Skaters in our program are not required to compete. Some of our skaters attend practices just to keep in shape while others may attend indoor practices due to inclement weather outside. Then again, some skaters love the thrill of competition.

What’s so great about competing? Let’s see if we can list some of the benefits of competing:

• Improved physical fitness

• Discipline and structure which typically translates into better grades academically in children

• Improved self esteem

• To improve skills

• To have fun

• To be with friends

• To be part of a team

• To experience excitement

• To receive awards

• To win

• Testing abilities against others

• Excitement of the game

• Personal accomplishment (intrinsic factors)

I’m sure we've missed a lot of reasons why skaters like to compete, but I think you get the idea. So what’s an actual competition like? We'll attempt to explain a “day in the life of” a 1-day speed meet:

Pre-Race Day

Most South Florida Speed League Meets will occur on a Saturday or Sunday. Depending on how far away the meet is, families/skaters may decide to drive up the day before and get a motel so everyone can be rested for the event. Personally, we try to budget for this… it’s fun to drive to a meet together, check into the motel and to go out to eat as a group before we have to turn in for the night. Regardless of what you decide to do, skaters must be in bed by 10pm the evening before the race.

Race Day

Doors usually open no later than 6am. Skaters will sign in, check in with their coach, and then find an area of the rink to “settle in.” Spectators generally bring fold-up chairs to sit on, cameras, video cameras and so forth. Food and drink are usually not allowed from the outside as most rinks have snack bars that sell these products.

Once skaters are settled in, they suit up to get ready for warm-ups. The announcer will call each skaters respective division for warm-ups (which consists of skating laps to warm up the skaters legs).

After the warm-ups, the skaters go back to their respective areas to wait for the announcer to call their races. The day’s races are generally started after the playing of the National Anthem. Most skaters will have signed up for a short race (usually 200 – 500 meters), a long race (usually 400 – 3000 meters) and at least one relay event. When there are a large number of skaters competing in the same division race, there may be qualifying heats, semi-finals and then the final race.

The day is filled with excitement as each of the skaters competes for a top spot. This is the favorite part of the event for both spectators and skaters’ watching your teammates, friends, sons, daughters, mom or dad compete is absolutely thrilling!

Depending on the time, the event coordinators may or may not break for lunch. Once all the races are complete, there will be an awards ceremony where medals and/or trophies will be awarded. The event generally concludes sometime early evening that same day. Afterwards, you’ll find groups of skaters going out for dinner to “wind down.”

Competing and watching speed meets is fun. It gives skaters and families the opportunity to spend quality time together outside their “normal” everyday humdrum.

Once we became involved in the sport we were hooked! Give it a try… I bet you’ll like it too!

Questions? Email Us