Skating/Rink Etiquette...what is it?

[lovepairs]

Rink Etiquette (sp?) would be having a system at the at the CD player, so that everyone ques up their music and has a turn to do their program. Clubs should post the rules at the CD player, and SKATING ETIQUETTE would be that all skaters (young and old), coaches, and skating moms and dads follow the rules.

[AndreaUK]

Deffinately

I also think that a list of guidelines should be posted in every rink, especially geared towards the public, ie if there are practicing skaters on the ice please try to keep out of the middle and give them some space in the interests of safety.

Another thing that tends to get completely ignored is the rules about agressive speed skating, during public sessions this is ignored and no one seems to enforce this rule.

I wonder how many rinks have problems with agressive teenagers out to impress causing havoc and hell with little regard for anyone but themselves?

I know this thread is geared more towards freestyle sessions but I believe there should be some more sort of control during public sessions also.

[beachbabe]

Deffinately

I also think that a list of guidelines should be posted in every rink, especially geared towards the public, ie if there are practicing skaters on the ice please try to keep out of the middle and give them some space in the interests of safety.

Another thing that tends to get completely ignored is the rules about agressive speed skating, during public sessions this is ignored and no one seems to enforce this rule.

I wonder how many rinks have problems with agressive teenagers out to impress causing havoc and hell with little regard for anyone but themselves?

I know this thread is geared more towards freestyle sessions but I believe there should be some more sort of control during public sessions also.

the management at my rink is actually pretty good about publics.

While those sessions are still impossible to practice on simply b/c of the no. of skaters, if you complain to a staff member about someoe seriously breaking the rules they get warned and depending on how bad it is may get kicked out.

Its really hard to have rules on publics though, since people who come for fun once a year or two can't be expected to be familiar with all the rules.

[lovepairs]

This thread is not necessarily geared toward freeskating. For instance, rink etiquitte could be kids not spitting out their gum all over the place for my blades to get stuck in. I guess that would be under "snack bar etiquette." Nonetheless, wouldn't it be nice to come to a rink that wasn't a pig stye!

[AndreaUK]

How about stop spitting on the ice full stop or stop dropping candy papers all over the ice. :D

[Clare]

There were 3 teenagers on the public session I went to this morning who were hurling huge balls of ice at each other, sometimes from one side of the rink to the other over everyone elses heads! They were told a couple of times to stop but started up again as soon as the rink stewards were busy elsehwere :roll:

Clare

[lovepairs]

Sometimes, it would be nice to find toilet paper in the ladies room...Oh, or should I say "the little Princess's room!" Tee-hee, I'm thread morphing! ;)

[ouijaouija]

must one still go anticlockwise if there are only 4 people in the rink? Its abotu safety right, but believe me, we were all like snails...

How was i supposed to learn to turn the other way? either way, i can do it now, didn't take long

There is never any problems when I am there, everyone just out to have fun, and the experts always stay in the middle

[Isk8NYC]

... as soon as the rink stewards were busy ...
ClareI like that title - "Rink Stewards" - so much better than "Skate Guard."

Our rinks usually cuts the ice in the middle of a public session. We skate counter-clockwise during the first half, clockwise for the second half.

Our "rink etiquette" reserves the coned-off center for students taking lessons or for figure skaters when no one's on lesson.

[Clare]

I like that title - "Rink Stewards" - so much better than "Skate Guard."

Our rinks usually cuts the ice in the middle of a public session. We skate counter-clockwise during the first half, clockwise for the second half.

Our "rink etiquette" reserves the coned-off center for students taking lessons or for figure skaters when no one's on lesson.

They have "Steward" across the back of their jackets so I guessed at their actual title :)

That's interesting that you switch direction half way through a session- like switching ends at half time in football/soccer!

Half of the rink is coned off during group lessons but that's the only time, as far as I'm aware. The signs do ask people to keep the centre of the ice free- presumably for those on private lessons or trying to work on moves. In my very limited experience, I've found that most people seem to respect that during the evening public sessions but not so much at the weekend, where it seems to be a bit of a free for all.

Clare

[mikawendy]

How about stop spitting on the ice full stop or stop dropping candy papers all over the ice. :D

Yes, I'd love that, too, as I often sit at a bench by the side of the ice to retie my laces. I suspect that the hockey players spit over the side of the boards onto the floor there, as the rubber mats smell so ***foul*** there. The mats don't stink like that in the areas without benches.

[mikawendy]

must one still go anticlockwise if there are only 4 people in the rink? Its abotu safety right, but believe me, we were all like snails...

How was i supposed to learn to turn the other way? either way, i can do it now, didn't take long

There is never any problems when I am there, everyone just out to have fun, and the experts always stay in the middle

At some rinks' public sessions, you can ask the ice guards to announce a change in the skating direction. Some rinks will do this for the last 15 minutes before a planned ice cut, and some will do this at regular intervals during the session.

[Terri C]

How about the most basic, simple first rule about freestyle sessions:

PAY AT THE FRONT DESK AND SIGN IN BEFORE GETTING ON THE ICE!!!

This has been a constant issue at my rink! Usually it's a new skater or skaters who either 1. Doesn't know or 2. Gets on the ice because they can
During this past season, on Saturdays especially, it got to the point where the skating director or the cashier would bring the freestyle book to the ice to verify who was signed in and paid as opposed to who was not.

Another rule:
If you want to talk to your friends, do it off the ice, not in the center!

One more:
Unless you are in program, please do your spins in the middle.

[Isk8NYC]

No cell phones. (Sorry, Casey, just MHO) Especially for the Ice Stewards. (Love that title!)

[Skate@Delaware]

No cell phones. (Sorry, Casey, just MHO) Especially for the Ice Stewards. (Love that title!)

My skating director will chase you down and let you know (in a nice way) not to have cell phones on the ice...then let the rink manager know that you had one on the ice and the rink guards didn't catch you :twisted:

and don't ever try to skate carrying a small child or baby!!! We actually had someone DROP theirs! They even tried to blame the rink for bad ice! They could barely skate themselves! Luckily, no one was hurt (just a bruised knee) and the child wasn't hurt.

The skating director and/or rink manager will hunt you down and kick you off the ice for that if they see you!!!

[lovepairs]

Pairsman2 and I skated at this one rink for awhile at night. We would always try to pay, but no one would be in the office to collect our $$$. This happened repeatedly. Then one night management comes up to us like we are "criminals" asking us for all of this back pay. We explain that we tried to pay, and pointed out that it is not our job to run around finding someone to pay. If they run a professional business they should have someone at the front office to collect $$$, not leave it as a guessing game for the skaters, and then have the ordacity to treat us like criminals! So, we finally left that rink and give our $$$ to a rink that knows how to collect it--someone is always at the front desk at this other rink. Yes, important to pay first, but also important to run a rink like a business and have someone to collect the fee. Don't you agree?

[lovepairs]

Oh, before I forget. You know what would be really nice ediquette? For rink management to, at the very least, put air fresheners in the locker rooms. After the hockey wonks are in there--it is soooooo smelly--IT IS DISGUSTING!

I mean, how much does air freshener cost?

[Terri C]

Pairsman2 and I skated at this one rink for awhile at night. We would always try to pay, but no one would be in the office to collect our $$$. This happened repeatedly. Then one night management comes up to us like we are "criminals" asking us for all of this back pay. We explain that we tried to pay, and pointed out that it is not our job to run around finding someone to pay. If they run a professional business they should have someone at the front office to collect $$$, not leave it as a guessing game for the skaters, and then have the ordacity to treat us like criminals! So, we finally left that rink and give our $$$ to a rink that knows how to collect it--someone is always at the front desk at this other rink. Yes, important to pay first, but also important to run a rink like a business and have someone to collect the fee. Don't you agree?

After reading this, I thought of the afternoons where I'd be waiting, punchcard in hand to get the thing punched!
Also, if the session is to start at 6:50, it needs to start at 6:50- not 6:55 or 6:59. We are having a problem with the guy that does the ice to get it resurfaced so the session begins on time. One parent came after the staff on Friday morning, explaining that her daughter is in summer school and being 5 minutes late is still late!

[lovepairs]

Hey, if it's a business, run it like a business. I'm a paying customer, I come there to skate, not to clean their house! I have a job of my own, and don't ask anyone else to do it! It's infuriating!

[Skate@Delaware]

I went to a session once; there was no one at the counter (he was in the back on the phone to his girlfriend) so I paid at the snack bar). I got on the ice. Halfway through the session, I get "paged" to come off the ice because, according to him, I didn't pay....I explained that I paid at the snack bar and he could call the woman at home to verify with her that I paid (he didn't like the fact that he was in trouble again for missing admission fees). He was really snotty about it...the clock was ticking and it was a 45 minute session. I told him to take it up with me the next day and he could count the drawer if he wanted and I would check with the rink manager also :twisted:

This guy is a teenager and very snotty most of the time; I'm hoping that he doesn't work there very much this coming year as he is in everybody's business and doing these power-plays.

[beachbabe]

at lovepairs's request... my rin's right of way:


1) a skater with a coach that is skating a program (with their music on)
2) a skater with a coach
3) a skater without a coach skating a program (with their music on)
4) a skater without a coach practicing


the idea is that everyone who is below you on that priority list must yield.

For example, a practicing skater has to yield to a skater practicing their program.

Music is rotated and only a coach in a lesson can interrupt the rotation but must return it to how it was so their student can't hog the tape.


obviously this is only for freestyles. Would be extremely hard to enforce on a public:frus:

[rlichtefeld]

This is what our club posts next to the tape and CD player at the rink:

http://www.gafsc.org/forms/etiquette.pdf

Rob

[LoopLoop]

At my rink the priority is:

Skater in program with music
Skaters in lessons (this is usually at least half the skaters on the ice though :P )
Everyone else

Generally anyone who wants to do their program can get a chance, with the exception of some crowded higher-level sessions during the summer. For those sessions, the skaters who are signed up for the session (rather than picking up) have their music played in a different order each day, and after that rotation is done anyone picking up the session can get their music played.

[skaternum]

And these are our club's rules, which must be read and signed before skating on club ice. (Note that our primary rink has its own figure skating sessions, which do not use these rules.)

SCNC club ice rules (http://www.skatingclubnc.org/files/SCNC%20Club%20Ice%20Rules.pdf)

[lovepairs]

Rich,

The rules are good and particularly, since they are posted. I believe my rink has rules in the membership packet, but they aren't posted. I think posting them, and keeping them in front of everyone all of the time makes a big difference.

About posting things: I would like to see a post at all rinks that explains and diagrams what a lift lane is, because apparently coaches are not teaching their student about the "lift lane." Over and over, again, we've had pretty competent kids skate right into out lift lane when they see us coming. First of all, we always look for a clearing before attempting a lift, but there is also a "blind spot" in the lift, which occurs the moment the woman goes up. There is plenty of time for skaters to clear the lane when they see us coming, because the "set-up" is essentially a semaphore that signals the lift.

Coaches, please tell your kids what a "lift lane" is.

Thanks Beach, that was really helpful! Much appreciated...Lovepairs

[Mrs Redboots]

There were 3 teenagers on the public session I went to this morning who were hurling huge balls of ice at each other, sometimes from one side of the rink to the other over everyone elses heads! They were told a couple of times to stop but started up again as soon as the rink stewards were busy elsehwere :roll: When we arrived at the rink this morning it was immaculate, and the ice had just been cut, but I was told that half an hour earlier it had been a very different story, and rinkside had been knee-deep in rubbish and the ice hadn't been cut. The ice was beautiful - I know who cut it and made a point of thanking him, because he really does do it seriously well.

Did you go today, and if so, was there any paper in the loo? There wasn't in most of the cubicles on the patch, but I did ask for them to be refilled - I expect they will have been.

[Clare]

Did you go today, and if so, was there any paper in the loo? There wasn't in most of the cubicles on the patch, but I did ask for them to be refilled - I expect they will have been.

I didn't go today so can't answer your loo roll question, sorry!! I feared that today's public session may be just as difficult as yesterday's so skipped it. May have no choice but to go Sunday next weekend though because I'm out of town on Saturday.

[twokidsskatemom]

at lovepairs's request... my rin's right of way:


1) a skater with a coach that is skating a program (with their music on)
2) a skater with a coach
3) a skater without a coach skating a program (with their music on)
4) a skater without a coach practicing


the idea is that everyone who is below you on that priority list must yield.

For example, a practicing skater has to yield to a skater practicing their program.

Music is rotated and only a coach in a lesson can interrupt the rotation but must return it to how it was so their student can't hog the tape.


obviously this is only for freestyles. Would be extremely hard to enforce on a public:frus:
Those are our rules as well.Works well for us and everyone understands the order.

[skaternum]

As far as right of way rules on the rink's FS systems, we follow this, in order of priority:

1. Skater doing program to music.
2. Skater in a lesson.
3. All others.

[jazzpants]

No cell phones. (Sorry, Casey, just MHO) Especially for the Ice Stewards. (Love that title!)And while we're talking about hearing devices... Casey :twisted: ... no iPod's either please!!! They're DANGEROUS!!!

Terri C: Our rink is good about catching FS skaters that hasn't sign in at the front and pay their FS session! If you didn't sign, the supervisor on duty at the time will come out with pen and book to the loud speaker and CALL OUT skaters who didn't sign up for the session to get off the ice. This is especially true if the FS session is very crowded.

[lovepairs]

What is the best etiquette for "heads-up," "excuse me" type of situations when either you are trying to avoid a near collision, or some one wants you to get out of their way? What is the nicest thing to say?

Also, when you finally do have that collision, what is the best etiquette in this instance? Any thoughts about the best way to handle this?

[lovepairs]

Oh, by the way...I think the IPod thing happens alot when there is no etiquette for the music que. Before IPods, I remember putting my program on a tape and wearing a "Walk Man" ( wow, I should post this on the "Remember Thread...do you remember "Walk Mans!") because this was the only way I could ever hear my music, since it was total chaos at the CD player.

[Mrs Redboots]

What is the best etiquette for "heads-up," "excuse me" type of situations when either you are trying to avoid a near collision, or some one wants you to get out of their way? What is the nicest thing to say?Uusally here people yell "Mind out!" But afterwards, "Sorry" is always appropriate, even if they should have been looking out more!

[lovepairs]

I like that: "Mind Out!" Since no one knows what that means in America, I think I'll use it and see what happens.

What I hate most are the divas who "eye-roll" you if you happen to be in their path, or worse, yet, they wiz by say nothing, as if you don't even exit. I've always found that round and disrespectful. It is always more polite to acknowlege someones' presence. Don't you think?

[FrankR]

Uusally here people yell "Mind out!" But afterwards, "Sorry" is always appropriate, even if they should have been looking out more!

I agree with this approach wholeheartedly. I typically say "Heads!" or "Excuse me!" and then always apologize afterwards because more often than not if they weren't aware that you were coming, yelling out will typically startle the other skater.

When I have had collisions the very first thing I do is ask if the other person is ok. Typically they follow suit and once we're both sure we're okay we both apologize. At that point it really isn't about assigning blame as much as it's about making sure everyone's alright and it's clear that any oversight by either party was unintentional.

[DallasSkater]

I had the most pleasant experience at the rink during an open freestyle. A young lady, well young to me, came up and asserted that she wanted to do her program and was about to start her music. She indicated that she wanted to be able to run through the entire thing without a problem of having to stop and avoid people so she was letting us know where she particularly needed space. She asked if we would consider altering our space a bit to better accommodate her needs.

My thoughts were just to reflect on the board talk recently and to think that this was just such a nice way to address it. We decided collectively that we would get off the ice for a few minutes to yield the entire rink to her. We then had the wonderful opportunity to watch her beautiful program. Later she came up to me and asked if I wanted some help correcting an issue I was obviously having with a new skill given to me that day. It was just so pleasant and thoughtful.

I think it was the fact that she demonstrated empathy in her approach and was so courteous. It further demonstrated that she not only possessed advanced skating skill but more importantly advanced social skill.

FrankR: You are just a nice guy.

Have a great day everyone! Hope to get at least one little practice in tonight!

[phoenix]

That is VERY nice, but not always practical if the rink is full of people. If I hear music starting, I will look around to determine who is skating to it so I can watch out for them. And if it's a higher skater, I'll often just stand to the side & watch to really clear their way (I see lots of people do that too).

My pet peeve is coaches who have a small student who they keep in ONE spot the entire time--usually either a corner or at the side by the blue line or the red line. This is more an issue for dancers, since we are on a pattern & almost every pattern crosses those places. I don't mind if it happens once or twice, but if I'm working on a dance, I'm going to come through the exact same place every time, & no one seems to be able to figure that out. :giveup: Usually after awhile of trying to skate my pattern & having to bail out over & over, I'll go to the coach & say, "could you just move 10 feet over this way? Then we won't be in each other's way anymore." Strange thing is more often than not they seem annoyed that I ask them to move. *sigh*

The good coaches keep their kids moving around, even the little ones, and then the little ones will learn faster how to move on a session and how to watch for others.

[Debbie S]

That is VERY nice, but not always practical if the rink is full of people. Or if you're in the middle of a lesson and your coach only has a certain amount of time b/c he/she is teaching someone else for the other half of the session. I'd be sort of annoyed if someone came over to me and asked me to get off the ice for possibly up to 4 minutes (for a senior-level program) - hey, I paid for the ice, too.

However, I (even in lesson) will usually (provided I see them coming and I'm not doing my program with the music playing) yield to dancers and to skaters practicing a particular moves pattern where they need to cover a certain area, and of course to skaters doing programs. I've been asked on occasion to move a few feet one way or the other when I'm practicing something in one spot (like my backspin). I have no problem with this - hey I can do a backspin anywhere, whereas a dance or moves pattern has to be in a certain place - I understand that. And when there is a high-level skater at the rink doing his/her program, people do generally move to the sides as the skater moves through their program.

[skatingdoris]

I've been asked on occasion to move a few feet one way or the other when I'm practicing something in one spot (like my backspin). I have no problem with this - hey I can do a backspin anywhere, whereas a dance or moves pattern has to be in a certain place - I understand that.

sometimes I wish some of the v. advanced skaters at my rink would do this :lol: When i'm working on spins I will do it in one place but then feel like i'm in the way when they start working on a particular part of their program or a pattern in that area.

I try to be very aware of what is going on all the time and now know which music belongs to who, but with the dancers I never have any idea which way they are going to turn next. So I will mostly just watch them when they get going cause I love all the fancy footwork.

A few people will shout 'exuse-me' occaisionally when there music is going and I don't mind this, but I had the experience a while back of a girl who was working on individual jumps actually stamp her foot at me because the landing of my jump was in her path? i'm sorry she might be more advanced then me but this just pissed me off.

[Sonic]

I know what you mean. This doesn't happen often, I do my utmost to stay out of people's way, but there has been the odd occasion where I've felt a little intimidated.

S xxx

[icedancer2]

I think saying "excuse me" or "sorry" in an apologetic way is good -- this is what we do at our rink for the most part. Even if you're not sorry and it's not your fault, it's best to be empathetic towards the other skaters I think. We're all in the same boat, so to speak, one way or the other.

One time I overheard a teenager say to her friend, "Just run them over!" These were fighting words for me and I made sure that I stayed very close to them during that session so I could cut them off. this was during one of my more cynical periods.

On the other hand, I had a girl sit right down on the ice on her double lutz setup because if she didn't do something, she would have run right into me. To me, that was the height of surrender for a skater. I thanked her profusely afterwards while I apologized for having been standing right where she was setting up what was obviously going to be a double lutz. She was nonplussed and said, "There was really no other choice, no big deal."\\

But again, I'm not skating at crowded sessions or at a major training center, so it's hard to relate to at this point really. I used to skate at major training centers and the atmosphere was really different, although generally I found the skaters there to be pretty polite.

[mintypoppet]

I know what you mean. This doesn't happen often, I do my utmost to stay out of people's way, but there has been the odd occasion where I've felt a little intimidated.

Sheesh, I feel intimidated by the non-scary ones! I'm in awe of the better skaters, which makes long-forgotten shyness comes back. I get bashful, stay out of their way to the point of ignoring them, and know darn well that I'm being rude in the process - which is a shame, as they're a friendly bunch.

I'm on a mission to conquer it and act like a normal human being, but like the rest of my skating, it isn't consistent yet :frus:

[sk8pics]

I will always apologize for being in someone's way when they are in their program or doing a pattern of some sort and I'm practicing, but if I'm in a lesson and they're not, I won't always move for them, or apologize necessarily but I won't get in their way on purpose, either. One of my pet peeves is when coaches are apologizing left and right for their adult students being in other skaters' way, when the other skaters are practicing, not in lessons. That sends a signal to the other skater that the adult is in the wrong, and that the (usually) kid skater is being put out. It's really one of my pet peeves.

[DallasSkater]

I do understand what you guys are saying about not wanting to waste money for ice time. This woman did not ask us to leave the rink. I think my point was more about people being willing to find an equitable exchange. It is hard (though certainly not impossible) to be disrespectful when others are being so respectful. The woman in this example just approached in such an assertively appropriate way, her need was not only met but exceeded. I don't think most (including "wild teens" on public sessions) are intentionally trying to push frustration tolerance with other skaters. I don't think that just because a parent dresses their child in adorable outfits that may be premature for their level of ability that it deserves anything less than respect for the beautiful message behind such behavior. (BTW..I am available for adoption to any parent that would like to put that kind of time and energy into my future as a figure skater....I will wear whatever outfit pleases and would even consider the helmet for additional coaching sessions that I would not have to personally pay!...giggle)

I am struggling to understand what I see as narcissism in this sport among many. I see it in the coaching staff ...and even between different level of students in LTS programs. I was recently told an example by an extremely skilled skater that had opportunity to skate in a show that featured former Olympic skaters. The Olympic ones would not have but little to do with the elite local skaters behind the scenes. There is always a reason for people to segregate from other people. This just seems like a silly one. I vow to never be intimidated by someone that skates better than I do and I know that will always be a huge group of people....and I vow to never forget to be equitable. It makes total sense that a skilled skater needs room to practice...but it also makes sense that so does everyone else. It is so easy to go out of your way to meet needs for someone who goes out of their way for you. It gets complicated when it does not quite work that way.

[lovepairs]

Does anyone know correct etiquette for approaching judges for feedback after you have tested? Do you go to the ref first and ask if you can speak to a judge? What is the best way to approach them???

[skaternum]

After the panel has left the ice and after you've gotten your copy of the judging sheets, it's okay to approach an individual judge directly and ask for feedback.

[Careygram]

One time when practicing with a skating partner an adult skater came up and asked my partner to do a death spiral with her. She didn't know him or me and she completely ignored me. I see breaches in etiquette all the time but this was special!8O

[techskater]

After the panel has left the ice and after you've gotten your copy of the judging sheets, it's okay to approach an individual judge directly and ask for feedback.

Generally, you should approach the test chair or whoever is in charge of the test session (vice test chair or whatever) and ask them to speak with a specific judge or two because if you just approach the judge or barge into the judges' room, you can really create a BAD impression.

[lovepairs]

One time when practicing with a skating partner an adult skater came up and asked my partner to do a death spiral with her. She didn't know him or me and she completely ignored me. I see breaches in etiquette all the time but this was special!

I saw this happen once, too, Careygram. It was at one of the competitions and a pair team was practicing together and this other woman skater just comes up to the man of the team and starts interferring--just completely ignoring his partner while talking to him--it was so rude! It's really good etiquette when you are approaching a team (dance, or pairs) to acknowlege both partners and treat them as a "team," both off and on the ice.

I wanted to mention something that I think would be good etiquette, too, and especially among adult skaters. Last year I moved to Baltimore, and was new to the entire skating scene down there. It was hard for me to be the new person, and most of the adult skaters were very welcoming and accepting of me. However, there was this one skater who wouldn't acknowlege me at all. I would say hello, and nothing was returned. I tried a few times to say hello to this person, but the greeting was never returned, so I just gave up. This skater continued to ignore my presence for the entire year, and I thought it was extremely rude and not good etiquette at all. Especially as adult skaters, and especially when it is either your territory, or home club, I think it is really important and a show of good etiquette to be welcoming and friendly towards newcomers. I try to be extra friendly when I see a new adult skater at a rink where I skate on a regular basis. My partner and I always go out of our way to meet the new skater, become friends, and help them to feel comfortable when they are new to the rink.

[Black Sheep]

What is the best etiquette for "heads-up," "excuse me" type of situations when either you are trying to avoid a near collision, or some one wants you to get out of their way? What is the nicest thing to say?


I like to give a big smile and say, "Hi!" I think it eases the tension a little. :D

[lovepairs]

It's sort of funny, but if you have a collision and a very good equitable outcome from it then tends to bring you closer to the other skater. My pairs partner and I had this collision with this little girl, it was scary, but everything was okay in the end. After that, I think she thought we were her parents and kept following us around, and wouldn't stop talking to us! It was very cute.

[skaternum]

Generally, you should approach the test chair or whoever is in charge of the test session (vice test chair or whatever) and ask them to speak with a specific judge or two because if you just approach the judge or barge into the judges' room, you can really create a BAD impression.
No, of course you should never enter an "officials only" area and you should always be respectful of the judge's time and wishes, but there's no reason to have to go through the test chair. Unless your test chair is a control freak ...:halo: If a judge isn't in a position to speak with you, they'll let you know.

[jazzpants]

My pairs partner and I had this collision with this little girl, it was scary, but everything was okay in the end. After that, I think she thought we were her parents and kept following us around, and wouldn't stop talking to us! It was very cute.Did she have a head injury from the collision? :P :lol: (Sorry! Couldn't resist...)

[lovepairs]

Jazz,

I think her head was injured way before we found her. She was very very cute, and no one was hurt, but it was really scary.

[icedancer2]

If you approach a judge after your test, make sure you have a copy of your test papers with you. After a long string of judging tests, it is often difficult to remember the specifics of any one test and seeing that test paper will help jog the judge's memory (speaking from personal experience...).

[Black Sheep]

Have you ever had to deal with a coach playing another student's music over a personal boombox while you are trying to skate to your own program music beind played over the P.A.?

[LoopLoop]

Have you ever had to deal with a coach playing another student's music over a personal boombox while you are trying to skate to your own program music beind played over the P.A.?
It happens all the time when they're developing choreography. At my rink the standard is that the skater doing their program has the right of way, just like in any other situation.

[Easton-Skater]

How about stop spitting on the ice full stop or stop dropping candy papers all over the ice. :D

Candy wrapers are a problem that's for sure. But even worse are coins and hairpins and pieces of plastic and other parts that fall off rental skates. On a number of occasions, my skate just came out from under me and each time I went to the area where it happened, I always saw one of those items. When the skate blade goes over those things, traction disappears completely. It's not nice.

I was doing power pulls the other day and just went smack onto the floor after the skate just slid out. I went back to check the floor. A small coin was there.

[kateskate]

Our rink doesn't have any written rules which causes problems. We do observe the skating in a programme in a lessson has priority rule but its tough. We have only 1 1/2hrs of actual patch practice ice a week. So it gets crowded. Kids don't really know to look out for programmes. Noone expects anyone to stop skating but if you see the same people every week its not difficult to have some idea at least whose music is playing and who to watch out for even if you don't know where they are going. But sadly noone really teaches anyone this and so hardly anyone does it.

One coach used to be particularly bad at standing in the middle of the rink to watch her pupils - sometimes even her own pupils had to move her out of the way of a skater doing a programme

We don't have many collisions - just a lot of complaining. People who skate with purpose without being dangerous or inconsiderate (in my opinion) seem to be thought of as selfish and rude which is unfair. Noone is particularly good at my rink (highest jump is a double salchow) and so its not too hard for everyone to find a space. But that just may be because I am so used to lessons on packed public sessions.

And music is a nightmare. Along with the limited ice time we are only allowed to play skating music on 2 other weekday afternoons for 2hrs and weekend mornings for 2hrs. So there is much fighting. There is no rotation system. Whoever wants a go just asks the last person in the queue to go next. As a consequence some coaches have one go every other turn whilst other coaches have to wait for 3 or 4 goes. Plus some people think one go means 4 different run throughs. And forget trying to use the music if you are not having a lesson. Its just not going to happen.

And there is a little too much playing and chatting on our limited ice sometimes - I wish someone would shout at the kids that do this - its tough for the others to work. If they want to play, come to a public session.

[jjane45]

Sorry for bumping a very old post, but I followed this thread (and the Learn-to-Skate Kids on High Free Sessions (http://www.skatingforums.com/showthread.php?t=21116) thread) with great interest.
I have mostly skated adult only public skating sessions in the coned-off center area, and did freestyle sessions only once just for practice. Certainly did not know about right of way issues and stuck with one spot on the blue line for spins the whole time. It takes time to learn proper rink etiquette especially if the skater is less observant and only takes group lessons (cough cough like in my case), only if there could be some information available in the bulletin board! I remember seeing a diagram about about the Lutz Corner, spin area, footwork etc. but that's it.
Anyone else skates in coned-off center areas during public sessions? Adults and coaches at my rink usually handle it well. But I often have concerns with one veteran coach who would draw lines along the length of that small center area and make his skater do edges, expecting right of way. I once just had to convince him to teach spinning in the middle (which was rather open) so others (including myself) could jump.
I am fairly new to skating and probably make etiquette mistakes without even realizing it, if you have public session recommendations I'd appreciate them!

[MusicSkateFan]

I had a dance coach stop my program music once to put on the HICKORY HOEDOWN!! WTF!!! I skated the remaining 30 sec of my program to that damn trombone that sounds like a cow!

I guess he thought Richard Strauss' "Salome" was just what everyone wanted to listen to!

Fortunately someone else gave him the third degree and he apologized later. I thought it kind of funny.


On another note....I quit skating at a rink in DC area that will remain nameless because of the lack of enforcement of the "Freestyle 1" standard and the fact that many people were continually walking on freestyle sessions w/out paying. Also that the majority of the coaches there do not teach their skaters how to work on a freestyle session. Parents coaching....lack of ice cuts...this list is LONG!

[Isk8NYC]

....lack of ice cuts...this list is LONG!
I've always felt that the first freestyle after the cut should be full price and each one after it should be half-price or less. The divots alone can justify a discount.

[RachelSk8er]

On another note....I quit skating at a rink in DC area that will remain nameless because of the lack of enforcement of the "Freestyle 1" standard and the fact that many people were continually walking on freestyle sessions w/out paying. Also that the majority of the coaches there do not teach their skaters how to work on a freestyle session. Parents coaching....lack of ice cuts...this list is LONG!

I can probably guess which rink this is. Stormy and I picked up a freestyle session at a DC area rink when we were in town last year. We could have probably just snuck on without paying because no one was checking or seemed to really care (we did pay), the ice was rutty and hadn't been cut in a few hours, and it was a complete free-for-all. Some little kid skating forward but not paying any attention where she was going ran right into me (she was fine, I ended up going down pretty hard because I was pretty much at a standstill near the boards and didn't see her coming up behind me), there was no sense of right-of-way for people doing programs, and there was just too wide of a mix of levels and ages given the number of skaters out on the ice.

In my opinion, teaching rules for skating on freestyle sessions is ultimately up to the coaches, and the ice monitors should be keeping an eye on things and enforcing it. I remember having coaches explain this to us when I was a kid, and if we were not on a lesson but screwing around and getting in the way and our coaches saw it, we'd get scolded for it. Coaches also weren't afraid to scold skaters who were not their students if they were screwing around or not following rules. I don't see ANY of that going on now, even though a lot of the same coaches are still around (or skaters have grown up and are coaching themselves). Club paperwork for each season at every club in our area came with an explanation of rules for various sessions (patch, dance/moves, freestyle), and both the skater and parent had to sign it (and if the skater was too young to read/understand it, it was the parent's job to make sure their child understood). So even if you walked on at another rink, you were expected to abide by the rules.

[Skate@Delaware]

Well, we have the rules in the club packet but not everyone who skates on freestyle ice is a member of our club (ice time isn't included in your membership). Walk-ons sign-in and pay and I thought that would be a perfect place for them to post a simple list of rules, no more than 3-4 listed on the sign-in roster. That way, at least it's there (whether people read it or not is another matter).

Freestyle rules are not posted anywhere in the rink, only "guidelines for public skating" which are very vague (no hockey pucks or sticks, no horseplay, etc).

[drskater]

As our club's new president I would love to put up a sign with freestyle rules and I would guess the rink wouldn't mind. Our younger skaters can't read English, only textese. Example:

Don bug ur coach wen lesson ;-) <333