Youth Speed Skating: Ages, Clubs, Costs and Short Track Safety Gear

This article contains affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

Your kid watched Jordan Stolz win Olympic gold on TV, and now they’re crouched on the living-room floor, hands behind their back, “skating” in socks. The good news: speed skating is easy to try. The first club session usually looks like a line of small helmets following a coach around the corners of a hockey rink, then games, then a few short races. This guide to youth speed skating is for parents: when kids can start, how club programs work, what it costs, the safety gear short track requires (cut-resistant clothing, helmets, shin guards and neck guards), concussion, rest and the questions parents ask most.

When can kids start speed skating?

There’s no single starting age. Many kids first learn to glide, stop and fall safely in Learn to Skate USA classes, the program US Speedskating endorses along with U.S. Figure Skating and USA Hockey; its Snowplow Sam levels are designed for children under 6, and its Basic Skills levels build the edges and crossovers every speed skater needs. From there, a speed skating club takes over.

US Speedskating groups skaters under 13 as “youth,” with the focus on fun and local and regional meets. In short track, the youngest racing division is Junior E, ages 7 to 10 (age is counted as of July 1 before the competition), then Junior D (11–12), Junior C (13–14), Junior B (15–16) and Junior A (17–18). For Junior E, US Speedskating created the “Devo track,” a shorter course that keeps the full-size turns, so young skaters get real races while the emphasis stays “on skills, racing strategies, speed, and fun, rather than time records.”

How club programs work

US Speedskating lists just over 60 ice speed skating clubs on its Find a Club map, many at local hockey-size rinks; long track needs a 400 m oval, such as the Utah Olympic Oval in Kearns. Clubs serve both recreational and competitive skaters. US Speedskating has even partnered with SPIDERfit Kids on play-based activities for coaches, part of its focus on “physical literacy,” the confidence and skills to stay active for life.

Racing starts small. Local and regional meets are run by clubs, sometimes in a couple of hours during a weekly practice, and newcomers are often grouped by ability rather than age. Age Group Nationals is the usual first national meet. No inline rink or ice rink nearby? US Speedskating points families to USA Roller Sports inline clubs, where Olympians Apolo Ohno, Jen Rodriguez and Eddy Alvarez started.

What does it cost?

US Speedskating memberships run July 1 to June 30. A 1st Year membership is $55 and covers local and regional racing; Club Competitor/Recreational is $80; National Competitor, needed for national meets, is $140; and a Family membership is $260. On top of that come club dues and ice time, coaching, meet entry fees, travel, and gear as your skater outgrows loaners. Learn to Skate USA has its own membership ($20 a season) plus the rink’s class fees. Ask your club what’s included and whether it lends skates, helmets and suits.

Short track safety gear, piece by piece

Short track blades are long and sharp, races are close, and falls are part of learning. That’s why the rules are strict, and why parents should take them seriously from day one. US Speedskating requires every member to wear full-body cut-resistant protection, either built into the skinsuit or as separate underwear, and follows the ISU’s equipment rule. Here’s the kit:

• Cut-resistant suit or base layer: for 2025-26, at least a Level 2 cut-resistant suit is required at Age Group Nationals (Level 3 highly recommended) and Level 2 is highly recommended at club and regional meets. Selection races for older skaters require Level 3. Check the cut level on the label.
• Helmet: a hard-shell helmet that meets the current ASTM standard for short track (ASTM F1849), with a regular shape and no protrusions, properly strapped. Bike and hockey helmets aren’t the same thing. A 2024 review found two studies in which short track helmets performed poorly compared with helmets from other sports, so fit matters: snug, level, strap buckled.
• Neck guard: cut-resistant, covering the whole neck.
• Shin guards and knee pads: shin protection plus padded or hard-shell knee protection. An elite short track survey found lacerations from the knee down were among the most common on-ice injuries.
• Cut-resistant gloves: required, and mostly white at bigger meets. In a fall, hands can end up near other skaters’ blades.
• Eye protection: shatter-resistant glasses or a full visor, ideally with a strap.
• Skates: blade ends must be rounded and the tubes closed. Ask the coach to check blades and mounting.

For a first set of your own gear, the LAND Glacier youth short track helmet (about $95) is listed as tested to ASTM F1849-23, the Bauer NLP21 neck guard (about $20) comes in a youth size for necks 10 to 14 inches, and Bont’s cut-resistant gloves (about $20) start at size XS. Long track skaters race in lanes, so the ISU lists helmets and pads as allowed rather than required in individual races, but mass starts require safety gear and many clubs set their own rules. Our speed skating gear guide covers skates and suits.

Starting on wheels? Inline racers wear helmets too (USA Roller Sports requires approved helmets in competition), and pads help while learning. The Pro-Tec Classic Certified helmet (about $63) is certified to ASTM F1447 for roller skating, and the Triple Eight Saver Series 3-Pack (about $50) covers knees, elbows and wrists. More in our roller skating guide.

Falls, cuts and concussion

Falls are part of short track: in a study of international races, about 7% of the Canadian team’s crashes led to an injury. Any cut through clothing needs checking, and a cut that gapes or keeps bleeding needs medical care. For head bumps, follow the CDC’s HEADS UP approach: watch for a child who looks dazed or confused or is slow to react, and listen for headache, dizziness, balance problems, sensitivity to light or noise, or trouble concentrating. When in doubt, sit them out for the rest of the day, and don’t let them return until a health care provider says it’s OK. Call 911 for danger signs such as a headache that gets worse, repeated vomiting, a seizure, slurred speech or a child who can’t be woken. Our speed skating injuries page has more.

How much skating is too much?

Speed skating is built on a deep crouch, and back pain is the most common complaint in the research: a 2024 review found seasonal back-pain complaints in up to 84% of competitive skaters. For young athletes in any sport, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests at least 1 to 2 days off a week and 2 to 3 months off a year from their main sport, taken in one-month blocks, and increasing training only gradually. Playing other sports helps too. Pain that lasts, changes how a child skates or wakes them at night needs a sports medicine doctor or physical therapist. See the speed skating training page for age-appropriate off-ice work.

Safe sport: what parents should know

US Speedskating is part of the US Olympic and Paralympic Movement, so abuse and misconduct can be reported to the U.S. Center for SafeSport, anonymously if needed, or to US Speedskating’s sport safety contact. Adult members aged 18 and over need a valid SafeSport certification. Ask your club how it handles one-on-one coaching, travel and electronic messages with minors.

More for families: the speed skating hub, the rules in plain words, clubs, memberships and competitions, and our youth figure skating and youth hockey guides if your skater is still choosing.

Parents’ questions about youth speed skating

What age is best to start speed skating?

Kids can learn basic skating in Learn to Skate USA classes from preschool age, and US Speedskating’s youngest short track racing division, Junior E, is ages 7 to 10. Many skaters start later, including teens and adults, and still race.

Is short track safe for kids?

Falls happen, but youth racing uses padded boards, coaches and required protective gear: an ASTM short track helmet, cut-resistant suit, gloves and neck guard, shin and knee protection and eye protection. Make sure every piece fits and is worn every session.

Do kids need cut-resistant suits for practice?

US Speedskating requires full-body cut-resistant protection for its members. A Level 2 suit is the minimum at Age Group Nationals and highly recommended at club meets. Ask your club about its practice rules and loaner suits.

Can my child use a hockey or bike helmet?

For short track racing, the helmet must meet the current ASTM short track standard and have a regular shape with no protrusions. Ask your club before practice; some lend approved helmets to beginners.

How much does youth speed skating cost?

Memberships start at $55 to $80 a season with US Speedskating, then club dues, ice time, coaching, meet fees and gear. Ask about loaner equipment to keep the first season affordable.