How To Choose a Class
A brief history…
The Laura Stamm Power Skating system is a comprehensive instruction system of techniques, drills, and methods developed by Laura Stamm in 1971. This program includes a curriculum designed for players with as little as one year’s experience up through professional hockey. Laura started the development of this system while working with the New York Rangers!
This power skating system cannot be presented in one class and takes many years to master. So, a progressive skill testing system to rate players’ proficiency and progress, and the corresponding classes were created. Historically, the group A and B classes and the Elite Workshop covered the material, but time has shown that some students were left with great fundamental skills, yet weren’t quite ready for the Elite class. Therefore, in 2024, we introduced the Advanced Skills class. Groups A and B – now called Basic & Intermediate Skills – will retain the previous Groups A and B curriculum, while the Advanced Skills classes will fill the gap and overlap both Basic & Intermediate Skills and Elite Skills class, providing a much smoother progression through the entire Laura Stamm Power Skating system.
Which class should I choose?
There are many variables that can determine which class is appropriate, so it’s important to understand up front that there is overlap in these classes, so skaters may find themselves at an appropriate point for either class if they are in that overlap area. If you are unsure which of two classes is appropriate, you are likely in that overlap, and either class would work. Here are some guidelines to use if you find yourself in that position:
- Does the skater have the physical and mental maturity to enjoy the challenge of being in the upper class?
- Is the skater older than the minimum age? And, how would they feel about participating with others older or younger than themselves?
- Is the skater one of the better skaters at their age?
- And most importantly: which class will they enjoy the most? A skater who is more engaged and comfortable in a group will get more benefit from the class.
Split Sessions
If a clinic is a Split Session, it will be noted in the class information and means that both the Basic & Intermediate Skills Class and the Advanced Skills Class will be on the ice at the same time, but will be run on separate sections of the ice as separate classes. This is often helpful for families and teammates who want to share the ice but are at different skill levels.
We separate the ice, often with cones, to keep the two classes running independently. This split happens at an appropriate spot based on the number of skaters in each class to ensure that both classes have enough of their own ice to train independently. Some of the bring-ins will be together as one group, while others will be done as separate classes as appropriate.
Basic & Intermediate Skills Class
The Basic & Intermediate Skills class is the primary class that we’ve been running for over 50 years. Players will focus on proper staking technique and developing a strong foundation, including knee bend, a full-length stride, and a full return. We start with a focus on skating slowly and correctly, then slowly, correctly, and powerfully. This can take many years to learn and master. All hockey players, regardless of skill level, need a solid foundation in skating technique, balance, and explosiveness, all of which are covered in the fundamental class.
Recommended for all ages 7+ who want to improve their Fundamental skating skills, are new to Laura Stamm Power Skating, skaters up to age 13 playing house-level hockey, and adult novice league skaters.
Prerequisites
- Age 7+
- Players should have one or more years of hockey experience under their belt.
- Be able to skate backward, perform forward crossovers in one direction, and perform hockey stops on one side.
Goals
- Cover the skills needed to pass the Basic and Intermediate skills tests.
- Develop good skating habits such as a deep knee bend, a full-length stride, and powerful pushes.
- Gain a strong foundation to build on and progress into more advanced skills.
This class is 6 hours on ice and covers the skills up to the Intermediate AA level skills test.
Note: This is not a learn-to-skate program.
Advanced Skills Class
The Advanced Skills class is designed for players who have a good foundation of proper skating technique, such as travel or high school players with a strong grasp of fundamentals to build on. Players will focus on developing the more difficult techniques that lead to agility, explosiveness, and top-end speed. This is appropriate for hockey players looking to take their stride, balance, and explosiveness to the next level.
Recommended for skaters who want to develop more advanced skating skills, have previous experience with the Laura Stamm Power Skating system, or are playing at least at a travel hockey or intermediate adult league level, in line with the recommendations below.
Recommendations
- Age 11+, LSPS instructor recommendation, or passed the intermediate AA skills test.
- Strong fundamental power skating technique.
- Can perform the maneuvers on the Intermediate AA test.
- Skaters need to have the athleticism, strength, and conditioning to perform the more advanced maneuvers.
- Previous experience with the Laura Stamm Power Skating system.
Goals
- Cover the skills needed to pass the Advanced skills tests.
- Develop powerful strides, top speed, agility, and explosiveness.
- Gain an advanced knowledge of skating technique and progress into elite skills.
This class is 6 hours on ice and covers the skills up to the Advanced AA level skills tests.
Elite Skills Class
The Elite Skills class is the pinnacle skating class for players and prospects of AAA, Junior A, and College-level hockey with advanced power skating skills. Players will focus on some of the most demanding and athletic skills in hockey. The focus is on explosiveness and mastering the techniques that will give you an edge at the highest levels of hockey.
Recommended for dedicated, proficient, high-level skaters who want to push their skills to the limit; have a recommendation from a Laura Stamm instructor; or are playing at U14+ AAA, Junior A, or college level; or equivalent hockey in line with the recommendations below.
Recommendations
- Age 15+
- For skaters under 15, an LSPS instructor recommendation, or having passed the Advanced AA skill level is sufficient.
- Driven hockey players who want to make it to the next level.
- AAA, Junior A, college, or equivalent players and prospective players
Goals
- Cover the skills needed to pass the All-Star and Elite Skater skills tests.
- Build incredibly strong skills to give you an edge at the highest levels of hockey.
- Develop explosive acceleration and powerful strides to increase your top-end speed.
- Develop agility and mobility with balance, power, and speed.
- Gain an elite knowledge of skating techniques and drills to continue to hone your skills
This class is 8 hours on ice and covers the skills up to the Elite skill level.
Note: This is not a conditioning camp; however, the techniques and drills are very demanding. Players cannot become great skaters in just a few days; they need to practice and master each technique throughout the year. Our clinics are designed to provide knowledge and drills to use outside of the clinics.
Most of our instructors have taken the Elite Skills class multiple times, and it shows!
More Information
You can always reach out to us for a specific recommendation via the Contact Us page, or you can feel free to choose which class you think is the most appropriate. In either case, if you feel that you’d be better in a different group after the first session, talk to the instructor, and we can work with you to get you in the right group.
