That's right Kids!!!!! I just thought I'd start up this thread to keep you ALL uupdated on what happens, and how I do a Public Skate at Newington Ice Arena. So here is todays post. I got to the Rink and we went first to apply for Public Skate passes. 50 of them. However they won't have them until tomorrow. As the people who get them weren't there,and you can only get them in the Daytime. BTW. it is reg. $6.00 to skate. I then went into the Rink and got my skates on. Yes they are Hockey Skates. LOL,so yes I did cloplop a lot easier on them,as both them AND the blades are new and need to be broken in. (The boots for my feet,and the blades for being able to start digging into the ice). I did however make a couple of new friends. Their names were Janet and Jennifer. I can only say one thing. They were both really nice. As I was on Hockey Skates and not Figure Skates, and was falling more as I'm not used to them yet,she took me by the arm and gided me along. They both even told me how to stop and go on them. I know I'm just not used to them yet. As it's MY first Public skate,and OTHER skaters DID have Hockey Skates on. So I know in time I will be able to do it with them. I'm a trooper. LOL. I also got the Public Skate schedule and they say it changes every month. So I need to get next months too. LOL,hopefully they wil have a good Daytime schedule in the future. BTW. they close at 9:00. I also don't know how often I'll be skating. So all that depends on when I update this thread. So I just ask everyone to just please hope to see something at anytime,and to please always keep checking back on this thread for updates. So that's FSWers first Public Skate.

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FSWer

Good for you, FSWer! You sound so excited - that's wonderful.

How many times did you go around the rink?

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Actually I didn't go around it. As I still need to get used to balancing on Hockey Skates,VS. Figure Skates which I can. Though I haven't gone in a while either.

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FSWer

I would have recommended that you stay with the figure skates until you were gliding, but I guess the rentals weren't working for you. You're wearing a helmet and gloves/mittens, right?

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LOOOOOOOOOOL,right

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FSWer

Bravo - smart man!

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Have fun skating! I hope you get to go as often as you'd like

HEY!!!!!! It you guys who give and gave me encourgement. I think of everyone here whenever I go. LOL.

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FSWer

it sounds like that you found it an eden, i will have present when someday i will go to Conneticut , the problem is that i no know skate but i will learn .

Say everyone. I just thought I'd add this to my annual thread and not only say that Sat. will be my next Skating day. But if ANYONE has some advice on how to get my feet and balance used to Hockey Skates VS. Figure Skates, so I would really appreciate it. Because I know I CAN balance on one blade FIGURE Skates. But when I got on the Hockey ones I fell all over the place. Is this to be expected as part of a Novice Skater trying to master those blades? As they aren't diging into the ice yet? How long should it be from being new before they dig the ice? Am I out of my mind? Should I expect by use of the skates that it will come natually?

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FSWer

If you haven't had the blades sharpened yet, get it done before you use them again.

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There wre when I brought them.

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FSWer

Good. Sharp blades bite the ice more than dull ones.
Sometimes, skates come dull and the pro shop has to sharpen them before you can use them. (I don't know about hockey skates, though.)

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I think so. Practice makes better.

I don't know how to recommend you get better at balancing on hockey skates other than keep trying. It's a very different feeling than figure skates. I know I couldn't do much in hockey skates!

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-Jessi
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Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

Good for you! I'd like to try hockey skates once - it would be comical.
Have a great time!

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How do you glide on Hockey Skates?

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FSWer

On figure skates, if your weight moves back or forward a little bit, it won't matter as much because the blades are longer and flatter. But because the blades on hockey skates are shorter and rounder, you don't have that flexibility and you have to keep all your weight over the balls of your feet. Make sure you bend your knees and keep your head up. To go forward, just take small steps or do swizzles.

Also, I don't know where you got the skates, but if it was Sports Authority or Play-It-Again Sports or one of those type of places, a) they're notorious for selling people skates that are too big, and b) they often do a really bad job with sharpening. It sounds to me like one of those is the problem.

Put the skate on, and push your toes all the way to the front of the boot so that they touch the end. Now put your finger down the back of the skate behind your heel. Can you get your finger all the way to the bootom of the skate, and can you move it at all? If so, the skates are too big for you. Get a set of Dr. Scholl's innersoles from the drugstore and put them in the skates to take up the extra room (do NOT wear extra socks!) If your blades feel like they're moving sideways on you at all, take them to the shop at the rink and ask somebody there if they thinks the skates should be sharpened again. (Always take your skates to a good pro shop to be sharpened, never somewhere like Dick's or Modell's).

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Shae-Lynn and Victor: We knew you were champions, and on 3/28/03 the whole WORLD found out! Thank you for twelve wonderful years!

I've skated on hockey skates, and you are right FSWer! They are quite different from figure skates. I found when I skated on them I had to really bend my knees, and my weight was farther forward than on figure skates. I've been figure skating for many years, but in hockey skates I fell over several times because the blade was so curvy You'll probably get used to it, though. I did, and I liked how fast I could skate on them (as long as I didn't have to go backwards).

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"The only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary." -- Vidal Sasson

"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." -- Unknown

So the only difference is to just bend my knees while doing swizzles? Right?

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FSWer

You should bend your knees when doing swizzles in figure skates, too. I've never skated in hockey skates, but it sounds like everybody's saying you should bend your knees even more. Tell you what - maybe tomorrow I'll try skating in hockey skates on the public session and I'll tell you what I had to do different. My daughter's boyfriend plays hockey - he'll give me some tips (and will probably laugh at me very hard!).

LOL,well kids!!!!! I just got back from going all the way down to Newington Ice Arena, to find that todays Public Skate was canceled due to both Rinks being used for double Hockey Games. My Staff thinks it's totally redicolous (sorry for my misspelling) that we went all the way down there for nothing. So we might call from now on,just to make sure it's being held. We also checked on the Skating Passes to see if they came in and they hadn't. But the girl, (I think it was Jamie,the same girl that wrote us a recept) said they'ed deffenitely should have them next time we come. I was also going to try them 1 more time to see if I do better. But it looks like I might end up buying Figure Skates (possibly from Dicks),and maybe renting ($3.00) until I do. Because LOL.. it's not crouded Public Skate yet. But we figure that it would be better,since I have better balance on Figure skates, that I not be flip-flopping all over the place when everyone and their mother is there. I also might buy a skate bag. As the box for the skates keeps opening on me. So that's what happened today kids. I love you all. xxxxxxxxxxx ooooooooo

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FSWer

How disappointing for you! It's happened to us all, and we all just hate it.

I looked at all the figure (and recreational) skates at Dick's online, and they don't have anything that I would recommend for you. Unless they have a bigger selection in the store, I suggest you go somewhere else. The Jackson Softec is an excellent figure skate for beginners. Maybe you could call some of the stores in your area to find out which ones carry that brand and model. Be careful, because the Jackson Softec is made with both figure and hockey blades. Riedell and CCM make similar models.

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Say,does anyone happen to know the hrs. for the Newington Ice Arena Box Office, that you can call there and talk to somebody live? We need to call them to find out when my passes will be there and have them put aside.

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FSWer

Hockey skates do feel very different from figure skates. In hockey skates, I often feel like I'm going to fall over backwards, because there is no back edge. The lack of toe pick at the front can actually be good, because you can't push with your toe picks when you're skating - you have to use your edges. But despite the differences, I adapted. I think you'll get used to the new skates with a bit of time, and end up being okay.

I also recommend the Jackson Softecs as an excellent beginner's skate. They fit well, are supportive enough, and are fairly inexpensive. I prefer those with a figure skating blade on them, for beginners.

Say, I have the phone number to Newington Ice Arena. But does anyone know the phone number there that will connect you DIRECTLY to their Main office?

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FSWer