While reading the threads about the dangers of LTS students who have little to no experience skating, made me think of public sessions and how dangerous those sessions can be!

We were skating last weekend on publc ice. It wasn't a terribly busy session but there were about 10 very unexperienced skaters on the ice. They were wildly skating and trying to do things they shouldn't have been trying to do until they gained more balance and control.

After watching a few of them crash into the side boards and wildly fall repeatedly, I rushed my 7 y/o son off the ice and promptly placed his hockey helmet on his head! I did this not because I was concerned about my son falling but because I was concerned about him being knocked over by some wild and unexperienced skater! A couple of them had come close to him a few times, so I didn't want to take any chances. If I had enough helmets for my other 2 kids and their 2 friends, I would have had them put helmets on them too!

Thankfully, most of them got off the ice within 20-30 minutes. The few that stayed on the ice weren't so crazy. My kids are learning to watch for crazy skaters, but sometimes you can't avoid them and I was worried my 7 year old would get plowed down by a bigger kid who was wild and out of control! I told my husband I was tempted to completely gear my 7 y/o up just in case he was run over. I was only half kidding, lol!

Most of the public skate sessions we go to aren't like the above session was, but there are days when I want to scream at the crazy skaters. I can totally see why there are "skate at your own risk" signs. YIKES!

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skating mom to 3 angels on earth and 1 in heaven

I won't skate on crowded public sessions...I think it is way too dangerous. I'd rather take my chances on a a high level freestyle session!

j

The rink didn't have a skating guard out on the ice? Or was he/she just not experienced enough to do a good job? Sometimes we have teenaged boys as skating guards ...

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blades, gary, Lucy, Emily, take care of Aiden and Sami. Sami is my sweetest heart, and always will be, forever. RIP Cubby Boy, my hero dog.

They did and I believe they went over to them a few times, but sometimes they do something and other times they don't! It was frustrating tho and I was thankful when they left. LOL

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skating mom to 3 angels on earth and 1 in heaven

This session wasn't crowded it was those few skaters(maybe 10?) that were causing issues. This is an olympic size rink. Thankfully, most of the sessions are not like that. We try to avoid nights since a lot of the teens tend to come in the evenings, but last week it was unavoidable.

Anyway... my daughter and I skate on freestyle sessions when possible, but we can't do that as a family.

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skating mom to 3 angels on earth and 1 in heaven