ON A ROLL

0 Comments | La Crosse Tribune, Jun 01, 2003 | by Hollnagel, Gayda

Yellow school buses are a common sight in the parking lot of the High Roller Skating Center in La Crosse.

The rink, located at 3624 East Ave. S., behind Shelby Mall on La Crosse's South Side, does a brisk business as a field trip destination not only for La Crosse schools but schools in outlying communities, said Amanda Johnson, who owns and operates the rink with her fiance, Mark Christianson.

The couple, who plan to marry July 5 and will have their wedding reception at the rink, were employees of the previous owners and purchased the business about four years ago, Johnson said. She said they have since expanded their offerings of kid-oriented activities to include a large video game area, all-night skate events and programming specifically aimed at children and school groups. They've also expanded the snack bar to offer more choices and added a Web site to provide skaters and their parents with update information about activities and events.

"We keep it clean, and we keep the kids clean and our business continues to thrive," said Johnson.

She said High Roller is the only roller

rink within 75 miles of La Crosse, so it draws skaters from many other communities.

The rink has a staff of 10 to 15 people, including many part-time student employees who are on call to help out with larger events, Johnson said.

The all-night events, which are held seven times a year from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., are well-chaperoned, and even the parking lot is monitored and enclosed with fencing.

"There's staff out there, and they can't get out," she said.

The all-nighters include a supper meal and breakfast, plus skating, games and

entertainment. The cost is

$15 and includes skate rental. The next one is scheduled for Saturday, June 7.

Johnson said many of their student employees are skaters who started coming to the rink when they were 4 or 5 years old.

"Some of these kids come in here, and they become permanent fixtures," she said. "We usually have about 200 that we know by name."

With so many kids around, keeping control is vital, Johnson said. The rink rules,

prominently posted on the wall below the sound booth, ban swearing, fighting or

other questionable behavior.

Violators get a warning the first time or a time-out on a bench under the tropical fish tank next to the posted rules. Repeaters may get banned from the rink.

"It doesn't matter if they're 17, they still have to sit under the fish tank and

cool off," Johnson said.

"We've actually had kids sit down and write 'I will not swear at High Roller' 100 times. Then it's over, and we get our point across."

She said the music played at the rink is carefully edited to screen out objectionable lyrics.

To encourage young skaters, the rink sponsors a Tiny Tot Skate for young kids and their parents from 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays during the school year, Johnson said.

Other regular attractions include a once-a-month food drive that offers free admission to kids who bring in three items of nonperishable food. The drives usually produce about 200 items for local food pantries, Johnson said.

The rink also is headquarters for Break SK8 Wisconsin and sponsors a team of about

10 kids age 14 to 19 who compete in regional and national "Jam Skating" events.

Jam skating is done to music and is similar to break dancing, Johnson said.

On a recent Thursday afternoon, the rink was host to 120 fifth- through eighthgrade band and choir members from the middle school in Chaseburg, Wis., who come to celebrate the end of the schoolyear.

"I've done it for 20 years," said Caroline Lueck, the school's band director, adding that the tradition started earlier than that. "It's kind of their big thank you for being at the concerts."

She said she and choir director Margaret Jothen plan the field trip, which usually takes at least three buses and eight to 10 chaperones. A second group of 160 students from the Westby Middle School was scheduled for the next day, Lueck said.

Lueek said she likes the idea of bringing students to a place where the kids can have fun and be in a safe, protected environment.

"I relax and enjoy seeing them in a different light. They see us in a different light," she said.

Seventh-graders Ben Pinkham and Nick Klum gave high marks to the whole experience.

"The games, the music and the lights, the atmosphere, just a fun place to hang out," Ben said.

Chaseburg fifth-graders Ashley Berg, Taylor Buckmaster, Monica Berra, Samantha Christopher and Devi Stoffregen, all choir members, also were having a great time on the field trip.

"It's kind of like a reward, and it's fun," Samantha said.