Terms used:
Board
The board of Directors of Skate Canada.
Club
A not-for-profit organization that is operating for the general purpose of providing Skate Canada skating programs and is managed by a volunteer board of directors.
Clubs
A not-for-profit organization that is operating for the general purpose of providing Skate Canada skating programs and is managed by a volunteer board of directors.
Good Standing
The state or condition of a person who has paid all dues outstanding to Skate Canada, a Club, or a Skating School (as applicable) and whom the Board has not declared not to be in good standing and in the case of Members, a Member whose Membership has not been terminated pursuant to Article 3 hereof.
Section
An organization incorporated or organized in a particular province or territory (and in some cases, a combination thereof) strategically aligned with Skate Canada, that may receive funds from provincial or territorial Governmental Authorities and be subject to applicable sport recognition programs and transfer payment arrangements. Each Section is held to the governance and operating requirements of their respective province and / or territory(ies) and is responsible for skating in their respective jurisdictions.
Segment
The name given to a portion of an event. Some categories have two segments (e.g., short program and free program) and some categories have only one segment.
Listed below are the minimum requirements and delivery standards by which clubs and skating schools must abide when offering the PowerSkate program. The advanced delivery standards are optional.
Minimum Requirements
- At least one Skate Canada NCCP PowerSkate coach (In-training, Trained or Certified) who is registered and in good standing must be on the ice at all times
- All coaches and program assistants must be wearing hockey skates or be in a sled (sledge hockey) and must use hockey/ringette sticks and gloves
- All participants must wear a CSA-approved hockey helmet and must use hockey/ringette sticks and gloves
- All program assistants (PAs) on the ice must be wearing skates or be in a sled and must be registered with Skate Canada
- The PowerSkate program must be operated and delivered in accordance with the minimum delivery standards identified by Skate Canada
Maximum Number of Skaters Per Session
The number of skaters on a session must allow for the following:
- Promote a safe environment
- Ensure all skaters have enough room to move freely around the ice and circuits
- An organized flow of rotation
- Proper coach/skater ratios
Ideally sessions should not exceed 30 skaters. Clubs or skating schools that wish to offer programs with more than 30 skaters must receive section permission.
Standards
| Minimum Delivery Standards | Advanced Delivery Standards | |
| Ratio | Minimum 1:30 coach to skater ratio. PA’s recommended | 1:10 coach to skater ratio |
| Movement | Minimum 90% movement during the entire session. |
Greater than 90% movement throughout the session.
|
| Music | Age appropriate music for the session that is fun, energizing and contains signals to indicate session segment changes ex. Fast Track laps and station rotation | |
| Teaching Aids | Use of teaching aids at each station (minimum of marker/signs and pylons) | Use of a variety of teaching aids that engages the skaters learning and interest. |
| Program Assistants |
Use Program Assistants as required to meet minimum ratio |
Assign a Program Assistant to each group for supervision and assistance. Use additional Program Assistants as required to offer an effective and efficient program. |
| Program Assistant Training | Ensure Program Assistants are trained before assisting on the ice with a minimum of one training. | Offer multiple training sessions throughout the season to engage, support and monitor development of the program assistants. |
|
Session Format: Warm Up |
Use of full ice Include forward and backward skating in both directions. |
All minimum standards plus:
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Session Format: Lesson Time |
A minimum of 30 mins of lesson time including:
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All minimum standards plus:
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Session Format: Development Time |
Use of Development Time to enhance skills and speed. |
All minimum standards plus:
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Session Format: Cool Down |
Evidence of gliding stretches to increase range of motion and lower heart rate, for example: Toe touch while gliding (hamstring stretch) |
All minimum standards plus:
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| Quality Coaching |
Coach ensures that each skater in the lesson receives one on one attention on the circuit during the lesson time. Coaches know and teach the standards of the skills as per the PowerSkate Resource Toolkit and videos |
All minimum standards, plus: Coach gives each skater:
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| Branding and Marketing |
Must advertise and refer to the program as PowerSkate and use the official PowerSkate logo Use the official Skate Canada PowerSkate report card (min. 1 per session) |
All minimum standards plus:
|
| Parent Information Session |
Offer a minimum of 1 parent information or interaction session per season. Offer a written source of information about the program and other club opportunities (Info letter, website, bulletin board, etc.) |
Offer multiple opportunities for parents to connect with CanSkate Coordinators and/or coaches. This could include but is not limited to:
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| Awards |
Use official Skate Canada badges and award them at the end of each season. Maintain records of the skater’s progress |
All minimum standards plus:
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| Off Ice Classes | Offer off ice classes to increase physical literacy, awareness and coordination |
