News
DECEMBER NEWS
posted Dec 9, 2020, 1:51 PM
Glencoe Skating Club
News from the office…don’t miss the end (it’s important!!!)
Welcome to Winter! Snow has fallen and the holiday season is here! Our first two months have been a great success and it seems like our skaters are already showing great improvement. Congratulations to our first Parent/tot and CanSkaters that have moved up to the next level, your hard work has paid off. Keep up the great work!
We would like to extend a giant thank you to everyone for following Covid-19 Screening and Protocols each time you come to the arena. This year has presented many challenges and changes so we are grateful that you have all been very understanding and supportive during this very different year.
As you have likely heard our region is in the Orange/Restrict Level of Ontario's Covid-19 Response Framework. A reminder that masks are required for everyone that enters the building and can only be removed when physically active on the ice. As well, there is only 1 parent/guardian allowed to enter the building per family and we have to ensure that there are no more than 50 people in the building at one. time. If we move to a higher level, restriction, further program modifications will need to be implemented. We will issue notice through uplifter and a post on our facebook page. Right now this is the rules we are needing to follow:
Sports, Recreational and Fitness Facilities
General Requirements:
- No spectators permitted (one parent or guardian for each person under 18 allowed)
- Total number of people permitted in a facility is maximum of 50
- Patrons must limit visit to 90 mins, except if engaged in a sport
- Mask or face coverings may be removed when exercising
- Limit volume of music to conversation level and prevent shouting by both instructors and members of the public
- Collect contact information for all patrons and those in attendance for team sports
No Skate Dates/Holiday Cancellations:
Keep an eye out during December and January for ‘No Skate Dates’, due to holidays. There will be no skating on December 22, 24, 29 or 31st so regular skating sessions will return Tuesday January 5, 2021.
Fundraising opportunity – Flip Give
For any member that would like to join our fundraising efforts and shops online, the Glencoe Skating Club has set up a Flip Give account to help raise money for this season. There is absolutely no cost to join our Glencoe Skating Club team on Flip Give. You can shop through the app on your phone or you can shop online from your computer.
To join our Flip Give team visit: www.flipgive.com/join
Enter the team code: 99Y5CZ
Glencoe Skating Club Consignment
Did you know that our new website has a consignment page? Our pages are set up to display competition and practice attire, equipment and skates for awesome prices! If you have something you want to sell visit our website at https://glencoeskatingclub.uplifterinc.com/pages/Consignment/ for more details.
Skate fitting
Now is a great time to double check that skates and equipment are fitting correctly and are in good condition. A quick way to make sure that the skates are fitting correctly is to remove the insole from your child’s skate and have them stand on it. Skates should fit snuggly but having skates that are too big or too small will hinder the skater’s progress.
Sharpening
Now is a great time to double check that skates and equipment are fitting correctly the blades are shape and are in good condition. A quick way to make sure that the skates are fitting correctly is to remove the insole from your child’s skate and have them stand on it. Skates should fit snuggly but having skates that are too big or too small will hinder the skater’s progress. Please refer to the below information on skate sharpening.
Helpful skating Information – Skate Sharpening
We are often asked the question “When should I sharpen my child’s skates?” This is difficult to answer as every skater is different and it all depends on what kind of use the skates get. When skaters start out shuffling across the ice, once or twice a season should be fine. When skaters start to use their edges more and dig into the ice, maybe 3 or 4 times a season. This is assuming skating once a week for one hour. When figure skaters reach a more advanced level, doing single and double jumps, skating 4-6 hours a week, once every month would be advisable. When Hockey players start skating one or two games a week, at a more advanced skating level, once every 4-6 games is a good bench mark.
Every skater is different and can handle different degrees of dullness. Of course, your 5 year old will not be able to tell you if their skates need sharpened. To see if blades are dull, you can simply feel them with your finger. Run your finger width-wise across the blade, not length-wise as you can cut yourself this way. You should be able to feel two distinct edges. Try feeling the blades before and after they are sharpened so you can get to know what dull and sharp really feel like.
Contrary to what many believe, getting blades as sharp as possible to make them last longer is not a good idea. Sometimes, the sharper the blade, the more difficult it is to skate and especially stop. Beginner skaters can struggle with scraping the ice or making snow and sharp skates do not help. The grooves of the blade just get stuck into the ice and the skater can’t push their foot to the side.
Important Note: For figures skates - Remember not to take off the lower pick, as this is very important for figure skating.
Here are a few suggested places for sharpening:
Point and Pick - 1615 N Routledge Park #7A, London (just off of Hyde Park Rd)
Moir’s Skate Shop - 22665 Komoka Rd, Komoka
Chatham Pro Shop Maximum Edge - 374 St Clair St, Chatham
Where to buy skates:
Skates can be purchased from a few locations around London and Chatham, such as the above mentioned shops that sharpen skates. It is important that skates be fitted properly for the proper formation and growth of young feet. Used skates are a great way to get a better quality boot and blade for a more reasonable price.
As your child progresses through STARSkate, boots and blades will be purchased separately and you should discuss with your child’s coach types of blades and boots.
CRAZY CHRISTMAS SWEATER PARTY is next week!!!
See our post on facebook or our website!