
Welcome To The West Elgin Skating Club.
The West Elgin Skating Club is a non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to the principle of providing the best possible environment to enable a skater at any ability level to develop all skating disciplines throughout their lifetime for future fitness and/or achievement. Our sessions are held at the Bo Horvat Community Centre in West Lorne (Kraft Hockeyville 2023 winner) which means you don’t have to travel from rink to rink.
For this season, in order to make our program more affordable for parents in the community, we have removed the volunteer fees requirement. We will be offering parents volunteer opportunities to support the skating club.
PROFESSIONAL COACHES
Our coaching staff are Skate Canada NCCP certified and provide scheduled group skating lessons with care, knowledge and passion. Coaches are available for private one-on-one individual lessons, upon request.
MULTIPLE TIME SLOTS & SKATING PROGRAMS
To accommodate most family’s schedules, we offer scheduled group lessons on Wednesday evenings between 5:15 and 8:00 pm. WESC offers skating lessons for students at various levels & skill sets in order promote their confidence and growth on the ice. Private one-on-one lessons are also available upon request.
Our Skating Programs
PARENT & TOT
This introductory program allows children (typically aged 3 and older) to learn basic ice mobility alongside a parent or guardian.
The Concept: Designed to get young skaters comfortable on the ice and learn through play using upbeat music, teaching aids, and games.
Parent Role: Parent must be on the ice wearing skates, directly supporting their child’s confidence and physical safety.
Requirements: Both parent and toddler must wear skates and CSA-approved helmets.
Note: When registering for this progam, you must register the child in the Parent & Tot – Tot Program and register the Parent/Guardian in the Parent & Tot – Parent program. If two parents will be alternating lessons (only one parent per child per lesson), both parents must register in the Parent & Tot – Parent Program.
PRE-CANSKATE
This program is a 30 minute non-parented class (for children four and older) who have not had any significant time on skates. It is designed to introduce children to the ice and help them become comfortable. Professional certified coaches teach the mechanics for proper technique for skating, and offer a complete series of balance, control and agility skills that help prepare skaters for any ice-skating sport or recreational skating. We also have trained program assistants who provide on-ice support to coaches and skaters during the season. Based on skill achievement, coaches will recommend moving a skater up to the Can-Skate program (which will come with a minimal additional charge to be pro-rated based on length of season remaining.)
CANSKATE
This program is a dynamic learn to skate program that focuses on fun, participation and basic skills development. This program is for children five years of age or older. The program focuses on the development of three fundamental movements (balance, agility and control) organized into six stages of learning, pertaining to hockey, ringette, speed skating and figure skating. Skaters progress at their own rate and are awarded badges once the skills level has been mastered.
HOCKEY SKATING SKILLS
Hockey skating is built on a foundation of proper stance, balance, and edge control. Players begin by mastering the hockey position, basic stride and glide, stopping techniques, and C-cuts to develop stability and skating efficiency. As skills improve, skaters progress to edgework, crossovers, and backward skating, which enhance speed, agility, and control. Advanced techniques such as pivots, punch turns, and overspeed training help players transition seamlessly, change direction quickly, and maximize skating performance in game situations. Registration is open for children 5 years of age or older.
POWERSKATE
Give your hockey / ringette player that competitive edge this season with our Power Skate program. This program is designed for skaters who are capable of skating the full length of the ice, both forwards and backwards. This program is available to children eight years of age or older. Children younger may be considered for registration based on an assessment of their skill level and approval from Coaches.). This program helps develop strong hockey / ringette skating skills.
We Are A Proud Participant
As a participant of OLCG and STGA we have a partnership with Jackpot Time in St Thomas. This partnership provides us financial benefits when we participate in bingos and is our club’s only fundraiser. The money generated from this partnership, significantly benefits our club and allows us to keep our registration fees low. Proceeds from our participation assist in covering our ice fees, paying coaches’ fees and sudsidizing special events and awards celebrations for our skaters. We rely on the commitment of our parents to volunteer a few hours of their time at Jackpot Time Gaming in St. Thomas in order to fulfill our participation in the program. Emails are sent to parents with dates available and parents are asked to sign up for dates that are convenient to their schedule. When you contribute your time to this partnership, you help WESC keep registration fees low and support the youth in our community. In fact, this is an excellent program that supports many local communities! We are honored to be a part of it!
For more information about this program please visit: https://about.olg.ca/charitable-bingo-gaming/supporting-local-communities/




