Tips for all Skaters and Parents
v For the benefit of all skaters please watch from the stands
v Permanent name tags will be provided, please have your child wear it every week
v Please ensure helmets fit appropriately. Helmets are mandatory for all Canskate level skaters. In cold weather a small toque under their helmets helps keep them warm as you lose a large amount of body heat from your head
v Skaters should wear mittens, and warm; but non-constricting clothing. Cold children are usually unhappy children
v Tie skates properly, no hanging, loose laces, please ensure skates are tied tight enough
v Get skates sharpened at approximately 8-week intervals. If your skater skates on an outdoor facility you should sharpen their skates prior to returning to club lessons
v When removing skates, blades and soles should be dried carefully with a soft cloth
v Do not store skates with the skate guards on, cover the blades with soft blade covers
v Wipe and wash skate guards regularly as grit and dirt become lodged in the tracks of the guard therefore damaging the blade
v Take skates out of skate bag at home to let them air dry at normal temperatures to avoid rotting and rusting
Ayr Skating Club Policies and Procedures
o Helmets: are recommended to be worn by all Canskate skaters.
o Badges must be tested by the Certified coach, badges will be given out at the information table.
o Parents MUST stay off the ice unless instructed by the coach. The Coaches are required to have their First Aid Certificate in order to be a qualified Coach therefore, if your child is injured the Coach is certified to deal with it. The First Aid kit will be at the ice level for each session.
o For insurance purposes a Coach and a First Aid Kit must be at the ice surface before skaters are allowed on the ice. Any accident or incident must be reported to a Board member and an accident report filed out.
o All Skaters must not go on the ice until the Zamboni has left the ice and the Zamboni gates are closed.
o Friday ice time is to be used by those skaters that have registered for it. Skaters may guest skate on any session at their qualification level, providing that there is adequate room on that session. There is a fee of $10.00 for ALL guest skaters not registered with the ASC and want to skate on an extra session.
o If you wish to come to a board meeting to address an identified issue, written notification must be received two weeks prior to the meeting.
o If you have a question or concern please speak to a board member, or submit the issue in writing to be discussed at the next board meeting.
o Parents if you wish to address your child’s coach please do not speak to that coach during lesson time.
o Fees must be paid in full as required by the club, or the skaters participation is revoked.
o Partial Membership: If you register your skater for only the first half, or if your home club is not ASC then you have no voting privileges at the ASC Annual meeting.
o Refunds: Pro-rated reimbursement for the skating fees will be considered up to the fourth week of the skating session. Skate Canada and administration fees will not be refunded.
o Etiquette: All skaters and coaches must be courteous and conscientious when they are on the ice. The coaches will guide the skaters in the proper skating behavior to keep our skaters safe. Parents are expected to reinforce and support the coaches in this regard.
o Private Lessons: the parents must arrange these with the coach of their choice. The Club is not responsible for these sessions in any way. If you have concerns speak to the Coach at an appropriate time.
o All Canskate/Hockey/Power Skaters :No food or drink on the ice surface. Absolutely NO GUM.
o Skaters shall always be aware of all other skaters on the ice and shall maintain a safe distance from all other skaters. Skaters taking a private lesson have priority of movement over all other skaters, followed by skaters performing a program or pattern to music, and all other skaters are required to give way.
o If a skating session is cancelled due to weather notice will be posted on the ASC website www.ayrskatingclub.com
All parents are asked to become familiar with these roles and responsibilities; it is your job to remind your children of these rules.
o Courtesy and respect for other skaters, coaches, parents, club volunteers and arena staff.
o Please be prompt and prepared for your group lessons.
o Skaters must be listening attentively to a coach during a lesson.
o Try your best at all times!
o Please dress appropriately for the activity.
o Coaches want you to be safe! Hair should be tied back if long enough. Pants should not be long, baggy and loose as a skater may trip over them. Gloves or mittens are suggested.
o Inappropriate behavior, and language will result in immediate cancellation of that day’s lesson and a meeting with the parents.
o Keep the skating environment clean.
o Use your ice time wisely…practice, practice, practice!
o Remember to say thank-you!
Remembering these rules will ensure that our time at the arena is productive and fun!
Parents Roles and Responsibilities
As a Parent of a skater it is important to remember that your skater is a person first, and a skater second. All Children need support as they grow. Here are some things for parents to think about as they approach figure skating. (Adapted from Don Kortes Figure Skaters handbook)
o Balance: make sure there is balance in your skater’s life. Allow time from school and personal growth.
o Support Your Coach: Pay your bills on time, and get your skaters to the rink on time. When they can’t make it to the rink be sure to tell the coach in advance.
o Learn about the Sport: Learn enough about skating to recognize the elements. Know enough when something is done well and when it is done less well. Recognize progress. Be interested and listen when your skater talks about progress and problems.
o Watch: Don’t use the rink as a babysitter. Stay and watch your skater practice. They need to know you’re interested. Often skaters whose parents never watch in practice feel very self conscious or pressured when their parents finally do show up to watch.
o Be a Good Sport: remember that every skater is someone’s child and that all deserve to be treated fairly and with respect. Be willing to recognize other skaters graciously.
o Support your Skaters: Remember your skater is still maturing. Offer praise when appropriate, but be realistic with that praise. Resist the urge to compare your child against another. Some learn faster. Let them progress at their own level.
o Support Your Club: Pay your bills on time. Help with Club activities. Most Clubs are run by volunteers and they need all the help the can get!
o Get up Immediately after falling
o All Skaters must abide by all coaches on the ice
o Observe skating priority rules: priority always goes to the person skating to the music being played, second priority goes to the skater getting a lesson
o Do Not stand in the middle of the ice, if standing your back should be against the boards
o Hitting, kicking, and swearing is not allowed
o Deposit your gum in the garbage before stepping on the ice. No eating is allowed on the ice!
o Water bottles for junior/intermediate/senior skaters are to stay on the boards.
Program Assistants
Clubs provide training for their Program Assistants who are skaters with experience, who volunteer their time to help with the Canskate Program. They demonstrate skills under the direction of the coaches and generally help out wherever needed. It is a good way for skaters to give back to their clubs. Program Assistants are important role models for the younger skaters in the club.
Club Code of Ethics
Parents should be familiar with the Skate Canada Club Code of Ethics. The Club Code of Ethics can be found in the Skate Canada Rule Book under policies and procedures on the Skate Canada Web Site www.skatecanada.ca
Role of the Volunteer
A volunteer is an individual that gives of their time to assist and work towards the goals of an organization. Clubs depend on parents of their skaters to help create a viable and safe environment for all skaters, so give a hand when you can.
Registration
The Ayr Skating club offers early registration, we also accept up to mid season.
How to Sign UP? There are a couple of ways to register - via mail - simply download the registration form, and mail to: Ayr Skating Club P.O.Box 1096 Ayr, Ontario N0B 1E0. Or fill it out and bring it with you to the Ayr Arena on our registration nights.
Missed registration? You can still register - it's never too late to skate. We accept new registrations all the time. Call Marianne, and we'll sign you up over the phone (519 632-8501)
Programs are offered for boys and girls interested in learning to skate, hockey and ringette skill development, powerskating, and of course figure skating. See our Programs Info for a description of all programs offered. Not sure what level your child is in? All students are evaluated by our coaching and then if necessary the level your child is in is adjusted.
Important Notes about registration:
Due to the unknown number of skaters registering each year, the times listed on the registration form are subject to change.
Due to insurance regulations, parents are not allowed on the ice with their child - during the preschool learn to skate sessions there are Program Assistants that are on the ice to help these skaters. If your child is apprehensive about being on the ice without you, please talk to one of our reps at the arena, or to one of the coaches - we have several things we can suggest that will help.
When registering your child the full amount is due. This can be in one payment or using our payment plan, and leaving postdated cheques at the time of registration. Please make cheques payable to the Ayr Skating Club.
We do offer a family discount for any families that have more than 1 skater skating with our club.
Lottery Books
Lottery Books are one of our methods of fundraising. You pay for them with your registration, and then keep the money that you collect when you sell the tickets. Each family is responsible for selling 1 booklet of Canada Lottery tickets. When the book is sold return the ticket stubs to us at the desk on Monday nights. Please note: Books need to be submitted by February. Good Luck to Everyone ! Our club receives a portion of the money, the rest of the revenue is used by the Western Ontario Section (which we are a member of) to fund various skater oriented programs. Eg. Subsidizing skater seminars for various levels of skaters (recreational, competitive and national), offering courses and training at a reduced fee, helping with costs incurred by skaters and teams with large travelling expenses.
Fitness Tax Credit
Receipts for the government fitness tax credit are issued in December. You will find them in your mail slots.
Volunteering Fee
The volunteer commitment fee is paid by all skaters at the time of registration. Parents with multiple skaters pay the volunteer fee once. Please ensure that you submit a separate cheque for the volunteer fee postdated for March of the following year. Like all organizations, volunteers are essential to the club. You sign up for your volunteer job during registration, and for ice show volunteering mid season. Example of volunteer jobs are : chaperoning for one youth dance, helping with pizza night, collecting advertisements for the ice show booklet, helping with the float for the santa claus parade, playing music during skating sessions, donating prizes, etc.
Ice Show Fee
Your skater works very hard all year and towards the end of the season the club puts on an ice show where your skater can show off all they have learned. All skaters in every level are encouraged to participate in the ice show. From the preschool skaters right up to our senior skaters, everyone gets very excited to show off what they have learned. The ice show fee covers a costume for your skater, prop and lighting costs, ice time, and all the little extras that go into producing a quality show. We do not charge entry at the show, and all are encouraged to come - grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, the more the merrier !
Communication
The club puts out a monthly newsletter, (also available on line) to keep everyone posted on all upcoming events. All families have a mail slot at the front desk, where they will find newsletters, order forms and other information. Please make a habit of checking your mail slot weekly. If you have any questions, a board member is available on Mondays at the front table from 4:45-6:30.
Skate Canada Programs offered by the Ayr Skating Club
Every Skate Canada skating program compliments the others and allows for unrestricted movements and development through the system. All programs are taught by professional coaches and certified through the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP). They are offered at member clubs and sanctioned skating schools across the country.
CanSkate: is Skate Canada’s flagship learn-to-skate program designed for the beginners of all ages. Canskate is a program that focuses on fun, participation and basic skill development. Badges and other incentives are earned as the fundamental skating skills are learned. Lessons are given in a group format. Led by an NCCP certified professional Coach and assisted by trained Program Assistants. The coach/student ratio is maximum 1:10. Skaters progress at their own rate and are active in the fun and learning environment using music, teaching aids and varied activities. Canskate is the feeder program to all other Skating Programs.
StarSkate Program: Skills
Tests
Achievement
Recognition
This is what Starskate is all about! Starskate offers opportunities for skaters of all ages to develop fundamental figure skating skills in the areas of ice dance, skating, skills, free skate and interpretive skating. Unique in Canada, this program teaches figure skating skills in a group and/or private lesson format on a progressive and sequential manner and includes specifically designed awards and incentives. Skaters have an opportunity to take Skate Canada tests through a Nationally Standardized Testing System.
Hockey Skills: is for the younger skaters who are not quite ready for the demands of the powerskating. It is focused on developing proper skating skills, balance and agility.
PowerSkating Progam: is an action packed, high-energy instructional powerskating program geared to hockey and ringette skaters that focus on balance, power, agility, speed and endurance. Skills, techniques and conditioning drills are taught in a progressive format that emphasizes how skills apply to game situations.
Synchro Technique: Synchronized Skating or “synchro” is a specialized discipline of skating involving groups of 8 or more skaters performing various formations and maneuvers The objective is for the team to perform as one unit executing circles, blocks, lines and wheels while demonstrating quality edges, power and flow. The Ayr Skating Club offers in introduction to synchro for skaters in level 6+.
The Ayr Skating Club is a sanctioned Skate Canada Club that abides by the rules and regulations of Skate Canada. The ASC operates as a not for profit organization, to provide the opportunity for skaters to succeed and have fun skating. The Club is a member of the Western Ontario Section. The Western Ontario Section covers the area of Southwestern Ontario. There are 113 Clubs and 11 sanctioned Skating Schools in the Section. The Chairman of the Western Ontario Section is a member of the Board of Directors of Skate Canada.
The Board of Directors of WO in Conjunction with Skate Canada manages the operations of the section. The Section assists Clubs and the Regions in their efforts to ensure that Skate Canada’s program delivery standards are being achieved. The primary focus of WO is to provide support and opportunities for our skaters of all ages. WO is committed to training our Coaches, Officials and Volunteers to assist our skaters in reaching their goals and enjoying their involvement in skating.
Skate Canada Mission Statement:
Skate Canada is an Association dedicated to the principle of enabling every Canadian to participate in skating throughout their lifetime for fun, fitness and/or achievement.
All Coaches teaching and coaching in Skate Canada Clubs and/or Skating Schools are certified coaches, which means they have completed components of the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP).
Skate Canada Professional Coaches are:
· NCCP Trained and Certified
· Qualified to deliver Skate Canada programs from Canskate to Competitive Skate
· Dedicated to athlete development
Coaches Roles and Responsibilities
All Skate Canada Coaches must abide by the Skate Canada Professional Coaches Code of Ethics. Parents can review the Coaches Code of Ethics found in the Skate Canada Rule book or on line www.skatecanada.ca.
Coaches must complete a Skate Canada approved Police Check; hold a valid First Aid Certificate and have a current Skate Canada Coaching Membership.
Resources Available to Parents
There is a large network of resources available to parents in figure skating. Here are just a few:
Ayr Skating Club
Box 1096
Ayr Ontario, N0B 1E0
The Western Ontario Section Skate Canada
237 Consortium Court 865 Shefford Rd.
London Ontario, N6E 2S8 Ottawa, ON K1J1H9
Phone (519) 686-0431 1-888-747-2372
www.skating-wos.on.ca www.skatecanada.ca
If afe If after reading this you still have questions, please email us at: info@ayrskatingclub.com