Skate Canada Programs: CanPowerSkate

CanPowerSkate is an action-packed, high energy instructional power skating program geared to hockey and ringette skaters that focuses on balance, power, agility, speed and endurance. Skills, techniques and conditioning drills are taught in a progressive format that emphasizes how the skills apply to game situations. CanPowerSkate provides an alternative to figure skating and is an excellent complement for those athletes playing on hockey or ringette teams. Its unique skill award program provides incentives and motivation for skaters to continue to achieve.

Yarmouth Skating Club's Powerskating is geared to those age 7 or older who already have basic forward and backward skating skills (they must be able to skate the length of the rink using alternate strides) and are able to stop on command without use of the boards. For safety reasons participants should wear full hockey/ringette equipment that is CSA approved. The coach to skater ratio is 1:10.

What are the benefits of Participating in CanPowerSkate?

CanPowerSkate is the only nationally regulated power skating program in Canada. It was developed by a team of hockey, figure skating and ringette experts to teach the fundamentals of power skating in a progressive and sequential manner.

When you/your child registers for a CanPowerSkate program at Yarmouth Skating Club, you also become a member of Skate Canada, the national sport governing body for figure skating in Canada. Membership benefits in the CanPowerSkate program can include:

• participation in a unique skill testing system which includes award bars and ribbons
• parent information sheets
• progress updates and report cards
• special CanPowerSkate events and club functions
• opportunity to be talent-scouted
• opportunity to participate in a healthy lifestyle activity

These are some of the awards and incentives that have been developed to encourage athletes in CanPowerSkate:

CanPowerSkate Pre-Power Ribbon	CanPowerSkate Participant Badge
	CanPowerSkate Badge

How does CanPowerSkate work?

The CanPowerSkate program consists of skills divided into six levels, arranged in progressions gradually increasing in complexity. Levels 1 to 3 focus on the fundamentals of skating, Levels 4 to 6 place additional focus on the acquisition of efficient technique, speed, agility, technical aspects of stride and acceleration and skating with the puck/ring. Skaters are evaluated on skill level and are timed as they perform a test involving skills in a course-like pattern. The skater receives a mark combining his skill performance plus test time. This determines whether the skater receives a Bronze, Silver or Gold award bar for that Level.

Please note: The CanPowerSkate program is exclusive to Skate Canada and is available only to Skate Canada member clubs and sanctioned skating schools. All participants must be registered with Skate Canada. Only Skate Canada member Coaches trained and certified at a CanPowerSkate Coaches Course are qualified to instruct the CanPowerSkate program.

If you are an teen or adult hockey player looking to improve your speed and agility you can register for the Powerskating Programs as these are mixed ages and not just for children. We offer Powerskating in our Spring, Summer and Fall Sessions.

The Fall Session is 5 weeks long and usually starts the 1st week of September

Regretably we do not offer this program in the Winter as interest has not been high enough and our coaching staff is more limited during the winter season.

The Spring Session is 6 weeks long and starts at the beginning of April and runs until mid May.

The Summer Session is in July and runs 2-3 weeks. The Powerskating program still gets 6 skating times but they are more condensed than Spring School. Skaters will have more than 1 session per week.

As brochures and schedules become available they will be posted on the website and in the brochure holder located on the bulletin board of Arena 1.

Summer Powerskating Session.

There will be a 2 week (6 session Powerskating Program held. Information will be available on May 1st. in regards to this program)

Fall Powerskating Program.

There will be a 5 week (5 session) Powerskating Program starting the 1st week of September. Information on prices,dates and times will be available by mid July 2011