For the love of skating and community
- John Fitts
- 5 hours ago
- 8 min read
With expansion, ISCC celebrates past, present and future
By John Fitts
Editor
With a major expansion and improvement project in the books, the International Skating Center of Connecticut has plenty to celebrate but a new and upgraded facility only tells part of the story.
The infrastructure itself is impressive – a 25,000 square foot, multi-million-dollar renovation and addition that added two training rinks, 9 new locker rooms – two of which are NCAA level, additional office space, a 3,200-square-foot Sports Performance Area, and a 1,400-square-foot loft for community events. Those changes add to a facility that already included Olympic and NHL ice sheets, a pro shop, an eatery and bar, fitness center and more. In all, ISCC now exceeds 100,000 square feet.
But the excitement – tempered with lingering emotions – goes well beyond infrastructure. On the evening of April 30, hundreds of community members attended a grand re-opening to see the additions, acknowledge the rich history of skating at the facility, welcome a rising star to the ISCC family, and receive a short preview of the University of Saint Joseph’s inaugural hockey season.
Kelle Becconsall, owner and General Manager at ISCC, emphasized that she and partner Adam Westhaver see ISCC as a facility for everyone – and one that provides a boost to the Simsbury’s economic health, and sense of community.
“We took over ownership of the facility about four years ago and our goal today is not just to tell you what we’ve been doing for the past four years but to tell you more about this facility, what it represents and what it’s going to become,” she said. “Over the past year, really the past four years, we’ve made a significant investment, not just in brick and mortar but in building something we believe is truly very special.”
ISCC is a place where a figure skater, a hockey player, an athlete at any level, can come to train, to grow and to chase big dreams. It’s also a place for the three-year old to get on the on the ice for the first time and a person who just wants to come, work out and stay healthy. At ISCC you can come grab a bite to eat, you can come take in a show, you can watch a good game, you can put skates on for the first time in many, many years and join a public skate. The point is we’ve become a destination and a place where our community can come together and that is what we want to leave you with when you walk out of here today.”
One of the evening’s featured speakers was Olympic and World Champion Scott Hamilton.
“When this facility was first built in 1995 my dear friends and fellow Olympic champions Katia Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov and Victor Petrenko all relocated to Simsbury to train and coach here, establishing the ISCC as a world class training facility,” Hamilton said. “So many incredible talents have graced the ice here in Simsbury, including Ilia Kulik, Sasha Cohen, Johnny Weir, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov and, of course, most recently, their son, 2026 Olympian Max Naumov.”
Hamilton, who spoke via video, is ingrained in ISCC history himself, including a 7-year run in which he came to town each fall to prepare for Stars on Ice.
Hamilton was also in town just a few days after the grand re-opening to emcee a Sk8 to Elimin8 Cancer Ice Show that raised $40,000.
“I was happy to call Simsbury my home. Each fall, we’d come to Simsbury for several weeks to workshop and to start choreographing the Stars on Ice tour,” he said at the April 30 event. “Too many memories to count but I loved every minute of being in September Simsbury; it’s so beautiful. Now, through my CARES foundation it’s an honor to partner with the ISCC to host Sk8 to Elimin8 Cancer. Since 2023 we’ve collaborated to raise $154,000 to fund life-changing cancer research and make cutting-edge clinical trials available here in Connecticut with our friends at Hartford Healthcare.”
The April 30 event also provided the chance to recognize a local couple who coached 2026 Team USA Olympic member and Simsbury native Max Namouv following the tragic death of his parents in a January 29, 2025 D.C. plane crash.
“The facility has been my family’s home for the past 30 years and we will always call the ISCC our second home,” said Daniel Petrenko, ISCC’s Director of Figure Skating. “My parents Vladimir and Elena Petrenko have been here since the rink’s beginning. They have been here and committed to grow the sport and we’re all here to recognize all the effort they have shown developing many national and international level athletes over the years and most recently helped a dear friend of mine - our 2026 team USA Olympian Maxim Naumov. As his coaches, my parents helped him reach his goal of becoming an Olympian after tragically losing his parents Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov. Today we want to recognize both of my parents as part of their continued commitment to both the community and our facility. Let’s all congratulate our newest Olympic coaches.”
Daniel Petrenko also had some exciting news for the crowd.
“I’m happy to announce that starting today we welcome a new face to Simsbury – team USA’s Sophie Joline von Felten,” he said. “She has been a great force in the junior circuit, winning the US Junior Championships in 2025 and placing 6th at the 2026 U.S. National Championships this year at the senior level and most recently competed at the 2026 world junior championships. She has an arsenal of quadruple jumps with excellent grace and elegance and we’re really happy to have her call the ISCC her home and be part of our figure skating community.”
“In front of you are the coaches and the athletes that this facility was built for and it wasn’t just because of their talent. It was because of the vision they had for this place.” Becconsall added. “So, for me, I have to say on behalf of all of us, the fact that we’re here 30 years later; they’re still here; the vision is the same. So, to be here with you, seeing that vision come to life is truly an honor that we can’t put into words so thank you. And Joline I have to say that this entire room of people just got the opportunity to say that you met her here first.”
Becconsall also took time to acknowledge the long history of hockey programs at ISCC.
“So, it’s no doubt that we have a lot of pride in history with figure skating at ISCC, but one sport is not what it’s all about here,” she said. “Hockey is a true part of our identity a part of our future and a big part of who we are here.”
Already, ISCC is home to many high school hockey programs, including Simsbury High School, as well as numerous leagues, camps and clinics and development programs. It’s also home for the Northern CT Hockey program, which includes the Nor’Easter Boys and the CT Lights Girls. And, while it had previously been announced, Becconsall also touted a new partnership with the University of Saint Joseph for its men’s and women’s inaugural ice hockey seasons.
“We are not just renting ice to our friends at University of Saint Joe’s,” Becconsall said. “We’re partnering with people who truly respect and value excellence in academics and athletics and athlete development in the same way that we do and we’re confident that this partnership gives us the opportunity to bring something truly unique to the state of Connecticut.”
USJ President Rhona Free, Ph.D., talked about her history with the game and how the school put together a program in just 6-months’ time, thanking many, including USJ associate Vice President of Athletics and Recreation Amanda Devitt, who also spoke at the event.
“So, at USJ we talk about how nimble we are but going from Ground Zero to conference play in one year required not just being nimble but being very lucky,” Free said. “We’re lucky to be in a state, and right outside of the city of Hartford, where there’s so much love and passion for hockey. So, we’re grateful for that. We were incredibly lucky that this fabulous rink could accommodate us and that Kelle and Adam and everyone else here has done whatever was necessary to get us on the ice quickly. We were lucky to find terrific coaches who have recruited full teams in just a few months. We’re lucky to have a board of trustees, many of them here today, who are supportive, enthusiastic even, about starting two new teams, but I think most of all we are lucky that we have a leader of our athletics program (Devitt), who was willing to say ‘yes, we can get this done.’”
Later in her remarks, Free also touted the benefit of athletics for students.
“USJ student athletes have higher retention rates, graduation rates, GPA’s and are just as involved in volunteer and service activities as our other students. For the players, hockey will be a tool that helps them to achieve academic success and growth in leadership. For USJ hockey will be an investment in visibility, in student experience, and in the continued growth of the university. It’s a step forward that reflects both ambition and purpose.”
During the event, Becconsall also touted the facility’s positive community impact and economic benefit for area restaurants and other businesses.
“We’re very happy for what we’re contributing to the community and that’s why we’re so thankful for all of you being here right now,” Becconsall said. “Last year, in 2025, we welcomed over 600,000 people through our front doors. We’re an international Sports Complex bringing people from all over the world to our community and that number is only growing. Thank you very much and we’re happy about that.”
And while she did tout sponsorship opportunities, Becconsall also said everyone who attends a game, laces up skates, comes to an event, eats a meal, or hosts a meeting at ISCC is an integral part of the facility.
“I hope what we’re leaving you with is not just excitement but just validation that this is just the beginning for us,” Becconsall said. “We have an incredible foundation and what will truly define ISCC moving forward is the community around us. There is something for everyone here and there are so many ways to be part of what we’re building.” VL
