Featured Member: Ice Skating Association of Ireland

Ice Skating Association of Ireland

Ice Skating Association of Ireland, established in 1995 and originally called the RIISA is the National Governing Body for all International Skating Union (ISU) disciplines. The ISAI is a 32 all island body with ultimate responsibility for providing the framework of rules and regulations that govern ice skating both in Ireland and internationally. It provides opportunities for skaters to test, develop, and compete through the different standards of skating. The ISIA provide many different pathways of development and progression depending on the participants’ goals, from recreational to elite international level.

The ISAI are full members of the International Skating Union, the Olympic Council of Ireland and the Federation of Irish Sport and Probationary Member of the Irish Sports Council. The association works with any individual, club, rink and local sport partnerships, to advance and develop the sport of ice skating across Ireland.

Membership:

As a seasonal sport with no facilities open through out the year membership fluctuates. In 2010 with the existence of Dundalk IceDome membership was in excess of 450 members. Today based on a seasonal ice rinks which which operate from between 5 to 16 weeks membership figures are just under 250.

Number of Participating Schools:

Currently due the the facilities issue no schools are participating with any of the ISIA Learn to Skate Programmes, but this could change dramatically once facilities were available. The ISAI have established a foundational programme that can be made available to schools and are ready to implement once a sustainable venue.

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Fact File

The world record for spinning is held by Lucinda Ruh, 6 rotations per second.
People first started skating over 4000 years ago in Finland.
The average speed of rotation in the air of a triple jump is approx between 70 and 80 miles per hour.

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2013 Highlights

Hilko Quailifies as ISU International Judge
O’Connor Triple Gold at Inclusive Skating Trophy 2013
Peters awarded Olympic Solidarity Scholarship
Peters brings home First ISU International Medal for Ice Skating
Probationary Membership of the Irish Sports Council

Key Programmes that Ice Skating Association of Ireland run:

Emerald Skate

The ISIA have rolled out since 2007 a nationally and internationally recognized learn to skate programme which teaches the fundamentals of skating. The main objectives of the Emerald Skate program are to develop a skater’s confidence and skills on the ice. The program teaches skills that can be used for either general skating, figure skating, or speed skating.

Coaching and Officials Education

In 2010, a coaching programme was launched for national trained skaters to develop as coaches and move to the next stage of their involvement with the sport in Ireland. The number of coaches now reaching the industry standard and meeting the criteria to register with the ISAI as coaches has increased.

Education Workshops and Training Seminars are continually run to also ensure the officials of the sport as well as athletes and parents keep up to date with the changes as they occur in the sport nationally and internationally.