CanSkate

CanSkate: The Flagship Learn-to-Skate Program

CanSkate is Canada’s premier learn-to-skate program for beginners of all ages, taught by NCCP-certified coaches in a group setting (maximum 1:10 coach-to-student ratio). It focuses on action, fun, and building physical literacy for figure skating, hockey, ringette, or recreational skating.

• 3 Core Skill Areas:

  • Agility: Concentrates on footwork, turning, and maneuvering.

  • Control: Focuses on stopping, speed control, and body stability.

  • Balance: Builds proper posture, stride mechanics, and edge control.

• Progress & Incentives: Skaters earn ribbons and badges across Stages 1–6 to track their growth and reward effort.

• Required Equipment: Skates, a CSA-approved hockey helmet (mandatory until Stage 6 is completed), warm layered clothing, and waterproof mittens/gloves.

Pre-CanSkate

• Balance & Control: Fall down and get up, move forward, move backwards, 360° march, balance on two feet.

• Agility: Make snow, two-foot twist, two-foot jump.

Stage 1

• Balance: Forward skating, backward skating, stationary two-foot jump.

• Control: Forward two-foot glide, backward two-foot glide, snow slide steps.

• Agility: Forward skating perimeter of ice surface, stationary 180° turn, fall down and get up.

Stage 2

• Balance: Forward sculling, forward two-foot to one-foot glide, forward push/glide sequence, forward 180° glide turn.

• Control: Forward stop, backward two-foot sit glide, backward two-foot to one-foot glide, backward push/glide sequence.

• Agility: Forward two-foot turn, backward two-foot turn, forward one-foot glide with speed, forward two-foot jump.

Stage 3

• Balance: Forward stationary blade push, forward circle thrusts, walking crosscuts, forward two-foot to one-foot curve glide, fast forward perimeter skating.

• Control: Forward stop with speed, backward sculling, backward two-foot to one-foot glide, backward push/glide sequence, backward one-foot glide with speed.

• Agility: Forward two-foot quick turn, backward two-foot quick turn, forward 360° step turn, backward two-foot jump.

Stage 4

• Balance: Forward crosscuts, forward outside giant slalom, forward lunge, forward spiral, drop-down drill, speed drill #1, forward "V" start.

• Control: Forward inside giant slalom, backward stop, backward two-foot slalom, backward one-foot glide with curve, sustained forward one-foot glide, backward circle thrusts or pumps.

• Agility: Forward one-foot turn, forward to backward two-foot jump, backward to forward two-foot jump, two-foot spin, two-foot sit spin, backward 360° step turn.

Stage 5

• Balance: Forward crosscuts figure-8, forward push/glide sequence, inside spread eagle, forward one-foot slalom, running lateral crossovers, forward perimeter skating with jumps, forward tight glide turns.

• Control: Forward two-foot side stop, forward inside edges, backward stop with speed, backward crosscuts, backward inside giant slalom, backward push/glide sequence, backward spiral, speed drill #2.

• Agility: Forward one-foot turn, forward 360° glide turn, forward to backward one-foot jump, forward power jump, one-foot spin, alternating foot spin.

Stage 6

• Balance: Forward power crosscuts, forward one-foot slalom, forward one-foot sit glide, forward spiral (curve or straight line), forward crossover acceleration, forward perimeter skating with crosscuts, forward perimeter skating with stops, forward two-foot reverse pivot turn.

• Control: Forward one-foot side stop, forward two-foot side stop with speed, backward outside giant slalom, backward crosscuts figure-8, backward perimeter skating with crosscuts, backward one-foot slalom, backward one-foot spin, speed drill #3.

• Agility: Forward C step, backward C step, two-foot multi turns, rotating power jump, backward toe-assisted jump, backward 360 two-foot jump, forward one-foot spin with spiraling edge.

Register in a CanSkate program now!