Skate UK Badges
The National Ice Skating Association (NISA) is the governing body for ice skating in the UK. The only training course that is nationally and internationally recognised is the NISA Skate UK scheme. As a beginner, you will start at Badge 1 and work up to Badge 8 under the guidance and tuition of a NISA qualified coach. Badges are awarded when you can demonstrate each of the five elements of each level to your coach’s satisfaction. Completion of all badges will allow you to move on to the next stage, the Star levels.
The Skate UK course is a programme of basic skills; these are the fundamentals of the sport. Once a skater has completed this programme then they have the basic knowledge of the sport. This programme is tested under a progressive and continuous testing structure.
Badge 1
- Sit down and stand up
- March forwards across the ice
- Forward two foot glide
- Skate and Dip (Little Man)
- Turn around on the spot
Badge 2
- Backwards Marching across the ice
- Forward Swizzles (Lemons)
- Forward two foot glide on a curve (left and right)
- Two foot turn on the spot (forwards to backwards, back to forwards)
- Snowplough or T-Stop
Badge 3
- Forward stroking (showing correct use of blade)
- Moving two foot turn (forwards to backwards, back to forwards)
- Backwards Swizzles (Lemons)
- Back two foot glide
- Forward one foot glide (left and right)
Badge 4
- Forward outside edges on a circle (left and right)
- Forward inside edges on a circle (left and right)
- Basic forward Slalom (basic outside / inside edges)
- Backwards Stroking
- Forward continuous Chasses around a circle (left and right))
Badge 5
- Backward outside edges on a circle (left and right)
- Backward inside edges on a circle (left and right)
- Backward continuous chasses around a circle (clockwise and counter-clockwise)
- Forward crossovers (clockwise and anti-clockwise)
- Forward outside three turns (left and right) from standstill
Badge 6
- Forward inside three turn (left and right) from standstill
- Backward outside edges step to forward outside edge on a circle
- Backward crossovers (clockwise and anti-clockwise)
- Backward two foot Slalom
- Two foot spin (min 2 revs)
Badge 7
- Forward inside open Mowhawk (left and right)
- Backward crossovers to landing position glide
- Continuous forward outside edges along a straight line (as per Level 1 - Field Moves)
- Continuous forward inside edges along a straight line (as per Level 1 - Field Moves)
- Basic forward Cross rolls
Badge 8
- Continuously outside three turns around a circle (3 in a row); left and right
- Continuous inside three turns around a circle (3 in a row); left and right
- Step sequence: Three turns, Mowhawk, Cross rolls, Twizzles, Toe steps etc.
- Forward inside single Twizzle (left and right) (Hockey skaters forward Drag; left and right)
- One foot spin (min 2 revs) (Hockey skaters 2 foot spin; min 4 revs)