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CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? SKATING STARTS NEXT WEEK!

posted Sep 29, 2020, 9:29 PM

We can't wait to welcome our skaters back for another season. Please stay tuned for Covid Protocol information and if you haven't yet signed up to join us there are still spots available.

Now is a great time to try on your child skates and make sure that they fit and are sharpened are ready to go. Need help in figuring it all out? See below for some helpful tips.

When purchasing skates, trying them on is a must. You may know your child’s shoe size but skates can be very different. As with shoes and clothes, you tend to buy one or two sizes too big because kids are always growing but when purchasing skates, this is not recommended. Skate should fit snug with just enough room to wiggle the toes. Any bigger and it could impact your child’s ability to skate. It is inconvenient to have to buy new skates every year or maybe even twice a year, but it may be necessary. To get a good visual of how your child's skates are fitting, pull out the insole and have your child stand on them. There should be a small amount of space in the toe, however, remember skates and shoes fit differently and a snug fitting skate is going to be the best experience for your child.

When fitting skates, ensure that your child’s heel is all the way back in the boot by hitting the heel of the blade on the ground. Have your child wear the socks or tights that he/she will be wearing on the ice. You don’t want to try skates on in thin socks then find out the thick warm socks won’t fit. After tying the skates, have your child stand up and make sure that they are balanced right over top of the blade and that their ankles are not caving in. If they are, you may need to tie the laces tighter or select a boot with support that extends farther up the ankle.

If your child does not skate in the summer, it is very likely that he/she will say their skates are too tight when they return in September. Unless the skates are clearly to small, wait about 2 to 3 weeks before you replace the skates. Since kids wear sandals and flip flops throughout the summer months, the transition back into tight boots may be uncomfortable for them and take some time. They will hopefully get used to the boots again in a few weeks and you can buy a little bit of time before you actually need to get new skates.