How Can Your District Director Help You?

 By Christine Wilson Brinton, ISI District 4 Director

 Do you know that your ISI district director, or representative, can be a valuable resource? We are most effective when we are directly involved with our members.

You may be wondering, “What exactly is the role of a district director, and how can he or she help me and my programs?”

First, there are 17 ISI districts in the country, as well as an international district. Each district director is a voting member on the ISI board of directors. We attend two board meetings annually, where we must submit a written report detailing the state of our district. At these meetings, action items are presented and motions are brought forth for a vote. The annual budget is approved by the board of directors at the fall meeting. An action item can be a request such as a rule revision or change in the budget. For example, Synchronized Skating Team Membership was created after several board members suggested the need for a membership category for synchro teams that do not have an ISI home rink, so that they can be eligible to participate in ISI local and national competitions and shows.

Your district director serves as a liaison between you (the member) and the ISI board of directors. He or she is responsible for promoting and supporting ISI programs and events within the district and on a national level. We approve and endorse your competition and show dates in order to maintain a well-organized district calendar that will maximize participation in everyone’s competitions. We serve on committees, volunteer our time at national and local events, organize instructor and manager seminars, and we are available to mentor and assist all members of our districts.

If it sounds like a big job, it is. And we need your help! All district directors are volunteers. We serve because we believe in the benefits of ISI programs, and we are committed to the ISI mission to promote ice skating as a participant sport and recreation and to provide information for the development construction and operation of ice skating facilities. Most districts have Facebook pages and websites (for information, visit skateisi.org, click on Resources, then District Websites) and all district directors have email addresses. When you have a question, suggestion or request, please reach out to your district director. We want to share your thoughts with the board to help all of us continue to be successful arena operators, managers, skating directors and coaches.

Editor’s Note: We have several districts without directors at this time. However, our ISI field representatives are a great resource and can answer any questions members may have. Contact Mandy Whitacre at mandy@skateisi.org or 636-697-5343 (Districts 1-4 and 6-9) or Shanley Pascal (Districts 5, 18 and 11-16) at Shanley@skateisi.org or 213-458-7337.