Speed Skating Canada

ATHLETES

Whether it’s to stay fit or to reach the highest level, we’re committed to providing a fun and positive sport experience for skaters of all ages and abilities. Learn more about our initiatives to help athletes develop solid technical skills, physical fitness, and a lifelong love of skating.

BECOME A SKATER

Skating is a truly Canadian pastime and a lifelong skill that helps develop and improve one’s fitness, balance, coordination, endurance, strength, and agility. Whether you become a recreational or competitive skater, and participate in speed skating, in-line, hockey, figure skating or ringette, nothing beats the thrill of gliding across the ice on your own power.

 

Speed Skating Canada’s Learn to Skate program provides coaches and recreational program leaders with a series of sequential learn-to-skate activities through a 20-lesson curriculum. Its goal is to teach children basic on-ice skills and skating techniques to prepare them for participation in organized sports, including speed skating programs.

The Learn to Skate curriculum teaches skills through games and other challenging activities to help capture the attention of participants. If the kids are moving, laughing and having fun, then the coach is helping them learn to skate!

Download Learn to Skate resources
 

Our Learn to Speed Skate program was designed for use by speed skating clubs and can be adapted to accommodate a variety of ages and abilities. The 40-lesson curriculum introduces speed skating specific skills and techniques to skaters, allowing them to progress in club-level programming and eventually participate in competitions.

The Learn to Speed Skate curriculum emphasizes fitness, speed skating skills, social interaction and fun. Beginner speed skaters learn the basic principles of the sport to build a solid foundation for future success and, most importantly, begin to develop a love for speed skating.

Download Learn to Speed Skate resources
 

Skating is a lifelong skill that improves balance, coordination, endurance, strength and agility. Schools that introduce a skating program open the doors for students to participate in organized sports such as speed skating, hockey, figure skating, and ringette.

The On the Edge school program is designed to create an awareness of the sport of speed skating and to assist physical education teachers with the instruction of skating technique. Through a series of twelve engaging and unique on-ice lessons, plus additional in-class elements to support learning, the program offers speed skating activities and exercises that follow a teaching progression and encourage overall fitness development.

Download the On the Edge curriculum
 

A nation-wide network of over 150 speed skating clubs helps to develop skaters of all ages and abilities. With clubs in every province and territory, all Canadians can all experience the thrill of racing on ice. To give speed skating a try and access our learn to skate programs, use our Find a Club tool to locate a club near you.

Visit our Find a Club tool

ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT

We provide our partners at the provincial, territorial and local levels with tools that help athletes progress within our sport. To achieve excellence on and off the ice, our athletes need access to programs, workshops, opportunities and recognition that propel them ever forward.

Long Term Participant and Athlete Development (LTPAD)

We are committed to the holistic development of skaters and to helping each individual participant achieve his or her own level of excellence. Science, research and decades of experience all tell us that kids and adults will get active, stay active, and even reach the greatest heights of their sport if they are exposed to the right thing, in the right way, at the right time in their development.

Speed Skating Canada describes this development through its Long Term Participant and Athlete Development (LTPAD) model, entitled Racing on Skates. The model compiles physical, mental, cognitive and emotional factors to define the best learning environment for each stage of development. Its goal is to help athletes, parents, coaches, officials and sport administrators make informed decisions about athlete development.

The Racing on Skates LTPAD model adapts the principles of Long Term Athlete Development, a multi-sport framework developed by Canadian Sport for Life.

Learn more about the Racing on Skates LTPAD model

Courses and Workshops

Athletes are encouraged to complete online e-learning modules and courses to help them become better equipped off the ice and to ensure that they can contribute to a safe and inclusive environment within our sport.

 

This e-learning module on Safe Sport, developed by the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC), will help anyone involved in sport learn key information to promote physical, psychological and social health.

This course is highly recommended for all levels of skaters and their parents. You will need an NCCP number – which can be created for free through The Locker – to access this module.

Complete Safe Sport Training
 

This e-learning module on concussion awareness, developed by the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC), will help you gain the knowledge and skills required to ensure the safety of all participants, including yourself.

This course is highly recommended for all levels of skaters and their parents. You will need an NCCP number – which can be created for free through The Locker – to access this module.

Complete Making Head Way in Speed Skating
 

This e-learning module, developed by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES), addresses ethical sport, supplements, and various other components of the Canadian Anti-Doping Program (CADP).

This course is highly recommended for skaters competing at the provincial and national levels. Athletes can complete a free untracked version of the course, which will provide you with a certificate of completion.

Complete True Sport Clean 101

Recognition

We have various programs in place to recognize the incredible accomplishments of Canadian speed skaters, who demonstrate an unmatched passion for our sport, work hard both on and off the ice to achieve their goals, and strive to inspire those around them.

 

Speed Skating Canada has two annual awards that are given out to deserving athletes nominated by members of our speed skating community.

  • The Athlete of the Year awards in Short Track and Long Track recognize athletes who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to success during the season through outstanding performance at national or international competitions, dedication to the training program, continued growth in physical and technical abilities, and contributions to sport or community development.
  • The Peter Williamson Memorial Bursary awards two bursaries of $1,500 each to National Team or Development Team speed skaters who best combine athletic and scholastic achievements.
Learn more about SSC Athlete Awards
 

For over 20 years, athletes across Canada have benefited from the Cutting Edge Pin Program, which focuses on testing the skills and abilities of a skater, in a fun and non-competitive environment.

The Cutting Edge program teaches skaters the proper skills that will help them to develop first as a skater, second as a speed skater, and finally as a champion. Successful completion of the program will provide young athletes with the necessary skills for high performance development.

Cutting Edge pins are handed out based on the completion of specific skills, which are tracked using Report Cards.

Access the Cutting Edge report cards

 

Level 1 White
Level 2 Yellow
Level 3 Orange
Level 4 Red
Level 5 Purple
Level 6 Blue
Level 7 Green
Level 8 Black
Level 9 Bronze
Level 10 Silver
Level 11 Gold

ATHLETE RESOURCES

Documents

Canadian speed skaters can access relevant and up-to-date documents and tools through our Resource Library, which includes:

  • LTPAD Model
  • Skater Development Resources
  • Athlete Development Research
  • Red Book

Videos

Athletes can also access a variety of speed skating videos on our YouTube channel, including competition footage, National Team profiles and the Up to Speed series, which provides tips on how to master technical skills. You’ll also find educational videos listed on our channel from partners such as the International Skating Union.

Safe Sport

Speed Skating Canada is committed to fostering a safe and inclusive environment — one free of abuse, harassment, neglect and discrimination, both on and off the ice — for athletes, coaches, officials and volunteers at all levels of our sport. These resources and materials are a great place to start to learn about our culture of safe sport.

Questions

If you are looking for a resource that is not available in the Resource Library, or if you have questions about speed skating or athlete development, please reach out to us.