OUR PROGRAM

Overview

The Vancouver Velocity Speed Skating Club (VSSC) offers short track speed skating programs to skaters of all ages and abilities. The club has six main training groups: Beginner, Special Olympics, Intermediate, Advanced and Masters, and a new Learn to Skate program starting as a pilot in 2025/2026. Our skaters compete in local, provincial, regional and national meets based on interest, skill, and availability. Our coaches are experienced skaters who have competed at all levels and are keen on fostering great skaters. Learn more about our club.

Training Seasons

September-March – Ice Season & Competitions

April-August – Dryland Season 

  • Kitsilano Rink decommissioned for summer
  • Indoor and outdoor dryland training is scheduled 1-2x a week
  • Practice schedule here

Coaching Philosophy

Collaborate, Accelerate, Elevate!

Speed skating is primarily an individual sport, but you can’t do it on your own. As a team, we encourage and support one another — to get stronger, faster, better. When we work together, we improve together.

In speed skating, there is always something to work on. We want our athletes to develop a growth-oriented mindset and know that results will come with patience and disciplined effort. Part of success is simply appreciating how far we’ve come.

We provide an enjoyable and inclusive environment where the opportunity for learning and development is open to everyone, regardless of age, ability, or reasons for being in the sport.

Our Framework

VSSC follows the Speed Skating Canada Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model, which stresses the need for an individualized approach to developing young skaters, guided by biological maturation and not chronological age. This framework is based on the physical, mental, emotional, and cognitive development of children and adolescent skaters. Read the full LTAD framework here.