NEWCOMERS Do you like to go fast and race other people? Were you excited by the speed skating you saw in the recent Olympic Games or on other occasions? (speed skaters won 10 of Canada's 26 medals). Are you interested in speed skating and would like to give it a try? If so, then contact the Club to find out how you can start. TRY SPEED SKATING OPPORTUNITY You have three opportunities to try speed skating this season before the ice comes out of our arena. All are on Friday evenings at 7 p.m. at the Mount Joy Arena in Markham: March 5, 12, and 19. Please let us know if you want to come, and plan to arrive at 6:30 p.m. to provide enough time to prepare. Please read the Open House and Learn To Speed Skate sections below to see what to bring and wear. OPEN HOUSE Come to our OPEN HOUSE where you will have the opportunity to learn about the sport from talking to skaters and coaches and watching our videos. Then you will actually skate for free on speed skates, which we will loan to you. You will find that they feel quite different from the hockey or figure skates you may be familiar with, but you will also discover that you can go considerably faster with them. Welcome to the world of speed and racing! When? Sunday September 13 2009, with ice from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Arrive after 1 p.m. or at least half an hour before you expect to skate. Where? The Mount Joy Arena in Markham: see map. What do I need? Bring and wear the following items:   •   comfortable but snug clothes with full length sleeves and legs, such as a sweat suit with         a T-shirt underneath. Bare skin should not show. Baggy pants are not suitable.         Parkas or other winter outerwear are not necessary on the ice.   •   a helmet (hockey, or bicycle, or something similar is fine)   •   gloves (lightweight leather or synthetic material is best).   •   a neck guard (hockey bib style) if you have one.         If not, ensure that the neck is covered with a high collar (e.g. a turtleneck).   •   knee pads (soft is best, but hard shell ones are fine too) if you have them.         Highly recommended (to protect your knees lest you fall forward).   •   Shin guards are worn during normal practice sessions, but are not required during the Open House. Eye protection (clear plastic or coloured/darkened glasses) is recommended. You may also wear elbow pads and wrist guards if you prefer, but they are not required and are not normally worn. Most of all, bring curiosity, an appetite to learn, and a desire to excel ! Must I be able to skate? An ability to skate on hockey or figure skates is definitely advantageous, but you will still have to change your technique to suit speed skates and the requirements of racing. You will definitely benefit from the experience, whatever your objectives are or become. Is there any age limitation? No. Although the major objective is to develop the racing abilities of young people from age six and up, most provincial race meets also include many adults of all ages, so everyone can participate, compete, and have fun. What will I do? Initially, you will have the opportunity to learn about the sport and our Club by talking with our coaches and other members, and by watching videos. Then, assuming that you will want to take advantage of the opportunity to speed skate, you will fill in a registration form and go to a dressing room and find a pair of our speed skates that fit you. Note that short track speed skates are different than the hockey or figure skates that you may already be used to, as you can see in this photograph. In particular, the blades are longer, narrower, and flatter than the other kinds. Furthermore, the boot has a hard fibreglass shell, and is set higher. Please always keep the guards on blades when you are not on the ice. We require that you provide a security deposit of a driver's licence or some such item while you are in possession of our skates: we will return the item when you return the skates. After you have put on the skates and have reviewed the safety procedures (see below), you will then skate around the ice to get used to the skates. You will find that they glide much better than what you are used to, but that they may seem slippery and that it is easy to catch the toe of the blade in the ice. The increased length, reduced width, flat bottom, and flatter rocker of the blade compared with hockey or figure skates provide greater speed but at the expense of reduced manoeverability. You will quickly discover that you will have to modify your skating technique to achieve the speed you are looking for! You also familiarize yourself with the ice environment. You will see the following items on the ice as shown in the diagram of the rink on the right:   •   thick blue foam pads ("mats") standing against the boards at diagonal corners.         They protect you from impact injury you lest you fall and slide to the outside of the ice.   •   black rubber cones ("blocks") around each corner.         They mark the track around which you will skate (outside the blocks). PARENTS: Safety is very important, so please ensure that your children are familiar with the following safety rules before they get on the ice to avoid collisions:   •   only skate counterclockwise around the track (only turn LEFT around the corners).         Never skate towards oncoming traffic.   •   slower skaters should stay to the outside by the boards, as the faster skaters         will skate close to the blocks.   •   do not make unpredictable moves, such as sudden turns or stops or crossing traffic.         Always assume that a faster skater is approaching you from behind who is planning         where to go to get past you, so always maintain a smooth, continuous, predictable         course so the other skater will not collide with you.   •   if you fall, get out of the way of other skaters and get up quickly.   •   if you want to rest or practice in the centre of the ice, look behind you for traffic,         and only cross to the inside the track when safe to do so.         Likewise, watch for traffic before coming out from the centre. These safety rules will be repeated by our instructors before you get on the ice. Our instructors will also lead you as a group through some basic procedures of speed skating. LEARN TO SPEED SKATE If you would like to try speed skating but are hesitant to commit to a full season at the outset, then the best way to start is to enroll in one of our Learn To Speed Skate programs during the skating season (September - April). This will introduce you to the skills and thrills of the sport for a limited time and price. You will receive:   •   four hours of ice time   •   instruction from our coaches   •   use of speed skates. These will be held during our regular ice time from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. on four successive Friday evenings at the Mount Joy arena in Markham (see map) beginning on the following dates:   •   September 18 2009   •   November 06 2009   •   January 08 2010. Please arrive by 6:30 p.m. on the evening of your first session. The all-inclusive cost will be $90, which can be applied towards a regular Club membership if you choose to continue. Must I be able to skate? An ability to skate on hockey or figure skates is definitely advantageous, but you will still have to change your technique to suit speed skates and the requirements of racing. You will definitely benefit from the experience, whatever your objectives are or become. Can I use my own skates? No. We will provide you with speed skates. You will find that they feel quite different from the hockey or figure skates you may be familiar with, but you will also discover that you can go considerably faster with them. Welcome to the world of speed and racing! Is there any age limitation? No. Although the major objective is to develop the racing abilities of young people from age six and up, most provincial race meets also include many adults of all ages, so everyone can participate, compete, and have fun. What do I need? Bring and wear the following items:   •   comfortable but snug clothes with full length sleeves and legs, such as a sweat suit with         a T-shirt underneath. Bare skin should not show. Baggy pants are not suitable.         Parkas or other winter outerwear are not necessary on the ice.   •   a helmet (hockey, or bicycle, or something similar is fine)   •   gloves (lightweight leather or synthetic material is best).   •   a neck guard (hockey bib style) if you have one.         If not, ensure that the neck is covered with a high collar (e.g. a turtleneck).   •   knee pads (soft is best, but hard shell ones are fine too) if you have them.         Highly recommended (to protect your knees lest you fall forward).   •   Shin guards are worn during normal practice sessions. Eye protection (clear plastic or coloured/darkened glasses) is recommended. You may also wear elbow pads and wrist guards if you prefer, but they are not required and are not normally worn. Most of all, bring curiosity, an appetite to learn, and a desire to excel ! Please contact the Club if you have questions or need further information.