It’s no secret that the Golden Knights have had a significant influence on the growth of youth hockey and skating in Las Vegas. It didn’t take much for an explosion of interest in learning to skate to occur. The Vegas Golden Knights Skating Academy presented by Atomic Golf is a program for children and adults interested in hockey, figure skating and ice skating. The program coincides with the interest the Golden Knights started in the community.

As interest has increased, enrollment in the program has also increased. At the program’s launch in 2017, 1,040 skaters enrolled in Learn to Skate at City National Arena. The number of skaters almost doubled the next year. After an expected drop in enrollment due to the covid pandemic, skater enrollment rose to 2,175 by 2022 at both City National Arena and the America First Center. Hylo Park was added the following year to accommodate the rapid growth of the program. The last complete season of Learn to Skate had the highest number of skaters ever with 2316 beginners registered.

Learn to Skate is made up of three different levels. All beginners start at level one and complete four sections before progressing to level two. Level two contains only two sections of basic skills to complete before advancing. After completing level two, beginners decide if they want to go the figure skating route or the hockey route. Level three goes more in depth about the skills for each sport. If a participant chooses figure skating, they must complete four sections of basic skills before graduating to the Golden Edge Aspire program. If a participant chooses hockey, they must complete two sections of hockey skills before graduating to the Learn to Play program or the Lil’ Knights program. Learn to Skate is held at City National Arena in Summerlin, America First Center in Henderson and Hylo Park in North Las Vegas.

Children, teenagers and adults are all welcome to join the program, from the age of three and up. Each program is adapted to age and skill level. Learn to Skate creates a fun environment that promotes learning through learning materials, music and a variety of activities. The curriculum is both challenging and rewarding for everyone.

“A week before the first lesson, I send out a nice welcome email with all the information, such as what they need to know, when to come, what to bring, etc. They get their name tag, lanyard and directions on where to go. It’s a very welcoming experience, and people are excited to do it,” said Senior Director of Skating Programs, Carolyn Mortenson. “We start at the age of three. The regular skate academy goes to age 17, and then we have our adult Learn to Skate ages 18 and up. They go figure skating. They are playing hockey. You can start whenever you want. That’s why we always say skating is for everyone.”

Beginners not only learn from coaches affiliated with the Vegas Golden Knights, but they learn from some of the best Learn to Skate coaches in the country. The program is ranked first in the state, fourth in the Pacific Section and tenth in the nation. To put that into perspective, there are 107 programs in the Pacific section and close to 1,000 programs in the country.

What was once a small program at one rink has now turned into a massive program at three rinks in the valley. Mortenson stated that the new skater registration sells out within hours. The program is so popular that there are separate links for new riders and returning riders. City National Arena usually sells out quickly per pass. The America First Center and Hylo Park have plenty of room for beginners to participate.

“As long as you’re out there having fun and being dedicated, you can go wherever you want. If you like to skate or just learn to skate, then you can go open skating,” Mortenson says. “If you want to go into hockey, join a team. There is always a place for you. It’s the same for figure skating. There’s always a place for someone.”

Skating is for everyone here at the Vegas Golden Knights. All ages are welcome in the Learn to Skate program. There is always room for growth within the program and within the skater. To stay updated on registration for sessions or schedules, click here.