Program Information

The CanSkate learn-to-skate program is offered to beginners aged 3 years and up and is tailored to each user-group (pre-school, youth, adult). Participants earn badges while learning fundamental skating skills.

CanSkate is the feeder program to all other Skate Canada programs and is designed to teach skating to all skaters, whether they wish to be recreational skaters or figure skaters, or they aspire to play hockey or ringette. CanSkate lessons are generally taught in a group format by a Professional Coach certified under the 3M National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP). Carefully trained Program Assistants also work with CanSkate skaters. The Club’s goal, following Skate Canada’s delivery standards, is for all CanSkate participants to be moving 90% of the time while on the ice.

CanSkate is Canada's only national learn-to-skate program. It was developed by skating experts to teach the fundamentals of skating in a progressive and sequential manner. Student skaters are taught in a group format, with a typical coach to student ratio of 1:10. Skaters progress at their own rate and coaches use various tools to create a fun environment. The average number of skaters on the ice during a CanSkate program is 60 (on a North American-sized arena). The exact number of skaters on each session depends on: size of skating club, number of Professional Coaches, amount of ice time and size of rink. Skate Canada requires all skating clubs to provide at least 10 minutes of teaching from a Professional Coach to each group of children. GSC’s goal is to exceed this minimum requirement and provide each skater with more than 10 minutes per session with a Professional Coach, in addition to the extra learning time provided to skaters by trained GSC Program Assistants.

Program, Structure, Awards, Incentives

The CanSkate program is structured in a grid-format, consisting of the development of six fundamental movements: GO forward, GO backwards, STOP, TURN, SPIN and JUMP, organized in six stages of learning. An optional 7th level is for skaters wishing to progress into figure skating. Once the skills of each stage are mastered, a badge is awarded, and the skater moves to the next level. It is not unusual for a skater to be working on some elements for 2 badges at a time, provided the skater is ready for such elements. The names of the STAGE badges are:

• Stage 1 – Balance
• Stage 2 - Glide Forward
• Stage 3 - Glide Backward
• Stage 4 - Edges
• Stage 5 - Power
• Stage 6 - Speed
• Stage 7 (optional) - Pre-Preliminary

Advanced CanSkate/Introduction to STARSkate

GSC may from time to time offer a special Advanced CanSkate session for those CanSkaters looking for more of a challenge. This session is a 50 minute group lesson with a Professional Coach and will introduce the skaters to figure skating. There is no independent skate time requirement as with the Primary skaters (see Primary level, under the STARSkate heading below), making it a great transition program for those advanced CanSkaters who aren't yet ready to work on their own, without a Professional Coach.