With Minnesota’s long winters making ice skating a familiar recreational activity, the City of Cottage Grove is offering residents an opportunity to learn the basics or develop their skills through its skating program.
Operated by the Cottage Grove Parks and Recreation Department, the skating school offers four sessions each year, generally following the seasons. Classes are typically held two days a week and are designed for a wide range of ages and abilities.
Participants can begin as young as about four years old, while teenagers and adults also have opportunities to learn. An adult and teen group is available for those who may simply want to become comfortable enough on the ice to skate recreationally.
For more advanced skaters, instruction continues through Freestyle Seven, with opportunities for competitive lessons, clubs and competition teams.
Whether a participant eventually wants to play hockey, pursue figure skating or simply enjoy skating with family and friends, the program is intended to provide the skills needed to get started.
“We always work with our coaches to determine what level is best to start at,” Cottage Grove Parks and Recreation Manager Molly Pietruszewski said in a video promoting the program and posted to YouTube.
New participants are evaluated during their first night of lessons. Families are encouraged to review the descriptions of the available classes and register for the level they believe is the best fit. Coaches can then move skaters to a more appropriate level following the evaluation if necessary.
Registration generally opens about 30 days before the beginning of each seasonal session. Each session includes eight classes. Registration typically closes following the second class, with those who miss the deadline encouraged to wait for the next session.
Parents can register through the city’s website.
The program can also serve as a starting point for children interested in hockey. Once skaters have developed the necessary basic skills, program staff can help direct families toward opportunities to continue into hockey.
Figure skaters likewise have opportunities to continue beyond introductory lessons. The Cottage Grove Ice Arena offers competitive skating opportunities, and an ice show is held each spring, giving skaters another way to use the skills they have developed.
Pietruszewski emphasized that competitive skating is only one possible destination. Learning to skate can also give residents another way to remain active and enjoy Minnesota winters.
“As we all know, we have a lot of winter here in Minnesota,” Pietruszewski said, adding that skating recreationally with family and friends and spending time outdoors during the winter can become a lifelong activity.
The city encourages residents who have never skated before, as well as those interested in improving their abilities, to consider taking lessons and developing skills they can use both at the arena and on outdoor ice throughout the winter.