Pre-CanSkate

Pre-Canskate is an entry level program for beginners who were born in 2022 or earlier. Children are placed into groups according to ability and taught by a Professional Coach and assisted by program assistants (higher level skaters in the club trained to assist in the program).  The focus of this program is to make skating fun! Skating skills taught range from learning to stand and balance to going forwards and backwards. The Pre-CanSkate program is a readiness vehicle to prepare skaters for CanSkate. Once the skaters have passed the set criteria and mastered the essentials needed to move safely and effectively on the ice they can be moved into a CanSkate Stage 1 group on that same session.

All skaters must have a CSA approved ice skating helmet. Bike helmets are not acceptable. Some parents also have their children wear other protective equipment like knee and shoulder pads.  Skaters should be dressed warmly but not in clothing that is restrictive. 

For those returning from the previous year, note that there will be no on-ice assistants this year as we try to make the transition easier from Pre-Canskate to the Canskate program.

Each Pre-CanSkate session is 50 minutes long.  There is a  10-minute off-ice coach-led warm-up included in each session as part of the Long Term Athlete Development model and all participants are expected to attend.  After their off-ice warm-up the Pre-Canskaters will join the Canskaters on the ice using designated areas of the ice surface.  Coaches and Program Assistants will set up and prepare for their 30 minute on-ice lesson. At the end, Pre-Canskaters will take part in a 5 minute cool down with 5 mins then to safely exit the ice. 

Once skaters are considered by coaching staff to be ready for Canskate Stage 1, they will be moved into a Canskate group during the same session.   In Canskate they will participate in the 50 minute Canskate program with a group warmup, lesson time with rotation through 3 fundamental zones (Balance, Agility and Control), and a group cool down.