Lethbridge’s Versteeg helps raise $15,000 for local cause on Battle of the Blades

“I’m feeling good,” Versteeg told Lethbridge News Now following the season six finale.

“[I’m] kind of sad at the same time in the sense that it was a lot more fun than I even expected. It was fun going to the rink every day and doing something competitive and being a part of a good cause as well and raising money for Opokaa’sin and Big Brothers Big Sisters. [I’m] a little sad it’s over but overall excited about how we did and how the entire show turned out.”

He said the most important thing about being on the show was raising awareness for a local cause on a national stage.

“I think the biggest thing, even more than the money, is the awareness and the understanding of early intervention for children, whether [they] be Indigenous or whoever it may be – at Big Brothers Big Sisters, who they’re helping,” he said.

“The biggest cause was understanding the great work that Opokaa’sin does in helping Indigenous families. I was just happy to be a part of it and happy they would let me share their story, all along with mine at the same time and raising money and awareness.”

Both Versteeg and Edwards kept in touch with the charities throughout the show’s run.

“The communication was kind of always there, but mainly through social media and making sure they understood how grateful we were that they let us represent them,” Versteeg explained.

FIGURE SKATES VS. HOCKEY SKATES

The Lethbridge athlete noted the difference between hockey skates and figure skates is quite noticeable.

“The way the figure skates are shaped, it’s almost like a high-heel so you’re really leaning forward. Even, I put on my hockey skates the other day to go out with my kids and I was falling backwards. I had to stand on the boards just to be able to stand-up,” Versteeg said with a laugh.

“There’s a lot of drastic changes in the way I had to skate. Balance is always kind of there, but they are generally on one edge more than us. We’re generally on two edges and our balance is over the centre of our bodies, where theirs is generally on one edge and over one foot, so the differences are there.”

He suggested young hockey players should think about training in figure skating techniques, even in their hockey skates, to improve their balance on the ice.

FAVOURITE PERFORMANCES & NERVES

Looking back at his time on the show, Versteeg said he was very nervous going into the week one routine.

“When the skate started, I almost forgot the routine, I was almost having a panic attack 15 seconds into the skate and I was like where am I right now…it was really, really strange,” he said, crediting his partner Carlotta Edwards with helping calm his nerves.

Versteeg talked about the differences in nerves between competing on the show and playing in an NHL game.

“In the NHL, each and every game, especially in the regular season, there’s a little bit of nerves but not really. As the playoffs ramp up and each round ramps up, the magnifying glass gets more and more, so the nerves are there but it’s also a pressure of, you’ve been working for this you’re entire life and it’s all coming down to this moment,” he remarked.

“It’s a [very] different feeling and the nerves are different but at the end of the day, it’s who can control that and how you perform, and I thought we did very well [in] week six.”

He added that their week six performance, which was their last of the season was their “most complete and best performance” of the show. The duo skated to Good Things Fall Apart by Illenium & Jon Bellion.

“I don’t think we could have skated any better than we did in week six. For me, it was almost a flawless performance in the sense that we did everything that we wanted to do and even better than we thought we could do,” he told LNN.

As far as what performance he believes was the most entertaining for those watching the show, that distinction goes to week five, to the song Can’t Help Myself by Dean Brody & The Recklaws.

“That song kind of got brought up last second. We didn’t know we’d even be in week five and since the fans voted us, we were there so we’re like, we might as well give them a really fun song. Week five had to be our most favourite,” Versteeg said.

He added that if asked to return to the show in a judging capacity, he would gladly accept that offer.

“It definitely left a feeling with me of being very grateful of being on it.”

Wojtek Wolski and Meagan Duhamel were named the winners of the season, with Jessica Campbell and Asher Hill placing second.

by Justin Goulet

Lethbridge’s Versteeg helps raise $15,000 for local cause on Battle of the Blades

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