General Skate Session Programing Suggestions

[Skatervideoguy]

Hi All,

Here's another part of a Section of my Rink Manual. This is on Sessions Programing. Challenges and comments welcome. Harold

General Skate Session Programing Suggestions:

Begin each Skating Session with an All Skate in the Normal direction.

About 10 mins into the Session, stop the skating, give Welcome Greetings, and go over the Rink's Rules. Introduce Floor Guards, DJ and Manager. Give other announcements as useful, such as up coming events and specials.

Do the “Rink's Rules Review” again at the Session mid point. (captures the late comers) At this point, recognize all Birthday and other Anniversary folks.

Run songs in groups of 3's & 2's, 3 fast - 2 slow. This strategy encourages safety by helping to keep the overall skating speed under control.

Play only music that has a good skating rhythm, and no obscene language or negative messages. (like killing Cops, using drugs, hitting on women, etc.) Bad for Rink Image.

Music & Lighting must to be coordinated in speed, style & levels to the skating / special being done.

Do floor changes / Specials every 15 to 20 mins max. Variety is useful to break monotony, keep up interest, control/structure the crowd, and by default - the patrons get more options and activities to improve their skills and interest in skating.

During regular skating, the Floor Center Oval should be reserved for the Free-stylers (Spinners & Jumpers), Rexers, Jammers, Fancy Foot-workers, and Figures folks only. This is a safety issue, and a promotional issue, as it allows everyone to see and admire these types of skating, and allows folks to learn more skating skills. More interest, more fun, more patrons.

Change the order of programing for each session, so there are different activities for each one. Mixing it up will help keep the sessions fresh. You can have similar starts and endings for most sessions – like starting with an All Skate, and having a Moon Light Couples Skate to end each session.

If you have a floor that's large enough, you can do the Limbo, Spread Eagle, Center Dance, Cha Cha Slide, and a few other specials within the Floor Center Oval, while the other skaters continue around the outside of the Oval.

Lighting should be “High” for most skating activities. Only use “Lower” and fancy lighting for some Specials. Skaters and Floor Guards simply must to be able to see as well as possible, to skate safely.

For all competitive skate specials, give out prizes to the first three winning skaters.

At Session's end, Do the “Thank You for Skating With Us, and please come back to Skate with us”, and reminders for upcoming events and sessions Announcements.


Other Programing Options;

Adult Only Skate Sessions: Can be 18 & up, or 21 & up. Day, Evening, or Nite Sessions.

Use different music genres, like 50's/60's, 70's/80's, 90's/2000's; or by R&B, and Old School, Funk and Disco for Adult Only Themed Skate Sessions. Can also use these for Themed General Sessions.

Overnight Skate Sessions, perhaps in conjunction with Fund Raising events.

Live Band Skate Session Nites; Usually using local Bands.

Use E-Mail Subscriptions to the Rink's Web Site, with skate schedules, discounts, coupons, heads-up notices on upcoming special events, etc. You can send these out too.

Pay a flat fee, and you can skate all general sessions for a month (or a longer period).

"Adult Coffee Skate" for older retired folks in the mornings.

Mother's & Kids Skate Sessions; Usually in Mornings, Mid-day, or early Afternoons.

Mom's and Strollers Only Skate Sessions; for mom's with very young children.

Religious Groups Skate Sessions; Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Etc. May be done in conjunction with local Church Organizations.

Charity Skating Events for Local & National Charities, & other Fund Raising Events.



Options for Rink Use – When Not Being Used For Skating Sessions

The Rink can be used for lots of $$$ making and/or Community supporting activities:

Practice Sessions: for Artistic, Dance, Speed, Hockey, Derby, etc.;
Live Band Dance Nites;
Dance Classes;
Yoga Classes;
Aerobics Classes;
Martial Arts Classes;
Local Church related Events;
Self Defense Classes for Women;
Wedding Receptions;
Skating Marriages;
Birthday Parties;
School Graduation Parties;
Corporate meetings;
Corporate parties;
YMCA Boys and Girls clubs;
Boy and Girl Scouts;
Local School Skate Nites or Afternoons; and fundraisers, Singing, Cheer Leaders, Floor Hockey, and other School related groups' practice activities;

And On & On – for local Community needs.

Harold - SkaterVideoGuy

[Skatervideoguy]

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[1beastnstl]

THIS is some great stuff!!! Thank you

[Holiday Guy]

I thank rinks should have sessions just for shuffle skaters.

[Skatervideoguy]

Hi Folks,

1beastnstl, thanks for your positive comment.

My experience suggests that that the greater range of opprotunities that skaters have to expand and hone their skills, the more fun they have and the longer they tend to skate. By watching other "better" skaters, that tends to encourage folks to want to try and do more, and better skating.

Simply going about in big Ovals, with few to Zero floor changes, and perhaps not seeing many skilled skaters - is a prescription for at best mediocrity, and at worst - eventual failure. In some Rinks, the prohibition on backwards skating - is pretty much a Death Sentence for any useful skating at all.

Holiday Guy, A specific Session for Shuffle Skaters only, might work if you you happen to have enough folks doing that type of skating. I've not yet been to a Rink that has enough Shuffle skaters to make a go of it. In some Rinks there may be those kind of numbers. That's why I have it as a Skate Special on my list of Skate Games & Specials in another Post.

Don't know if you've checked my other similar Posts, but you might give them a look.

Harold

[Altpensacola]

Why do rinks have sessions anyway? Why can't they just open and close everyday and I can skate as long and when I want? Would people not show up? Not organized enough?
Guess it's too hard to set a price for that?
It's not like music can't be pre programmed now days?
Is this a hold over from DJ's and records? Organ music?

[Skatervideoguy]

Hi Altpensacola,

Why do rinks have sessions anyway? Why can't they just open and close everyday and I can skate as long and when I want?

Most Rinks I've attended simply did/do not have a large enough feeder population to support that many hours of Skating Sessions. Not to mention the Pricing, Staffing and Maintenance Costs Issues.

The City and area you're in dictates some of what you can do with that.

The Crystal Palace Rinks in Las Vegas have the most open Skating Session hours that I've encountered. http://skatevegas.com But then Las Vegas is a 24hr City.

Harold

[Gee]

Some places have a large screen on one side of the rink for showing videos with the music (i.e. skating to mixed music videos).

Live music from an organist is a plus. Like having a VJ to mix videos or DJ to mix music, the organist can react to the skating group and adjust the program to energize the crowd. I skate to organ music at least once a week.

[Newskaterink]

Originally Posted by Skatervideoguy

Hi All,

Here's another part of a Section of my Rink Manual. This is on Sessions Programing. Challenges and comments welcome. Harold

General Skate Session Programing Suggestions:

Begin each Skating Session with an All Skate in the Normal direction.

About 10 mins into the Session, stop the skating, give Welcome Greetings, and go over the Rink's Rules. Introduce Floor Guards, DJ and Manager. Give other announcements as useful, such as up coming events and specials.

Do the “Rink's Rules Review” again at the Session mid point. (captures the late comers) At this point, recognize all Birthday and other Anniversary folks.

Run songs in groups of 3's & 2's, 3 fast - 2 slow. This strategy encourages safety by helping to keep the overall skating speed under control.

Play only music that has a good skating rhythm, and no obscene language or negative messages. (like killing Cops, using drugs, hitting on women, etc.) Bad for Rink Image.

Music & Lighting must to be coordinated in speed, style & levels to the skating / special being done.

Do floor changes / Specials every 15 to 20 mins max. Variety is useful to break monotony, keep up interest, control/structure the crowd, and by default - the patrons get more options and activities to improve their skills and interest in skating.

During regular skating, the Floor Center Oval should be reserved for the Free-stylers (Spinners & Jumpers), Rexers, Jammers, Fancy Foot-workers, and Figures folks only. This is a safety issue, and a promotional issue, as it allows everyone to see and admire these types of skating, and allows folks to learn more skating skills. More interest, more fun, more patrons.

Change the order of programing for each session, so there are different activities for each one. Mixing it up will help keep the sessions fresh. You can have similar starts and endings for most sessions – like starting with an All Skate, and having a Moon Light Couples Skate to end each session.

If you have a floor that's large enough, you can do the Limbo, Spread Eagle, Center Dance, Cha Cha Slide, and a few other specials within the Floor Center Oval, while the other skaters continue around the outside of the Oval.

Lighting should be “High” for most skating activities. Only use “Lower” and fancy lighting for some Specials. Skaters and Floor Guards simply must to be able to see as well as possible, to skate safely.

For all competitive skate specials, give out prizes to the first three winning skaters.

At Session's end, Do the “Thank You for Skating With Us, and please come back to Skate with us”, and reminders for upcoming events and sessions Announcements.


Other Programing Options;

Adult Only Skate Sessions: Can be 18 & up, or 21 & up. Day, Evening, or Nite Sessions.

Use different music genres, like 50's/60's, 70's/80's, 90's/2000's; or by R&B, and Old School, Funk and Disco for Adult Only Themed Skate Sessions. Can also use these for Themed General Sessions.

Overnight Skate Sessions, perhaps in conjunction with Fund Raising events.

Live Band Skate Session Nites; Usually using local Bands.

Use E-Mail Subscriptions to the Rink's Web Site, with skate schedules, discounts, coupons, heads-up notices on upcoming special events, etc. You can send these out too.

Pay a flat fee, and you can skate all general sessions for a month (or a longer period).

"Adult Coffee Skate" for older retired folks in the mornings.

Mother's & Kids Skate Sessions; Usually in Mornings, Mid-day, or early Afternoons.

Mom's and Strollers Only Skate Sessions; for mom's with very young children.

Religious Groups Skate Sessions; Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Etc. May be done in conjunction with local Church Organizations.

Charity Skating Events for Local & National Charities, & other Fund Raising Events.



Options for Rink Use – When Not Being Used For Skating Sessions

The Rink can be used for lots of $$$ making and/or Community supporting activities:

Practice Sessions: for Artistic, Dance, Speed, Hockey, Derby, etc.;
Live Band Dance Nites;
Dance Classes;
Yoga Classes;
Aerobics Classes;
Martial Arts Classes;
Local Church related Events;
Self Defense Classes for Women;
Wedding Receptions;
Skating Marriages;
Birthday Parties;
School Graduation Parties;
Corporate meetings;
Corporate parties;
YMCA Boys and Girls clubs;
Boy and Girl Scouts;
Local School Skate Nites or Afternoons; and fundraisers, Singing, Cheer Leaders, Floor Hockey, and other School related groups' practice activities;

And On & On – for local Community needs.

Harold - SkaterVideoGuy

Absolutely fantastic, you have certainly helped me!

[Skatervideoguy]

Hi Newskaterink,

You might also consider these:

Floor Guards: http://www.skatelogforum.com/forums/...ad.php?t=25651

DJ's: http://www.skatelogforum.com/forums/...ad.php?t=40802

Lighting: http://www.skatelogforum.com/forums/...ad.php?t=25534

Rink Rules: http://www.skatelogforum.com/forums/...ad.php?t=43702

Sound Systems: http://www.skatelogforum.com/forums/...ad.php?t=25500

There are other Rink recommendations scattered throughout my other Posts.

I try to put out recommendations that I have experienced, have done, and have researched. Effectiveness, efficiency, Safety, Skating Skills Attainment, and comfort of patrons are my goals - after more than 60yrs of Skating. Most all these items are either self explanatory, or easily demonstrated and taught. These are mostly measurable, by anyone who cares to investigate.

If you're interested in seeing the Rink that I usually attend, and some of folks I Skate with weekly - check out some of my Videos at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgv...ZFdQKxd4D0wcsg.

Enjoy

Harold

[MANY_SkatingDave]

Thanks Harold,

I will post and update this page. You gave me a chance to comment on decades of skate rink observations of what Goes Wrong and Could be Improved.

1st: Speaker Position for ALL to HEAR the Announcer.
Prior to your good ideas of 10 minutes into the session, the speakers must be positioned for all including the parents to hear. I have been in a few rinks where the speakers all face the floor and no one on the side lines can hear a darn word of the announcement. If the parents do not hear and EVEN sometimes if they do; the KIDS and crazy adults won't pay any attention.

2nd: Recorded Message like "Rink Rules"
I love the kids, yet they miss stuff when left to their own. Some over the years are great and some are ho ho ho hum. So the important stuff like no carrying children and other blanket stuff should be on a Taped/Computer File. And then do your idea of Putting Names to the Faces. I like IT.

BTW I have seen this message played at the END of the Session. I always laugh at how late they play it almost everyplace.

3rd: YOU a Skater, ARE NOT a SKATE GUARD or Management
In the recorded announcement I would like it spelled out for some difficult adults that they MUST go to the management or the Skate Guard to rectify situations on the floor. No "Taking matters into your own hands"

On a side note the rink works better if this is done. NOW it does not work everyplace, yet it is a good idea.

Back Later, and Thanks Harold,

Yours in Skating, MA/NY Skating Dave