BPFSC – Black Panther Figure Skating Club

SAFSA – South African Figure Skating Association

SAFSA WP – the Western Province division of the South African Figure Skating Association

WPFSA – Western Province Figure Skating Association

Disciplines – The branches of figure skating includes: Solo, pairs, ice dance and synchronised skating

Private Lessons – One on one lessons with a professional/pro-am coach outside of the club

Skills – Once skaters begin private lessons, they will begin working towards obtaining their skills. Following the national system, there are 5 levels, and various skill levels are required to compete at certain National and International levels.

Solo – This is the most well known and easily recognisable branch of figure skating where skaters compete individually performing a routine with spins, jumps and artistic elements

Pairs – This discipline consists of a couple competing together, performing lifts, spins, jumps and artistic elements as part of their routine

Ice dance – This discipline consists of a couple competing together, performing lifts, spins and artistic elements as part of their routine

Synchronised skating – Often called “synchro”, this discipline consists of a team of individuals (usually 16), competing as a unit

New members can join via our website by filling in the registration form and submitting it online.

Monthly fees for skating members are R150 per month and the annual fee for non-skating members is R150 per annum.
A non-skating member must sign on when the skating member is below the age of 18.

The club’s monthly fee is R150 – this excludes the ice rinks weekly entry fee. Weekly entry to the rink is paid directly to the ice rink and is R37 per skater. 

We welcome all skaters from age 4 upwards and offer adult classes for anyone over the age of 18.

The club operates on a Saturday morning at 8:00-10:00. For more information regarding this, please check our “About” page or our social media .

For the first month, we allow our new members to wear all black if they have not acquired the club tracksuit. Following this first month the Black Panther tracksuit becomes a compulsory part of the club uniform. The tracksuit jacket and black t-shirt can be worn with any black pants, leggings or skirt.

We recommend wearing comfortable sportswear to allow for a full range of movement while skating.

The club tracksuit jacket can be purchased from the BPFSC desk or upstairs in the club office on Saturday mornings during club time.

Black Panther Figure Skating Club has many people who are eager to help you along your ice skating journey. We prefer that parents who have any questions or concerns address it with our committee members who will then direct you on how to deal with the matter from there.

If you currently have any questions you can contact the following people: secretary@bpfigureskating.co.za, chairperson@bpfigureskating.co.za, contact us on our BPFSC WhatsApp, or reach out to us via any of our social media pages (Facebook, Instagram or TikTok) and we will get back to you as soon as possible

Once a skater has reached Grade 5 (club level) they will be eligible to try out for the Synchro team.  Skaters with the required skills and capabilities will be invited to try out for the team, or can approach the team manager to discuss trying out for the team. Furthermore, trials will also be hosted annually.

Figure skating clubs teach the fundamentals of skating and set the foundation for the various disciplines. Once a skater has mastered the basics in their club grade lessons, they may look into having private lessons. These lessons are offered by professional/pro-am coaches during SAFSA ice time. In order to get private lessons during SAFSA ice time the skater must be a member of the SAFSA.

The club hosts competitions internally to select skaters to compete in the inter-club competition. We take part in two interclub competitions annually. These competitions allow you to test your skills and offer you the chance to evaluate yourself and get guidance on whether you a ready to be referred to a professional coach to compete at Provincial and National levels.

If you are ready you may approach the chairperson to further guide you on the process of becoming a SAFSA member, or you can consult with our head coach for advice. 

Grades testing is the measuring tool used in the club to test a skater’s ability and see if they have mastered all the skating elements they have been taught. If they have mastered all the skating elements in their grade, they will be moved to the next grade where they will learn new elements. These tests are done every few weeks to allow skaters sufficient time to master the elements through dedication and lots of practice.

Figure skating clubs teach the fundamentals of skating and set the foundation for the various disciplines. Once a skater has mastered the basics in their club grade lessons, they may look into having private lessons. These lessons are offered by professional/pro-am coaches during SAFSA ice time. In order to get private lessons during SAFSA ice time the skater must be a member of the SAFSA.

Private lessons allow skaters to train for their preferred discipline, choreograph and practice a routine, and obtain the required skills levels to compete on a Provincial, National and International  level.

Once you have reach grade 5 (club level) and you want to do figure skating competitively at a Provincial and/or National level you may approach the club head coach or Chairperson for assistance in this regard. For further guidance on becoming a SAFSA member, you can contact our chairperson, and for advice regarding private lessons you may also contact our head coach.

Yes! We particularly recommend doing this for young children who are still uncertain if they will enjoy skating or not. You can purchase second hand ice skates and competition dresses through the club.