When is my STARSkater ready for private lessons?
For STARSkaters that are enjoying the group figure skating experience during our winter season, we offer the opportunity to skate on other sessions with our Primary skaters. This gives a Group STARSkater more skating days per week to practice if they would like. You will need to book semi-private or private lessons at this stage to help your son/daughter progress in their skill development in figure skating. Please see our Coaches page for more information on our Professional Skate Canada Coaches.
How long is a semi-private or private lesson?
Most often a Skate Canada Professional Coach works with a skater for a 15-minute time slot on a skating session. You can book lessons in different disciplines - Skills, Free Skate, Dance & Interpretive. Your coach will provide you with an invoice every 2 weeks or once per month, depending on the arrangement you have made with them. You pay your Professional Coach directly for the lesson time they have provided for your skater.
How do I choose a Coach for my STARSkater?
We are fortunate to have many skilled and qualified Skate Canada Professional Coaches here with the Lethbridge Skating Club. Talk to any of the Coaches we have available to learn more about them and their lesson availability. Coaches fees range from $9.50 to $15 per 15-minute lesson depending on their qualifications and years of coaching experience.
How many semi-private or private lessons does my STARSkater need per week?
This is something you and your Professional Coach can discuss. They can let you know what they feel is appropriate for this level of skating depending on how many days per week your skater is skating. One-on-one private lessons is always needed at this level, however, there are also wonderful opportunities to pair up with other skaters skating at the same level for semi-private lessons and also at times, group lessons of 3 or 4 skaters.
Is there a dress code for my STARSkater?
It is suggested that your skaters come neatly and warmly dressed for their skating sessions. For girls, it is preferable to wear tights with skirts or dresses. As our sport has an aesthetic quality where body positioning is very important, it is helpful for Coaches when working with your skater to see the body lines created with their arms and legs. Have their hair tied back neatly or if it is shorter hair, use clips to pin back hair that could fall into their face as they are skating. For boys, neat fitting pants and fitted jackets are best. For all skaters, please avoid baggy or sloppy fitting attire.
What about Competitions?
Competitions are optional, but most STARSkaters participate in two or three per year. Your coach will be able to suggest suitable competitions and will recommend events for your skater to enter. There are two different streams for single skaters: the STARSkate Program (recreational) and the CompetitiveSkate Program (qualifying events). Discussing these two programs with your child's coach is recommended as your skater progresses through the STARSkate program. The most important aspect to remember is the personal growth and development of each skater and their enjoyment for the sport. Skating should always remain fun and exciting.
Listings of all competitions held in Alberta can be found on the Skate Canada: Alberta-NWT/Nunavut website. Each competition has a listed announcement with details specific to the event. If your skater is interested in competing, your coach will provide assistance in determining the correct event in which your skater should compete as well as provide assistance in completing the entry form. Parents are responsible for submitting competition registration forms, and providing supporting documentation (birth certificate) as well as related fees. Please Note: Coaches will be charging you for their time at the competition and we encourage both parent and coach to discuss payment in advance.
How Do Test Days Work?
Skaters in the Group STARSkate program are assessed by their coach throughout the season. They are awarded badges, progress updates and report cards as they progress through the program. Test fees do not apply.
Private Lesson STARSkate skaters are assessed through the nationally standardized testing system for achieving specific figure skating skills that fall into the four disciplines as recognized by Skate Canada - Free Skate, Dance, Skating Skills and Interpretive. A test fee of $12 per test must be paid in advance.
For STARSkaters that are enjoying the group figure skating experience during our winter season, we offer the opportunity to skate on other sessions with our Primary skaters. This gives a Group STARSkater more skating days per week to practice if they would like. You will need to book semi-private or private lessons at this stage to help your son/daughter progress in their skill development in figure skating. Please see our Coaches page for more information on our Professional Skate Canada Coaches.
How long is a semi-private or private lesson?
Most often a Skate Canada Professional Coach works with a skater for a 15-minute time slot on a skating session. You can book lessons in different disciplines - Skills, Free Skate, Dance & Interpretive. Your coach will provide you with an invoice every 2 weeks or once per month, depending on the arrangement you have made with them. You pay your Professional Coach directly for the lesson time they have provided for your skater.
How do I choose a Coach for my STARSkater?
We are fortunate to have many skilled and qualified Skate Canada Professional Coaches here with the Lethbridge Skating Club. Talk to any of the Coaches we have available to learn more about them and their lesson availability. Coaches fees range from $9.50 to $15 per 15-minute lesson depending on their qualifications and years of coaching experience.
How many semi-private or private lessons does my STARSkater need per week?
This is something you and your Professional Coach can discuss. They can let you know what they feel is appropriate for this level of skating depending on how many days per week your skater is skating. One-on-one private lessons is always needed at this level, however, there are also wonderful opportunities to pair up with other skaters skating at the same level for semi-private lessons and also at times, group lessons of 3 or 4 skaters.
Is there a dress code for my STARSkater?
It is suggested that your skaters come neatly and warmly dressed for their skating sessions. For girls, it is preferable to wear tights with skirts or dresses. As our sport has an aesthetic quality where body positioning is very important, it is helpful for Coaches when working with your skater to see the body lines created with their arms and legs. Have their hair tied back neatly or if it is shorter hair, use clips to pin back hair that could fall into their face as they are skating. For boys, neat fitting pants and fitted jackets are best. For all skaters, please avoid baggy or sloppy fitting attire.
What about Competitions?
Competitions are optional, but most STARSkaters participate in two or three per year. Your coach will be able to suggest suitable competitions and will recommend events for your skater to enter. There are two different streams for single skaters: the STARSkate Program (recreational) and the CompetitiveSkate Program (qualifying events). Discussing these two programs with your child's coach is recommended as your skater progresses through the STARSkate program. The most important aspect to remember is the personal growth and development of each skater and their enjoyment for the sport. Skating should always remain fun and exciting.
Listings of all competitions held in Alberta can be found on the Skate Canada: Alberta-NWT/Nunavut website. Each competition has a listed announcement with details specific to the event. If your skater is interested in competing, your coach will provide assistance in determining the correct event in which your skater should compete as well as provide assistance in completing the entry form. Parents are responsible for submitting competition registration forms, and providing supporting documentation (birth certificate) as well as related fees. Please Note: Coaches will be charging you for their time at the competition and we encourage both parent and coach to discuss payment in advance.
How Do Test Days Work?
Skaters in the Group STARSkate program are assessed by their coach throughout the season. They are awarded badges, progress updates and report cards as they progress through the program. Test fees do not apply.
Private Lesson STARSkate skaters are assessed through the nationally standardized testing system for achieving specific figure skating skills that fall into the four disciplines as recognized by Skate Canada - Free Skate, Dance, Skating Skills and Interpretive. A test fee of $12 per test must be paid in advance.
- Low tests (STAR 1-5) are assessed by the skater's coach, most often on a regular skating lesson session and results are reported to Skate Canada for record keeping.
- High test days (STAR 6 thru GOLD) are a formal process where skaters can demonstrate the skills they have learned and hopefully meet the criteria set out by Skate Canada. See our Test Days page for details on High Test Days.
OUTSTANDING CLUB AND TEST FEES MUST BE PAID PRIOR TO TEST DAY OR A SKATER WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO TEST
