Welcome letter

Welcome to all our new and returning members, we’re looking forward to a great season!

CanSkate is Skate Canada’s flagship learn-to-skate program, designed for skaters of all ages and abilities.  The program focuses on fun, participation and basic skill development.  Skaters will earn ribbons, badges and other incentives as they learn fundamental skating skills.

For your child’s first session, if possible, please arrive 20 minutes prior to the beginning of the lesson.  This will enable you to get your child’s skates on and meet with a March Kanata Skating Club (MKSC) representative who will provide you with a name tag and a coloured dot that will match your child’s assigned skating group.  Skaters will be greeted by our Coaching staff and Program Assistants as they enter the ice surface.  Every session begins and ends with a warm up and skaters are encouraged to do the exercises called on over the public address system and/or by a Coach on the ice.

You will notice that coloured flags are placed at various locations around the rink.  This is where your skater will meet with their group when the warm-up has been completed.  Coaches and Program Assistants will help the skaters get to their groups.

LESSONS
Parents are required to stay in the arena during class time. Skaters are placed in groups according to skating ability and age. A portion of each class is the group lesson. The ice is divided into groups and there may be as many as six different groups during one session. It usually takes a few weeks to assess all of the groups and move skaters according to their ability. Please be patient, and we will check every child to make sure they are in the right group.

Lessons are given in a group format and are led by an NCCP certified Professional Coach or an experienced Program Assistant.  Professional Coaches are assisted by trained Program Assistants and Program Assistants in training.

Skaters progress at their own rate and Coaches use the Skate Canada technical circuit teaching guide to ensure constant movement on the ice.  Coaches will also use teaching aids, music and a wide variety of activities that create a fun environment and promote learning.

PROGRAM ASSISTANTS (PA)
Program Assistants volunteer their time and must be at least 12 years of age and have passed their Preliminary free skate test.  PAs in training must be 11 years of age and are placed with an experienced PA.  Each PA is required to attend a training session provided by a Skate Canada Professional Coach.  Please inform your skater that the PAs are responsible for leading the group when the Professional Coach is otherwise occupied and must be listened to. Please also note PA are not available to help kids for toilet runs.

CLOTHING
Skaters should wear clothing that is comfortable, warm and allows them to move freely. Make sure to layer clothes so they can remove or add a piece of clothing to suit changing temperatures and exertion levels. Don’t forget the mittens!

HELMETS 
All Skate Canada member clubs and skating schools who offer a CanSkate program must ensure ALL CANSKATE,  PRESCHOOL and ADULT/TEEN CANSKATE participants, up to and including Stage 5,
must wear a CSA APPROVED HOCKEY HELMET WHILE ON THE ICE.  Your child’s helmet must have this label.

SKATES AND SKATE SHARPENING
Skates are the most important tool a skater has on the ice. We recommend lace up skates that fit snuggly and support the ankles. We do not recommend Velcro enclosure skates.  Skates should be sharpened after about 30 hours of use.

SKATER’S RULES

• Skaters are not allowed on the ice until a Coach or PA is on the ice.
• Skaters are only allowed on the ice for the session which they are registered
• It is mandatory for all skaters up to and including CanSkate Badge 5 to wear a well-fitted CSA approved hockey helmet.
• March-Kanata Skating Club is not responsible for the supervision of the skater once their session is over.
• Parents are not allowed on the ice during the session.  If your child needs help a Coach or PA will offer assistance.  If your child needs to leave the ice for any reason the PA or Coach will bring your child to the arena gate where the penalty box is located.  Therefore, it is important for a parent or chaperone to stay in the arena.  Coaches and PAs are not allowed to leave the ice surface.
• It is important to remind the children not to have any food or gum in their mouths during the lessons.
• The Arena Staff requests that you do not use the bleachers or the lobby for changing into or out of skates.  There are assigned dressing rooms for this use.  The bulletin board in the front lobby is where you will find the dressing room assignments.
• For safety reasons, parents are requested not to open the gate.  A Coach or PA will open the gate.
• We encourage parents or chaperones to watch their children from the bleachers.  Please refrain from watching at the rink boards or talking to your child or the Coaches during the session.  This is very distracting for the children and disrupts the class.
• Falling is a part of learning to skate.  Please inform your children to get up quickly after a fall to avoid further accidents or injury.

PROGRESS REPORTS
Progress reports will be handed out twice a year, the end of December and the end of the skating season. These reports provide information to the skaters and parents about their skater’s skill progression and the types of skills each skater must be able to perform to advance to the next stage.

BULLETIN BOARDS
It is important from time to time to check the Club Bulletin Boards or the MKSC website www.mkskate.ca for information about what is happening in the Club.  The website also has the CanSkate and Preschool calendar which will tell you about upcoming holidays, start and end dates for the season and special events.

VOLUNTEERS
MKSC is a non-profit organization and is operated entirely by volunteers.  Assistance and cooperation from all parents is essential to the running of the Club.  Volunteers are always needed and very much appreciated.  If you can volunteer any of your time to the Club please contact the CanSkate Director.  We have a number of tasks, big and small and we could use your help.  From time to time we will be asking parents of skaters to participate in the running of various Club activities throughout the year.

ICE SHOW
Every two years the Club organizes an Ice Show.  This season, there will be no Ice Show as we had our ice show last year.

QUESTIONS
Any parental questions or concerns are to be directed to a Professional Coach or the CanSkate Director, NOT to our PA’s.

On behalf of the MKSC executive, we are pleased you are joining us for our CanSkate program and we hope you and your skater(s) have a successful and enjoyable year with our Club.

Click for Frequently Asked Questions
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