The Ithaca Youth Bureau (IYB), established in 1948, is a public multi-service agency dedicated to promoting the health, happiness, and well-being of all youth and families in the greater Ithaca area. Serving more than 7,500 youth annually, aged 0-20 years, IYB offers a broad variety of recreation and youth development programs.
The Ithaca Youth Bureau strives to provide youth with the tools they need to build a successful life for themselves and change the world for the better. IYB staff have been building and strengthening partnerships across the community to provide participants and families with the supports and opportunities they need to thrive! IYB believes that all citizens can be physically, mentally and spiritually healthy, and socially and civically engaged.
Volunteers are a vital and powerful part of IYB programs. There are opportunities to mentor, lead, coach, and more....
Recreation Division: Year-Round Programming
The Ithaca Youth Bureau Recreation Division offers year-round recreation programming to Ithaca-area youth and families. Sports, lessons, camps, special events and more are offered.
The Recreation Partnership, a collaboration of 10 municipalities in Tompkins County, supports many of these programs and helps keep fees affordable for all!
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We provide programs that create safe, skill-based recreational opportunities which offer participants the chance to make lasting friendships & develop independence.
Cass Park, Rink and Pool are programs of the Ithaca Youth Bureau which provide valuable health and recreation activities for residents of Ithaca and Tompkins County year-round with 32 playing fields, 2 playgrounds, waterfront and fitness trails, and tennis courts in addition to the rink and pool facilities.
Cass Park Rink is a standard size, recently enclosed ice rink that has been serving the greater Ithaca community since November 1972.
Learn To Skate
Youth Development: Realizing Full Potential
Our Youth Development staff and volunteers work together to provide a variety of mentoring and skills development opportunities to help youth realize their full potential.
We believe that the key to success in all of our programs is building strong relationships between youth and caring adults.IYB helps prepare youth to live successful lives as adults by providing a variety of recreation and youth development opportunities that will help youth develop to their full potential.
Read also: Nurturing Hockey Stars in Westfield
IYB lends support to discouraged youth who are struggling to find their place in the world. IYB helps our program participants understand that all people have a place in this world and together we can create a better tomorrow.
Skating Lessons at Cass Park
Cass Park offers two series of lessons. Series 1 begins at the end of October or the 1st week of November. Series 2 starts early or mid-January. Lessons take place throughout the week at various times.
All Tot and Child lessons are 25 minutes in length unless otherwise noted and all Adult-only classes will be 30 minutes. Registrations for lessons can be done online if you already have a verified account or by phone through the Ithaca Youth Bureau, 607-273-8364. The limit in most classes will be 6 this season.
PLEASE NOTE: Tots & Beginner classes will require a helmet for participation. For all other levels, a helmet is strongly recommended. Lessons do not require figure skates - hockey skates are permitted. Speed skates and double blade skates will not be permitted.
For this season, we will provide free skate rental for each lesson for any lesson participants who do not have their own skates. Parents and caregivers of minor participants are required to remain at the rink and available to their participant for the duration of the lesson. Participants may be excused from the class if their behavior is inappropriate or poses a safety risk to themselves or others.
Read also: West Fargo Hockey Program
Cancellations: If a lesson is cancelled, the lesson is NOT guaranteed to be made up. An effort will be made to make up a maximum of 1 lesson / class but will be dependent on staff availability and public session capacity.
Class Descriptions
A brief description of our classes offered is below. More information about lessons and series are available on Community Pass.
- TOTS (ages 3-5): Skills taught in these lessons include: improving balancing and marching, gliding on 2 feet, proper pushing technique, beginning snow plow stop, forward and backward swizzles, backward wiggles, and 2 foot hop. *A helmet will be required for participation.
- TOTS 1: Adult & Tot - for toddlers with little or no previous skating experience.
- TOTS 2: For toddlers who have had some prior skating experience in balancing and marching forward without assistance.
- CHILDREN (ages 6-15):
- BEGINNER 1: For children with little or no previous skating experience. Skills taught in these classes include: balancing, marching, basic forward skating, 2 foot glide, 1 foot glide, forward swizzle, backward swizzle, backward wiggle, beginning snow plow stop. *A helmet will be required for participation.
- BEGINNER 2: Skills taught in these classes include: basic forward skating, pushing, 2 foot glide, 1 foot glide, forward swizzle, backward swizzle, backward skating, beginning snow plow stop, and forward crossovers. *A helmet will be required for participation. NOTE: Children who have previous skating experience and are comfortable standing and skating forward on their own can skip Beginner 1 and sign up for Beginner 2.
- ADVANCED BEGINNER: For child skaters who have mastered the skills taught / listed in Beginner 2. Skills taught in these classes include: strong forward and backward skating, forward crossovers, 2-foot turns, snow-plow stop, hockey stop, beginning 2-foot spin, bunny hop, and beginning backwards crossovers.
- INTERMEDIATE: For child skaters who have mastered the skills taught / listed in Advanced Beginner. Skills taught in these classes include: advanced forward and backward skating, advanced forward crossovers, backward crossovers, 3-turns, forward edges, and t-stop. Additionally, for those ready, any of the following: spiral, lunge, 1 foot spin, and waltz jump.
- ADULT & CHILD SPECIALTY CLASSES:
- Adult & Tot / Child Beginner Pair Lessons: Learn to skate with your child (minimum 3 years old). 25 minute joint lesson with other adult & tot/child pairs, minimum of 3 pairs per class to run. NOTE: Adult and child must be in lessons together.
- Adult & Tot (Toddlers Ages 3-5 w/ Adult): This class is for adults with children ages 3-5 who have little to no previous skating experience. Skills taught in these lessons include: balancing and marching, gliding on 2 feet, beginning snow plow stop, forward and backward swizzles, backward wiggles, and 2 foot hop. *A helmet will be required for children’s participation.
- Adult & Child Beginner (Children Ages 6-10 w/ Adult): This class is for adults with children ages 6-10 with some previous skating experience in balancing and skating forward. Skills taught in these classes include: basic forward skating, pushing, 2 foot glide, 1 foot glide, forward swizzle, backward swizzle, backward skating, beginning snow plow stop, and forward crossovers. *A helmet will be required for children’s participation.
- Adult & Child Advanced Beginner: (Children Ages 7-13 w/ Adult): This class is for adults with children ages 7-13 who have mastered the skills taught in Adult & Child Beginner. Skills taught in these classes include: strong forward and backward skating, forward crossovers, 2-foot turns, snow-plow stop, hockey stop, beginning 2-foot spin, bunny hop, and beginning backwards crossovers.
- Foundations of Figure Skating (Individual Skaters, Ages 8+, 30 min class): For those who have mastered the skills taught in Intermediate and have a strong interest in figure skating. Skills taught in these classes include: advanced backward crossovers, advanced forward and backward edges, outside and inside 3-turns, forward and back spirals, advanced 1-foot spin, advanced Waltz jump and other single jumps. NOTE: Figure skates are required for this class.
- Adult & Tot / Child Beginner Pair Lessons: Learn to skate with your child (minimum 3 years old). 25 minute joint lesson with other adult & tot/child pairs, minimum of 3 pairs per class to run. NOTE: Adult and child must be in lessons together.
- ADULTS (ages 16 & up):
- Adult Beginner: This class is for ages 16+ with little or no previous skating experience. Skills taught in these classes include: basic forward skating, pushing, 2 foot glide, 1 foot glide, forward swizzle, backward swizzle, backward skating, beginning snow plow stop, and forward crossovers.
- Adult Advanced Beginner: This class is for adults ages 16+ who have mastered the skills taught in Adult Beginner. Skills taught in these classes include: strong forward and backward skating, forward crossovers, 2-foot turns, snow-plow stop, hockey stop, beginning 2-foot spin, bunny hop, and beginning backwards crossovers.
- Adult Intermediate: This class is for adults ages 16+ who have mastered the skills taught in Adult Advanced Beginner. Skills taught in these classes include: advanced forward and backward skating, advanced forward crossovers, backward crossovers, 3-turns, forward edges, and t-stop.
IYHA Season Registration
Welcome to the IYHA Season Registration 2022-2023! This registration session will allow you to complete contact information, sign up for participation, and submit payment.
Each player must register first with USA Hockey and then return to this Registration Session to signup for the 2022-2023 Season.
Step 1: CLICK HERE to go to USA Hockey Registration and register your player(s). Be sure to PRINT and SAVE their confirmation code(s). Remember to register EACH of your players with USA Hockey. NOTE: Please register with your player's legal name as it appears on their birth certificate.
