TIPS FOR SKATERS    

CanSkate Stages 1-5 All Skaters

• All Skate Canada member clubs and skating schools who offer a CanSkate program must ensure all CanSkate and Adult CanSkate participants up to and including Stage 5 must wear a CSA approved hockey helmet while on the ice.

• This policy also applies to all other Skate Canada programs, therefore anyone who lacks good control/balance when skating forward, backward and has difficulty stopping, as well as maneuvering around obstacles on the ice must wear a CSA approved hockey helmet.

• Clubs and skating schools must ensure this policy is enforced during all skating activities including competitions, carnival days or any other special on ice activities throughout the season for this level of skater.

• This policy is a minimum standard. Sections, at their discretion, may impose a higher standard which all clubs and skating schools within the sections’ boundaries must adopt and implement

• The CSA approved logo will be found on the back of the hockey helmet affixed to the outer shell of the helmet. For more information about CSA standards visit www.csa-international.org

• Head protection can also be worn by skaters Star 1-10 and they come in many styles and colours for both male and female skaters.

Skate Canada Concussion Protocol.

https://skatecanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Skate-Canada-Concussion-Protocol-EN.pdf

Clothing

Mittens/Gloves   

Not only for warmth but most importantly protections.  Your first instinct when fall in is to put you hands down.  If a skater is not wearing protective hand covering, they will fall awkwardly, and this increases the risk of injury the skater.  In close contact several skaters may fall at the same time and unprotected hands and figure become injured.  All CanSkate skaters must wear mittens or gloves!

Mittens are warmer than gloves as they allow the fingers to move and warm air to circulate within the mitten.  Please try to avoid the fuzzy gloves and mittens as they tend to stick to the ice and leave fabric bits on the ice.

Layered Clothing

A skater should always be dressed warmly, but the clothing should not restrict movement.  Layered clothing is the most effective way to dress (e.g. Jogging pants or thermal underwear with splash plants). Warmth with out the bulk!  We want to decrease restriction of movement.  Extra socks are discouraged, as they tend to make the feet colder rather than warmer.  There needs to be some room for air movement in the skates for the feet to stay warm.

Figure skating attire is appropriate for Canskate skaters who has developed good balance and can skate the width of the ice without falling.  However, it is not essential.  

Figure skating attire is recommended and encouraged for skaters who are in the StarSkate 1-2 level and above.

Skates

Figure skates or hockey skates are a good choice for BEGINNERS of any age.  New skates are available in a wide variety of prices.  Remember that good quality equipment often ends up in the skate exchange or used skate sections of retail stores and pro-shops.

Whether they are new or used, skates should meet some basic requirements:

• They provide a snug, but comfortable fit.
• They are made of a firm material to support the ankle.
• The blade is made from good, stainless or carbon steel,      so that it will glide smoothly and stay sharp.

For a good fit, make sure:

• You wear skates over thin socks or tights because      layers of socks limit the support provided by the boot and decrease air      flow for warmth.
• The boot fits snugly around the instep and the heel.
• There is not much      buckling of the leather around the ankle. Never purchased      used skates where the ankle flops to one side or has a substantial crease      under the ankle area.
• A pencil width at the back of the boot when skater      bends forward with heals down. If the heal slips up, then the boot is too      wide at the back.
• There is enough room to wiggle your toes.
• Look at the boot tongue, ensure the tongue offers stiffness and      padding to protect your ankle from injury.

You can always speak to the CanSkate Chair or the Canskate Coordinator if you would like a skate/blade check.

Fitting Your Skates:

• Skates should be fitted and worn with a pair of thin socks or tights, the

same pair that will be worn skating

• Pull the laces very loose from the bottom to the top of the skate to get the skate on

• Without tightening the laces, slide the foot forward to the front of the boots so

that the toes touch the end but are not cramped (they should not curl under)

• Have the skater stand with the weight evenly distributed over both feet

• Bend knees, but do not lift the heels

• The space at the back should be no more than a pencils width.

Lacing Skates

• Skates need to be laced snugly for the best foot control inside the boot

• Cotton laces are much easier to lace up than waxed lacesJ

• Start at the bottom set of laces and pull outward (not upward) with each set of

laces

• You know they are tight enough when you cannot get your fingers under the

laces after they are tightened

• Remember to lace through all the holes and around all the hooks

• Do not tie extra laces around the back of the ankle or underneath the boot.

Tuck extra lacing inside the skater’s pants or cut down the laces and tie a knot

in the end, so the laces cannot come out of holes

Sharpening Blades

• Blades should be sharpened before first day and after about every 20 hours of

skating, or if the skater has walked on concrete.

• On figure skates, do not remove the bottom pick. It is part of the design of

the skate and essential for proper balance.

Care of Skates:

· DO NOT walk on metal or concrete without skate guards or you will wear down the blade edges and make nicks or scratches on the blade.

· To prevent RUSTING, wipe the blades dry with a clean cotton terry cloth after every use.

· Remove plastic guards before STORING and allow blades to fully dry before putting skates away.

· Make sure blades are covered with cloth covers to help keep blades sharp and prevent blades and boots from being damaged or damaging your skate bag.

• Skates should be stored in the house (not the garage or trunk of the car) to

prevent the blades rusting from the changes in temperature. Ideally, they

should be open to the air and not left in a closed bag all week. (They smell

better that way too!)

• What to do with stinky skates: open them to the air as much as possible, Lysol

antibacterial spray or similar and/or a good running shoe deodorizer are good choices.

                   *Parts of this section have been taken directly from Skate Canada

                          “From Boots to Blades: A Rookie's Guide to Skating”