NCSA Speed sessions
All Ages – Recreational to Highly Competitive skaters
Children younger than 9 years old not recommended unless they are very independent and follow instructions well.
Saturday – Oakland Ice Center 5:30pm – 7pm
Sunday – San Jose Solar4America Ice 11:30 am to 1 pm
Pricing
NCSA Speed session at Oakland:
Individual session – $30 (ask about a price break for families)
Book of 10 sessions – $260
Yearly subscription – $1000
For more information for an Oakland session Subscription:
Oakland Ice Subscription
NCSA Speed session at San Jose:
per skater – $18 – paid to the rink
SKATE RENTAL:
$5 per session – cash please, paid to NCSA
Coaching fees: $0
About the session:
The speed skating training sessions are designed for skaters who are comfortable with a work-out environment, and who need no supervision. Skating sessions include adults and youth who are training for racing on the National or International level. The speed sessions are not appropriate for young skaters who need supervision, or for skaters who just want to “go fast.” Sessions are designed by Level III certified Mary Wong. The sessions are supervised by adults. Skaters are divided into 3 or 4 groups based on age/size/ability. Each group takes their turn on the track doing the drills or training sets that the coach lays out. When not on the track, skaters must stay in the middle, work on drills, or may just socialize.
NO private coaches are allowed at NCSA speed sessions.
Our coaches and assistants are volunteers. Everyone who is on skates is there to skate and get a workout along with everyone else. Please respect that.
RULES: Skaters will follow the instruction of the person running the session. All skaters are expected to assist with setting up and removing safety pads. No skating is allowed until the pads are set up and the doors are closed. During the session: No one is allowed to go onto the track, go to the wall, or open any door except with permission of the person running the session. Skaters are discouraged from exiting/entering the ice during the session. Water bottles and jackets are placed in bins in the center of the ice.
Parents must respect the safety rules. This includes NOT opening the door of the rink for any reason, or calling their child over to the wall. An open door, or a person standing at the wall creates an extremely dangerous hazard. Skaters can be moving at over 25 mph, so, you can see the importance of providing a controlled environment. A collision can cause severe injuries.
Skaters who fail to follow rules or instructions may be banned from NCSA events.
SEASON: Sessions are planned according to the race schedule. December to March: heavy training to prepare skaters for the NorCal Championships (Jan), the State Championships (Feb) and the National Age Group Championships (Mar), and other events. Lots of laps, fast laps, speed drills, and less emphasis on technical drills.
April to August: back-to-basics – technique drills, emphasis on technique, building strength, endurance. We may do very specific technique drills on the ice, using buckets or straps to train skaters in very specific motions.
September to November: race prep, strategy, as well as continuing to build on technique, endurance and strength.
There may be 18-30 skaters on the ice at each session, ranging in age from 6 – 70 (Yes! We have two 70+ skaters skating with us!) There is also a wide range of abilities, from national-level elite skaters, to novice skaters, to everywhere in between.
Requirements: Helmet, long pants and sleeves, gloves. Optional: Neck guard, cut-suits, knee pads, safety glasses. Skaters who plan to race in national pack-style events should use these optional items at each practice to get used to them.
The Learn-to-Speedskate program offered by the Oakland Skate School ran from September 2009 to the end of 2019. It is not currently offered.