The AFSC club history is a combination of excerpts from articles taken from our AFSC Newsletters over the years. (The author of the original articles is Ann Moore.)

Above left: Kevin Franchini in the 1960's. Above center: early days precision group during a show. Above right: skating apparel in the 1950's (skater unknown).

Origins and Overview

"The undersigned, at a meeting held at the Ice Arena in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on the 30 day of January, 1949, by a majority vote, duly organized a Figure Skating Club. ... The organization shall be known as Albuquerque Figure Skating Club."

So began the Constitution of the newly formed Albuquerque Figure Skating Club, which consisted of 11 members. For some of our newer skaters, it may come as a surprise to learn that there has even been skating in New Mexico for [over] 50 years. Yet, in the mid to late fifties, the Club included almost 500 members due in large part to the influx of military people from places where skating was popular. At that time, AFSC was one of the largest clubs in the country. Membership dropped to around 50 in the early 1960s due primarily to problems with ice availability. Over the years, membership has waxed and waned, but has never again come anywhere near the pre-1960 levels.

Although we now associate skating with the far northeast heights, until the mid-1980s, the Club's home rinks were more centrally located - within the Coal to Lomas, Washington to San Mateo area. Of course, in 1949, Central and San Mateo was the far northeast heights!

Altogether, I counted 6 ice surfaces on which we have conducted Club skating, including a small studio rink and an outdoor rink in Santa Fe. There have even been a few periods when we had no ice at all, although during most of the last 50 years, there has been at least one indoor ice surface in Albuquerque, albeit not necessarily the size on which we are use to skating. Incidentally, the building which housed the Iceland rink, the Club's home rink for almost 20 years, is up for sale. It's yours for $1.4 million [the price in 2001] and needs lots of TLC according to the Internet listing.

Throughout its history, AFSC has sponsored shows, held clinics and Club sessions, and administered test sessions. [Remember the old figure tests? This is] an experience most of our current skaters will be spared. When the skater finished, the judges would walk to the figure, mark the axis, and examine the tracings on the ice. The idea was to have the tracings on top of each other. Now don't ever complain about Field Moves tests again!

Of course, the Club has always done "fun" things too. During at least part of the fifties, we had a float in Albuquerque's Christmas parade.

Evidence of Club session parties was also found in the old records. Here is an item from a Social Committee Report:

"On November 9, 1980, a "fifties" party was held at Iceland during club sessions and prizes of five dollars ($5.00) were given to the best male and female outfits from the fifties. The judges were Mr. Norman Smith and Mr. Kevin Franchini. The judges were selected on recommendation of committee members for their impartial judgments in past events."

Were you surprised to see Norm and Kevin mentioned in a 1980 report? Go back another 20 years or so. Norm joined AFSC in the mid-fifties and has been a USFSA judge since 1964. Additionally, he has served as President, Secretary, Test Chair, and Newsletter Editor. Kevin joined in the sixties, first as a competitor, then as a coach. Norm and Kevin were joined by another long-time member. Mary Walston, in the mid-seventies. Mary has served in a variety of positions, most notably as Newsletter Editor for almost 10 years. Together, these three have given immeasurably of their time and talents for the benefit of figure skating in New Mexico.

A Look Back at our First Half Century

The first [section of our history] overviewed the history of AFSC and concluded by highlighting three individuals who have been part of figure skating in New Mexico and of AFSC for many years: Norm Smith (Fifties), Kevin Franchini (Sixties), and Mary Walston (Seventies). Anyone who has figure skated in New Mexico, probably knows at least one of them. Among them, they have held almost all positions in AFSC - president, vice president, secretary, test chair, newsletter editor, show director, Ice Capades usher - everything except treasurer; they left that one to me [Ann Moore].

Norm Smith

Here's a picture of Norm modeling his "classic" AFSC club jacket.

(Left picture taken by Laney Kidd - 2003. Norm in 1965 judging figures. AFSC officers in 1965.)

Norm Smith is our most senior member and familiar judge to most. So now let me give ya'lll the scoop. Norm was born in Hoquiaw, Washington and grew up in Seattle. He moved to Albuquerque in 1957 because of a job he got with Sandia Labs, where he worked for 26 years until he retired.

Norm has been skating since before World War II and says he likes it because it's a very individual sport and you don't need a team. "You can just go out and skate." Norm not only skates, but judges, as most of you know. He started judging in 1965 and has judged at about 100 test sessions [as of 2001. He's judged in many more since then.]

However, Norm not only judges and skates but he's attended 1 Nationals and 10 worlds in places he thought would be interesting. I don't know if you guys remember when Midori Ito jumped out of the rink, but he actually was there to see it. He also has traveled to the Amazon, Antarctica (where he went swimming and saw penguins), Russia, China (twice - once right after it was opened up in the 1970's), Hong Kong, Norway (on a dogsled), and on a skating cruise.

Besides all his traveling, Norm enjoys photography and has played tennis. He's played piano and just recently bought a harp, which he is trying to learn to play.

This interview was written by Katy Moore.

Kevin Franchini

(Picture taken by Robert Kidd - September 2003.)

Kevin's story appears on the club coaches page.

Mary Walston

(Picture taken by Robert Kidd - September 2003.)

As a little girl growing up in Summit, New Jersey, she could skate down here street and right up to a frozen lake that served as her ice rink. (Imagine what that would do to your blades if you tried it here!) Mary didn't actually starting skating on an indoor rink and taking lessons until she was 12. However skating was different then. The only competition Mary can remember is Nationals - no Regionals, Sectionals, or even Invitationals.

Mary kept skating all through her teen years and was planning to do so at college as well. She decided to go west and ended up at Colorado College where she met her husband of 37 years [as of 2001], Bob. However, she didn't skate much. It wasn't the school work or the social life that kept her away from skating; it was the transportation. When Mary attended Colorado College the only rink around was the Broadmoor, but without a car it took over an hour to get there. It wasn't until March of her senior year that Colorado College's Honen ice arena was finally completed, a bit too late for Mary.

Most AFSC skaters know Mary as a dance and field moves coach. However, when the Outpost skating director asker to coach dance she wasn't sure if she could teach higher than the preliminary dances. Field moves didn't even exist at that time. Since then she has taught over 100 students ranging from International level dancers to Basic Skills skaters. Mary herself has passed all her gold dances and continues to test field moves.

In addition to skating, she enjoys sewing , skiing, sailing, cooking, quilting, biking, and hiking. AS if that's not enough, she also did a year of graduate work at U.C. Berkeley and taught school for seven years in California. And we could never forget here two children, Sean who is currently studying for his PhD in physics in Oregon. and Sharon who is a medical resident in California and passed her Gold dances and an International dance as an AFSC member. [An update: Sean has graduated and Sharon finished here residency and is now practicing here in Albuquerque. Skaters with foot problems should consider paying a visit to Sharon.]

Now you can think of an early morning session without waltzes, tangos, and maybe even polkas dominating the sound system? Or can you think of test sessions without little kids waiting nervously for the results of their Dutch Waltz? It's almost impossible to imagine skating without everything that Mary's brought to it, so from everyone, thanks.

This interview was written by Kristin Moore, Mary's highest test level student and a two-time Jr. Olympics ice dance competitor.

Norm, Kevin, and Mary

It's hard to picture figure skating in New Mexico without seeing images of these three: Norm judging Kevin's Preliminary Figure Test in 1965; Norm judging Kevin's students' tests 30 years later; Norm and Kevin judging the Club's Fifties costume contest in 1980; Kevin coordinating the music for the Club's 1980 show, "It's a Small World"; Kevin cutting the master tape for the 1998 show, "Around the World on Ice"; Kevin and Mary directing the 1995 show; Mary directing the 1992 show and the 1990 Western Round-up; Norm writing the Club news letter in the early 60's; Mary putting out the newsletter 30 years later; Kevin and Mary providing clinics during Club sessions; Mary organizing Club ice dance sessions and opening her home for potlucks afterwards; Kevin taking ice dance lessons from Mary; Kevin partnering Mary's students during their dance tests; Norm trial-judging those tests; Norm achieving yet another judging appointment. The list could go on, but you get the idea - continuity, cooperation, concern for those who pursue the sport of figure skating in New Mexico. So to all three, thank you - thank you for sharing your love of figure skating by contributing so generously to our enjoyment of it; thank you for honoring us with your membership.

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Last updated on 05/07/2006