To start into the sport of speed skating, only a minimum of equipment is required. The speed skates are supplied by our club, and are included in the membership fee. These supplied beginner level skates enable one to discover if they wish to continue in the sport, before investing in the purchase of speed skates. We also have rental skates, with Bont boots and blades, available to club members.   Some protective equipment is required for safety reasons:     * Hard-shell helmet: any style is acceptable, as long as the openings in it are not large enough for a skate blade to pass through. Hockey helmets and some bicycle helmets are suitable to start. Official speed skating helmets can be ordered from OSSA.     * Neck Protector: A bib-style neck protector that adequately covers the throat region. This can be purchased in sport stores, or ordered from OSSA.     * Knee Pads: Any type of knee pad, such as those used in soccer or in-line skating are acceptable. Official speed skating knee pads can be ordered from OSSA.     * Cut Resistant Gloves: Any glove which will protect the hand from possible blade-cut injuries is suitable.     * Shin guards: Shin pads are recommended, but not required for recreational skating (they are required for racing). They can be purchased at sport stores, or ordered from OSSA.   When planning your first practice, try to supply as much as the above equipment as possible. The club has some of these items available to borrow once or twice, but it would be best to contact the equipment manager in advance to assure availability. We also have much of the required equipment available to purchase.   Other Equipment:   Arena mats: To further ensure skater safety, much of the arena is lined with high-density foam pads, referred to as mats. These are present at all practices and competitions, to cushion any collisions with the arena boards. Clothing which enables free movement is all that is required to get started. Track pants and a comfortable, long-sleeve top (or tops in layers to be shed if too warm) are good when first beginning indoor skating. Avoid overly large or bulky clothing. Skaters who progress to competition level will usually dress in a comfortable and functional top and tights for skating or in the traditional "Skin Suit" which affords the minimum wind resistance and maximum mobility. Many recreational skaters find that a comfortable and functional outfit is a relatively snug fitting top combined with a pair of long, spandex tights. Skate guards are necessary to protect the blades from damage while walking between the dressing room and the ice surface. Please try to bring something suitable to practice, as these blades must be sharpened by hand! Special guards long enough for speed skates can be purchased from OSSA.   Equipment Manager: Don Clarke E-mail: acouchman@sympatico.ca   Equipment can be purchased at:  Ontario Speed Skating Association: 2 Queen Street P.O. Box 1179 Lakefield, Ontario K0L 2H0 Canada Phone: (705) 652-9490 Fax: (705) 652-1227 E-mail: nancy@ontariospeedskating.org Web: www.speedskatingontario.org