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:

Snowplow Sam 1 (ages 6 and under)

  1. Sit and stand up with skates on: Off Ice

  2. Sit and stand up: On Ice

  3. March in place

  4. March forward: 8-10 steps

  5. March, then glide on two feet

  6. Dip in place

Snowplow Sam 2 (ages 6 and under)

  1. March followed by a long glide

  2. Dip while moving

  3. Backward wiggles: 6 in a row

  4. Forward 2-foot swizzles: 2-3 in a row

  5. Rocking horse: One-forward-One backward swizzle action

  6. Two-foot hop in place

Snowplow Sam 3 (ages 6 and under)

  1. Forward skating: 8-10 steps

  2. Forward one-foot glide: R & L

  3. Forward swizzles: 4-6 in a row

  4. Backward swizzle: 4-6 in a row

  5. Forward snowplow stop with skid

  6. Curves

Basic 1 (ages 7 and up)

  1. Sit on ice and stand up
  2. March forward across the ice
  3. Forward swizzles — 6-8 in a row
  4. Backward wiggles — 6-8 in a row
  5. Snowplow stop

Basic 2 (ages 7 and up)

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

Basic 3 (ages 7 and up)

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

Basic 4 (ages 7 and up)

  1. Forward edges
  2. Forward crossovers — clockwise and counterclockwise
  3. Backward snowplow stop — R and L

Basic 5 (ages 7 and up)

  1. Backward edges
  2. Backward crossovers — clockwise and counterclockwise
  3. One-foot spin — up to 3 revolutions, optional entry and free foot position
  4. Side toe hop — both directions

Basic 6 (ages 7 and up)

  1. T-stop, R or L
  2. Bunny hop
  3. Forward arabesque/spiral on a straight line — R or L
  4. Forward lunge — R or L

Basic 7 (ages 7 and up)

  1. Forward inside open mohawk from a standstill position — R to L and L to R
  2. Ballet jump — R or L
  3. Forward inside pivots — R or L

Basic 8 (ages 7 and up)

  1. Moving forward outside three-turn on a circle — R and L
  2. Moving forward inside three-turn on a circle — R and L
  3. One foot spin, optional entry and free foot position
  4. Waltz jump
  5. Mazurka — R or L

Adult 1
  1. Falling and recovery
  2. Forward strides and gliding
  3. Forward swizzles
  4. Backward skating
  5. Backward swizzles
  6. Forward one-foot glides, one time skater's height: R & L
  7. Two-foot turns, in place
  8. Snowplow stops: R or L
  9. Forward curves on two feet
  10. Forward 1/2 swizzle pumps on a circle

Adult 2

  1. Forward stroking
  2. Backward 1/2 swizzle pumps on a circle, clockwise and counter clockwise
  3. Moving two-foot turns on a curve, both directions
  4. Forward edges on a circle, outside and inside, clockwise and counter clockwise
  5. Forward crossovers, clockwise and counter clockwise
  6. Backward one-foot glide: R or L
  7. Forward Pivot
  8. Forward Chasses on a Circle

Adult 3

  1. Backward edges on a circle, outside and inside, clockwise and counter clockwise
  2. Backward crossovers, clockwise and counter clockwise
  3. Inside Mohawk, either direction
  4. Basic forward outside and forward inside consecutive edges (4-6)
  5. Backward snowplow stops: R and L
  6. Forward progressives
  7. Beginning two-foot spin

Adult 4

  1. Forward three turns, outside and inside R & L
  2. Perimeter stroking with crossover end patterns
  3. Forward outside to inside change of edge sequence
  4. Alternate backward crossovers with two-foot transition
  5. Footwork sequence: 3-5 backward crossovers to an inside Mohawk, 3-5 backward crossovers, step forward inside the circle and repeat
  6. Power three turns, one direction only
  7. Backward Chasses on a circle