Skating is basically an individual sport, and activities during most practice sessions are fairly unstructured.  Some basic on ice rules must be observed for safety and to ensure that everyone can make effective use of their ice time. Sunset Skating Club has its own set of rules, and you should be sure to know and follow them.  All skaters above JD level are required to read, sign and return the Skaters' Code of Conduct when registering.

While the club has grown significantly in the past year, the number of ice sessions has not, so there will be times when junior skaters will be sharing the ice with more advanced skaters. These rules will help everyone have a satisfying and safe time while on the ice.

First and foremost is courtesy.  Respect the rights of other skaters and be constantly aware of who is around you.  If you seem to be surrounded by skaters of significantly greater or lesser skills, be especially careful!  Strive to avoid collisions!

All skaters, coaches, parents and volunteers are to be treated with respect.

Do not interrupt coaches when they are giving lessons.

Abide by Session Designations: No dance, skills or prolonged stroking exercises will be allowed on Freeskate sessions.

Abide by Ice Session Criteria: skate only on sessions for which you qualify. Requests for exceptions may be made in writing to the Board.

The “right of way” goes first to the skater in a harness, then to the soloist (whose music is playing), then to the skaters in a lesson. The skater performing the program must also keep an alert eye open. Note that there are usually multiple lessons at the same time. Other skaters must avoid undue interference with the skaters who have the “right of way”. Skaters having the “right of way” must also remember to keep an alert eye open to avoid collisions and may respectfully remind others of “right of way” eg “excuse me”, except when both skaters have equal “right of way”.

When you are practicing elements like camel spins and back spirals be especially aware of the danger your exposed blade poses to other skaters.  Recognize that once you've started the element it will be hard for you to see those around you.  Take a good look at your expected "space" before you start the element, and abort it if it looks like you could cause a problem. Other skaters are expected to give the skater free manoeuvring room once performing such an element.

Because of the nature of the Lutz jump, it is most commonly performed in opposite corners of the rink.  These corners are informally called the "Lutz Corners".  Strive to avoid long-term practice activities in these corners, and be especially aware of your surroundings when you are in them.  The approach to a Lutz is long and blind.  The skater doing the Lutz is not likely to see you.

If you fall, get up quickly.  Other skaters will have a much harder time seeing you when you are down low on the ice.  Don't stay there any longer than you have to.  While falling, keep your fingers away from your blades.  Learn to fall properly so that you can protect your head as much as possible.  Learn to keep "loose" when you fall and this will help you to avoid breaking things.

If you see someone else is that has fallen and may be injured, don't just drag them off without being certain that doing so won't hurt them further.   If you suspect that someone is seriously hurt, the best thing to do is, 1) have someone stand "guard" over them to make sure that other skaters avoid collisions with them, and 2) get a qualified adult to come and help them.

As you skate more, you'll get to the point where you'll recognize that a practice session has a certain "rhythm" to it.  People tend to do pretty "expectable" or "predictable" things, and you can usually pretty much guess where somebody else is going, based on what they're doing when you see them (the normal approaches to each jump or spin are pretty recognizable). Try not to skate or behave in a way that would surprise other skaters.  If you're standing near the boards, don't enter the flow of skaters without checking to make sure you're not going to get into someone else's way. Be especially alert for reverse direction skaters.

• Be aware of other skaters’ positions at all times, especially before entering the ice or starting from a stopped position. Be especially alert for reverse jumpers.
  
  
• Look in the direction of travel when skating backwards.
  
  
• Refrain from standing around and visiting on the ice.  This wastes expensive ice and presents an additional hazard for other skaters to avoid.
  
  
• No skaters may push, pull, grab or purposely bump into other skaters. Games such as Snap the Whip or any form of tag cannot be played. Skaters cannot make or throw snowballs. Kicking or digging holes in the ice, except as a normal consequence of toe jumps, is forbidden.
  
  
• No food or drink on the ice (this includes chewing gum).
  
  
• No large hair barrettes, hair baubles, or jewellery.
  
  
• Skaters should avoid skating in the centre of the rink as this impedes on the other skaters’ ability to perform their programs.
  
  
• Skaters may request solo music up to twice per session, unless played in lesson. This rule may be relaxed for sessions that are not busy.
  
  
• When the buzzer sounds and the Zamboni doors open the session is over. Stop skating, help patch holes if requested and clear the ice quickly.

All CanSkaters must wear helmets.

Your coach is bound by a code of ethics that they must sign with Skate Canada. You should read the code of ethics (shown below) so you understand the expectations of Skate Canada on the coach’s behaviour. If you find that your coach is not following the code, you should discuss this first with the coach. If you find that this does not work, you should approach a board member of the club, who will work with you, Skate Canada and the coach to resolve the issue.

Coach Ethical Conduct concerning Obligations to the Skater and Parent

• To assist one's skating student to determine realistic goals and objectives in the sport.
  
  
• To provide the skater and parent/s with the basic information necessary to enable them to choose a realistic and affordable course of action to achieve these goals and objectives.
  
  
• To outline clearly one's coaching services available including cost and method of payment for such services.
  
  
• To provide such coaching services as agreed or contracted to each student.
  
  
• To provide the skater and parent/s with a current copy of the Skate Canada Coaches' Code of Ethics and review the code with the skater and parent/s.
  
  
• To maintain the skater's best interests at heart when making decisions that will affect the skater's advancement through the sport.
  
  
• To be ever mindful of the influence one can exercise over one's skating students and to never abuse this trust.
  
  
• To avoid making promises or giving guarantees to the skater and/or parents of test or competitive achievement but rather endeavor to restrict dialogue to the skater's personal skating development.
  
  
• To communicate as regularly and effectively as possible with the skater and parent/s as to the skater's progress, changes in Skate Canada rules or club regulations, or other important or relevant information affecting the skater's participation in the sport.
  
  
• To respect the fact that a skater and/or parent/s have the right to contract the services of another coach to either replace or supplement the student's instruction.

Coach Ethical Conduct concerning Obligations to the Sport

• To be familiar with and adhere to the standards of coaching as defined under Section 2400 of the Skate Canada Rulebook; and maintain a current working knowledge of ISU, Skate Canada, Section and club rule changes, policies, regulations and programs so as to be able to deliver the product of skating in a professional manner.
  
  
• To maintain professional competence by continually pursuing educational and professional upgrading including knowledge in related fields beneficial to skating (e.g. the performing arts, sport science, sport psychology, officiating, etc.).
  
  
• To exhibit the important character traits of honesty, reliability/dependability and cooperation when dealing with all participants in the sport so as to bring credit to the profession.
  
  
• To share responsibility with coaching colleagues, judges/evaluators and club officials to initiate and support actions that are required to meet the needs of the skaters, the club and skating in general.
  
  
• To actively participate in the development and/or maintenance of desirable standards of coaching practice, education, certification and working conditions in the sport.
  
  
• To dress in a neat, clean and appropriate manner that is becoming a member of this profession.
  
  
• To give back a certain portion of time, effort and knowledge to the sport as a volunteer.
  
  
• To promote Skate Canada and its' programs and the sport of skating in general.

Coach Ethical Conduct concerning Obligations to the Club/Skating School

• To accurately represent one's technical, educational and professional credentials and resume.
  
  
• To accept personal responsibility for providing and delivering coaching services in a professional manner.
  
  
• To help ensure that a positive learning environment is maintained in the club.
  
  
• To negotiate coaching contracts in good faith and honour their terms.
  
  
• To treat members of the club with respect and fairness.

Coach Ethical Conduct concerning Obligations to Professional Colleagues

• To strive to create and maintain cooperative relationships with coaching colleagues for the purpose of ensuring a positive skating environment.
  
  
• To avoid criticizing another coach's teaching methods, techniques and/or opinions unless done so with the coach's knowledge or permission.
  
  
• To respect the fact that a coach becomes the base coach of a skating student from the moment that a skater contracts the services of that coach, whether individually or in a group situation, and that other coaches must initiate discussion about a skater's training only through the base coach.
  
  
• To respect a coach/skater and/or parent/s' relationship and not solicit or cause to be solicited, directly or indirectly, or through a third party the skater/s of another coach.
  
  
• To pursue the following course of conduct in the event that any of the following or similar situations occur:
  
  
  - To communicate clear, precise guidelines or parameters to a coaching colleague whose services one wishes to retain on a temporary or permanent basis to assist, supplement or replace one's services currently being rendered and to communicate these parameters to the skater and/or parent/s.
  
  - To obtain authorization and clear, precise instructions from a coaching colleague as to what the coach wishes to be done with the skater in the absence of the coach or agreed upon team coaching situation and do nothing to undermine the base coach/skater and/or parent/s' relationship.
  
  - To immediately advise a coaching colleague and seek confirmation from that coach that all undisputed coaching and/or related skating bills are paid or arranged to be paid to the reasonable satisfaction of the coach and/or club upon being approached by a skater and/or parent/s who request to contract your services. This is to ensure that the proper procedure occurs when taking on a new skater as a student. The parent should have discussed the situation with the previous coach and informed him/her of the change to the new coach. All bills should have been paid to the former coach prior to coaching a new student.

If you do not wish to register for a full session (Winter, Spring or Summer) you may "buy on" to a single day session, providing the session is not full and you meet the session criteria.

• Skaters must have current 08-09 Skate Canada registration.
  
  
• Non-members must show proof of current membership before skating.
  
  
• Some sessions may be full; check  the club website or email to see if a session is full.
  
  
• Skaters must meet the Summer 2009 session criteria (must have passed freeskate test):



• JUNIOR: Elementary to Pre-Preliminary
  
• INTERMEDIATE: Preliminary, Pre-Juvenile, Jr. and Sr. Bronze, Jr.Silver
  
• SENIOR B: Juvenile
  
• SENIOR A: Sr. Silver, Pre-Novice and up

• Skaters mustcomply with session designations as listed on the schedule. Sessions are designated as Freeskate, Spins, Skills and Open. Freeskate sessions are to be used for freeskate practise only, Spins sessions for spin practise only, and Skills sessions for skills practise only. Open sessions can be used for freeskate, skills or dance practise, unless otherwise specified on the brochure.
• Skaters who have registered  and paid for the full session are listed on the specific session sheet in the Registration binder, found on the Music Box. All skaters not listed in the Registration binder must sign in on the appropriate session list and pay the listed buy-on fee each day before stepping onto the ice
• No Partial Session purchase is allowed – you must pay the listed buy-on fee regardless of time skated.  Sign on the appropriate session sheet, put money in buy on envelope, label with skater’s name, club, date and session time, and place the envelope in the slot of the Music box.