Learning to skate is a lot like learning to ride a bicycle.

Skating requires a fine sense of balance to stay in an upright position whether on 2 wheels or on 2 very thin skate blades.

But once you’ve accomplished it, it is never forgotten.

And if you do fall, and everyone does at some time, shake it off, get right back up and start over again.

Wear a hockey helmet and gloves for added safety.

What Parent’s need to know:

Skates and Fit

Skates must fit snug but not cramp your toes and have good upright ankle support.

They require stiff ankle support so they don’t bend side to side but will flex forward.

Skate sizes are usually1/2 to 1 full size smaller than your street/running shoe size.

Try them on and walk around in skates to make sure they feel right.

Socks

Wear only 1 pair of thin100% breathable cotton socks while skating, not 2 or 3 pair.

Lacing of the skates

Use the criss- cross, or “X “method of lacing as this provides an even distribution of tension for comfort and support.

The bottom 3 eyelets are generally loose to allow blood circulation so your toes won’t freeze.

The middle 3 eyelets are semi-tight to allow the top part of your foot to move up and down when stopping and starting.

The top 3 eyelets are tight to provide good ankle support and prevent bending to the inside or outside.

Do not wrap your laces around your ankles as this restricts the forward flex motion.

Tie your skates with a bowknot at the front of your skates not on the ankle.

Sharpening

Skates should be sharpened by an experienced skate sharpener.

A medium hollow ground u shaped sharpening is all that is required.

Not razor sharp or the blades will dig deeply into the ice and you won’t be able to stop smoothly.

Not too dull or you won’t have any grip to dig into the ice and you will slip and fall.

Sharpen about every 8-10 hours of skating or as required if you get a nick or burr on the blade’s edge.

Edges

Each skate blade has 2 edges, an inside edge and an outside edge via its u shaped cut.

Different edges are used for stops, starts, turns, to generate speed, and will help

provide balance and stability to keep you in a standing upright position.

If you lose an edge, get a nick or burr on the blade get them sharpened as you will fall.

If you start falling for no apparent reason it may because you have a burr or nick on your blade.

Rockering of the Blades

Skate blades are not flat but slightly rockered or rounded like a rocking chair.

Only between 1 and 3 inches of the skate blade is actually in contact with the ice while skating.

More rocker or rounding = less blade on the ice for sharper turns for Bantam and Midget aged players.

Less rocker or rounding = more blade on the ice for faster straight away speed for Atom/Squirt & Peewees.

After Skating

Remove the snow off the blades with a dry cloth to prevent them from rusting.

Try not to let the blades make contact with each other as you could lose an edge.

Pack them separately in your hockey bag to avoid touching each other.

To Improve your Skating

Practice skating as much as possible and this will help develop your stops, starts, turns, pivots and blazing speed.

John Shorey

Author - “Hockey Made Easy”

www.hockeymadeeasy.com