Freestyle/Dance Session on ice policies
These policies are to keep our sessions running safely for all our skaters. If you have a concern about safety on a session, please direct it to the session monitor or a rink staff/manager.
General behavior and traffic patterns
- Skaters may only enter the ice when the Zamboni doors are closed, and the session has begun. If there is no ice resurface before your session, wait until the start time of your session to enter the ice.
- When the Zamboni doors open for a resurface, skaters and coaches must leave the ice immediately. The last skater/coach to leave the ice should shut the rink door for safety.
- No skaters/coaches may wear air pods, earbuds, or listening devices while on a freestyle session. All phones should remain on the barrier or in a bag during sessions. If a coach needs to film a skater in a lesson, it should be done from either the hockey box or rink barrier.
- No chewing gum or food is allowed on the ice during freestyle sessions. Only water should be brought onto the ice for practice.
- It is the responsibility of each skater to keep the ice area clean. Please throw tissues into a trash can during the session (do not store on the barrier). Remember to take all your belongings (tissues, water bottles, gloves, guards, etc.) before exiting the ice.
- Be sure to look both ways when skating away from the barrier.
- Be aware and respectful of your fellow skaters. Skaters must look in the direction they are traveling in (especially on busy sessions). Faster skaters should watch for slower skaters and pass to the outside. Skaters who do not meet Freestyle requirements or are presenting a danger to themselves or others may be asked to leave the ice. New freestyle skaters should remain in private lessons until they are capable of skating safely on a session on their own.
- Keep moving at all times. This applies to coaches and skaters. If you fall, immediately get up. If you want to rest or chat, please leave the ice. Discussions between skaters and/or coaches should be had at the boards.
- Spins are best practice at center ice. Spinning should be done to the area between the two blue lines unless in a program or under the guidance of an instructor while in lesson. When entering camel spins, be aware of the danger your exposed blade poses to other skaters and plan accordingly. (Same is true for back spirals). Avoid entering a spin in the pathway of a skater in their program.
- Remember that skaters may jump and spin in either direction. Take note of this and be mindful especially in the lutz corners.
- All skaters in a program should be wearing a designated freestyle belt. If two skaters are doing a program together on a mixed-use session, both skaters should be wearing the belt.
- Yield to skaters wearing a belt in a program. While in a program, the program skater may say “Program” to another skater/coach to alert them. Program skater has right of way over skaters in lessons, skaters using the harness and skaters performing dance or moves in the field patterns. Program skaters need to yield to skaters/coaches who may be unable to see (someone in a spin, a coach in a lesson who may not see you, etc.). Remember this is an ideal, not an absolute.
- Skaters in a lesson have the second priority to the right of way.
- If you are an experienced skater, be patient with the less experienced skaters. Remember you were new to freestyle sessions at one time too. Be understanding if someone gets in your way.
- Skaters and Coaches who kick the ice, the boards, shout, use foul language or argue with other skaters or coaches will not be tolerated and will be asked to leave the ice.
- Parents are not permitted to stand directly in the surface doorway, hockey boxes, or music box.
Music Playing
- For sessions with monitors, the monitor will play all music. Coaches may request music for a lesson and those will be played alternating with non-lesson requests. A clipboard will be in the music box to make a music list for sessions without a monitor. When you are done skating your program with music, please assist the next skater with starting their music. Do not start a program if there is not enough time left in the session to fit it in.
- A non-lesson skater may be bumped one time by a skater currently in a lesson.
- Only instructors, ice monitors and rink staff are permitted in the hockey boxes and music box.
- If you are in line to have your music played, be ready to start immediately when the person before you is done skating. This includes pulling up music on a phone, handing in a CD, and getting a belt on. We want to get through as many programs as possible on a session.
- Music may not be restarted if there is a line- full run through only. Skaters should not play a program more than twice per session if there is a music line.
Coaching
- Only contracted M-NCPPC coaches may give instruction during freestyle sessions.
- If a parent needs to talk to a skater, the skater needs to leave the ice surface to do this. Parents may not stand rink side and coach their child. Parents will be asked to leave when this occurs.
- Guest coaching requests must go through the skating director.
Those who do not comply with the above rules will be asked by the management to leave the ice and may lose their skating and coaching privileges.