Never Ever/first timer lesson for public skate

[dlbritton]

Do any/many rinks offer "never ever" lessons for public skate sessions? As far as I know the rink I skate at does not, and during public skate sessions I have seen a number of skaters that would benefit greatly from a 15-30 minute introductory lesson on simple basics including how to properly wear skates. I am amazed at the number of people with loosely tied boots and blades at 45 degrees to the ice. Most people get around the rink okay with a few falls but probably with a high level of fear. A quick introduction could probably go a long way in setting peoples minds at ease and maybe encourage more return visits.

[icedancer]

Not sure what you mean by "never ever" but you are so right!

it strikes me that in skiing (which is something I have never done mind you) - you have to take a little class on the bunny slope or something before they let you go out there... is that true?

I know that at one of the rinks I skate it (it is in a mall) that sometimes coaches are available for "drop-in" lessons if someone requests one.  But I don't think it happens often enough.  If I see someone who is really having trouble I might make a suggestion or two or tell them to get a better-fitting boot, but most of the skaters out there on the public sessions are just out there doing whatever they can... it is certainly a scarey site at times!

[Kitten23]

My first private lessons were in the public session.  Ah, the memories...  The injuries of being slammed into by a wild child on hockey skates...   Memories....

[sarahspins]

My rink offers a free class like that, but only on Saturdays and occasionally on busy holidays and you have to sign up in advance, you normally can't just drop in because spaces are limited.  We also have a "coach on duty" shift on the weekends/holidays when the rink is busier so that a coach is available to give advice with fitting/lacing/tying skates and very basic on-ice instruction... it definitely makes a huge difference for some first time skaters

[jjane45]

I've had majority of my lessons on light publics. but never on the really crowded all ages ones.

[FigureSpins]

You mean "first timer" lessons, right? 

Our rink offers free intro lessons for National Skating Month on MLK day in February.  They've also offered free intro lessons at other times - there's a Christmas parade next week and they're inviting people for free lessons afterward.  The rink doesn't require pre-registrations, so it's hit or miss on the number of skaters.  If they promote it, the "Free" usually brings in crowds.  I don't know how much follow-on business that results in for our LTS program.

If there's a party, the family generally hires an instructor to give beginner lessons.  I've had a few people approach me about on-the-spot lessons, but it's rare.  I think there's a general impression that private lessons are pricey and you have to commit for multiple lessons, so people try to avoid sales situations like that.

If I see someone struggling on a public session, I'll give them a few tips, but I won't do that during one of my lessons unless there's a dangerous situation such as parents carrying tots, untied/poorly tied skates or the newbie "Slide and split" approach to first-time skating.  (Where they stand on one foot, s-l-I-I-I-I-d-e the other foot forward, then try to drag their body weight to the now-forward foot.)

I don't ski often, but many of the facilities include a free group beginner lesson with the ski rental, especially if it's a multiple-day rental.  I assume it's intended to reduce the risk of injury on the slopes.  Fewer injuries reduces costs and offsets the class expense.

[Loops]

I've never known a rink to do "never ever/first timer" lessons, but it sounds like a really good idea.  I suspect that doing something like that (it would have to be small numbers) would make newbies more confident and attract more people into the LTS series. 

My current rink has a blurb in its pamphlet about lessons.  I suspect it would be with the rink staff, and therefore more geared towards the hockey end of things.  I never paid much attention to it, but will investigate further because now I'm curious.  I've never seen a lesson on public sessions.

But what does happen here that I find interesting/frustrating, is that the day ice (9-5) is reserved strictly for school groups.  I'm curious if there's a coach involved there.  So, no empty public sessions like many of you write about  , but also many kids are getting introduced to the idea/option early on  .  The LTS equivalent here is PACKED, and many adults even sign up, which is great.  Hockey also seems to be full, dunno if it's because of the exposure in school, or because there's so much competition for the one slab we have (prof hockey vs regular hockey vs dance) that everything is just crowded.

[dlbritton]

I was referring to first time never skaters , terminology gets ingrained I guess, almost all ski instructors refer to first time skiers as never-evers.

I realize the logistics could get tricky for offering some type of into. lesson but it does seem they could make the experience more enjoyable for first time skaters. It could be very simple, just covering tying skates properly, where to keep the hands, how to fall (maybe) and how to get back up (important). It could be scheduled near the beginning of a public session and be for the first X skaters to sign up (based on staff).

At my ski resort we offer a package for lessons where the first day lift ticket/rental/lesson is just a little more than lift ticket and rental (no free lessons) but the 2nd and 3rd day is actually cheaper than a lift ticket alone. They are restricted to the beginner slopes but we do not offer that option for a lift ticket to anyone not in the lesson package. The lessons are mainly intended to make people feel comfortable on the slopes so they will hopefully return and become lifetime skiers. They are also intended to reduce injuries and make people aware of the safety rules on the slopes to reduce accidents.

[FigureSpins]

I've never heard that term before and I have skied at different slopes on the east coast.  (NY/NJ/VT/ME/VA/NC) I see you're from NC; I've been to Sugar Mountain and Sapphire Valley.  While we were asked if it was our first time skiing, no one suggested "Never-Ever" lessons.

In skating, we call newbies "beginners."  It's perfectly good word, but I'm sure some people would get their back up about being termed a "beginner" at anything...it could be a regional term or one that the ski resort/industry copyrighted, but to me, it wasn't obvious what you were asking.  Adding the hyphen in your post made it more clear than the subject line.  YMMV

For most people, skiing involves an intentional road trip to the mountains, usually accompanied by a hotel/resort stay unless you live within a reasonable driving distance from a resort.   I only ski once or twice a year now, but we used to ski regularly at Vernon Valley, NJ because it was about an hour's trip, so it didn't involve overnight stays.  Some of my friends had season lift tickets and would go 2-3 times a week while their kids were in school  If you've made the effort to travel overnight, it makes sense to take a lesson if you've never skied before.

However, skating rinks are rarely "destinations" - most ice tourists are locals who can always say "tried it - let's go out for ice cream."  Many people skated as kids so they don't realize that it can be difficult.  They fancy themselves capable of helping/teaching their kids, or they're from the "throw the kid in the lake and they'll learn to swim on their own" school.  So they come and bring the kids.

Having done both sports in different places, I don't think skating is as dangerous as skiing, imo.  A beginner can hold onto the rink wall and get around, whereas they have to ski downhill to leave the ski slope.  If they struggle with skating or become afraid, they just have to go around the rink to get to the door; most of the hot doggers avoid the walls for that reason.  On a ski slope, you have to sit-ski or walk all the way down the hill and hope no one crashes into you and that you can stop at the bottom.  Go too far off the slope and you're in the trees or the lift lane, which adds obstacles to the fun.  (I'm only half-kidding.  It's amazing how many people think that the trail ratings are suggestions and end up sliding down hills on their butts.)  Plus, conditions are far more controlled at a rink vs. outside on a mountain.  That's why I prefer skiing in Vermont to NC; man-made snow is just scary because it packs so quickly and becomes icy as soon as the sun starts to get low in the sky.  Add in a sudden bit of rain and you have to snowplow all the way down the hill or you will be skiing at breakneck speed, literally!

Additionally, the cost of skiing is so much higher that people feel committed to getting the most out of a trip to the slopes.  Skating costs around $20pp with rentals and snack bar; it's not as painful to walk away if you're not having a good time.  Many people don't feel the need to add onto the expense; there was a birthday party at the rink yesterday and an adult guest was struggling to skate and hold up a toddler at the same time.  I suggested a skate frame and she said "No, they cost extra." I thought, "Well, it's worth $5-10 to save your back." but I kept my mouth shut and just sympathized.

I kind of like the walk-on lesson idea; it's the logistics that make it tricky at our rink because the front desk collects all lesson fees.  I'd have to send someone off to the desk to pay before the lesson.  It's just awkward, not impossible.

[taka]

My rink has once a week drop in group lessons on Sunday lunchtime (open to both figure and hockey skate wearers). They cost the same as a normal public session so are a cheap way of learning and a lot of people go to them who wouldn't otherwise take lessons. Not all carry on with skating lessons, but a lot at least stick it out until they have learnt to stroke round the rink / stop / get up safely after falling. Those that stick with it tend to sign up do the other group lessons which have much smaller groups per coach (or do both!).

In winter (especially once Dancing on ice starts), it is one of the busiest skating sessions, with upwards of 250 people on the ice having group lessons!

[icedancer]

In winter (especially once Dancing on ice starts), it is one of the busiest skating sessions, with upwards of 250 people on the ice having group lessons!

This is great taka!  I wish our rinks could do this for the skaters - I love the "every Sunday at noon" - it makes it totally consistent instead of the "we start our sessions on such-and-such a date and go for 7 weeks" which is hot the Learn-To Skate program goes.

I also finally get the semantics of a "never-ever" lesson - as in "I have never-ever skated before" - LOL

And I also see a lot of adults try to skate with their kids and have a hard time because they think they can do it because they skated a little when they were younger - it is hard to hold yourself up plus try to help another person - I feel for those parents!

I do get asked from time to time if I coach (I skate a lot of publics because it is cheaper and frankly more adult-friendly than the freestyle ice here in Portland) - by parents wanting me to help their kids.  I have to turn them down - I wish I could help but really the coaches need the income plus they have the liability insurance and all of that - it could be a slippery slope I guess (so to speak) - if I started taking students without the rink's permission!

[sarahspins]

I do get asked from time to time if I coach (I skate a lot of publics because it is cheaper and frankly more adult-friendly than the freestyle ice here in Portland) - by parents wanting me to help their kids.  I have to turn them down - I wish I could help but really the coaches need the income plus they have the liability insurance and all of that - it could be a slippery slope I guess (so to speak) - if I started taking students without the rink's permission!

I get asked all of the time as well, but it's pretty easy to point those skaters towards a private lesson coach (my rink may be more confusing than most, with about half of our learn to skate staff not teaching private lessons)  Once you start explaining the costs of liability insurance, professional memberships and whatnot, most people do seem to "get" that it's not something the average person wants to take on and certainly not on a very part time basis.

[lutefisk]

My rink has "open house" sessions a couple times per year in which the group lesson coaches are out in force giving simultaneous 10 minute mini group lessons at different areas on the ice, on roughly half hours intervals for the duration of the two hour session.  The last open house drew tons of kids and a handful of adults.  I don't know what percentage of the individuals  taking advantage of the  free mini lessons/free ice time/free skate usage actually came back and signed up for group lessons, but probably this community out-reach effort helps keep those groups filled (and the lights on).  My rink is owned by our city so keeping the taxpayers interested in ice skating is a good thing.  Otherwise the rink would be history and I'd be forced into playing basketball and taking Zumba.  Now as great as those activities are, I'm not interested in either one...

Last autumn the city manager posted an on-line survey to gauge interest in either a new ice arena or a new city sports complex featuring B-ball, indoor racket courts, weight lifting, etc.  There was also a write in section where peeps could fill in the space with their own recommendations.  I took the survey several times in a row and on different computers trying to "stuff the ballot" but never the less, a new rink was waaaay down the vote pecking order.  So, gotta keep up that ice rink out-reach effort.