In the midst of the heat and sun of a Manitoba summer, the Niverville Skating Club (NSC) is preparing its schedule of lessons and activities for the fall. And while it may seem early to be thinking about lacing up skates, NSC president Elissa Leah is encouraging people interested in skating later in the year to make plans now.

“Registration starts in early July, closing date for registration will be August 15, and anyone wanting to register after that date will pay a late fee,” she explains.

Since reopening in 2014, the Niverville Skating Club has grown every year, adding more programs for skaters of all ages and levels.

The core program at the club is called CanSkate, a learn-to-skate program for beginners of any age. CanSkate is a national curriculum designed and overseen by Canada’s governing body for figure skating, Skate Canada. Skate Canada programs are offered at over 1,200 skating clubs across the country, helping more than 130,000 skaters per year develop on-ice skills.

“CanSkate is a nationally tested and proven program that guarantees skater success,” says Leah, who has been president of the NSC for the past three years. “Skaters will learn a series of agility, balance, and control skills that will prepare them for any sport, whether it be figure skating, hockey, ringette, or recreational skating.”

All CanSkate programs are taught by coaches who have completed the National Coaching Certification Program, and they are run in a group format with no more than ten students per coach. Sessions are very active and upbeat, to keep students motivated and focused on learning a series of balance, control, and agility skills.

In order to participate in CanSkate, all participants need skates, a CSA-approved hockey helmet, long pants, mittens, and a warm sweater or jacket.

The club recommends that students start CanSkate when they are at least three years old—but Leah is quick to add that learning to skate isn’t just for kids. 

“You are never too old to learn how to skate,” she says, noting that the NSC also offers an adult CanSkate class.

In addition to the beginner’s program, the NSC runs CanPowerSkate. Another program based on a national curriculum, CanPowerSkate “focuses on balance, power, agility, speed, and endurance skills, all of which are especially important for hockey and ringette players,” according to Skate Canada.

Other offerings from the Niverville Skating Club include a program for figure skaters called STAR and a program for synchronized skating.

Leah emphasizes the fact that not only is the Skating Club open to skaters of all skill levels, it is also open to people interested in all sorts of skating.

“It is a fun and friendly environment for people to learn or to improve their skating skills, and provides the best foundation for figure skating, hockey, and ringette,” Leah says. “Everyone thinks that we are just for figure skaters, but that is not the case.”

Whether people are interested in skating for competitive purposes or purely for recreation, Leah feels that anyone with an interest in improving their skating skills will benefit from the coaching available in Niverville.

“Our coach, Meghan Rafferty, is highly qualified and certified in all programs she teaches. Meghan has been asked to coach all CanPower coaches in Manitoba on a new program being launched this year. Coach Meghan is awesome. We couldn’t ask for a better coach.”

The club also has program assistants—parents or older skaters—to help out with CanSkate and CanPower programs, ensuring that students can learn in small groups and receive personal attention.