Kras Sport#
During several winters in the Netherlands, I had the joy of teaching ice skating at IJsbaan Haarlem for Kras Sport. Most of this took place during the holidays, when I gave lessons to both kids and adults. The holiday programs were especially funāthree days in a row of skating, twice a day, with a break for hot chocolate or lemonade.
Fig. 19 Children receiving certificate with the level of competence obtained#
Teaching kids how to skate was always lively and full of energy. I learned to keep things playful, clear, and safe, helping beginners feel confident and excited to learn. With adults, it was more about building trust and technique, and seeing their progress was just as rewarding. Every group was different, so I had to stay flexible, patient, and ready to adapt on the spot. It was a great mix of teaching, leading, and just sharing the joy of skatingādefinitely one of the highlights of my winters.
Although most of the hours at Kras Sport were spent on the ice, I also worked there during the summer months. I led group rides, where I guided adults in road cycling. Usually on Saturday morning there were longer rides of approximately 3 hours and also shorter lunch rides or training on the track in the summer. One of the highlights of this was the KrasXtra IJsselmeerronde, where we organized a 300km ride around the IJsselmeer lake in the Netherlands (Click here to view the activity on Strava).ā
Fig. 20 Kras Xtra IJsselmeerronde#
Skills obtained
This job allowed me to work while doing something that I really like and mainly taught me the following things:
Teaching & communication
Leadership
Patience