CanSkate is Skate Canada's official learn-to-skate program for beginners of all ages, teaching fundamental skating skills like balance, control, and agility through a fun, progressive system. It's designed to prepare skaters for any ice sport, including figure skating, hockey, and speed skating, or for general recreational skating.

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What To Expect:

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When your child registers for the CanSkate program at FEFSC, they also become a member of Skate Canada, the national sport governing body for figure skating in Canada. Membership benefits in the CanSkate program can include:

• Badges

• Stickers

• Colouring sheets

• Parent information sheets

• Report cards

• Special CanSkate events and club functions

• Opportunity to move up to StarSkate Program

• Opportunity to participate in a positive healthy lifestyle activity

Standards have been nationally developed and tested for success by experts and are a part of our CanSkate program. On-ice activities require 90% movement – skaters are moving and learning using circuits and stations to practice skills; use teaching aids and music; use activities and games according to age groups and award CanSkate badges as skills are mastered.

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​About the Program:

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The CanSkate program curriculum is organized into three Fundamental Areas. The Fundamental Areas are:

• AGILITY: Concentrating on most turning and jumping skills

• BALANCE: Concentrating on most forward skills, pushing technique and edges.

• CONTROL: Concentrating on most backwards skills, stopping and speed elements.

These are the ABC’s of the CanSkate Program. The awards consist of:

• Three Fundamental Area ribbons for each Stage

• Six stage badges

To receive a stage badge, skaters must achieve all Fundamental Area ribbons (Balance, Control and Agility) from the corresponding stage. The skill requirements for each Fundamental are indicated on the report card.

A CanSkate session consists of four main components:

• Warm-up

• Lesson time

• Group activity

• Cool down

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The First Session:

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The first day on the ice is a lot of fun for your child; it is also a hectic one for the coaching staff. Although the groups are prearranged based on information that you give us, we often find that groups will need to be rearranged and new skaters tested to see what level they truly fit into. Our NCCP certified coaches will be moving skaters around to new groups to make the groups more equal in ability, age and needs. We appreciate your patience through this process!

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Throughout the Season:

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The CanSkate program runs with lessons from a professional coach and assistance from ‘Program Assistants’ or PAs. The Professional coach will prepare the lessons, teach the skills, keep records of progress and be available to answer questions about your child. Your child will receive a minimum of 20min of lesson time from a Professional Coach. The Program Assistant is not a professional coach. They are young skaters who are helping our club and your CanSkate program. They are on the ice to ‘assist’ the professional coach and to lead aspects of the program. They supervise the rotation of groups between zones and around fast track, take attendance, hand out weekly motivators and incentives such as stickers and act as role models for your child. If you have any concerns about your child’s group and the lessons, you must speak to the professional coach or to Tonya and not to the Program Assistant. You may of course ask the PA to get the professional coach!

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