United Skate Schools Group Takes Over Instructor Duties

Industry News

United Skate Schools Group Takes Over Instructor Duties

USA Fit Bows Out But Plans to Try Again With Inline Training Program

By Robert "Just the Factoids" Burnson

The United Skate Schools Group (USSG) has taken over the job of managing inline skate instructors.

The California-based membership organization announced today that it will provide instructors with insurance and a certification programs. It will also manage the Internet-based instructors directory.

Before disbanding in Dec. 2004, the International Inline Skating Association (IISA) assigned the job of managing instructors to USA Fit, a North American marathon training organization for runners and walkers.

USA Fit was able to quickly post a web-based instructors directory. It also provided liability insurance to inline instructors.

But it never managed to put together an instructors certification program.

The USSG, which formed earlier this year, soon filled the gap. It began offering insurance to skate schools, and it started certifying new instructors last summer.

Under an agreement announced today, it will take over all instructor-related reponsibilities from USA Fit.

But USA Fit will not completely abandon skaters.

It will try again to graft its successful marathon training model onto the inline world.

USA Fit has training programs for runners and walkers in more than 40 cities in the United States and Canada.

It tried its first inline marathon training program last spring in San Francisco. But it abandoned the effort after only a handful of skaters signed up.

It recently announced its second inline program: Austin Inline Fit.

The program will prepare skaters for the Texas Road Rash and Disney World inline marathons.

(Posted on Nov. 28, 2005)