What Equipment Does My Skater Require?
What Your Skate Bag Should Contain

What your skate bag contains is largely dependent on what level of skater you are. The following is a guide on what type of equipment is appropriate for each level and sources on where to find it.

CanSkate, Jr. Achievers & Pre-Hockey

Skates - The type of skates you choose to wear will reflect what discipline you are learning to skate for. Those interested in figure skating or recreational skating (particularly girls) will prefer a figure skate while those keen on hockey should be in hockey skates. Skaters in the Early Figure Skating Program must wear figure skates.

Whatever skates you do select to wear, there are some fitting guidelines to follow. New boots should be comfortable although one should expect some initial discomfort around the ankles and other "pressure points". Often these can be relieved by "popping out" the boot*. The skater's heel should fit snugly in the heel area. A quick test is to have the skater stand in the laced skate. Hold the boot down on the floor and ask them to try and lift their heel. If the heel slides up, then this boot is not right for the foot. Toes should not be cramped and there should be room to raise them slightly.

* This is one of the reasons that we don't recommend that skaters wear the solid plastic skates. They do not offer any way to make adjustments for fit and they simply do not permit the skater to bend properly.

If you are looking for a good basic figure skate, there are several available. Check out the Skater's Edge Shop on Schoolhouse in Coquitlam. They can fit you into a CanSkate appropriate level boot.

For young skaters it never hurts to look at a pair of good used skates. Rarely do young children break down their skates. They grow out of them before that can ever happen. It is better to purchase a pair of good used skates rather than inexpensive new ones. Every September during our Open House, our club also has a used apparel and skate sale.

Helmet - All children are required to wear a helmet on Intro-CanSkate, CanSkate and Pre-Hockey (hockey helmet with face mask) sessions. While a bike helmet may be used, we recommend using a hockey helmet as it provides better protection.

Skate Guards - Save your skates and your sharpening. Skate guards are inexpensive and should be worn when skaters are walking in their skates off the ice. Be sure to label your guards with your skater's name.

Soft Rag - Keep a rag handy to dry blades and skates after use. Do not put wet guards back on after drying!

Fabric Blade Covers -(Optional but recommended) Skaters with figure skates should consider using fabric blade covers to put on their blades after they have been dried off with a rag. The fabric will absorb any additional moisture that wasn't caught by the rag and will protect the blades in the skate bag. These covers can be made or purchased at a skate shop (all colours and patterns are available now including ones with animal heads and legs!)

Clothing - Ensure that they are dressed warmly. Pants that are made on nylon and that are thin are good to wear over warm pants, these nylon pants will keep the skater dry, if they fall and get wet. Nothing fancy is required. Just ensure that the clothing is not too loose and provides some warmth. Mittens or gloves must be worn.

StarSkate and Competitive Skate

Skates - Selecting Skates becomes a little more involved now. While the basic fitting rules suggested above for CanSkate still apply, there are other considerations. It is highly recommended that you see a professional skate fitter to ensure the right fit and get a boot with the appropriate stiffness.

Skate Guards - Save your skates and your sharpening. Skate guards are inexpensive and should be worn when skaters are walking in their skates off the ice. Be sure to label your guards with your skater's name.

Soft Rag - Keep a rag handy to dry blades and skates after use. Do not put wet guards back on after drying!

Fabric Blade Covers - (Optional but recommended) Skaters with figure skates should consider using fabric blade covers to put on their blades after they have been dried off with a rag. The fabric will absorb any additional moisture that wasn't caught by the rag and will protect the blades in the skate bag. These covers can be made or purchased at a skate shop (all colours and patterns are available now including ones with animal heads and legs!)

Screw Driver - (for those with separate blades that are screwed to the boot). Always handy to have incase a screw becomes loose.

Hair Elastics and Clips - There is nothing more frustrating than trying to skate with your hair flipping into your face. Keep extras in your bag for rush days or the day after the new haircut that created more wisps than you could have imagined.

Clothing - Skaters should wear figure skating attire. For girls, a skating dress or skirt with leggings is appropriate. For boys, skaters should ensure that they do not wear loose clothing. There are several different stretchy skating pants on the market. Again, so long as they can move easily and the pants are not baggy, they are fine.

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What Difference Does a Skate Sharpening Make?

The simple answer is A LOT! Figure skating blades must be ground to create a hollow. The depth of the hollow depends on the skater's preference and the discipline they skate in (freeskate versus dance). The hollow creates two edges, inside and outside. The big rule of thumb is: NEVER EVER give your figure skates to someone who only sharpens hockey skates or use any automated skate sharpening machines which are found at some arenas. Trust your skates to someone who knows what they are doing. Close to Coquitlam, there are excellent skate sharpening services at the Skater's Edge Shop. Brad McLean is their master skate technician and this guy knows his stuff. If you want to know about the science and technical stuff about figure skating blade sharpening, check out this excellent website:

How Frequently Should I Sharpen My Skates? Once you feel that your edge is slipping, skidding or you lack the control you feel you normally have, it is time to sharpen. Some skaters don't mind slightly dull blades while others find that they require them to be really sharp. Skaters should take notice how they like their blades so that they can get them sharpened early enough (or close enough) to competitions and tests so that they are perfect when the time counts.

How Do I Choose a Professional Coach?
Where To Start

Once skaters enter the Skate Canada Star Skate Program they will need to choose a coach to provide them with individual or semi-private instruction. To help you make this decision, consider the following points:

Who does my child enjoy working with? Your child will be spending time one-on-one with this person at least a couple times per week. There may be an individual that you connect with well, but can the same be said for your skater? If your skater has participated in our Canskate or Jr. Achievers program then they will have been exposed to our club coaches. Ask your child who they have enjoyed working with most. Ask them to give you their top two picks. Come out to one of our freeskate sessions, and watch all of our coaches (club coaches and freelance) coaching skaters and once the sessions is over you are free to ask any of them questions, or you may contact them through our web-site's Contact us page and send them an e-mail with any questions you might have.

Does this coach's teaching credentials meet the needs of my skater? All Skate Canada professional coaches are accredited through the 3M National Coaching Certification Program to at least Level I. This program trains coaches on proper technique, training regimes, and ethical issues related to coaching in general. All of our coaches have completed at least Level I and several are continuing their education to further upgrade their credentials. They are all more than qualified to teach skaters through all levels of the Skate Canada Star Skate Program and through many of the competitive levels as well. Please feel free to consult their coaching bios.

What is my budget? Your budget will determine how many lessons per week you will purchase for your skater. Estimate how much you are willing to spend per week on lessons. These fees are paid directly to the coach, not to the club. The fees you pay to the club are for ice only.

Once you have selected one or more individuals, determine the following:

Is the coach available during the sessions that my skater is choosing to skate? Some of our coaches may be fully booked on some sessions. Some flexibility on both sides may be required to fit lessons in.

How many lessons per week can they provide to your skater? Discuss with them what your expectations are for your skater in terms of lessons and advancement. The coach will be able to guide you as to what is an appropriate number based on the level of your skater and your budget. Do their suggestions and rates meet with yours? What is their method and billing period?

If the coach is quite full, are you willing to work with a couple of coaches? Team coaching is not uncommon and has many benefits. Some skaters learn one aspect of their skating from one coach and another from the second coach. Each coach can often compliment the other well.

Once you have found an individual that your skater likes and meets your financial and goal requirements, book them!

Now That You Have a Coach, communication is key. Make sure that the arrangement you have set up continues to work for your skater, your coach and you. If you have any questions about your skater's progress or your lessons then speak with your coach. Afterall, you are paying them to work with your child. This is a business arrangement and must be treated as such. If things aren't working as well as you believe they should, you need to talk. Often simple things can be ironed out and are the result of a misunderstanding.

What To Do When Things Don't Go As Planned. For the most part, coaching relationships are uneventful: your skater enjoys their lessons and there are no issues. But, not all relationships end up how they started. What do you do when a coaching relationship is not working?

First, ask yourself the following: Is this relationship not working because the parents and coach are not in agreement or because the skater is unhappy? If a skater has been with a particular coach for several years a fairly strong bond may have been established. If they are happy with the coach, then for the sake of the skater remaining happy (this is why we are in this sport, right?) then try to come to an understanding with the coach and do not involve your skater (see below for ethical obligations of coaches to skaters and parents).

If your skater is unhappy, this is a different situation. First, identify if the issue is solely related to the coach or with the skater. Every skater goes through "slumps" during their skating. Often this is related to growth spurts or may be injury related. Keeping motivation and enjoyment high can be really challenging. Speak with your skater to help them determine if they are definitely having issues with their coach or if it is primarily related to their own personal development. In either case, the parent should speak with the coach regarding the situation. If after several conversations or meetings, things are not working between the skater and coach, it may be time to consider switching coaches.

Switching coaches can be a big decision and should not be taken lightly. If there is a definite conflict in personalities or the coaching arrangement, then the decision to change may not be a difficult decision to make. However, especially in the competitive stream, sometimes skaters and parents are quick to look to other coaching options when the skater is not achieving the results they believe they should. It is in this situation that skater and parents need to take a step back and clearly analyze the situation. Are the expectations of the skater and parent realistic? Be honest here. When looking back over a skating season or a year, has the skater continued to improve and develop? Are you basing your decision on a single performance that lasted less than five minutes? Are you basing your decision on the progress of other skaters knowing that everyone develops and matures at different times and paces? Are you still on track towards your original goal? If the overall assessment indicates that progress is not being made, your skater is unhappy (and they want to continue skating, not you) then a coaching change could be in order.

If the decision is made to change coaches, as a parent you have the following obligations:

• Inform the coach that you will be making a change.
• Ensure that all outstanding debts are paid.
• Inform any new coach that all matters have been settled with the former coach.

Coaches Obligations to Skaters and Parents.

(courtesy of the Skate Canada Website)Your coach is bound by a code of ethics that they must sign with Skate Canada:

Coach Ethical Conduct concerning Obligations to the Skater and Parent

• To assist one's skating student to determine realistic goals and objectives in the sport.
• To provide the skater and parent/s with the basic information necessary to enable them to choose a realistic and affordable course of action to achieve these goals and objectives.
• To outline clearly one's coaching services available including cost and method of payment for such services.
• To provide such coaching services as agreed or contracted to each student.
• To provide the skater and parent/s with a current copy of the Skate Canada Coaches' Code of Ethics and review the code with the skater and parents.
• To maintain the skater's best interests at heart when making decisions that will affect the skater's advancement through the sport.
• To be ever mindful of the influence one can exercise over one's skating students and to never abuse this trust.
• To avoid making promises or giving guarantees to the skater and/or parents of test or competitive achievement but rather endeavour to restrict dialogue to the skater's personal skating development.
• To communicate as regularly and effectively as possible with the skater and parent/s as to the skater's progress, changes in Skate Canada rules or club regulations, or other important or relevant information affecting the skater's participation in the sport.
• To respect the fact that a skater and/or parent/s have the right to contract the services of another coach to either replace or supplement the student's instruction.

Coach Ethical Conduct concerning Obligations to the Sport

• To be familiar with and adhere to the standards of coaching as defined under Section 2400 of the Skate Canada Rulebook; and maintain a current working knowledge of ISU, Skate Canada, Section and club rule changes, policies, regulations and programs so as to be able to deliver the product of skating in a professional manner.
• To maintain professional competence by continually pursuing educational and professional upgrading including knowledge in related fields beneficial to skating (e.g. the performing arts, sport science, sport psychology, officiating, etc.).
• To exhibit the important character traits of honesty, reliability/dependability and cooperation when dealing with all participants in the sport so as to bring credit to the profession.
• To share responsibility with coaching colleagues, judges/evaluators and club officials to initiate and support actions that are required to meet the needs of the skaters, the club and skating in general.
• To actively participate in the development and/or maintenance of desirable standards of coaching practice, education, certification and working conditions in the sport.
• To dress in a neat, clean and appropriate manner that is becoming a member of this profession.
• To give back a certain portion of time, effort and knowledge to the sport as a volunteer.
• To promote Skate Canada and its' programs and the sport of skating in general.

Coach Ethical Conduct concerning Obligations to the Club/Skating School

• To accurately represent one's technical, educational and professional credentials and resume.
• To accept personal responsibility for providing and delivering coaching services in a professional manner.
• To help ensure that a positive learning environment is maintained in the club.
• To negotiate coaching contracts in good faith and honour their terms.
• To treat members of the club with respect and fairness.

Coach Ethical Conduct concerning Obligations to Professional Colleagues

• To strive to create and maintain cooperative relationships with coaching colleagues for the purpose of ensuring a positive skating environment.
• To avoid criticizing another coach's teaching methods, techniques and/or opinions unless done so with the coach's knowledge or permission.
• To respect the fact that a coach becomes the base coach of a skating student from the moment that a skater contracts the services of that coach, whether individually or in a group situation, and that other coaches must initiate discussion about a skater's training only through the base coach.
• To respect a coach/skater and/or parent/s' relationship and not solicit or cause to be solicited, directly or indirectly, or through a third party the skater/s of another coach.
• To pursue the following course of conduct in the event that any of the following or similar situations occur:
1. (a) To communicate clear, precise guidelines or parameters to a coaching colleague whose services one wishes to retain on a temporary or permanent basis to assist, supplement or replace one's services currently being rendered and to communicate these parameters to the skater and/or parent/s.
2. (b) To obtain authorization and clear, precise instructions from a coaching colleague as to what the coach wishes to be done with the skater in the absence of the coach or agreed upon team coaching situation and do nothing to undermine the base coach/skater and/or parent/s' relationship.
3. (c) To immediately advise a coaching colleague and seek confirmation from that coach that all undisputed coaching and/or related skating bills are paid or arranged to be paid to the reasonable satisfaction of the coach and/or club upon being approached by a skater and/or parent/s who request to contract your services. This is to ensure that the proper procedure occurs when taking on a new skater as a student. The parent should have discussed the situation with the previous coach and informed him/her of the change to the new coach. All bills should have been paid to the former coach prior to coaching a new student.

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My Skater is Entering Their First Competition, What Do I Need To Know?
Welcome To The World of Figure Skating Competitions!

Competitions are great fun for skaters and a great experience too. It is an opportunity for them to show all the great skills they have learned and meet other skaters from other clubs at their level. All local competitions use the same calculation system as at international competitions (OBO, which stands for One-By-One). With the exception of Section (BC and Yukon) Championships and other high level competitions, marks are not displayed at the conclusion of each skater's performance. A system of closed or semi-closed marking is used instead and these marks are not published. Only the judges placements are posted along with the final results.

So, now that your coach has approached you about entering a competition, it's time to get organized.

How to Enter a Competition

Each competition has an entry form that will ask you to fill out basic personal information, your skater's Skate Canada registration number and indicate which category your skater will be competing in. Your coach will tell you what category to register for.

Submit the completed entry form and cheque for the entry fee to the test chair (unless specified, it is always payable to the club).

Closer to the date of the competition you will receive by mail information listing: the name of event and group number that your skater is competing in. Pay careful attention to the group number as not all groups may be run together on the same day. If a schedule is not included, ask your coach or test chair for one. Inform your coach of the group that your skater is in so they can plan their schedule accordingly.

Now that you have entered the competition, it is time to answer that all important question:

What To Wear??
When in doubt, the rule of thumb for competition wear is Keep it Simple!

Your coach will probably have some suggestions, but if they aren't too particular or forthcoming, go by these guidelines:

• Consider the music your child is skating to.
• Look at ready made dresses for ideas and ask other parents if they have any suggestions.
• Consider your child's colouring and what looks good on the ice.
• Remember that they have to jump and spin in this outfit.
• Test Drive the Outfit. Have your skater try out the dress or outfit on a practice session prior to the competition to ensure that everything looks and works the way it should.
• Consider the Cost: There is a dress for every budget out there particularly at the upper end. If you sew you are definitely at an advantage. Absorbing the labour costs, particularly when it comes to adding sparkle, can save you money. To purchase a ready made dress, you are probably looking in the neighbourhood of $80 and up. Sometimes, it is advantageous to purchase a basic ready made dress and add the sparkle yourself. Your coach and other parents can also recommend sewers in and out of the club to you. Just remember that like skates and the jeans you bought your skater in September, they will grow out of the competition dress soon enough and they won't get nearly the wear out of the dress as they do the jeans. Many competition dresses (if not too tight) are often retired to practice dresses when their day is done.
• Leggings. While some skaters like to only wear a pair or two of nylons, most choose to wear leggings. Leggings that just cover the top of the boot or cover the entire boot are both fine. While there is no rule against stirrups, many people (including some judges) view them as practice wear and find them distracting to the eye. Just remember that if you are wearing the type that doesn't cover the entire boot, your laces and boots should be clean and polished.
• Hair & Makeup. It must be well secured to ensure it won't fall out half way through the program. While pulling only half the hair back may look great with the dress, the back (if long) still tends to flop about and look messy while they skate. Buns, French Braids and even a neat and tidy pony tail are always a good bet. Makeup wise, don't overpower young skaters. A bit of colour is all they need and don't push the issue if they don't want it.

Competition Day - The Checklist

• Skates
• Extra Laces (you never know when a break will happen)
• Skate Guards
• Extra Tape or CD of Program
• The Outfit
• Leggings
• Club Jacket or sweater and gloves (to wear during warmup)
• Toiletries (hairspray, bobby pins, make up etc.)
• Camera and/or Video Camera. Note: Flash photography is NOT permitted during performances but there is a place (with a professional photographer) where you can take pictures.
• Map to Arena (know the route and alternatives to take to get there).

If you forget something, there are usually skate shop vendors on site that can help you out with things like guards and laces. But depending on when your skater is scheduled to skate, they may not be open.

Ensure that you are at the Arena at LEAST one hour prior to the scheduled start of your event. Competitions may run ahead of the scheduled time by up to 30 minutes and it is your responsibility to ensure that you are there on time. Use the road reports on the radio to help you avoid traffic problems and allow plenty of time if you are traveling during rush hour and are unfamiliar with the route or how busy it becomes during peak travel times.

At the Competition

When you get to the arena, look for signs indicating the skaters entrance and directing you to registration.

• Register your skater
• Submit your music to the registration desk. A volunteer will then provide your skater with a competition ribbon (if available) and any other goodies if they have them. They can also help give you an idea of whether the competition is running on schedule.
• Locate the Starting Order for your Group. Skaters in a group are further divided into flights. There is a separate warm-up for each flight of skaters. Determine which flight your skater is in so that you can tell your coach and prepare your warm-up accordingly.
• Locate your Coach. Your coach may be with other skaters that are competing before you. But, be assured they know you are coming and will be there to help you. You can help them out by taking time to start warming up and stretching.
• Do a Proper Warmup. Find a warm place to get your muscles moving and stretched out. Your coach will also help to ensure that you are warm and ready to go. They will also tell you when you should get your skates on and take you down to the dressing rooms.
• Check in with the Starter. The starter is the person who stands by the side of the ice making sure that the right skaters go on the ice at the right time. Periodically they will go down to the dressing room area to see that the next group of skaters are in attendance.

Did you know? All judges are volunteers too. They are not paid locally or internationally

When it is your turn to skate your program, go out and have a great time! Enjoy the moment and just give it your best effort.

Don't forget to smile (and a curtsy or bow at the end to the spectators and judges is always a great way to finish your program).

After You Have Skated

After your group has skated, the results will be posted. If you are not sure where they are posting results (sometimes they are in the same place as the Starting Orders) ask the volunteer at the Registration Desk. If there are finals for your event, see if you have made the cut. If so, check to see when you are scheduled to skate again. There are often medals and ribbons presented to skaters in the first 6 places at the Pre-Preliminary to Junior Bronze levels. There will be a notice above the results section indicating what the competition policy is. Usually medals and ribbons are presented about 30 minutes following the posting of results at the photographer's podium. Be sure to congratulate your fellow competitors on their efforts.

Before you leave the arena, remember to pick up your tape from the registration desk!

Always remember to have fun and enjoy the experience of competing. That is what it is all about. You are representing our club when you compete so be sure to show your fellow competitors what a great sportsman you are. It is OK to be disappointed if you don't skate the best you can. We all can't be at our best 100% of the time. All anyone expects of you is that you try. No matter what result you receive, your club and your parents are proud of you for trying your best!

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My Skater Is Going To Their First Test, What Do I Need To Know?
Welcome To The World of Figure Skating Tests!

Whether a skater decides to be competitive or remain recreational, they will all at some point take a test. There are tests offered in each discipline of skating. How do you know when you are ready to take a test? Your coach will let you know.

How to Submit a Test Application

Now that your coach has determined that you are ready to take a test, you must fill in an application form. Your coach will ensure that you use the correct form. Each test application form will ask you to fill out basic personal information, your skater's Skate Canada registration number and indicate which test your skater will be taking. Your coach will tell you what the name of the test is.

Just remember that a separate application form must be filled out for each discipline. That is, if you are taking a freeskate test, a skating skills test and a dance test, you must fill out three separate application forms.

Submit the completed application form and cheque for the test fee and forward to the test chair.

The Club Test Chair will then process the applications and fill out a test sheet for your skater. The Club Test Chair maintains a record of all tests attempted and past by our members. The official records are also kept by Skate Canada.

Depending on the level of test your skater is taking, the tests may or may not be held at the Club.

The next section will explain what the different levels of tests are, what is required in each and how they differ.

Low Tests vs High Tests vs Competitive Tests

Tests in the Star Skate Program are classified according to Level.

Low: Preliminary, Junior Bronze and Senior Bronze if time/evaluator permits

Intermediate: Senior Bronze and Junior Silver

High: Senior Silver, Gold and Diamond (dance only)

Low Tests are held at the Club and may run during or in place of a regularly scheduled session.

Tests in the Competitive Stream include the following levels:

Juvenile, Pre-Novice, Novice, Junior and Senior for the disciplines of singles freeskate, pairs and dance. They are always held at a "centralized" test day and may also be tried during most local competitions while the skater is competing. See below for more information about centralized tests.

Intermediate and High Tests are "centralized" that is, they are held within the BC Coast Region. That means that they can be held anywhere in the Lower Mainland.

Now that you know where you may go to take a test, here is a guide as to what is required in each test:

All tests are evaluated according to a set standard outlined by Skate Canada. Each component of a test is evaluated on the scale of Excellent, Good, Satisfactory, and Needs Improvement. Skaters are not compared to each other. Depending on the level of the test being taken, there are certain passing criteria which must be met. That means that there are a certain number components which must be rated at least "satisfactory" for the test to pass. Otherwise, the test is designated as a "retry".

There is no limit as to the number of times that a skater may attempt a test. Each test in the Skate Canada program must be taken sequentially. With the exception of competitive tests, skaters are not permitted to skip a level and the requirements to complete a level must all be fulfilled before attempting the next level.

Test Day - The Checklist

• Skates
• Extra Laces
• Skate Guards
• Extra Tape or CD of Program
• The Outfit
• Leggings
• Club Jacket or sweater and gloves to wear during warmup.
• Toiletries (hairspray, bobby pins, make up etc.)

What is appropriate test day attire? If you are taking a freeskate test and have a competition dress, then wear that, otherwise any other dress that looks neat and tidy is appropriate. For boys, competition wear is appropriate otherwise a pair of regular skating pants and shirt or t-shirt style top will work.

Note: Girls must wear a skirt. Boys must have sleeves.

Ensure that you are at the Arena Early

At the Test Day

When you get to the arena, look for signs indicating the tests and find where you are on the list, so that you know approximately when you will be testing.

Submit you music to the registration volunteer. (This volunteer will be at the music box, or forward you music to your coach who will make sure the volunteer gets your music).

Locate your Coach. Your coach may be with other skaters that are testing before you. But, be assured they know you are coming and will be there to help you. You can help them out by taking time to start warming up and stretching.

Do a Proper Warmup. Find a warm place to get your muscles moving and stretched out. Your coach will also help to ensure that you are warm and ready to go. They will also prompt you when you should get your skates on.

Did you know? All evaluators are volunteers too.

When it is your turn to take your test, relax and smile, and give your best effort.

After You Have Skated

Depending on the number of skaters taking a test and where in the skating order you skate, you may have to wait a while before you know the result of your test. Evaluators must verify that the results listed are correct and sign them before they are posted. All results are posted as either "Pass" or "Retry".

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