How many coaches and why?

[Chico]

I have one coach and take two lessons a week. I find she keeps me very busy and I always have tons to work on. Many adults that I skate with have as many as three or four coaches and have lessons almost everytime they skate. Personally I don't understand this, don't they get too much to learn and practice? And, I've changed coaches before, don't they find all those different teaching styles difficult? Changing coaches always was hard for me this way. If anyone gets this could you explain it to me? Another thing, I had a friend start taking lessons with my coach, she already has three, because I'm making good progress with my coach. She told me this. I'm glad for my coach, more students are always good, but why in the heck can't she improve with the three coaches she had? What do you think?

[NickiT]

Just the one coach for me too. She's only the second coach I've ever had as original coach left to live in Chicago a year ago. I don't think I'd benefit from having more than one coach at a time. I can understand those who do both free and ice dance needing two coaches, but just doing one discipline I only need one coach. I admit though that it's useful to have the occasional lesson with a different coach just to get a different perspective.

Nicki

[TreSk8sAZ]

I am one of those skaters with a couple of different coaches. Coach A works with me on freestyle, dance, and choreography. Coach B works with me on MITF and freestyle. I've had 4, 1/2 hour lessons per week for the last year or so. I skate 5-6 days a week, 1-2 hours per day, so nowhere near all of the ice time that I'm on.

Why do I have two coaches? I used to only have Coach A. She's a great coach, but I was having problems with my MITF that she just couldn't seem to fix. She was unable to break them down in a way that I understood, and I started failing tests because she couldn't get me to give the judges what they wanted.

Coach B is the much more technical of the two. Both have the same philosophies about arm placement, checking, what's necessary for a good program, jump technique, spin technique, etc. However. Coach B takes everything and analyzes EVERYTHING. She breaks things down further than Coach A, so while I improve with both coaches, she cleans up things. Especially my MITF (actually, I only take these from Coach B now).

For example, my Nationals program. Coach A choreographed it, worked on it with me, and would always be the coach I ran it with. But Coach B would run sections with me, at one point working on my footwork where I was only allowed to do two edges. If I didn't toe scratch, I could move to the next step. That freed up Coach A to work on the overall presentation and flow of the program.

While I always have plenty to work on from one coach, the input that both coaches have makes me a better overall skater. The different empahsis' that they place on parts of my skating complements each other, rather that working against each other. I just needed that extra perspective.

I don't know if this helps explain why people do have more than one coach or multiple lessons. Just my viewpoint!

[jp1andOnly]

I have 2 coaches. I feel they compliment eachother. Each has a slightly different way of explaining things and one of the ways is bound to make sense to me. My one coach is more technical whereas my other is more encouraging. One is better at footwork, the other at putting programs together.

Having too many coaches and no time to train yourself is a BIG problem all across NOrth AMerica. It's no wonder we lag behind many of the other countries. Look at a international competition, especailly with younger skaters (say junior) NA skaters do a jump, come back to the boards, discuss with coach, do again, repeat, get a pep talk. Other skaters, especially the Russian skaters don't do that.

It's a society issue which leads to overcoaching. Skaters don't no what to do with their free time on the ice. Happens in school, outside of schol, etc. Everything is planned out for them and scheduled. Give them freetime to do whatever and they are lost. You have to spoonfeed them what to do. We have to stop overscheduling everyone and let kids figure things out for themselves, especailly problem solving skills.

[AndreaUK]

I have one coach and one lesson per week, the other sessions on the ice are used to practice practice practice. I am given enough stuff during my lesson to work on and being an adult beginner I dont want to confuse myself or try to run before I can walk. Id rather take my time and get something right before moving onto the next step for which by the I will be better prepared

Andrea xx

[beachbabe]

I just have one coach mainly because i'm very happy with her and she is only my second coach now (my old coach taught me a moves patters incorrectly)


I don't do any other disciplines and we get along well together which is very important to me. I jsut don't feel I really need another coach. I usually have 2 lessons a week so definately not every time I'm on the ice.

[Chico]

Well...I sorta get it. I understand the freestyle and dance issue anyway. Like mentioned by some, I like having one good all around coach for lessons and tons of time to practice. I guess everyone is different and if you have the time and money it's up to the skater. Thanks. =-)

Chico

[jazzpants]

I have two coaches b/c I like the different perspective describing the same thing (whether it's a spin, jump, or moves element...) In this case, they teach at the same rink and they get along great! They are mindful of trying to keep things sounding consistent so it does NOT come off as two conflicting messages. Lucky for me, they do have the similar techniques (just different ways of saying the same things.)

And no, I only take each of them once a week (so each coach gets a turn with me weekly.) And I DO practice their stuff when they're not coaching me.

[JulieN]

At one point I was working with 5 different coaches!

Dance coach -- she's been my primary coach for almost 10 years now!
Male dance coach -- to partner my tests
Synchro coach -- I skate on a synchro team
Freestyle coach -- currently on hiatus...
Couple dance coach -- when I had a partner, he didn't want to use my dance coach so we had a separate coach for the team. At one point we were working with 2 coaches! This is on hiatus too.

[Evelina]

I have one coach and take 3 lessons a week, 45 mins long. I skate 5 days a week at the moment so I get a lot of time to practice. I find that having one coach works for me, I always have a lot to practice, my coach really pushes me so there is always something I can be improving.

[doubletoe]

I currently skate 6-7 hours a week, of which approximately 1-1/2 hours is lesson time.

Coach #1: Main coach (freestyle). I have two 20-minute lessons with him every week (although these days they've become 30 minute lessons, since we have a lot to work on). We work on my program as well as individual elements like jumps and spins. I like him as my main coach because we have great chemistry and he's good at problem-solving. He knows how to break things down technically for me so that I get the physics of an element and understand the cause and effect relationships around it.

Coach #2: Moves-in-the-field only. Right now I'm only working with her for 20 minutes once every other week, but when I was having to learn a full set of 6 new moves, it was 20-30 minutes every week. My main coach doesn't really like coaching MIF but this coach specializes in MIF and is up on exactly what our judges consider passing level on each test so she's perfect. She's also cheaper than my main coach.

Coach #3: I just started taking a 30-minute lesson once a week with an ice dancer whose forte is choreography and expression. I will probably only take lessons with her for a few months, or as long as it takes for me to nail down the arm and upper body movements in my new program, as well as any little changes to the choreography we might need to make. This is the first time I have ever worked with someone like this, but now that I am at Gold level, I can no longer get by with the stiff arms and lack of upper body movement that characterized my skating in Bronze and Silver. My main coach doesn't quite cut it in this department because he is a man and could not really teach me the open, expressive feminine style that I want to adopt.

[jenlyon60]

I work with 2 coaches. Both complement each other.

I do 3 lessons/week with Primary coach, working on Silver/Pre-Gold dances. This lets us divide things up so each dance gets approx. equal time. After Pro-Am, primary coach will be doing choreo/coaching for my Tango OD for Lake Placid, plus 2nd eye for my European Waltz for Placid.

I do 1 lesson/week with coach #2. She is very technique oriented and when I am stuck on something with coach #1, she can usually explain the same thing in different words and it makes sense. When in last throes of test/competition prep, when I'm doing lots of patterns with coach #1, I will usually work to schedule a "dual" lesson so coach #2 can provide 3rd set of eyes feedback on things that coach #1 may not notice when I'm skating with him (often things that I do a bit differently in the pair than in solo work).

I get about 2 to 2 1/2 hours practice extra outside of the lesson time (almost 1:1), maybe a bit more some weeks.

I also do 2 90-minute personal training sessions each week with a strength and conditioning coach who has a strong background in working with skaters (both hockey and figure skaters). This has helped my skating immensely in the 4 months I've been working with him.

I would like to find a way to do Pilates once a week, but the pocketbook doesn't have space.

[Kristin]

I have one coach and take two lessons a week. I find she keeps me very busy and I always have tons to work on. Many adults that I skate with have as many as three or four coaches and have lessons almost everytime they skate. Personally I don't understand this, don't they get too much to learn and practice? And, I've changed coaches before, don't they find all those different teaching styles difficult? Changing coaches always was hard for me this way.

The only time I change coaches is when there is a time conflict (aka they are not a morning person & it is hard for them to show up). I have a tendency to stick with the same coach for a very long time once I find one.

Right now I have 2 coaches: one for FS/FM's & one for ice dance & my lessons are generally short (20 min.). I have a hard time with more than 3 lessons/week because, as you mentioned, you have to find time to practice. To each his own, I guess!

[phoenix]

I have 1 coach, & I take 2 half-hour lessons a week. If I could afford to take more, I would. If I ever get my act together & go for my next moves test, I'd probably work a few times w/ a different coach, just so as not to waste the time w/ the main coach.

I skate 6 days a week totalling about 7.5 hours.

[flying~camel]

I have 1 coach (for FS & MIF) and usually get 1, 10-15 minute lesson every week.

I usually only skate 2, 40-minute sessions per week (there isn't much ice available when I'm not @ work), but, in the summer, I'm planning on skating 40 mins on Wednesdays, 2 hours on Saturdays and 1 hour on Sundays.

[Mel On Ice]

currently or total?

I currently have one coach, Mary Sue, a special brand of know-it-all, since she is a master at dance, MIF and freestyle. She's a yooper, and skated, by the sounds of it, nonstop from birth to 22. Flying~camel can attest to her credentials. She was my first coach and my current coach.

I went through a handful of coaches when I first moved to St. Louis. My first coach, Cheryl, was amazing. We skated at a tiny rink at the crossroads of a major highway, and usually had the rink to ourselves for 2 hours of an open skate. She usually only charged me a half hour for 2 hours of fun on the ice. That ended in disaster when she injured her back and was told she couldn't skate any longer. She came back to teach her daughter from the sideboards, but even that got to be too much.

Then there was Randi, a mistake in age and doing-too-much-with-too-little time. She was a star soccer player and my lessons were forgotten/tossed aside when the season started. Stood up one too many times, I felt like a heel for firing a 16 year old, but she sounded remorseful yet relieved when I released her from her duties.

Mandy - I loved her and worked with her for many years. She got me through my ISI freestyle tests, bronze MIF and free tests. She got me the loop, it is my regret I wasn't able to land but one flip for her in 4 years.

Heather - synchro coach who laughed at my spin faces, t-shirts and frustration.

[LoopLoop]

I have two coaches, and a 20-minute lesson with each of them once a week. I've been taking from Coach #1 for a few years, and he's good at choreography, program stuff and jump technique. I added Coach #2 last year. They team-teach pretty much all the time, and I find Coach #2 can give more detailed analysis and suggestions. Also he's a much better spin coach than #1.

[garyc254]

Mandy - I loved her and worked with her for many years. She got me through my ISI freestyle tests, bronze MIF and free tests. She got me the loop, it is my regret I wasn't able to land but one flip for her in 4 years.

You're right Mel. Mandy is terrific. I had her teach several of the group lessons I took.

When I started skating I had two coaches. Because of my work hours vs. rink schedule, I had to get lessons when I could. My main coach could only squeeze me in on Monday evenings, so I had a second coach for an early morning Saturday lesson. I would also take a group lesson during the week. All at different rinks.

So I've had many coaches and appeciate the different ways they had me approach elements.

If I were a surgeon, I wouldn't want just one surgeon to teach me. I'd want to learn as many possible ways as I could to get the job done.

8-)

[flying~camel]

I currently have one coach, Mary Sue, a special brand of know-it-all, since she is a master at dance, MIF and freestyle. She's a yooper, and skated, by the sounds of it, nonstop from birth to 22. Flying~camel can attest to her credentials. She was my first coach and my current coach.
She just told me last week that she's been skating in some way, shape or form for 39 years now 8O

If we're talking about lifetime coaches, I've had 6 different freestyle/figures/MIF/dance coaches (5 of those were from when I was ages 12-18) and 3 synchro coaches ;)

As much as I love Mary Sue, I still really miss Heather - my favorite coach from when I was a kid (and also still a really good friend!).

[techskater]

I am another with one coach who is a special brand of know-it-all (but NOT the GGR folks' Mary Sue!). My coach teaches FS, Moves, Dance and figures along with choreography and power. Now and then, she'll send me to someone for choreo for a different perspective.

She's been around this sport in one way shape or form (competitor or coach) for longer than she'd every care to admit...:P

[singerskates]

At the present until June, my coach is unavailable to me because he is coaching at a different spring skating school who's session times are exactly at the same time as my club's session times.

When he comes in June to coach me, I will have two 15 minute lessons a week until the end of June. Then because of my asthma I'm taking the summer off from skating for myself. I will be at the arena to run the music system and to take orders to edit and remaster skating music during the summer. I'll be back on the ice in the fall.

[quarkiki2]

My private coach is also my Synchro coach, then I take a MIF class with another coach. I've been doing this for two years now and like the way it works. Because I'm a beginning-ish skater, my private coach and I spend a lot of time working on the synchro footwork -- at least until I was comfortable enough with it that I wanted to return to working on my other elements. This spring we've been working a lot on my one-foot-almost-scratch spin and 1/2 and single jumps.

In the MIF class, we do a lot of stuff from the pre-pre test ad preliminary test. (Adult pre-bronze and Bronze, relatively). My stroking and power have improved greatly from this class, yay!

[Skate@Delaware]

Last season I had 3 coaches, group, dance and private freestyle. This year I will have just two-private freestyle and dance. My group conflicted too much with my private, plus I was beyond the level of the class.

[Kelli]

I have two coaches, because after almost a year and a half, my primary coach and I were sick of banging our heads (or bodies, in the case of the first moves pattern) against the wall with my novice moves. Started with second coach once a week for moves, passed novice three months later, and stayed with her as well as my primary coach for moves. They work together a lot, and make it a point to discuss their joint students outside of lessons. And I take a group ice dance class, so I sort of have another coach through that, but I don't take private dance lessons at this point.