Author Topic: Skate Excellence vs Skate UK  (Read 1244 times)

Sf1997

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Skate Excellence vs Skate UK
« on: December 08, 2019, 09:31:45 pm »
Hi All,

I’m in a dilemma. I’m new to ice skating and my closest rink is Gillingham (Planet Ice). I want to complete a learn to skate course but not sure which to choose? Skate UK runs in another rink which is a 50 min drive from me and on a Thursday when I have other commitments, which could be moved.

It seems some as saying that skate excellence isn’t progressive enough in readiness for Skate star.

Also, how do you go about completing skate star either way? I can’t find centres that have skate star lessons? Do you need a private coach for this?

Finally, once completing skate star, would it be looked down upon if I had got there by doing skate excellence?

Many thanks!   

VisuallyImpairedOnIce

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Re: Skate Excellence vs Skate UK
« Reply #1 on: December 09, 2019, 08:18:55 am »
I did the old Skate UK with 10 levels, as I was having private lessons with a coach when my rink switched to Skate Excellence. However, all my friends who started after me did Skate Excellence and honestly, it's not made a difference, we're all now working on either Star or the British Ice Skating tests. If there's no group lessons near you for Star then you'll need a coach, but no one will ask which course you did. I personally find that for some things, Skate Excellence has a better way of teaching because they break skills down, but for other skills I feel that's a bit pointless.
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transmissionoftheflame

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Re: Skate Excellence vs Skate UK
« Reply #2 on: December 10, 2019, 09:40:49 pm »
I can't imagine it matters much.  I think makes a difference is the coach(es) you happen to have.  Both systems hve their strengths and weaknesses, both can be taught well or badly.  I find SE's pointless reinventing of skating jargon a little contrived and unhelpful.


IMO what will prepare you best for what comes after is working on basics.  Skating on one foot, edges.  Feel your weight over the skate.  IMO learning fancy stuff of any kind before you can hold an edge or even just skate down the rink one length on a flat on one leg is unhelpful.


I think a combination of 1-1 and group lessons is a good one for beginners and indeed for more advanced skaters. 

josydavinia

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Re: Skate Excellence vs Skate UK
« Reply #3 on: January 09, 2020, 09:16:08 am »
I'm a Gillingham skater too. Welcome to the rink :)

They're very much of a muchness - the wording is really the only difference but if you have Sharon or Glynn for a group lesson, she'll pretty much use a hybrid of Skate UK and Skate Excellence courses. Some other coaches like Vicky use all Skate Excellence wording but I put that down to her being newer.

Once you get past the basics, you'll go onto NISA Bronze, Gold and Silver anyway so it really doesn't matter too much. I found that Skate UK has a better organisational system if you care about certificates and badges etc as you can order them yourself and don't have to worry about coaches signatures etc.

In short - they're pretty much the same but word themselves differently. I think Skate Excellence is a Planet Ice product or at least licensed by PI so that's the difference in my opinion as a beginner.



 

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