From the shoebox

NCSA, first established as Golden Gate Speed Skaters on March 13, 1988, was in existence prior to the days of email, websites. To advertise our first session, we printer this poster on a dot matrix graphics printer and asked all of the rink managers to post it in their box offices.scan0056

At this time, the sport was just beginning to transition from a fixed blade leather skate to the current composite / adjustable blade design.

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Our early 1990s sessions were in a shopping mall called Fashion Island in Foster City. We always had crowds watching us while we skated. Also since the rink was next to the food court, we could go get donuts after our Sunday morning training sessions!!

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Three of the skaters in the following shot are still skating. Speedskating is a sport for life.

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Here is an early skating clinic with the one of our first NCSA Coaches, Pferde Schaffer, and legendary Olympic Medalist, Olympic Coach Diane Holum.  Diane’s most famous athlete was 5 time Gold Medalist, Eric Heiden

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Speaking of Eric Heiden, while he was a medical student at Stanford in the early 90s, we had the opportunity to train with him several times.

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In those days before email, we wrote and mailed newsletters to all the members, to notify them of upcoming races and events, and to give everyone their recent race times.

One of our skaters who attended Stanford hosted the world’s FIRST WEB PAGE for a speedskating club.

The following images are the Archive of newsletters mailed to norcal skaters:
1992 August level 1 coaching clinic

1991 September
1991 October Gabe Kinsley editorial
1991 November uphill race on wheels
1991 April 15 Berkeley sessions
1990 October
1990 November daily training logs funny
1990 March 17 club organization meeting
1990 January Skater uprising by Gabe Kingsley
1990 August
1989 March party and new products by Gabe
1989 June the famous ROOTS article by Gabe Kingsley
1989 July August more fun from Gabe Kingsley
1988 September
1988 questionnaire
1988 October Le Bonte stealth skate by Gabe Kingsley
1988 June
1988 July Gabe Kingsley takes over publishing
1988 April
GGSS club T shirt sales form
1998 Aug Sept new team in Roseville and NCSA pool party
1997 Nov 27 letter and press release about nationals
1997 August Jim Minami leaves
1996 November World news
1996 Aug September cycling skaters
1995 December
1993 October 24 new San Jose rink
1993 January 26 Tuesday night Fashion Island
1992 November Kristi Yamaguchi visits
1992 May
1992 January in prep for Olympics

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