Well, as they say, “We’re off to the races!”
Our 2009-2010 speed skating season got off to a roaring start with the annual Yara Fall Classic in Regina, Nov. 7-8, and many more exciting competitions to come. The meet featured 133 skaters from Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba. Click here to read some of the media coverage from this event.
Planning has already begun for Melville’s FUNdamental Meet on December 12. The meet will be a mix of traditional racing and “unconven tional” fun team competitions aimed at skill development.
So, Yeehaa! Roll out the barrels of fun! Melville is planning a rodeo theme for the province’s first-ever developmental meet, with plenty of interesting events cooked up by the Melville Speed Skating Club with help from our provincial coach, Bryan McSorley, who obviously spent too much time in Calgary.
The “Melville Stampede” will offer barrel racing on skates in a variety of events, such as chuck-skating, counterclockwise chuck-skating - all aimed at improving the skaters’ overall balance and agility. Events have yet to be finalized, but you can click here to get a taste of what we're talking about and considering. The emphasis on FUNdamentals reflects Saskatchewan Speed Skating Association’s commitment to aligning with Long Term Participation and Athlete Development objectives.
Saskatchewan Speed Skating is striving to create a fun and enriching atmosphere for the younger developing athletes. The Melville Speed Skating Club is helping to provide a meaningful and educational experience for all participants, so register now!
There’s another innovative idea that’s beginning to take shape this season. Let’s call it “Skaters without Borders.”
Saskatchewan Speed Skating Association is encouraging clubs to welcome skaters from other clubs to attend their practices. We see this as an opportunity for skaters to gain more insights from a wider variety of coaches and make new friends with skaters from other clubs. It’s all about developing a greater sense of community among skaters, volunteers and coaches across the province.
To support this idea, Saskatchewan Speed Skating has creat a Club Practice Calendar on our new web site. This will enable skaters and parents to view the practice times of other clubs. If you plan on attending another club’s practice, we ask that you phone ahead to let the coach know that you will be attending and to ensure the practice hasn’t been canceled or reschedule. Email contact information can be found within the calendar and all club officials are also posted on the web site under "Contact Us" and click Sask Executives .
Saskatchewan Speed Skating continues to work with various clubs to provide a sound structure for coaches to ensure they are provided with the appropriate training and have clear understanding of the training programs for skaters at all levels of development. As a result, we are encouraging club’s to appoint a Program Coordinator to serve as a point of first contact for both the Provincial Coach and the head coach of each club. This volunteer position is intended to be rewarding, not time consuming, so click here to view the job description and contact your club president to volunteer!
Our goal is to provide some structure and consistency for the training and development at all levels, especially for our high-performance athletes, to help them achieve success on the ice and better prepare them for more intensive training programs that may be offered elsewhere. We encourage you to visit the Coaches Source and read more about Long Term Participation and Athlete Development and recommended training programs.On a final note, we want to ensure everyone is aware the Regina Speed Skating Clubs (RSSC) and the Saskatoon Lion’s Speed Skating Club (SLSSC) have switched the dates for their long-track meets.
The switch was made to accommodate Regina’s Olympic Torch Relay Celebration on January 9, 2010, which was on the same weekend as Saskatoon’s long track meet. Saskatoon will now hold their long track meet on January 22-24, while Regina will hold their meet on January 8-10. This will enable skaters to participate or attend the Olympic Torch Relay Celebration, without missing out on one of their long-track meets. The changes have been reflected on the Saskatchewan Speed Skating Calendar of Events , where you will find loads of information on upcoming events.
Working together to accommodate each other for the good of the sport not only reflects the Olympic spirit, but it’s what brings us closer together as a speed skating community. Congratulations to everyone involved in making this happen!
Go to:
News Releases
Events & Coverage
Camps & Clinics
