Criteria for Skater and SSPEI Attendance at Meets

1) The Coaching staff will develop a schedule of planned meet attendance.  This schedule will be provided at the beginning of the skating year but it will be subject to change as meet dates are changed during the year or as other factors change.  The meets that skaters must attend to qualify for Speed Skate PEI support or to participate in specific events will be indicated and the meets that different levels of skaters may attend will be specified. 

2)  All skaters under 16 must be accompanied by a parent, or have an assigned guardian for the meet who is neither a coach nor a team manager.  This does not apply to special events where a provincial team is sent under the supervision of a coach, team manager, and/or chaperones, such as the Nationals, North Americans, Canada Games, or other event so designated by Speed Skate PEI.

3) Skaters will be entered for meets only after submission of a completed registration form and submission of the entry fee to Speed Skate PEI (normally to the Team Manager or parent representative) by the deadline established by the Speed Skate PEI (normally at least 3 days prior to the date for submission of entries to the host club).  Billing of registration fees will not be allowed. 

4)  For regular competitive meets during the year, a minimum of six skaters for a one or two day meet, or a minimum of eight skaters for a three day meet will be required for the SSPEI to support sending a coaching staff.  In exceptional circumstances, the Executive may decide to support sending a team of a smaller size. This guideline does not apply for attendance at Canadian and North American Championships or other special events.  This will be a separate decision made yearly by the Speed Skate PEI Executive based on a number of factors, including the travel costs required and the age of the skaters involved.

5)  Skaters may, with the approval of the Head Coach, attend a meet that is not on the Speed Skate PEI schedule.  The parent of the skater is responsible for all arrangements regarding the meet (including entry submission) and ensuring adequate support and supervision for the skater is available during the meet. 

6)  The Coaching staff will develop guidelines and time standards for attendance at the Canadian Championships and other major meets.  These will be presented for acceptance at the Annual General Meetings.  Any subsequent changes to the criteria for team selection will be approved by the Speed Skate PEI Executive.
 

7)   Principles of meet attendance:

      Juvenile and up Competitive skaters who are interested in trying out for National Level Competition will be encouraged to participate in 6-8 meets over the course of the year.  Younger Competitive Skaters (e.g. Midget and below) will be encouraged to participate in 3 or 4 meets of their choosing over the course of the year.  Skaters wishing to attend the Eastern Canadian Championships must have participated in at least two prior sanctioned meets during the year.

      Development Skaters will be eligible to participate in all local meets (Atlantic Cup, Dec Fun Meets) and one off-Island meet. The top development skaters may be eligible to participate in the Eastern Canadians if they meet the time standards and are selected by the coaching staff.

      Younger siblings that are accompanying parents of older skaters who are participating in meets may also participate in the meet, provided they have met any required time standards and have the approval of the coaching staff.  As only the top development skaters are invited to participate in the Eastern Canadians, permission for younger siblings to attend the Eastern Canadians will not normally be granted. 

8)   Coaching and team manager support for meets will be determined by the SSPEI Head Coach.   It is expected that all coaches and managers supported by SSPEI will have at least Level One theory and preferably Level One Technical.  The Head Coach will use the following guidelines in determining support, recognizing that the required support will vary depending on the age and skill of skaters attending and the nature of the meet. 

• For teams of six to twelve skaters, one certified coach and a team manager will be required.  A level two certified coach and a team manager may handle up to twenty skaters, depending on the meet and the skaters attending, and the availability of additional parent support.
  
  
• For teams of twelve to twenty-four skaters, one level two technical certified coach, an assistant coach and a team manager will normally be required.  Two certified coaches are preferred.
  
  
• For teams of more than twenty-four, two certified coaches, one at level two technical, and a team manager will normally be required, with an additional assistant coach recommended.
  
  
• Depending on the coaching commitments of SSPEI, another coach or parent may substitute or provide assistance at the discretion of the Director of Coaching. However, a parent approved by the Speed Skate PEI Executive may substitute for the team manager only if the coach has Level two technical certification and a certified coach is not available.   

9)  Speed Skate PEI provides support for coaches and team managers to attend meets according to a policy established by the Speed Skate PEI Executive.  While coaches and team managers may provide or share transport with other skaters or families, it is the policy of Speed Skate PEI that coaches and team managers do not share rooms with skaters who are not members of their immediate families.