. She also gets to meet a lot of people at the arena, she said.
That's great news for Behan, who is looking for ways to promote the fun activity.
"We need more people to come skating," she said. "It's really a good value."
The best deal is the Wednesday night family skate option from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., with admission at $3.
For more information on the Roll Arena, located in Captain Dave's Family Entertainment Center, 2909 Bay City Road, visit www.rollarena.net or call (989) 496-2900.
A recent list in USA TODAY from Budd Eversman of the Roller Skating Association International placed the Midland arena among 10 in the country that are keeping skating alive.
The list was published as part of October's National Roller Skating Month.
Ann Behan, who manages the Roll Arena, said skating can be fun and beneficial.
"We've been here about 42 years," she said. "It's fun. It's easy exercise. It's a lifetime sport. It's also very social."
The arena offers skate times for youths and adults, is working to form an inline hockey team and supports speed inline skating. In June, it hosted a regional speed event.
"We put on a good meet," Behan said. "That was a pretty big deal. The people qualified for nationals."
The arena hosts three all-night skating events each year, and Saturday's party drew Dane Burton, of Midland.
Daily News/ BRIANA SCROGGINS Haley Straight, 14, of Midland and Patrick LaFontaine, 14, of Midland, take a break from skating on Saturday night. The pair have been talking for about a year now, but have not officially become boyfriend and girlfriend.
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He started on regular inline skates and then switched to speed skates. Now he wears his inline hockey skates as he rolls around the arena. He wants to see an inline hockey team form in Midland.
A friend who got good at hockey on skates made the transition to ice hockey and recommended Burton try the same thing.
"I've been playing it for three years," he said. "It's really good training for ice."
On the floor, different age groups took turns racing and then everyone joined to dance and roll to music played by a disc jockey as flashes of color twirled around the arena.
"I haven't been here in a long time," Midland High School freshman Richie Waite said as he sat with friends Shelby Stevely and Noel Schmidt.
Stevely said she came because the event lasted all night, and she likes the feeling of being on the skates as they roll across the flooring. She also gets to meet a lot of people at the arena, she said.
That's great news for Behan, who is looking for ways to promote the fun activity.
"We need more people to come skating," she said. "It's really a good value."
The best deal is the Wednesday night family skate option from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., with admission at $3.
For more information on the Roll Arena, located in Captain Dave's Family Entertainment Center, 2909 Bay City Road, visit www.rollarena.net or call (989) 496-2900.