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The Montgomery County Department of Park and Planning has two ice rinks. Both rinks offer an assortment of programs to all ages including lessons, general and special skating sessions, and rental times. At the Wheaton Ice rink, there is also an exciting speed skating club.

The Wheaton Speedskating Club has been around since 2001.  The club has an array of skaters from beginners to recreational, to nationally competitive skaters. 

In the past years, the club has included world gold medalists, like Jae Mok Jeon (known as Kevin), at present a Korean Olympic coach.  Hyun Jung Lee is a world gold medalist and Olympian. She carried the Korean flag at the Olympics in Calgary, 1988.

Nathaniel Mills is a three-time Olympian. Jimmy Jang is currently a USA short track Olympic coach. And now Wheaton Speedskating Club is getting a new coach with incredible experience, Don Sung Kim.

Coach Kim will arrive in the Washington D.C. area this month. He intends to take speed skaters to the next competitive level, whether it is regional, national or Olympic.

Indeed, the club is known for having superb Korean coaches. Many of the skaters from this club have won National championships and one member, Simon Cho, has moved on at the young age of 15 and now skates on the Jr. World Team.

Even with the successes of young skaters, the club struggles to find sponsors so young skaters of different backgrounds can attend and continue their training. All donations are tax deductible and names of donators are placed on the uniforms and sweat suits.

Corliss Wood, the president of the club, works around the clock to ensure things are running smoothly all year long. She’s busy preparing for the upcoming Summer Camp 2007, to be held on June 18 to June 23.

Those interested in making donations, or signing up for Summer Camp 20007, can contact her at (301) 879-5220.

The Wheaton Speedskating Club is one of the most international clubs in the area. Its skaters come from the US, Korea, China, Mongolia, Italy, and Slavic countries, yet you cannot escape a strong family-like bond, close, warm but very competitive. New skaters are accepted all year long.