VGK Skating Academy Parents Bond over Watching Kids Succeed

The Vegas Golden Knights Skating Academy presented by Atomic Golf is a place where families come together on the ice for 30-minute sessions to unite with their love in the rink. While the program is ever-growing, it continues to leave an impactful mark on the lives of the community it continues to create and build.

For Rachel Kiss, the Learn to Skate program is more than just a way to fill her sons’ afternoons. It’s where her family found community and where her children discovered confidence. For her, it is where she built relationships with other families.

Kiss is born and raised in Vegas. She witnessed firsthand just how the Golden Knights created a bond with the city and a sense of unity.

“We grew up with no team,” Kiss said. “We had nothing here, nothing to root for, so I feel like the Golden Knights have kind of made our community a community, really.”

As most parents find keyways to get their children involved with any extracurricular activities, Kiss’s dad first brought up the idea to bring her two sons, Wyatt and Sawyer, to the rink.

“My dad's a big cheerleader for my boys,” Kiss said. “He was the one who initially signed up my oldest son, and we haven't left since.”

Kiss’s oldest son Sawyer went through the program. After seeing the success he found personally and physically on the ice, Kiss and her husband knew immediately to put their youngest son, Wyatt, out on the ice. Currently, Wyatt is a regular in the Learn to Skate program. Watching him progress each week has become one of her greatest joys.

“My favorite thing is just watching them advance and become more comfortable on the ice,” Kiss said. “It’s like watching someone learn how to ride a bike, but better.”

The Learn to Skate program, which operates at City National Arena in Summerlin and America First Center in Henderson, offers 30-minute classes focused on building foundational skating skills. Kiss appreciates the way the program is structured, with short and achievable sessions that keep young kids motivated.

“This is great for the kids,” Kiss said. “I love them in skating and hockey. It’s good for them. I think it teaches them teamwork and discipline. I think it's fun for them and I know they love it.”

That sense of progression, along with personalized attention from coaches, makes the program feel both structured and intimate. Kiss especially appreciates the smaller classes where kids get more direct interaction. The framework of the focused sessions with small groups makes it easier for both kids and parents to stay engaged. Kiss values the more personable class sizes that allow for closer attention and bigger breakthroughs, not just on the ice, but emotionally.

“I love that 1 p.m. slot because they get a little more one-on-one time with the coaches,” Kriss said. “I think when kids are seen, they’re more inspired to keep going. Whether it’s music lessons or skating, that personal connection really makes a difference.”

Wyatt is not the only one who anticipates getting back onto the ice as soon as he skates off. The whole Kiss family looks forward to each session. Beyond watching her sons demonstrate their passion on the ice, Kiss has enjoyed becoming friends with other parents who have kids in the program. Connecting with other moms on the journey of parenthood is something dear to Kiss as she work with the Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance dedicated to helping people overcome the stress of parenthood. The positive impact the Skating Academy has on kids and parents is something Kiss points to as a way to bond over something fun.

“It is all about connecting with other moms and mental health around and just how hard it is in motherhood,” Kiss said. “I feel like the ice-skating rink has created a place for moms to come together and get to know each other.”

Kiss said that any parent on the fence about signing their kids up for skating programs should sign up because there’s no fear of failure and the benefits to the program make it so rewarding for the entire family.