Presidents Message

Welcome to the 2009/2010 Skate Canada fall season! I hope everyone enjoyed a great summer, whether you were on the ice, or on the beach. This Olympic year in Canada marks an important defining moment for all of us. It presents spirit and team building opportunities and excites and motivates our skaters at all levels. This will be another electrifying season for all Canadian skating disciplines as they continue to impress the world, especially in synchro, and we push to create a platform for this discipline with the International Olympic Committee.

This season we will continue to celebrate our skating heritage and the long history each section and club has. We can be proud of our dedication and hard work as we focus on supporting our athletes at all levels and continue to offer development opportunities for our clubs, coaches and officials this season.

My confidence in the abilities of our volunteers and national office team continue to grow as we work as one. Tools continue to be developed based on what our membership is asking for – and we are listening! In this issue of Keeping In Touch, you can read about several support tools that are now available on Members Only including the CanSkate Marketing Toolkit and the Best Of the Best CanSkate Coach Program Toolkit. There is also a new Synchronized Skating Team Manager’s handbook available.

I encourage the continued inclusiveness of our sport to all Canadians, especially as the spotlight continues to shine on our national team. Our Special Olympic athletes, synchro teams and adults all earned medals last season internationally and continue to show the world that in Canada there is a place in skating for everyone at all levels!

To conclude, I would like to remind the club presidents to make sure they look for the best people for each position on the club board as it is so important to include all volunteers who want to offer time and try new initiatives to make your club progress.

Until next time,

Benoit Lavoie
President

Table of Contents

News & Views

2009 ACGM and NCC Recap

The 2009 Skate Canada Annual Convention and General Meeting (ACGM) and National Coaches’ Conference (NCC) held June 3-6 and over 450 delegates and observers attended. What did they experience, you ask? Celebrations of defining moments, workshops and business meetings is the short answer!

Part of this year’s NCC was the Best of the Best (BOB) CanSkate Coaches’ Program. Ten coaches from across the country participated in a two-day training session in fundamental areas of CanSkate with Monica Lockie, Skate Canada Advisory Coaching Committee Chair. The BOB’s created a 45 minute CanSkate session from scratch which was presented live to all the delegates. At the NCC, the coaches received a CPC presentation by Scott Davis on technical changes and a thorough review of the program components complete with video highlights by Dr. Jodi Abbott. On-ice sessions included spins with Lise-Lotte Kinding and Manon Perron; stroking, steps, turns with Brian Orser; and jumps with Scott Davis and Manon Perron, assisted by world team members Joannie Rochette and Vaughn Chipeur. Lastly, an important session which covered mental skills and a different approach to training these skills was presented by Doug Swanson from Red Deer, Alberta.

Start the video to see a sample of CanSkate Live!

The “Gold Rush” themed convention opening and reception saw World Champions Donald Jackson and Brian Orser, welcome the newest World Champion Jeffrey Buttle, who captured the title in 2008 in Sweden, into the exclusive World Champion club. Skate Canada also unveiled a special video of a new song called “I Will Achieve” written by Skate Canada Director of Coaching and Skating Programs, Jeff Partrick and performed by Jeff and Donna King, Skate Canada Skating Programs Senior Manager.

The Skate Canada Volunteer of Excellence Award Winners with President Benoit Lavoie	Brian Orser signing autographs
National Team athletes on stage at the Awards Gala	A few of our Best of the Best CanSkate Coaches getting ready for ‘Crowning Moments’

Workshops offered included content on the delivery of skating programs, marketing and sponsorship, communications, finance and athlete development. A special feature was a series of workshops on Friday morning called “CanSkate Live”. We hope you all received a briefing of the lessons learned at the ACGM at your home clubs!

Skate Canada volunteers, coaches, officials and skaters were recognized for their ongoing contribution to figure skating at the 2009 Skate Canada Achievement Awards Gala and Banquet. The special theme of the evening was ”Crowning Moments” and several members of Skate Canada’s national team and all the current Canadian Champions assisted with the award presentations.

Our AGM was a great opportunity to share new business and have our Executive Team take questions from delegates through a town hall style meeting. Additional information was shared about our new digital strategy and search as to who Skate Canada fans are!

Information like this, as well as most ACGM workshop presentations and materials are available on our Members Only website.

What a great weekend full of Defining Moments. We hope to see you all at next year’s event in Toronto, ON!

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Adults Galore!

At the beginning of this season, 35 Canadian adult skaters competed and earned several medals at the 2009 ISU International Adult Competition in Oberstdorf, Germany. This event is just one of several opportunities for adults to complete domestically and internationally.

Many adult skaters have been on the ice their whole lives, others take it on as a new challenge and some, like Helene Decelles decide to return to their childhood pastime that somehow got away from them. Helene got back on the ice after a 22-year break and felt the passion stronger than ever!

We really wanted to know what it was like to compete at an international competition for adult skaters, so we caught up with Helene of CPA Les Lames D’Argent in Quebec to hear about her experience. ”This experience has been a nice journey toward friendship and skating experience. It has been a tremendous gift to see how many persons were there, sharing the same passion for figure skating as I do,” said Helene after her time in Oberstdorf. She went on to share more about the event including the people from 22 countries she had the opportunity to meet and exchanging tips and tricks about skating, different methods and ’how-tos’. In addition to meeting new people, there was also a great opportunity to bond with teammates from across Canada and provide support to help each competitor succeed at this challenge.

What does this passionate adult skater wish most by sharing her story with us ”I wish this experience of mine will inspire the ”sleeping figure skaters” from inside, to make their dream about learning to skate a reality.” Helene talks about each challenge and how it helps her continue to grow as a person. ”A last thought…….As for the experienced skaters that wish to come back and miss skating so much, it is always time! I have seen, senior skaters, up to 69 years old and it inspires me to keep going on!”

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Volunteer Now!

Skate Canada events are a fantastic way to build your volunteer portfolio and gain experience working at national or international sporting events. Skate Canada event volunteers fill a variety of roles both at and away from the arena helping to create a memorable experience for participants.

All Skate Canada event volunteers are now recruited through the Skate Canada website. Applications are available for each of our six upcoming events and can be found at the corresponding links below. Fill in your application today for a chance to be part of one of these prestigious volunteer teams:

• 2009 HomeSense Skate Canada International
• 2010 BMO Skate Canada Eastern Challenge and 2010 BMO Skate Canada Western Challenge
• 2010 BMO Skate Canada Junior Nationals and 2010 BMO Canadian Figure Skating Championships
• 2010 BMO Skate Canada Synchronized Skating Championships

encourage you to pass the word on! For general volunteer inquiries, or if you need assistance accessing the online applications, contact Kate McNeil at kmcneil@skatecanada.ca.

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Membership

Preparation for next season

It is springtime and for many clubs that means it is annual general meeting time. How does a club prepare for this? What is needed? Who needs to be invited? What is quorum? These are all very common questions fielded by the Member Services Department at this time of the season.The start of another new season is upon us once again. Online registration for clubs and coaches for the 2009/2010 season began on August 4, 2009 which means busy times ahead.

Registration information was mailed to the clubs, skating schools and coaches at the end of July and clubs should now be circulating this information to all of their club Board members. Much of the registration information can be found in Members Only this year. Members Only has a bright new look and feel so log on today!

The only change in fee structure for this season is the annual club and skating school fee. The club fee for the 2009/2010 season has increased by $5 to $45 and the skating school increased by $20 to $170.

The Club Board of Directors & Authorized Club Purchasers listing must be updated by October 1, 2009 in order for your club to continue to have access to Members Only and to purchase Skate Canada merchandise on account. This information can be updated through Members Only by any current member of the club Board of Directors or the information can be submitted to the Member Services department to update on your club’s behalf. Access to Members Only will be limited if this information is not updated by October 1, 2009. Log on today!

Are your club coaches registered for the 2009/2010 season? In order to ensure your club coaches are registered, clubs should request to see a copy of the coach’s current Skate Canada membership card. Clubs should also update their coaches’’ listing in Members Only to ensure they are registered with Skate Canada.

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SOCAN For The Season

SOCAN continues to be an area where clubs are requesting more information and assistance. At this time, there is nothing further to report with regards to the possibility of Skate Canada reaching an agreement with SOCAN on behalf of the clubs and skaters. Clubs will need to ensure that all SOCAN requirements are met and if necessary, the appropriate fees are submitted to SOCAN. It is important for clubs to understand that these fees are mandated by law and are not optional. These are SOCAN’s laws over which Skate Canada has no control. More information regarding the various tariffs and fees can be found on SOCAN’s web site at www.socan.ca

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President’s CanSkate Challenge

The 2009/2010 season marks the final season of the President’s CanSkate Challenge. Our goal is 135,000 CanSkate members and 201,000 Associate members by March 31, 2010. Are you up for the Challenge? The outline of the Challenge can be found on Members Only or contact the Member Services Department for more information.

As of May 19, 2009 there were 120,923 CanSkaters registered. That means an increase of approximately 14,000 CanSkaters is needed to meet the President’s CanSkate Challenge ultimate goal. If we take that number and spread it across all of the clubs and skating schools operating CanSkate programs across the country, then each club will need to increase their CanSkate membership by about 12 members over last season’s numbers. That is within our reach! Are YOU up for the Challenge?

The Member Services Department is here to help. If your club requires any assistance with Members Only or is in need of support, please contact us by e-mail at memberservices@skatecanada.ca or by telephone at 1.888.747.2372 ext 2519.

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Coaching and Skating Programs

LTAD Report: Your LTAD Source

A Busy Spring

Spring 2009 was busy for LTAD work! We are excited to report that the content of the Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model overview document was approved by the national Board of Directors at their June 4, 2009 meeting. Production will now begin on a booklet format to be used as a communication and information piece for all stakeholders and is scheduled to be completed this year.

Also this spring, LTAD presentations were given at most Section AGM detailing an evaluation of Skate Canada programming, how these programs could be improved and what alternatives were possible based on LTAD philosophies.

Next Steps

In order to encourage the highest possible degree of success with the LTAD initiative our philosophy has been to be very open and consultative regarding the development of the model. It is great to see that so many are excited about this initiative and are anxious to see the philosophies incorporated into our programming. Now the time has come to begin making some decisions and our task is to begin synthesizing LTAD knowledge and this feedback into proposals for updating our various programs and structures.

The remainder of 2009 will see the initiative move into the implementation phase with the construction of a strategic plan for that implementation as well as the development of a proposal for a revised CanSkate program incorporating changes that represent LTAD philosophies. The plan is to conduct a small number of pilot programs of a revised CanSkate program during the 2009/2010 season, followed by a larger number of pilot programs in the 2010/2011 season. At each step we will gather feedback on these pilots, revise the proposed program as necessary and come forward with our revised CanSkate program to begin communicating the final program and retraining coaches and clubs as necessary. Tune in next time for an update on the progress of the LTAD work for CanSkate.

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More updates!

This past competitive season was as exciting as ever and we would like to congratulate the following coaches who made our 2008/2009 Coaches Honour Roll by helping guide their athletes to podium finishes at our national events. Please join us in congratulating them!

Click here to see the full honour roll!

Best of the Best CanSkate Coach Program Toolkit
The Best of the Best CanSkate Coach Program Toolkit is now available at your fingertips! A wealth of practical tools ready to be used will help you organize a an active, fun filled CanSkate session in your club. Download your free copy today!

Free download – Best of the Best CanSkate Coach Program Toolkit

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NCCP Update

CanSkate Coach Certification – Effective September 1, 2009

The CanSkate coach certification approved in the fall of 2007 will now be in effect for the new 2009/2010 membership season.

What does it mean?
Once a coach has received the CanSkate “trained” status and is actively coaching CanSkate, they will have two years to become CanSkate coach “certified” from the date they first registered as a CanSkate coach with Skate Canada to maintain their coaching membership status. To ensure well trained and knowledgeable CanSkate coaches are delivering quality CanSkate programs in Skate Canada clubs and skating schools, coaches who may only want to teach CanSkate will complete a formal evaluation to become CanSkate Coach certified. 

Does this apply to all coaches who teach CanSkate?
This certification only applies to coaches who have a CanSkate “trained” status and have not yet completed the remainder NCCP technical training to teach STARSkate – phases 2 and 3 of the NCCP Primary STARSkate

How do I become CanSkate coach certified?
Coaches who need to complete this certification are required to complete the NCCP Instruction Beginner Certified CanSkate Coach Portfolio that is posted on Members Only. The portfolio consists of the following:

1. Completion of a Mentorship program with an approved Mentor Coach. Contact your Section Course Administrator (SCA) to be assigned to a qualified and approved Mentor Coach.


2. Completion of the Make Ethical Decisions online evaluation module. Access this at www.coach.ca


3. Completion of a written CanSkate session outline.

Note: All of the resources needed for both the candidate and mentor coach/evaluator are accessible to download from the Members Only site under the coaching main menu at www.skatecanada.ca

NCCP Transition:
Since 2005, Skate Canada has been working on the transition and approval of its coaching programs in partnership with the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC). As of 2009, CAC has approved our CanSkate program (Phase 1) and Primary STARSkate program (Phases 2-4). Continued work and progress is being made on the Intermediate STARSkate, Competition-Introduction and Competition Development programs.

A New NCCP – From Levels to Contexts:
Following a lengthy process of input and feedback, the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) developed and approved the policy “Recognition of Levels-NCCP Coach Qualifications” in June 2008. The objective of the policy is to transfer NCCP Levels qualifications to appropriate Contexts, while maintaining the value of Levels qualifications as part of coaches’ transcripts. It also reinforces the Make Ethical Decisions module as a cornerstone of the new NCCP.

In conjunction with CAC, Skate Canada is in the process of developing a transfer plan that will indicate how coaches will transfer from the old NCCP to the new NCCP. We will begin to transition CanSkate and Level 1 coaches only as both of these programs now referred to as NCCP Instruction-Beginner (CanSkate) and NCCP Instruction-Intermediate (Primary STARSkate), have been officially approved by CAC.

Stay tuned for more information on this initiative in the coming weeks.

NCCP Competition Development:
Effective April 1, 2009 coaches must complete four of six new NCCP Competition-Development multi-sport modules in place of the former Level 3 theory.

Pre-requisite:
Level 1 & Level 2 theory or Make Ethical Decisions (training or evaluation) and Design a Basic Sport Program.

Four of six of the following NCCP Competition-Development multi-sport modules:

1. Developing Athletic Abilities


2. Prevention and Recovery


3. Coaching and Leading Effectively


4. Psychology of Performance


5. Managing Conflict


6. Doping Prevention

NCCP Level 4 certification:
Congratulations to the following coaches on their recent accomplishments and another milestone in their coaching careers - NCCP Level 4 certification!

• Jason Mongrain, British Columbia


• Cathy Dalton, Central Ontario


• Linda Bridge, Central Ontario

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Making Ethical Decisions (MED) On-Line Module

As a condition of membership for the 2009/2010 season, all coaches must complete the Making Ethical Decisions online evaluation to become a registered Skate Canada coaching member. To complete this evaluation successfully we suggest coaches become familiar with the MED reference material. Here’s how to access it;

Reference Material:

• Members Only at www.skatecanada.ca
• Coaching
• NCCP
• NCCP Make Ethical Decisions – Reference Material (updated August 5, 2008)

• English: http://nccpeval.coach.ca/production/med/e/index.asp?Language=English
• French: http://nccpeval.coach.ca/production/med/e/index.asp?Language=French

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Continuous Education Program Update

Staying current in any field requires a philosophy of continuous learning. The reality is that there is a high level of competition for the sport recreation dollar and it is critical that professional development remains a priority for coaches. This priority will strengthen our sport by providing a high quality, worthwhile and fun sport experience for skaters. To this end, Skate Canada developed a voluntary Continuous Education Program (CEP) to recognize coaches that participated in professional development opportunities over a two year cycle. Coaches participating in the program were issued a bronze, silver or gold status for their commitment to furthering their level of coaching knowledge and skill. 

The third CEP cycle (2009/2010) is running from September 1, 2008 until August 31, 2010. If you have not yet participated in this volunteer program there is ample time to enroll and participate in professional development activities before August 31, 2010. A list of eligible CEP activities and required statements are posted on Members Only under the Coaching Main menu. Clubs from across Canada are supporting and recognizing their coaches through this program. It is a great mechanism to show commitment to your athletes and the overall coaching profession.

Congratulations to all coaches who have earned a CEP status during the 2006-2008 cycle. Skate Canada is proud of your continued commitment to professional development and has posted the CEP Honour Roll on Members Only.

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Important Reminders for Skate Canada Clubs and Coaches

Program Delivery Standards & Requirements

Skate Canada skating programs offered by member clubs and skating schools mustbe operated according to national delivery standards.  The complete document can be found on the Members Only under Technical and Program Information.  Highlights are outlined below:

CanSkate - minimum standards

STARSkate - minimum standards

Program Names To Be Used

Club programs must include the official program name within the title (e.g. CanSkate Juniors, Preschool CanSkate, STARSkate Juniors, Pre-STARSkate, Adult STARSkate etc).  The official logos shown below are available to download from the Skate Canada website. They should be used on all correspondence or printed materials (e.g. website, brochures, advertisements, club handbooks, newsletters, etc).

Program description to be used

	CanSkate - Canada’s learn-to-skate program - is Skate Canada’s flagship program that teaches skaters of all ages the fundamental movements of skating, with a focus on fun and continuous movement taught by certified NCCP coaches and assisted by trained program assistants.
	Skills, Tests, Achievement, Recognition – this is what STARSkate is all about!   The mainstay of Canadian figure skating for over 40 years, STARSkate offers opportunities for skaters of all ages to develop fundamental figure skating skills in the areas of ice dance, skating skills, free skate and interpretive skating.

Note To Clubs:
Although CanSkate is typically the largest in terms of member registration numbers, STARSkate is also one of the most important programs a club offers.  STARSkate is THE program that trains figure skaters and synchronized skaters in Canada, as well as produces future champions, judges, evaluators, professional coaches and program assistants.  With this being young skaters’ and parents’ first exposure to figure skating, STARSkate must be a positive experience on every front from content to cost. 

Program format - we strongly recommend that all clubs offer group lesson STARSkate programs, especially at the Primary level.  This is to allow for a smooth, seamless transition from CanSkate to STARSkate as well as provide options for skaters and keep costs reasonable for skaters and parents.

For the complete Program Delivery Standards for CanSkate, STARSkate, and CanPowerSkate as well as program resources and materials available for each, please go to the Members Only website under Program & Technical Information.

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Officials Corner

Recruiting Central

“I’ve called everyone I can think of and I still can’t find an evaluator for our test day!”

How many times have you heard these words from your exasperated test chairman? Trying to find evaluators for test days and judges for local competitions has frequently become an exercise in frustration in rural and urban areas alike.

The good news is that with a new promotion and training process and recruiting, it is possible to increase the number of officials in your area in a short period of time. Armed with some information about our new training program and an idea of who to target, you can start adding to our judging ranks right now.

Most former skaters become judges because they are invited to participate by someone they know so local clubs are an ideal place to initiate the recruitment process. To start a recruitment drive have club members and coaches work together to identify judge candidates.  Depending on whether you serve an urban or rural area your target groups may vary. These could include:

• Current Skaters: This is a great group to draw from especially before they graduate from high school as it is possible to establish judging as a fulfilling lifelong volunteer activity at a young age. This group tends to be most active in urban centres where they don’t have to relocate to attend school.  For rural clubs with limited post secondary institutions, their service to your area may be limited, so attention might better be focused on other groups.


• Post Secondary Graduates:  If former skaters did not start judging before they left skating, they are often amenable to try judging once they have completed school.  This group can be a great source of judges in more rural areas where skaters have returned to raise families. Try contacting parents of former skaters and you might be surprised to find they are living in your area again. Often these ex-skaters are keen to reconnect with old skating contacts and participate in the sport, especially if they have children involved.


• University Skating Club & Synchro Teams: This can be a good place to catch skaters that were not recruited before they graduated from high school.


• Adult Skaters: The growing population of adult skaters is another demographic to consider. They are clearly smitten with the sport and a convenient target as they are already at the rink! 


• Former Coaches: This technically knowledgeable group is often receptive to becoming involved in the sport again but in a different role.  Just be sure they have reinstated to eligible status before they begin judging.

What do you say to potential judges to convince them to try judging? In the recent past admitting you were a skating judge didn’t always draw much admiration so if we are going to attract new officials we need to promote judging as the fun and exciting volunteer activity it is.  When recruiting focus on the positive:

• Judging provides an opportunity to participate in the new era of skating on the new scoring system


• Judging allows you to stay connected or reconnect with many social contacts and make new ones


• Judging may provide travel opportunities


• Judging at competitions can occur within the same season training commences


• Entry level judges and evaluators play an important and much needed role in our sport

Once you have a candidate who is interested in judging, give them contact information for the training representative in your area and ask permission for the training rep to get in touch with them.  A new candidate may be eager to participate but take time to connect with a training rep and miss out on a clinic in their area. 

With the new training system, clinics are designed to be held in one day in conjunction with local competitions or similar events. These settings allow candidates to practice judging right away in a competition environment, meet other officials in their area and are fairly inexpensive to operate.  The new requirements for a primary promotion also mean that it is possible for a competent candidate to complete training at one competition and judge at the next. 

Introducing candidates to judging can also start informally.  Judy Burwash, a judge and clinic leader in BC, has found that younger judges are often reluctant to attend a clinic unless they have had a chance to try out judging.  She has had excellent results conducting casual trial sessions prior to holding clinics at regional competitions. Burwash has her recruits join her in the stands, provides them with a few simple instructions, and then lets them practice on events.

Burwash notes, “At a competition, word spreads quickly amongst the skaters and some coaches so I always have skaters coming up to me to join the trial judges. Then, these candidates get hooked and want to do the clinic!”

Her method has proven extremely successful with the Vancouver Island Region boasting almost a dozen new judges over the past few seasons. With a targeted and flexible approach to suit the needs of each region, together we can increase the number of judges and evaluators in our sport.  Who knows, your test chairperson might start asking, “Which evaluator shall we use this time?”

Laura Carr is a judge and evaluator who lives in the small town of Nelson, BC with her husband and two skaters, aged 5 and 10.  Laura served on the board of an urban Vancouver area club for seven years and is currently President of the Nelson Figure Skating Club.

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Skate Canada Celebrates All Officials Promotions

As an organization, Skate Canada is built on the dedication of its volunteer officials. This is shown through their countless hours spent at rinkside, and behind the scenes at test sessions and competitions coast to coast.

All officials’ promotions are to be celebrated, whether they are to the Canadian or ISU level, or a Primary or Introductory level promotion. Our grass roots officials, whether serving at a competition as an Introductory Level Data Specialist, or as a Primary Judge, act as a primary resource without which our athletes would not be able to pursue their dreams of excellence.

Our Primary and Juvenile level evaluators are also a highly important resource to the organization. In 2007/2008, the last year for which complete statistics are available, there were 13,980 Free Skate (Elements and Program counted separately), 37,176 individual Ice Dance, and 10,019 Skating Skills tests taken up to the Senior Bronze level. Without constant attention on the part of our Section Officials Committees towards recruitment, the organization would not be able to provide all these test days with qualified officials.

Congratulations to everyone that achieved promotions as an official and congratulations as well to the tireless effort of our Section Officials Committees and Clinic Leaders.

Please click here for a full list of promotions by Section.

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National Team

National Team Summer

Have you ever wondered what our National Team athletes do in the off-season?  Sure, there are some fun and games, but there are big responsibilities and opportunities that come with representing your country.  Here are a few highlights of what the summer offered our top Canadian skaters – in addition to training and choreography!

Joannie Rochette	Kaitlyn Weaver	Craig Buntin
Visited Peru with World Vision Canada (see picture below) Performed in an ice show in Korea Worked at photo shoots for Olympic issue magazines	Officially became a Canadian	Continued to establish his post-skating career coffee business

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Historical Edges

Dr. Hellmut May

Imagine you’re 14 years old and representing your country in Men’s Figure Skating at the 1936 Winter Olympics in Garmisch Partenkirchen, Germany.  Not a bad way to start adolescence, is it? Just two years later, you are drafted into what is known today as World War II.  From a prisoner of war, to earning a Doctorate in World Trade and Commerce at the University of Vienna, Dr. Hellmut May is truly a skating legend, both on and off the ice. 

His skating career highlights include winning the Junior Men’s Championship of Austria at age 13, becoming a member of the 1940 German Olympic team (Games not held due to the war) and was a member of the 1948 Olympic team. He placed 8th in the world when the World Championships were held in Davos, Switzerland.

In 1947, armed with his education and a passion for skating, Dr. May was cast as the Principal Skater in the Vienna Ice Revue from 1948-53, which led to his role in the 1951 feature film with the Vienna Ice Show “Spring on Ice.” His partner in this film was Eva Pawlick, the 1948 Olympic Silver Medalist in women’s figure skating, and runner up to our own Barbara Ann Scott.

Dr. May emigrated to Canada via the “Seven Seas Liner,” in 1954 and began his long and valued coaching career in Moncton, New Brunswick and later at the Kerrisdale Figure Skating Club in Vancouver, B.C.  He developed and contributed to the success of generations of many top national, international, World, and Olympic competitive figure skaters, many you will likely remember!

As a coach, Dr. May changed the face of skating even outside the arenas where his expertise built champions. His contributions moved the sport and coaching into a new generation of accountability and excellence.

Dr. May has other notables to add to his career, such as designing the world famous WIFA figure skating boot and distributing them from the factory in Vienna, Austria, throughout North America via his own small business, “Can Alpine Agencies Ltd.”

His passion for travelling the world is legendary as are his accomplishments to our sport.  Dr. May is a skating icon on and off the ice and we are please to present some of his accomplishments in Historical Edges for this issue!

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Setting up your Archive

The skating club archivist is looking for files, films, photos, manuals, reports etc about their skaters, teams and programs, officials, coaches and skaters (reports by officials are very useful), event planning and execution, club history (how we became a CFSA/Skate Canada club or the evolution of the club from a volunteer secretary to a club president for example).

What is important is the finished product with these working paper files so we know the evolution of things rather than just the finished product. Wouldn’t it be great if every time you do something new with a program you didn’t have to re-invent the wheel? That’s often what happens when only the finished product is saved. You have to go back and conduct all the research, ask all the same questions and go through all the same hassles as you did ten years ago when you tried to change a program.

Barbara Ann Scott’s skating dress was used in a local 1940’s fashion show in Ottawa in 2009. Its part of the SC Archive Collection

Also, if there’s one piece of important paper in a thick file, don’t just keep that one sheet and throw out the rest. Context is important and that one sheet of paper may be seriously undervalued as an archival item without its original siblings. Of course there are artifacts too. What’s a Museum without stuff to look at? You should collect pins, medals, costumes, skates, team uniforms, trophies, ribbons, scrapbooks, just to scratch the surface. Archivists accept donations from outside the club office too. It would be wonderful if every skater wanted to give the museum their entire costume and medal collection but we realize that won’t happen. Even one item from a Club Member, National Team Member and Hall of Fame Member would be a fantastic boost for the collections. We will also accept personal papers of any of our significant members that relate to their life in skating. For example: Just a couple of years ago, Elizabeth Swan’s papers were donated and they contained a wonderful compilation of her work in skating in Newfoundland. This is the stuff we dream of. This is why we need a club archivist to preserve history, to see such a complete authoritative record of her achievements is fascinating. (So archivists are paper geeks. We all have to live for something!) That leads us to what we don’t collect. As a general rule, we don’t take anything not created or published by CFSA/Skate Canada, the club, section or members or anything that is not directly related to skating history or a significant member’s history of skating in Canada. That includes magazines, books, posters; papers, artifacts etc that really have nothing to do with us. That means we don’t want coaching magazines from CAC, or Torville and Dean’s skates or a hockey puck (unless it’s signed by Kurt Browning from an official puck drop at the Stanley Cup finals in the year of his retirement or some sort of unusual significance like that). We must be very specific about what is collected and what isn’t according to the club mandate so we don’t fill the club shelves with items that almost meet the criteria and that we can’t make a Museum out of some day.

Here are a couple of the things archivists do:

• Collect and catalogue all the items, make finding aids and enter records into the database so we can find it all for you later


• Research that includes for example (everything from the evolution of the Skate Canada logo to what music a particular skater used at Canadians 20 years ago for staff and outsiders)


• Monitor the artifacts to make sure they aren’t deteriorating - they have to last longer than any of us. That’s why when you see us handling artifacts we’ll have cute little white gloves on to protect the item


• Work on special projects. Oral history is a fun one; interviewing some of our more mature members to discuss their skating lives


• Follow museum and archives standards for all this stuff, so we can make sure nothing gets missed. We do a lot of paperwork just to keep the collection in order and make sure nothing goes missing. That's why you have to sign a loan form every time you take something from your club archives so we always know where it is

If you have any questions please contact Emery Leger, Skate Canada’s Archivist eleger@skatecanada.ca.

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You and Your Club

CanSkate Communications Kit Reminder

Summer’s slowly coming to an end, the leaves are changing colours and the start of a brand new skating season is right around the corner!  We are entering into the last year of the President’s CanSkate Challenge of having 135,000 CanSkaters registered by 2010.  With the ongoing effort of both clubs and schools to raise their CanSkate numbers, we can see that together we can achieve this goal!

Last year we sent out CanSkate Communications Kits to all of the clubs and schools.  This kit included templates for posters, radio & television ads, flyers and print ads all of which were geared towards helping clubs promote the CanSkate program at a local level.  If you haven’t had a chance to see the kit, all portions of it are available online on the Members Only site.  All you have to do it tailor it to fit your needs!

CanSkate is the fun way to learn to skate!  An excellent way to try and attract new members to your club is through print ads and posters.  Try placing your ad in a local or community newspaper in your area.  The cost for community advertising is very reasonable and will reach the right audience.  Posters are also a great resource and can be printed in either colour or black and white.  Try hanging them in arena lobbies, community centres, day care centres, doctor’s offices and libraries.

There are many possibilities available to your club to help advertise and promote your CanSkate program to the community; a pair of skates is all it takes!  If you have any questions about the contents of this kit please contact the Member Services Department at 1.888.747.2372 ext 2519.

Happy Skating!

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A Special Kind of Coach

For Jean-Sebastien Fecteau of Quebec, he knew he would love coaching and started at his home club with his sister Marie-Claude as soon as he was old enough. But rather than a traditional stream of coaching, he chose to coach all kinds of athletes including ones with disabilities.  Peaking his interest was the program already in place for athletes with physical handicaps at CPA St-Léonard Inc. in the mid- 1990’s and when the program director moved, Jean-Sebastien stepped into the role.  The transition to teaching skaters with intellectual disabilities came naturally and he later became involved with JOSQ (Jeux Olympiques Spéciaux du Québec), now an active member for eight years. 

So what motivates this coach to work with Special Olympic Athletes?  “What I like most is the constant evolution and challenge presented to me. Some weeks, we improve by leaps and bounds, some weeks, we cannot put one foot in front of the other without tripping”  says Jean- Sebastien.  One of his skaters (of eight years on and off) Zane, has really been influenced by his coach, advancing from Level 1, to Level 5 out of a possible six levels.  Zane not only enjoys the sport but has generated local press coverage as well!  Jean- Sebastien is an innovator in Special Olympic coaching – he relishes the opportunity to build his own methods as with these skaters, no one can really tell a coach how to go about teaching because each skater is different.

So what does Coach Fecteau advise others who want to work with Special athletes?  “My tip is to be very adaptable. Be ready to explain something eight different ways in five minutes. Be ready to demonstrate time and time again. Be ready to re-teach the solo week after week.” He also advises that the basic goal is still physical activity and socialization and reminds us that it’s OK to have a long slump, even for top level competitors.  They don't skate for medals, they skate because they like it!

Special athlete programs are available across the country.  Let us know if you have questions about how to start a program at your club, or visit Special Olympics Canada at www.specialolympics.ca.

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Faceliftfor Members Only

The Members Only area of Skate Canada’s web site has undergone some major construction over the summer and now has a fresh new look with easier navigation.

The main menu has been condensed to allow for less confusion when searching for documents and information.  All information surrounding coaching related activities can now be found under Coaches while the Club and Skating School information also has its own area.  The process for updating online registration for clubs and coaches has not changed.  Clubs and coaches should refer to their registration information that was mailed to them for specific instructions.  Officials can find all of their related information in the main menu under Members.

The online rulebook has been updated and can be found under Technical and Program information along with test sheets and LTAD updates.  Handouts from the 2009 ACGM & NCC are now available online.

Take some time to browse around and then send us your comments.  We want to hear from you!  You can send comments to the Member Services department by e-mail at memberservices@skatecanada.ca 

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This Season and Next

2009/2010 Events – Tickets are Hot!

Skate Canada begins the 2009/2010 season with the 2009 HomeSense Skate Canada International in Kitchener, Ontario from November 19 – 22, 2009 at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex. Ticket packages are currently on sale; all-event tickets are $145 plus applicable taxes and surcharges. These can be purchased online at www.centre-square.com, by phone at 519.578.1570 or 1.800.265.8977, or in person at The Aud or at the Centre in The Square Box Office.

The 2010 BMO Financial Group Skate Canada Western Challenge & 2010 BMO Skate Canada Eastern Challenge will be held in Mississauga, Ontario from December 2 - 6, 2009 at The Hershey Centre. The Western and Eastern Challenge events will bring together approximately 500 competitors. Ticket information will be posted on www.skatecanada.ca when available.

The 2010 BMO Canadian Figure Skating Championships and BMO Skate Canada Junior Nationals will be held in London, Ontario, following a new trial format. The 2010 BMO Skate Canada Junior Nationals (junior and novice events) will take place at the Western Fair Sports Centre from January 11-14, 2010. The 2010 BMO Canadian Figure Skating Championships (senior events) will take place at the John Labatt Centre from January 14-17, 2010. Top finishes in the competition will earn senior skaters the possibility of representing Canada in the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, as well as a spot on the Skate Canada National Team. Junior event skaters will earn a spot on the Skate Canada Junior National Team. Both teams will compete at the 2010 ISU World Figure Skating Championships, the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2010 and the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships 2010. Ticket packages are currently on sale for both events; senior event packages ranging from $125-$150 and junior/novice event packages at $20. These packages can be purchased at the John Labatt Centre, online at www.johnlabattcentre.com or by phone at 1.866.455.2849.

Single event session tickets for the 2009 HomeSense Skate Canada International and 2010 BMO Figure Skating Championships will be available in early Fall so check the Skate Canada website at that time for details.

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Update Your Members Only Page!

Soon all Skate Canada event participant accreditation tags will require a photograph. You can save time and eliminate the need to stand in line and have your tag prepared onsite by keeping an up to date headshot loaded on your Members Only Page!

Here’s How to Upload Your Photo:

• In your Personal Profile select ‘Member Information’ and then ‘General Information’ to have all of your personal information displayed.


• Double check that all of the information listed is correct (name, address, date of birth, e-mail address etc.). If any information has changed, simply click on the appropriate field and type in the correct information. Note that some fields may not be updated on-line.


• Once you have completed editing, simply click on the SAVE CHANGES button to update your personal information.


• To upload your photo select UPLOAD NEW PICTURE and BROWSE your computer files for your photo. Once the correct file is selected click UPLOAD. You will now be able to view your photo on your personal profile.

Follow these specifications for your photo … and say cheese!

1. Colour photos are preferred.


2. Photo size must be approximately 37 mm (1 1/2 in.) wide by 50 mm (2 in.) long.


3. The photos must be a close-up of the head and shoulders so that the face covers approximately 65 to 75% of the photo.


4. Photos must be clear, sharp and in focus

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Event Restructure

Earlier this year, we sent several updates with regards to program changes.  In case you missed them, we have included abbreviated versions here for you!  If you have not been receiving these updates via e-mail, it’s time for you log into the Members Only website and update your e-mail preferences.  Let our Member Services Department know if you need help getting set up.

Synchronized Skating

This season is very exciting for synchronized skaters as they are the first discipline to incorporate Skate Canada’s Long-Term Athlete Development model into their program and event structure.  The “Festival” and “Competitive” streams have merged into one competition stream and all synchro categories and their respective age requirements have been revised.  Along with these changes, test pre-requisites have been removed and as of September 1, 2009 all Synchronized Skating events will be run using the Cumulative Points Calculation (CPC) judging system.

Les Supremes

The National Synchronized Skating Championships will now consist of Novice, Intermediate, Open, Junior and Senior Synchronized Skating categories and five Regional qualifying events have replaced the former Sectional and Festival Regional qualifying competitions. All teams must qualify to compete at the National Championships through their respective Regional events.

The assigned dates for this season’s Regional events are as follows:

• Atlantic (NB, PE, NS, NF)           January 29-31, 2010


• Quebec:(QC)                                February 5-7, 2010


• Ontario (NO, WO, CO, EO)        February 12-14, 2010


• Prairie (MB, SK)                           February 5-7, 2010


• Mountain (AB, BC)                      January 29-31, 2010

The above changes were made to better align the sport of Synchronized Skating with the goals and principles of LTAD.  The synchronized skating community was involved throughout the evaluation and research process that was undertaken over the past few seasons and we would like to thank everyone for their participation and valuable feedback.

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Adult Skate

Adult skaters are a rapidly growing group within Skate Canada.  In order to keep adult programs viable and continue to recognize the needs of the skaters, we are changing the format of the adult competition.  The quality, focus and delivery of adult programs will remain much the same as they are now.

Jim Leong

Catherine Langford

The Adult Championship event may now be hosted by a club, region or local organizing committee and will be organized as a national invitational event.  This fulfils the desire for a championship event, and will allow areas of the country with large adult programs the chance to bid to host this event. These locations have greater support at the local level and thus may generate more interest and local sponsorship.It will also provide a greater number of skaters with the opportunity to compete at this type of event through its new format.  Skate Canada will continue to support this rapidly growing discipline and the needs of our adult skaters.

The event will include Adult Synchronized Skating Level I, II and III categories along with the traditional adult skating events offered in previous years. This will provide more fans exposure to the discipline of synchronized skating as well as provide greater economies in terms of facility costs for all participants.

Check www.skatecanada.ca  regularly for event announcements! 

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Competitive Program

Andrei Rogozine, Photo Credit Gerard Chataingeau

At the June 7, 2009 Board Meeting, the Skate Canada Board of Directors approved rule suspensions that will bring about changes we are piloting within the competitive program during the 2009/2010 season. Western and Eastern Challenge Each category at Challenge will be conducted as one event (no Western and Eastern division) including skaters from all Sectional Championships. The Pre-Novice national champions will be declared at Challenge. The top finishers in Novice, Junior and Senior at Challenge will advance to Junior Nationals (Novice and Junior) and Canadians (Senior). Draft schedules and technical announcements were available as of August 1, 2009 on the Members Only website.  Final event schedules will not be posted until all entries and final bye decisions are determined.

Looking for more information?  Ask your Regional Representative or Section Chair to forward you our earlier communication, or call our Member Services Department!

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Rink Rats

Items of the month

Interested in wearing the most stylish Skate Canada pieces this season?  We recommend these men’s and women’s three-layer Windsmart jackets!  These water resistant jackets with the Skate Canada logo in English on the lapel are the perfect transition wardrobe staple heading into the fall.  The women’s jacket is tapered at the waist while the men’s has a roomier fit.  Get yours now by clicking here

Men’s

Women’s

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True Sport: Join it! Live it! Grow it!

If you are looking for a vehicle to help your club foster a healthy sporting environment, take a look at True Sport.  True Sport is a Canadian organization that is working to ensure a positive, meaningful and enriching experience for all who participate in sport. Skate Canada has always strived to create a positive sport environment for its members built on the values of fairness, excellence, inclusion and fun. Skate Canada is proud to support the True Sport movement and the principles of True Sport:

There is no cost to join and all your club has to do is declare their support for the movement and agree to uphold the principles of True Sport through its day to day operation.  How easy is that?   Visit www.truesportpur.ca for more information and to become a supporter.

The process of adopting and abiding by the principles of True Sport is a preventative measure aimed at encouraging a positive sporting environment within a club and community.  True Sport will not resolve club conflicts or guide dispute resolution, but rather its aim is to create and foster a positive sporting environment where these types of incidents are less likely to occur or become problematic within your club.

Once a club agrees to the principles of True Sport, it is up to the club members to embrace, support, encourage and stand up for these principles within their club so that they become the guardians of True Sport.  In order to keep these values front and centre it is important that club members are constantly reminded that these values represent the kind of club that they want and agreed to be.  Every club member has a responsibility to foster a True Sport environment within their club.

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Program Assistant Profile

Name: Sarah Hill

The club(s) you PA at: Brooke Alvinston Skating Club

Number of years as a PA: (2003) 7 years

What is the best thing about being a PA?
I enjoy watching the kids improve over the year. I like having them look up to me.  I enjoy that they are starting to love the sport like I do, and that I had a part of that love.

Defining Moment (or special moment) for you as a skater:
Going into my first competition and competing against my best friend and meeting all of the other girls, that I am now friends with. I love watching the skaters when they are going into their first competition, and how happy they are that they remembered their routine and did their best. It makes me proud.

Tips to others who want to become PA:
Try to always smile and be encouraging.  Remind the skaters that everyone falls at first and it is just part of the learning process.  Always be on time for the sessions. Never give up on the skater, that only discourages the skater.  Be happy to have the opportunity to help others.

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Editor’s Closing

Editor’s Closing

On a personal note, I am about to enter my second skating season with Skate Canada and I want to offer you my heartfelt thanks for your enthusiasm, ability and desire to make skating happen in all types of environments.  The passion you each bring to your position is what will keep our skating programs growing in Canada for generations to come. We’re off and….well skating again into a new season, a new decade and a new era where Canada continues to be a skating power house.  While the competitive programs tend to be the national media’s focus, the grassroots programs, your clubs, schools, athletes and sections continue to be in the local spotlight.  Skating engages communities at all ages and we’re very excited to get the fall season started for this skating year.  I hope you all took a moment over the summer to pat yourselves on the back for a job well done!

This season Keeping In Touch will transition into a resource guide for the volunteers and professionals who support skating functions…..yes, coaches, officials, club boards and offices, staff and PA’s, schools and reps at all levels, that’s you!   It will have fewer event highlights and work to provide greater support to you throughout the season.  Yes, we will keep all your favourites, like Rink Rats, Historical Edges and season highlights, but we will now produce KIT so you get it when you most need it!  Still looking for more news and views?  Above the Crowd which is currently a subscription-only e-zine will soon be sent to all members and you can click through that too!

Until next time,

Dianne Tennen
Keeping In Touch Editor
Manager of Internal Communications

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