It is no secret that the Golden Knights have had a substantial influence on the growth of youth hockey and skating in Las Vegas. It didn’t take much for an explosion of interest in learning to skate to occur. The Vegas Golden Knights Skating Academy presented by Atomic Golf is a program for children and adults who are interested in hockey, figure skating, and recreational skating. The program coincides with the interest that the Golden Knights jumpstarted in the community.
As interest has grown, so has registration in the program. At the start of the program in 2017, 1040 skaters registered in Learn to Skate at City National Arena. The number of skaters nearly doubled the next year. After an expected decrease in registration due to the COVID pandemic, the registration of skaters skyrocketed to 2175 in 2022 at both City National Arena and America First Center. Hylo Park was added the following year to accommodate the rapid growth of the program. The most recent complete season of Learn to Skate saw its highest number skaters ever with 2316 beginners enrolled.
Learn to Skate is structured by three different levels. All beginners start at level one and complete four sections before moving to level two. Level two contains only two sections of basic skills to pass before advancing. Upon completion of level two, beginners decide if they want to go the figure skating route or the hockey route. Level three goes more in-depth on the skills of each sport. If a participant chooses figure skating, they must pass four sections of basic skills before graduating to the Golden Edge Aspire Program. If a participant chooses hockey, they must pass two sections of hockey skills before graduating to the Learn to Play program or the Lil’ Knights program. Learn to Skate is held at City National Arena in Summerlin, America First Center in Henderson, and Hylo Park in North Las Vegas.
Kids, teenagers, and adults are all welcome to join the program, starting from age three and up. Each program is tailored to age and skill level. Learn to Skate creates a fun environment that promotes learning through teaching aids, music, and a variety of activities. The curriculum is both challenging and rewarding for everyone.
“A week before the first class, I send out a nice welcome email with all the information, such as what they need to know, when to come, what to bring, etc. They get their name tag, lanyard, and directions on where to go. It’s a very welcoming experience, and people are excited to do it,” Senior Director of Skating Programs, Carolyn Mortenson said. “We start at the age of three. Regular skating academy goes to age 17, and then we have our adult Learn to Skate which is ages 18 and over. They’re doing figure skating. They’re doing hockey. You can start whenever you want. That’s why we always say skating is for everyone.”
Not only are beginners learning from Vegas Golden Knights affiliated coaches, but they are learning from some of the best Learn to Skate coaches in the country. The program is ranked first in the state, fourth in the Pacific section, and tenth in the nation. To put it in perspective, there are 107 programs in the Pacific section and close to 1000 programs in the nation.
What was once a small program at one rink has now turned into a massive program at three rinks in the valley. Mortenson stated that the new skater registration sells out within a few hours. The program is so popular there are separate links for new skaters and returning skaters. City National Arena usually sells out quickly per session. America First Center and Hylo Park have plenty of room for beginners to attend.
“As long as you’re out there having fun and being dedicated, you can continue to go wherever you’d like to. If you like to do recreational skate or just learn how to skate, then you can do open skate,” said Mortenson. “If you want to go into hockey, get on a team. There’s always a spot for you. It’s the same for figure skating. There is always a spot for someone.”
Skating is for everyone here at the Vegas Golden Knights. All ages are welcome in the Learn to Skate program. There is always room for growth within the program and within the skater. To keep up to date on registration for sessions or schedules, click here.
