Review

“Off-Ice skating education”

All skating coaches reading this, who think that they have ‘been there and done that’ and experienced coach education by undertaking their NISA level 1 and 2, should think again. Having sat in on the delivery of the Off-Ice Skating education course, there is no comparison to be made. Off-Ice Skating has a completely new and fresh take on teaching and it is based on a logical approach to how students learn, as well as a scientifically rooted understanding of how the body physically develops when participating in sport. The Off-Ice Skating education programme caters for a variety of knowledge and ability levels and, consequently, the courses they deliver, effectively a level 1 (‘assistant coach’) and level 2 (‘fully qualified coach’), are adapted to their exact audience and divided into four channels: Ω Level 1 Coaching Course. This course caters for anyone from PE teachers and personal trainers to parents of skaters and people simply interested in learning something exciting and new. Participants need not be proficient skaters but by the time they have completed it, they will be able to assist Level 2 Coaches or move forward and become a Level 2 Off-Ice Skating Coach themself. This one day coaching course costs £290. Ω Level 1 Coaching Course for NISA Level 1 Coaches. This course is only available to NISA qualified Level 1 Coaches, who receive a 25% saving, so the cost is £217.50. When Level 1 figure skating coaches become Level 1 Off-Ice Skating coaches, they will be guided towards the best pathway for them – assisting Level 2 Coaches, or moving forward to become a Level 2 Coach themselves. Ω Level 2 Coaching Course. This course is the next progression for the participants of the full Level 1 course and enables them to be qualified as Off-Ice Skating Level 2 Coaches, who can then work alone, or with the assistance of Level 1 Coaches, to provide a course of basic tuition in the fundamentals of Off-Ice Skating. The two-day course is only available to those who show a competence level suitable for the demands of the course and costs £500. Ω Level 1&2 Combined Course for NISA Level 2 Coaches. This two-day course is exclusively for NISA qualified Level 2 Coaches and offers them a discount of 25% making the course £375. In principle, the Level 1 course tells people what to teach and the level 2 provides an understanding of how to teach it. Granted this is not a revolutionary concept, but the brilliance only becomes apparent when you sit and listen to the content.

iSKATE Magazine ©2012