However, to help you with theimportant fundamental stuff, you should go to http://www.coaching.com.sg. This is the official website for the National Registry of Coaches in Singapore. It has a database of all the coaches in all the sports who have taken the National Coaching Accrediation Program run through the Singapore Sports Council. Anyone can claim to be a coach but not just anyone has been recognized by the SSC. So my advice would be to start here for names.

Then try to meet with the coach first. (This isn’t always easy because they’re usually busy on the ice!) Find out how much coaching they do–are they full or part time? How long were they skating and how far did they go before they became a coach? How many students do they have? What level are those students? Who you choose as a coach may also depend on what you want from the lessons. If you just want to give your child the basics so that they can get on the ice without going splat, then you don’t need a high level coach. But if your child falls in love with the sport–and this happens more than I can say–then you will need a coach who can help your child grow in the sport. If you don’t get a coach who can help your child advance through the different levels, then your child may become frustrated and lose interest. And that would be a shame.

If you want your child to learn quickly, then you should be considering three lessons per week. One lesson per week won’t be enough. Most parents say they will start with one lesson but soon realize they will need more. Skating is not an easy sport–if it were, everyone would do it! But it is, in my humble opinion, one of the best sports for children. It build strength and poise under pressure and, most of all, self-confidence. Who wouldn’t want to give those gifts to their children? Good luck with your search. Let us know if we can be of further help. If we can’t answer your questions ourselves, we will do our best to point you in the right direction.