By JIM STEWART

The Dufferin-Peel Skating Club has a new Head Coach.

Jarret Melanson, who has served the Skating Club “on and off as a resource coach,” succeeded Patty Lambertus as the 2025-2026 season drew to a close.

Melanson complimented Lambertus's leadership and legacy.

“What Patty has established over the years—it's left the skating club in a great spot. It's been an easy transition.”

Melanson brings high level skating experiences and performances with him to the rink.

He noted, “I toured with an Ice Show for ten years and have been working with SkateOntario since 2022 and SkateCanada since 2025. I competed up to the Senior Men's Division at Nationals.”

The veteran skater praised his team's performance at the Ice Rodeo which took place at the Teen Ranch Ice Corral on March 29: “It's a year-end celebration that showcases the program and our skaters. We have a great relationship with the Ranch, it's our home rink, and they have a great team to work with.  We're getting lots of ice time and using off-ice facilities to create off season training programs for our skaters.”

One of those DPSC skaters who performed admirably at Ice Rodeo and at the Provincials in Hamilton on March 20-22 was Ella Stamenkovic.

Coach Melanson praised Stamenkovic's impact on the local sports organization.

“Ella is a leader in the Club and she is friends with so many.  She's a model athlete who's in Grade 11.  As a 17-year-old, she's one of our lead skaters and has worked tremendously hard on and off the ice.  She's a most gifted, artistic performer who interprets music so well as a skater. She won silver at the Star 9 event which was great for her, especially since she's put forth tremendous performances all season.”

Coach Melanson described the preparations being made by the DPSC for the Fall competitive season.

“We're fortunate to have ice full-time through the year. Our kids have plenty of options for skating over the summer to prepare for the Fall season. In the next year, we'd like to become a partner with the other clubs to share facilities and costs of a summer program during the offseason.  It's not a mandatory program—but skaters who want to get better will take up the opportunities. We're doing a variety of training sessions that would focus on the upcoming season, especially reps of jumps in an off-ice program.  Off-season jumping exercises helps our skaters' muscle memory so when they get back on ice full-time in the Fall, it will cut down on jumping miscues.”

In addition to praising Ella Stamenkovic for her fine performances in 2025-26,  Coach Melanson offered “a big shout-out to Sophia Thomas—a Dufferin Peel Skating Club member for ten-plus seasons—who has just completed her first season with Disney on Ice and will be performing throughout the Summer of 2026.”  

The 20-year-old Thomas joined Disney on Ice in 2025 and is currently completing her studies at university while skating for the world-famous Ice Show.