Freestyle Skating

Go to online registration

• On the day of your session, you will have to sign in at the front desk. If you have not signed in 10 minutes after the start time, your session can be re-sold by Sharks Ice
• You will not be able to access the “Preferred Pricing” option for the next month until the 25th of the current month.
• If you would like to freely pick and choose sessions and times, wait until the 6th of each month to register as a drop-in participant

Skaters and Coaches 

Freestyle and Dance sessions are for teaching and training. Skaters participating in the Freestyle sessions must be at the appropriate Freestyle level for the session they are attending. The director of skating reserves the right to monitor the level of skating on each freestyle and dance session and make appropriate changes.
 

Intro to Freestyle

For skaters Basic 5 – Free Skate 5 or Beta - FS 4. Skaters should have mastered Forward and Backward crossovers and be able to skate around the ice without assistance. A coach needs to be with the skater during these sessions. These sessions are perfect for teaching FS etiquette.
 

Regular Freestyle Session 

Skater must have completed Free Skate 1 or FS 1, equivalent, or higher-level. Skater should have mastered:

• Forward and Backward crossovers
• Forward inside, and outside 3-turns.Forward and Backward edges
• Bunny Hop, Waltz jump, ½ Flip
• Forward Spirals
• Scratch spin from backward crossovers.

These sessions are for skaters that do not need hand holding. Coaching should be done from the side of the ice. Please do not stand or coach in the center of the ice, red line, or blue line. Avoid standing in the Lutz corners. Skaters running their program on the loudspeaker should wear the provided fluorescent colored vest. The skater wearing the fluorescent vest has the right of way. 
 

Advanced Freestyle

Skater must have completed Free Skate 6 or Freestyle 5, equivalent, or higher-level. 
Skater should have mastered all maneuvers listed under regular FS plus:

• Camel Spin
• Lutz
• Salchow
• Toe Loop
• Loop jump
• Flip jump 
• Sit Spin
• Axel

 

Skaters must check-in at the front desk prior to entering the ice. Print clearly.

Freestyle and Dance sessions may not be split between two sessions or surfaces to accommodate lesson times. Crossing sessions is not allowed.

Anyone who has not paid will not be allowed to skate a session.
Coaches and skaters are not permitted on the ice at any time during an ice resurface. Please exit the ice promptly before the ice resurface. Zamboni doors must be closed prior to skaters entering the ice. Do Not Enter before session time.

For the skater’s safety skaters are not permitted to wear personal headsets of any kind while skating on a freestyle session. Coaches are permitted to use hand-held music systems.

Coaches must be on site and present to teach on a Freestyle session at the Oakland Ice Center. As of July 1, 2025, virtual lessons are allowed at Sharks Ice at San Jose and Sharks Ice at Fremont. (Pease see Virtual Lesson rules and etiquette. 

No more than 2 skaters (semi-private) at one time are permitted in a lesson.

Always give the right of way to skaters in a lesson or skaters doing their program.

Abusive or obscene language/music will not be tolerated.

All skaters and coaches must pick up tissues, garbage, water bottles etc. on rink boards and players’ bench after their session.

All skaters are requested to patch holes at the end of each session prior to the resurface regardless of whether they created the holes. The Zamboni driver will provide a bucket of ice. If a skater creates a large hole during a session try to repair immediately.

All session times are subject to change. Reasonable notice of changes will be posted whenever possible.

No food or drink is allowed on the ice except for water or sport drinks kept near the ice.

For the safety of the skater all ice surface doors are to be closed during a freestyle session. 

Refrain from comments or actions that are disruptive, offensive, abusive, or racist. Behavior that constitutes harassment or abuse and is not tolerated by Sharks Ice.

Theatrical props or teaching props that obstruct the surface of the ice are not allowed on a freestyle session. 

All skaters should have equal opportunity to play program music.  Be courteous to one another and allow everyone a turn at playing music.

Jumping is not permitted during Dance and/or Moves sessions.

Please refrain from yelling or screaming across the ice. If you need someone’s attention skate up to that person and converse.

Use of Harness: The harness is available at the discretion of Sharks Ice Management and may not be available on all freestyle sessions and is not available for use on public sessions. The use of the harness should be limited to 10 minutes. A harness reservation sheet will be kept at the front desk. All reservations to be made by the coach prior to use. Handheld harnesses must be approved by the director of skating or skating manager.

All programs’ classes, camps, and clinics are run and approved by rink management. No coach is allowed to organize or instruct a group of more than 2 people. 

All customers/participants who enter the ice surface and participate must pay a fee. This also includes private lesson participants. Proof of purchase can either be a Point of Sale generated receipt or a Sharks Ice admission badge. Payment shall be made before each session has started. 

No one is allowed on the ice surface without wearing skates. This includes coaches, skaters, and officials.

Parent Conduct

• Parents must view freestyle sessions from the bleacher area, lobby area, or from Stanley’s.
• Parents and spectators are not permitted in the player’s box area.
• Be in control of your emotions.
• Parents are not permitted to coach from the bleachers or lobby area. Parents need to parent, and coaches need to coach.
• Refrain from comments or actions that are disruptive, offensive, abusive, or racist. Behavior that constitutes harassment or abuse will not be tolerated by Sharks Ice.
• Do not block entrance gates to ice surface.

Skaters and Coaches

• Virtual lessons are now allowed at Sharks Ice at San Jose and Sharks Ice at Fremont
• A student taking a virtual lesson at our facility must be currently taking lessons from one of our staff coaches.
• A coach, applying to teach a virtual lesson must be approved by the Skating Director.
• Virtual lessons can only be conducted on a designated Freestyle session. In San Jose, any Freestyle session between the hours of 9am - 3pm. In Fremont, the
• Freestyle sessions between the hours of 7am – 9am, and the Monday 4:45 session.
• A student taking a virtual lesson can sign up for the Freestyle online but must also check-in at the front desk and pay the virtual lesson fee on the day of the lesson. The student will be given a wristband to wear during the virtual lesson.
• This wristband is the skaters’ proof that they are allowed to be doing a virtual lesson. Only 4 virtual lessons will be approved during a single session.
• In addition to the Freestyle ice fee, a $25.00 virtual lesson pro fee is to be paid by the skater receiving the lesson.  The virtual lesson fee must be paid on the day of the lesson.
• Phones must be placed in one of the four corners of the rink. If wearing a headset only one ear is allowed. Understanding the skater needs to hear the coach, the skater must also be able to hear surrounding sounds. 
• As with any session, safety is our upmost concern, and any unsafe behavior will not be tolerated. All FS rules must be followed. 

All complaints or suggestions must be submitted in writing, signed and mailed to:

Candy Goodson, Skating Director Sharks Ice
1500 S Tenth Street,
San Jose Ca. 95112

As a private facility, Sharks Ice and its Skating Department reserves the right to approve or deny any guest coach who seeks the opportunity to coach/instruct at a Sharks Ice facility. Allowances for guest coaches applies primarily to local competition weeks and/or test schedules. However, some exceptions* and special circumstances may be granted by the Sharks Ice Skating Director.

Any coach not affiliated with the Sharks Ice Skating Department, seeking the opportunity to guest coach/instruct within a Sharks Ice facility must contact the Skating Director at least seven (7) days in advance at cgoodson@sharksice.com. Upon approval and prior to their first ice session, a guest coach must stop at the Sharks Ice Administration Office and submit: 1) a current copy of their liability insurance and 2) $100 per day coaching fee. The guest coach will then receive a “guest coach” sticker that is to be worn on their jacket as proof they are compliant with all guest coach policies. Once in the facility, the guest coach agrees to follow the Sharks Ice freestyle rules and regulations. Failure to comply will result in the loss of guest coach privileges. *The Guest Coach protocol does not apply to coaches who are invited by the Skating Director to work special skating camps, academies, and related special appearances.

All customers/participant who enter the ice surface and participate must pay a fee AND check in at the front desk before your scheduled program. This includes private lesson participants (both hockey and skating). Proof of purchase can be either a computer generated receipt or a Sharks Ice admission sticker/wristband. Payment shall be made BEFORE each session has started.

If a customer is caught participating on a session without paying, the following will occur:

• FIRST OFFENSE: If a customer is caught participating without paying, he or she will be banned/bared/expelled from the building for a period of 60 days for the first offense. The 60 day ban will begin on the day of the offense. The offending customer will then be placed on the “Banned List” which will be posted at all 2 Sharks Ice and Oakland Ice locations.
• SECOND OFFENSE: If a customer is caught participating without paying for a second time, he or she will be banned for life from all two Sharks Ice and Oakland Ice facilities
• PRIVATE ICE COACHES: Any coach (independent contractor or employee) giving a lesson (hockey or figure skating) to a customer who has not paid will be suspended and/or terminated immediately without exception