The StarSkate program is for skaters who have completed their CanSkate badges and are continuing to work on their figure skating skills.

The Oshawa Skating Club offers 4 sessions groups based on skating levels in the StarSkate / Competitive Skate program.

We recommend that StarSkate skaters dress in comfortable clothes that are easy to move in. Many skaters like wearing yoga pants or shorts or skating dresses and tights/leggings with fleece jackets or sweatshirts. Gloves are also recommended.

Skate Canada has divided the figure skating skills into different disciplines and levels. They start at the STAR level and conclude with the Gold levels.

• Assessment days are held at various times throughout the season, but at the Star1-4 level may also occur informally during regular skating sessions. When your coach feels that your skater is ready to pass a test, they will notify you and your skater and submit a request to the club’s Assessment Chair. Assessment fees are to be paid before the test may proceed.

• For formal Assessment Days (Star5 -10 level), the Assessment Chair will create a Assessment schedule and distribute it approximately 1 week before the Assessment Day.* Please note, assessments cannot be removed from the assessment list within 14 days of the Assessment Day. Any assessments pulled after this time will be marked as a retry and assessment fees will be charged.

• Skaters need to arrive approximately 45 minutes before their scheduled assessment time. At the completion of the assessment, there is a short wait for the results. Results are either a ‘Pass’, ‘Pass with honours’ or a ‘Retry’. If an assessment must be retried, your coach will submit a request for the next assessment day to try it again. The Evaluators who come to the assessment days are volunteers, and their decisions must be respected. Your coach can provide you with more information when your skater is ready for an assessment.

There are 2 different pathways in our StarSkate program. Both pathways have competitions but it’s the level of commitment that changes. The pathways are:

1. Provincial Pathway– this is Skate Canada’s recreational program. This pathway is for skaters that love skating and love competing but don’t want the commitment of competitive competition– You can work within our recommended minimum and still have a successful season.

2. Competitive Pathway– this is the pathway to Nationals. This is our high performance pathway. The time commitment is much more and there is training and lifestyle changes to ensure you progress as well as possible.

PLEASE discuss with your coach the best pathway for your skater and work closely with them to ensure your skater is getting the best experience for them.

1.Talk to your skater, if after CanSkate, if they had a coach that made them more comfortable or that they liked their teaching style.

2. Go to our coaches’ page on the website, look and see who stands out to you or your skater. Click on their picture to find their resume and their contact information.

3. Contact a few, have meetings, find out who best works for you skater.

4. Remember we have a NO PRESSURE environment, IF a coach approaches you to discuss private lessons, please notify the Coaches’ Liaison immediately. YOU, as the member, get to pick the coach that best suits you and your skater, no coach should pressure you to hire them.