Arrive 15 to 30 minutes before class so your skater can be fitted properly. Skates should fit snugly, with thin socks and only one pair of socks.

Choose warm, comfortable clothing that stretches and allows movement. Avoid jeans and bulky layers. Gloves are recommended, and helmets or warm hats are optional but useful for very young skaters.

Several classes are often on the ice at the same time. Your skater receives a class card at check-in and hands it to the teacher at the start of class.

That system helps the staff confirm your skater is on the right class list and in the correct level.

Please watch from the lobby, stands, or party rooms instead of standing near the boards.

Skaters are easily distracted when parents or loved ones gather close to the wall, and instructors have a harder time keeping attention on the lesson.

Practice is one of the biggest factors in progress. Use the practice time before or after class to reinforce what was just taught.

During class times, the practice area is the ice nearest the lobby. Very young skaters who need aids may have a coned-off practice area.

Students also receive class-related public session discounts, and regular extra practice usually leads to the fastest improvement.

Students may make up one class per term when the absence is due to illness or a personal conflict, but not simply as a matter of preference.

Please notify the rink at least one day in advance so staffing can be adjusted appropriately for the make-up class.

Transfers are discouraged because teachers are assigned at the start of each term based on enrollment and the desired student-teacher ratio.

If a transfer is necessary, the Skating School Director should help determine the best option for both the student and the receiving class.

Mid-term progress reports help families understand which skills still need work.

At the end of the term, skaters receive an evaluation that determines the next class level. Students who pass receive an embroidered badge.

Some levels, especially Alpha and Beta, often take more than one term. The goal is mastery, not speed.

For Alpha and above, students may usually be added during the first half of the term. Costs can be prorated if more than one week has been missed.

If only one week was missed, that week can often be made up in another class with advance notice.

For Beginner and Pre-Alpha, students may usually be added only during the first two weeks. After that they generally wait for the next introductory cycle.

Boots should feel snug and reasonably comfortable, with strong ankle support but enough flexibility to bend properly.

A new boot may border on uncomfortable at first, then become more comfortable with use.

Depending on the manufacturer, skate sizing may run one to two sizes smaller than street shoes.

If your skater is serious about continuing, personal skates become important. Good used skates can be a smart option, especially for growing children.

Children should not have more than about a half size of extra growing room. Too much room hurts support and control.

The Ice Chalet Pro Shop can help fit boots and blades, place special orders, and make sure the setup matches the skater's level.

Avoid molded plastic skates because they do not provide the flexibility and support needed for proper skating technique.

If you purchase skates online, be prepared for the possibility that the blades still need sharpening before use.

A common guideline is roughly every 30 hours of skating, though this varies with blade quality, ice habits, and the skater's sensitivity to edge feel.

Students enrolled in group classes may take private lessons with the coaching staff.

Adults 18 and older may take private lessons even if they are not enrolled in classes, and visiting skaters may usually do so for up to two weeks.

Private lessons usually happen during freestyle practice sessions or uncrowded public sessions.

The skater pays for ice time separately from the lesson itself, and the instructor is paid directly.

If a lesson takes place during a public session, use of the music box generally requires special permission.

For Tots and Pre-Alpha through Delta, testing happens during regular classes and is included in the class cost.

After Delta, skaters move into the ten freestyle levels. Freestyle, Dance, and Pairs tests are usually held at a separate monthly session with an additional fee.

Freestyle testing includes compulsories and then a continuous program to music.

Not every coach teaches the same way, and not every student learns the same way. The goal is a good fit in communication style, personality, experience, and skating goals.

Discuss whether the skater wants to be pushed competitively or is mostly looking for enjoyment and improvement. Long-term coach-student rapport matters.

Coaches should not solicit private lessons. Parents or students should approach the coach first.

Some higher-level skaters benefit from multiple coaches, but it is still wise to have one primary coach coordinating testing readiness and event choices.

If more than one coach is involved, they need to communicate clearly with each other.

Speak with the current coach before making a change or adding another coach. Even in a team teaching environment, professional courtesy still matters.

When everyone knows what is happening, it prevents unnecessary tension and confusion.

ISI is designed to bring skating to the widest possible group of people and is strongly tied to recreational development and team-format competitions.

USFS is the national governing body associated more directly with elite development, Olympic pathways, and the International Skating Union.

Many skaters participate in both systems.

Show skating is a strong path for dedicated ISI skaters. The Ice Chalet has a long tradition of producing performers who go on to professional and theatrical opportunities.

Each fall, the rink prepares its annual Nutcracker On Ice production. Roles exist for many ages and skill levels, from tots to adults.

Rehearsals typically begin in mid-October, and performances are usually presented over five days in early December.

Cast members must be enrolled in classes.

Yes. The Ice Chalet presents a showcase event in the spring and another at the end of the summer term so skaters at many levels can perform what they have learned.

Theatre On Ice is a Friday evening class where skaters of different ages and levels learn choreography for production numbers or kaleidoskate routines.

These routines may appear in out-of-town competitions, summer shows, and the rink's own competition.

Skaters must be enrolled in classes to participate.

Synchronized skating strengthens individual skills while teaching timing, teamwork, responsibility, and commitment.

Teams typically begin preparing in August, and placements are usually grouped by skill range and age band.

• Youth/Jr Youth Team: usually Tot 3 or Alpha through Freestyle 3
• Sr Youth/Teen Team: usually Freestyle 1 through 5
• Teen/Collegiate Team: usually Freestyle 4 and higher

Each spring, the Ice Chalet hosts the Robert Unger ISI Team Competition. It is a team-based event focused on earning points for the home team while competing against skaters of similar age and skill level.

The rink also often attends out-of-town events each season. Destinations vary, but may include Point Mallard, the ISI World Recreational Championships, the ISI Winter Classic, Owensboro Edge, Miami of Ohio, and Lake Placid.

Yes. Passing a test means the skater can perform the required maneuvers at a passing standard. Competing successfully requires stronger polish, speed, posture, repetition, and presentation.

Testing confirms minimum skill requirements. Competition rewards superior execution.

Group lessons alone are not enough. Lessons teach the standards, but there is no substitute for practice.

Students who use practice ice, public sessions, and repeated run-throughs tend to progress much faster than skaters who only attend the group class itself.

Avoid comparing children to each other. Skaters develop at different rates and in different ways.

Early. A realistic target is at least three months before the competition date.

The strongest programs are usually refined over time, tested in real performance settings, and adjusted to match the skater's strengths and growth.

Because freestyle practice time and coaches' schedules fill up, waiting too long can limit good preparation options.

Most skaters preparing seriously for competition work with a coach weekly.

If you only want occasional lessons, make that clear. Coaches cannot usually keep a time slot open indefinitely without a steady schedule.

The skater is responsible for notifying the instructor at least 24 hours in advance so the coach can offer the lesson time to someone else.

Music, costume, props, and choreography all matter. Event rules cover timing, maneuver limitations, and judging criteria, so programs should be reviewed by a certified coach.

The order of skills, the way transitions work, the quality of editing, and how well the concept fits the skater can all influence success.

Music needs to fit the event, the time limit, and the skater. Poorly edited or inappropriate music can hurt a program.

Costumes should fit the music, flatter the body line, and look intentional. They do not need to be the most expensive option.

Props are optional in some events, but when allowed they should be visible, practical, and used meaningfully in the choreography.

Good choreography matches the skater's strengths, fits the music, uses the ice well, and often improves through repeated refinement.

Different events emphasize different judging criteria. Some are more objective, while others combine technical standards with subjective impression.

• Basics and Freestyle: emphasis on required maneuvers, extra content, pattern, duration, rhythm, posture, and overall quality.
• Spotlight: emphasis on entertainment, music, costume, props, originality, duration, and judge appeal.
• Stroking: emphasis on edge quality, endurance, knee bend, flow, free leg extension, push-offs, posture, and rhythm.

Typical costs include host rink event fees, the Ice Chalet coaches/judges team fee, and any travel or lodging required for out-of-town events.

The skating club sometimes helps offset team costs through fundraising.

Not always. Coaches are often serving as judges at ISI competitions and may not be available for every event.

The staff works as a team and tries to ensure a coach is available in the chaperone area for competing skaters.

Even well-prepared skaters can place low. Some judging is subjective, and many variables can affect results, including the panel, the field, nerves, conditions, and performance details on that particular day.

The healthier long-term focus is on learning from the experience rather than treating placement as the only measure of success.

Talk first with the skater's coach or the team coach. In unusual cases they may consult the Competition Director.

Formal score reviews exist but are rarely used. Families are usually better served by focusing on performance quality and next steps.

Good sportsmanship matters as much as technical skill. Winning gracefully and losing gracefully are both part of skating development.

The rink expects skaters and parents to represent the team with dignity, compassion, and courtesy.

Losses should be used as a learning opportunity: ask what can improve next time rather than dwelling only on placement.

True team spirit depends on families trusting the staff, cheering for each other, and avoiding lobby gossip or comparisons.

If students or parents believe others are getting unfair treatment, jealousy can erode the camaraderie that makes a strong team possible.

Concerns should go to the Skating School Director, not circulate informally.

Hair should be secured neatly, laces tucked in, clothing should not hide the body line, tights should be adjusted properly, and jewelry should be minimized.

If a skater forgets a program and stops within the first few seconds, a restart may be allowed if the judges understand that is what the skater wants.

If a skater falls, the goal is to get up quickly and continue unless there is an injury. A fall is not automatically a disaster.