Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/958383
s rink managers and facility operators, most of us have been in the following situation at least once or twice: You finally get approval to bring a public skate to your rink and acquire thousands of dollars of skates and equipment—but you have an untrained staff and 800 pair of un-sharpened skates before your first open session. CALL A MEETING It seems like the basic first step for any group of employees, but by calling together everyone in the facility that will be handling any aspect of public skating, you can be sure to get everyone on the same page. Oftentimes this group consists of the persons selling admission tickets, handing out skates, assisting with skate sizing and fitting, skate guards on the ice during the sessions, and supervisors. The intention of this meeting is to introduce the staff members to the skates and equipment and, more specifically, to review the process of skate sharpening and the effects on the skate blades (an important aspect for employees to understand). Using a white board, skate sharpener, parts and the new skates, walk employees through the sharpening process step by step and follow-up with a question and answer session to clarify anything that might need extra explanation. Be sure to also cover the different types of blade hollows, keeping it as simple as possible. Make sure to explain and stress the importance of the different types 18 / MARCH.APRIL.2018 USICERINKS.COM UP YOUR SKILLS TRAINING YOUR STAFF TO OPERATE YOUR SKATE SHARPENER (CORRECTLY) PHOTOS: COURTESY OF RINK ARCHIVES