MUSCAT: The Oman Skating Sports Committee is offering a diverse range of summer training programmes aimed at promoting skating culture, introducing young people to the sport under its umbrella and developing potential talent for the national teams.
Organised in cooperation with several institutions, companies and sports facilities, the programmes provide enthusiasts and beginners with structured opportunities to learn skating in a safe training environment. They also form part of the committee’s efforts to establish a clear development pathway that enables participants to progress from recreational skating to competitive levels.
The summer ice-skating programmes are being conducted in cooperation with Snow Oman at the Mall of Oman and the skating rink at Al Seeb Boulevard. The sessions have attracted children, juniors and young people of both genders who are eager to learn the fundamentals of skating.
Through these programmes, the committee encourages participants to explore ice hockey and other sports under its supervision. Promising skaters may later join more advanced preparation programmes, strengthening their prospects of representing the national teams.
The training programme is divided into beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. Participants begin by learning basic balance, movement and skating techniques before progressing towards the specialised disciplines adopted by the committee.
Eng Saud bin Nasser al Aufi, Chairman of the Oman Skating Sports Committee, said the growing public response reflects the increasing popularity of skating sports in Oman.
“Since the committee was established in 2014, we have continued to make steady progress. We are committed to embracing all sports connected with skating. We began with ice hockey, followed by roller hockey and speed skating, while skateboarding is among the disciplines we plan to introduce in the future,” he said.
Al Aufi explained that every discipline begins with developing a participant’s passion and teaching them the fundamentals of skating, whether on ice or wheels.
“The summer period provides an excellent opportunity for our children and young people to become involved in skating. The variety of programmes currently available, particularly ice sports, attracts considerable interest during the hot summer months,” he added.
He thanked the companies and skating facilities cooperating with the committee to implement its programmes and expressed hope that the committee would eventually have a dedicated venue built according to international standards.
“Having our own facility would represent a long-term investment in future generations. Participation in skating sports is increasing, but the financial support available remains limited,” he said.
Al Aufi noted that skating equipment, training programmes and participation in competitions require significant expenditure. The growing number of disciplines operating under the committee also creates additional organisational and financial challenges.
“We hope that private-sector companies will support our efforts to improve the quality of the programmes, expand the participant base and raise the technical standard of our athletes. We believe that continuous effort will ultimately deliver positive results,” he said.
He expressed appreciation to skating enthusiasts and families for their continued support.
Although skating disciplines remain relatively specialised sports in Oman, the increasing interest among young people, along with the gradual development of technical and administrative structures, has helped them gain greater popularity. The committee aims to build on this momentum and achieve its long-term development objectives in the coming years.
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