Basic Skills Program
Ba
Spring 2013
A Real Program that Works!
Find Your Feet Mini Clinic at Lynnwood Ice Center in Lynnwood, Washington:
Offered at the Lynnwood Ice Center in Lynnwood, Washington,
this free 15 minute mini-clinic is a simple but effective way for
new skaters to “Find their Feet.” The clinic targets skaters who are
taking the Snowplow 1-3, Basic 1 and Adult 1 badge programs
and offers new skaters a small group or one-on-one opportunity
to try a class without becoming overwhelmed, giving them the
chance to confirm the class is for them. “Find your Feet” has also
proved to be a good tool in evaluating skaters who have never
been in a class and are unsure of the level in which they should
register. When this clinic was offered prior to a public session,
skaters stayed on the ice to practice what they just learned.
APP SERIES
We are excited to say “U.S. Figure Skating has an App
for that!” by offering the new U.S. Figure Skating ‘Skate
Coach’ app series, available exclusively for iPhones,
iPads and iPod Touch devices. With 12 Apps to choose
from, skaters, instructors, parents and officials can see
what every skill from every badge level in the Basic Skills
Program is supposed to look like, all in the palm of your
hand. Each App is only $1.99 and is available through
the App Store or on iTunes by searching for U.S. Figure
Skating. Updates to the App Series are underway and will
include teaching tips as well as updated demonstrations.
Look for updates by the end of May!
VESTS
Order these new vests and customize them
with your program/club name so skaters can
show off their accomplishments in your fabulous
program. The NEW Basic Skills Youth Vest is in
U.S. Figure Skating’s online store. It comes in
navy, red and royal, in sizes youth XS-XL, and
features the Basic Skills and Snowplow Sam
logo. Add your club or program name for an
additional $5.
The Advantages of Electronic Marketing
The Groupon
In this day and age with Facebook,
Twitter and email, social promotions
are wildly popular with consumers
and can prove to be very successful
in promoting Basic Skills and/or
public skating. A profitable Groupon
(a deal-of-the-day recommendation
service for consumers) promotion
can really boost your attendance numbers. Groupon broadcasts an electronic
coupon recommending public skating or group lessons while offering you a
40-60 percent discount if you purchase that service. The Groupon is a free
service for the consumer to join. Among other benefits to the facility, the
seller of the Groupon typically brings in a rush of new customers. Groupon
then receives a commission of the coupons sold. Groupon can be a very
powerful win-win for all three parties.
Sertich ice rink in Colorado Springs, Colo. offered two Groupon options
to customers, both of which included admission and skate rental. ($9 for
an ice-skating package for two [up to an $18 total value] and $18 for an
ice-skating package for four [up to a $36 total value].) Serpintini Ice Rink in
Lakewood, Ohio used the Groupon to promote their group lessons after the
holiday season. They sold out the offer with a total of 215 Groupon Deals
purchased and ended up with approximately 400 skaters in the winter Basic
Skills session, from retention and new skaters brought in from the Groupon.
Although the immediate success may not affect the bottom line, getting skaters
into the rink and retaining them to attend lessons and/or public skating does
boost revenue numbers. In both cases, the Groupon sold out and proved
to be a valuable tool in attracting new business. For more information, visit:
www.groupon.com.
Directors Corner: This new section of the
E-Newsletter will focus on the amazing things
that all of you Directors do and how you help your
Basic Skills program succeed! For consideration
please send submissions to Erin Schopf, Basic
Skills Manger at eschopf@usfigureskating.org.
Initially, the clinic was offered free of charge, but the Director
noticed they had a better turn out when charging a nominal fee
(admission to public skating). After completing this mini-clinic,
the rink was able to register skaters for the appropriate class.
The mini-clinic does not eliminate the first day of a class,
running through the off-ice elements of falling down, getting up
and marching. The clinic simply introduces beginning skating
techniques so that the skaters get up and get moving more
quickly. With very little expense and time, this creative clinic
proves to be an easy way to get skaters excited to get on the
ice! For more information visit www.lynnwoodicecenter.com.
Chalk Talk
We are always
looking at ways
to enhance our
programming
through creative
ideas and skill
development. USA Hockey
has created a user-friendly beginning skating curriculum (L2S)
based loosely on U.S. Figure Skating standards made up of skills
from Snowplow Sam and Hockey 1 such as sitting and standing up
on the ice, proper stance, forward marching, gliding and snowplow
stopping. We are all in the business of promoting a fun and safe
skating experience, whether it is in figure or hockey skates. By
collaborating on this effort with your local hockey associations,
we have really accomplished the best of both worlds. We feel that
this new format will provide a great supplement to your already
existing hockey curriculum and the more detailed explanations
and lesson plans provide great information to hand out to parents.
Learn more by clicking here.
BE FRIENDS WITH
SNOWPLOW SAM
ON FACEBOOK!
Follow him on his adventures and check out all the exciting
things Basic Skills Programs are doing across the United States.
www.facebook.com/SnowplowSamSkates
TELL US HOW YOU
ARE DOING
Please remember to take the Basic Skills Director Survey
by clicking here: http://fs12.formsite.com/USFSAIT/form590/
index.html
2013-14 Membership Grants
U.S. Figure Skating is awarding six grants for the 2013-14
membership year. The purpose of these grants is to provide
money to selected member clubs, Basic Skills programs and
STAR member facilities to develop community-based programs/
events to attract, involve and inspire new generations of figure
skaters.
Six $2,000 grants will be allocated to the member clubs,
Basic Skills programs and STAR member facilities that most
effectively demonstrate how they will use the grant to develop these initiatives. To apply
for the grants, e-mail a concise plan to U.S. Figure Skating in care of Susi Wehrli, Senior
Director of Membership, at swehrli@usfigureskating.org.
Application Deadline: May 31, 2013; Grants will be awarded after
July 1, 2013.
Only applications submitted by e-mail will be considered. Plans received by the
application deadline will be forwarded to a selection committee. All applicants will be
notified of the results. Late applications will not be considered.