Club History

All Year Figure Skating Club was organized in 1939 by a small group of enthusiastic skaters, under the leadership of Mrs. Ann Rork Getty at the Tropical Ice Gardens in Westwood Village. The club developed rapidly along with the popularity of the sport and held both Junior and Senior sessions. Among the club professionals were Eugene Mikeler, Hubert Sprott and Helen Gage Moore. Helen taught on club sessions until her death in 2004 at the age of 92.

In 1945, the Mercury Figure Skating Club lost its ice and was invited to share the Westwood rink. The two clubs then merged to become the All Year-Mercury FSC. After a short time, Mercury FSC disbanded, and the club again became known as All Year Figure Skating Club.

The club suffered a severe setback in 1949 when the Westwood rink -- by this time known as the Sonja Henie Ice Palace -- was torn down to accommodate the expansion of UCLA. Arrangements were made to conduct sessions at the Pan Pacific Arena, but a year later that rink discontinued its ice, and All Year FSC was again without a home. Through the courtesy of the Los Angeles Figure Skating Club, one session a week was acquired at Hollywood's Polar Palace.

Because it was not possible to host a large junior and senior membership on one session a week, the decision was made to devote that ice time to a senior dance and figure session. This allowed a nucleus of loyal members to be retained in helping All Year FSC again pursue the objectives stated in its by-laws: to promote and improve figure skating in all its branches.

In 1962 the AYFSC Board of Directors learned that a new rink would be built in Culver City. The Board negotiated with the rink's owners to obtain two sessions weekly, while still retaining the dance session at Polar Palace. When sessions began in October 1962, Culver City Ice Arena became the principal skating headquarters of the All Year FSC. Six months later Polar Palace was destroyed by fire, prompting AYFSC to add a Sunday session at the Culver rink. All Year FSC remained at Culver Ice Rink through 2011. At this time, Culver City Ice Arena was in disrepair and the club negotiated a temporary home at Center Ice in Ontario, CA. Facility owner Danny Kwan was most gracious in welcoming the club into that facility. The club conducted its annual events from Center Ice until 2019. In 2018, a new facility was proposed in Irvine, CA. The facility would be state of the art, with four sheets of ice and event spaces. During the construction phase, Doug Williams had numerous meetings with the ownership of Great Park Ice, and secured All Year FSC as the resident club with Home Club designation. As of 2019, the club relocated the principal skating headquarters to Great Park Ice in Irvine, CA.

In 1968, the Golden West Open Freeskating Championships were created. Until that time, in all competitions, only those who placed among the first eight in figures were allowed to freeskate. Many skaters never had the opportunity to perform their programs as ISI did not exist. This competition, which was open to all levels, proved to be extremely popular. During the 1980s, figures were added, but later removed, continuing the freeskate only format in use today. Now, more than a half century later, Golden West Championships continue to be held annually.

Dating back to 1963, All Year FSC has hosted multiple Southwest Pacific Regional Championships (which have since been replaced by the National Qualifying Series) and Pacific Coast Sectionals. All Year FSC has also hosted the 2004 and 2007 Pacific Coast Adult Sectional Championships and the 2024 and 2025 Pacific Coast Synchronized Skating Sectional Championships. In 1997, the club was pleased to host the 1997 Junior Olympics.

The highlight of AYFSC history came with the hosting of the 2002 U.S. State Farm Figure Skating Championships at the Los Angeles STAPLES Center, at which the 2002 U.S. Olympic team was chosen. The 2002 U.S. Championships Committee: Doug Williams, Valerie Lundy, Carol Hunt, Larry Kriwanek, and David Simon organized the most successful championships to date. All Year FSC was represented by 21 competitors who came away with eight medals.

AYFSC athletes have been part of several U.S. Winter Olympic teams, represented by Scott Wendland, Beata Handra, Rena Inoue, John Baldwin, Jr., Madison Chock and Brandon Frazier.

Pairs team Rena Inoue and John Baldwin Jr. entered the figure-skating history books by landing the first-ever throw triple Axel at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games.

Madison Chock (Ice Dance) and Brandon Frazier (Pairs) won Figure Skating gold in the Team event when they competed in Beijing as part of the 2022 U.S. Winter Olympic Team.

At the World Championships AYFSC has been represented by Scott Williams, Sharon Carz, Doug Williams, Scott Wendland, Trifun Zivanovic, Angela Nikodinov, Rena Inoue, John Baldwin, Jr., and our World Champions: Madison Chock (Ice Dance - 2023, 2024, and 2025, with her partner Evan Bates) and Brandon Frazier (Pairs - 2022, with his partner Alexa Knierim).

All Year's National Medalists and competitors include: