ABOUT THE CLUB

We're proud to say the Vancouver Speed Skating Club has been serving the community for over 40 years!

Founded in 1980 by Trudy Brabander as the Kitsilano Speed Skating Club, the club was renamed the Vancouver Speed Skating Club in 2005. Our home base is Kitsilano Rink in beautiful Vancouver, BC, Canada!

Our society is VSSC, and our team name is Vancouver Velocity – in 2006, the club had a team naming competition and selected Velocity as its team name.

Our program offers short track speed skating and welcomes skaters of all ages and abilities – from children to adults, recreational to competitive, and Special Olympians. We are governed and supported by Speed Skating British Columbia (SSBC) and Speed Skating Canada (SSC). Miss604 also wrote a nice article that explains a lot about the club and its program. Learn more about our program offerings.

The club is fortunate to have a club room inside Kitsilano Rink which is our equipment hub and skate sharpening room. Enormous thanks to the Vancouver Park Board for their support!

About the Club

The Vancouver Velocity Speed Skating Club (VVSSC) is a dynamic and inclusive organization dedicated to fostering enjoyment and excellence in speed skating in the city of Vancouver. As a multigenerational community-driven club, VVSSC provides athletes of all ages and abilities with opportunities to develop their skills, build confidence, and experience the joy of speed skating in a supportive and welcoming environment.

VVSSC offers structured programs led by experienced coaches, focusing on technical development, competitive readiness, and a lifelong passion for skating. Whether introducing newcomers to the ice or guiding high-performance athletes toward their goals, we emphasize teamwork, sportsmanship, personal growth, and excellence on and off the ice.

Beyond the rink, VVSSC plays an active role in strengthening the speed skating community by hosting events, collaborating with Speed Skating BC and Special Olympics BC, and promoting an active, healthy lifestyle. Our club values diversity, accessibility, and a spirit of camaraderie—ensuring that speed skating remains a sport for everyone.

Our Vision

To be a leading speed skating club in BC, inspiring Vancouver-based athletes of all ages and abilities to strive toward excellence, fostering a lifelong love for the sport, and building a strong, inclusive community.

Our Mission

The Vancouver Velocity Speed Skating Club is dedicated to developing and promoting speed skating by providing high-quality coaching, inclusive programming, and a supportive, fun team environment. We empower skaters— whether recreational, competitive, or high-performance—to achieve their personal best while fostering teamwork, sportsmanship, and an ethos of giving back.

Our Values

SERVICE We are generous with each other and give back to our community.
LEADERSHIP We inspire innovation, growth, and responsibility.
INTEGRITY We uphold respect, fairness, and sportsmanship.
COMMUNITY We create a friendly, fun environment where everyone feels welcomed and included.
EXCELLENCE We strive to do our best in the sport, both on and off the ice.
SAFETY We prioritize the well-being of our skaters and community.

Coaching Philosophy

Collaborate, Accelerate, Elevate!

Speed skating is primarily an individual sport, but you can’t do it on your own. As a team, we encourage and support one another — to get stronger, faster, better. When we work together, we improve together.

In speed skating, there is always something to work on. We want our athletes to develop a growth-oriented mindset and know that results will come with patience and disciplined effort. Part of success is simply appreciating how far we’ve come.

We provide an enjoyable and inclusive environment where the opportunity for learning and development is open to everyone, regardless of age, ability, or reasons for being in the sport.

Our Framework

VSSC follows the Speed Skating Canada Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model, which stresses the need for an individualized approach to developing young skaters, guided by biological maturation and not chronological age. This framework is based on the physical, mental, emotional, and cognitive development of children and adolescent skaters. Read the full LTAD framework here.

A Leader in Inclusivity

All genders are welcome to short track speed skating. The sport has great integration with mixed competitions and relays. We are also extremely proud of our Special Olympics skaters who train and practice together. Our SO group is the largest speed skating group in BC!

In 2020, June Lum, our Special Olympics liaison, won a Community Sport Champions award from the City of Vancouver for her tireless work engaging Special Olympics athletes and helping them fall in love with the sport. Watch the award video about June below!