Basic Skills Curriculum

The Basic Skills are the fundamentals of the sport. These eight levels of the program introduce the fundamental moves — forward skating, backward skating, stops, edges, crossovers, turns and mohawks. Upon completion of the Basic 1-8 levels, skaters will have the basic knowledge of the sport enabling them to advance to the more specialized areas of skating.

Sample elements in each level include:

  • Basic 1
    Sit on ice and stand up
    March forward across the ice
    Forward swizzles — 6-8 in a row
    Backward wiggles — 6-8 in a row
    Snowplow stop

  • Basic 2
    Backward swizzles — 6-8 in a row
    Two-foot turn from forward to backward in place
    Moving snowplow stop
    Forward alternating 1/2 swizzle pumps, in a straight line (slalom-like pattern)

  •  Basic 3
    Forward stroking, showing correct use of blade
    Forward 1/2 swizzle pumps on a circle — 6-8 consecutive — clockwise and counterclockwise
    Moving forward to backward two-foot turn — clockwise and counterclockwise
    Two-foot spin — up to 2 revolutions

  • Basic 4
    Forward edges
    Forward crossovers — clockwise and counterclockwise
    Backward snowplow stop — R and L

  • Basic 5
    Backward edges
    Backward crossovers — clockwise and counterclockwise
    One-foot spin — up to 3 revolutions, optional entry and free foot position
    Side toe hop — both directions

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