If you have a youth looking to hit the ice this winter, the Cochrane Skating Club can help.

Whether your child's interest lies in hockey or figure skating, the CanSkate programs offered by the Cochrane Skating Club build confidence and skill.

Karen Allison, Coach for Cochrane Skating Club, says if you have a child who has never been on skates before it is a fantastic program.

"It is the only nationally recognized learn to skate program developed by Skate Canada and it has been around for years, it's proven to be a successful program for early learners. It is based on ongoing movement, music, and fun."

Allison adds they would love to see the success of the program continue to grow.

The fundamentals and skills learned through the CanSkate levels can benefit not only those hitting the ice casually but can be tailored to meet the needs of registered participants.

"We as coaches and clubs, can tailor our programs if we see a need. The program does offer the ability to be flexible to tailor to hockey, figure skating, ringette, speed skating; it really is the prefatory program for all ice sports."

Besides Can Skate, Cochrane Skating Club specializes in teaching the sport of figure skating for both boys and girls; if interest warrants, the club will be offering something new- synchronzied skating.

"It is something new we can bring to the club which could potentially bring members who would prefer to skate in a team sport rather than an individual sport, which figure skating definitely is, but love to figure skate."

Allison is hoping to garner at least one team of 8 skaters to begin with and possibly two. Allison says the program will be an add on and available to all levels of figure skaters within the club.

For more information on programs the Cochrane Skating Club offers, you will find it here.