Why does skating have to be so much $!!!!

[TwirlGirl10]

We just got our fall/winter/spring contract in the mail . I wanted to skate 4 days a week sooo bad this year but it costs so much (well for us its a lot!) its $40 a week to skate for 4 days plus 1 off ice. Its $33.75 to skate 3 days plus 1 off ice and thats just the ice bill, no coaches bills. I want to do 4 days SO SO bad so does anyone have ideas for getting money. Im 15, maybe a job or something? anyone else ever had this problem?? please share, it will make me feel better to know that im not the only one!

[Skate@Delaware]

Is that for as many daily sessions in that period? If so, how many?


Our ice bill is $600/year (September through mid-April) but for only 3 sessions per week (5.5 hours per week total). Not including club fees or teaching/coach fees.

[TwirlGirl10]

$40 a week to skate one session 4 days a week and have one session of off ice a week.
So I would skate One session on:
Monday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
off ice-Saturday

[DallasSkater]

Twirlgirl: I would check to see if there are discounts available for other types of packages at your rink. For example, at my rink they give free unlimited public sessions to all enrolled in LTS. Even if you are more advanced it might be worth paying for the advanced freestyle class, a stroking class or something to get this kind of deal. Never hurts to work on things that you already know. I even approached the skate director to do a special class but getting others interested and was able to get the discount this semester.

Not sure what level of skater you are but I sometimes pay kids at the rink to skate with me who have more advanced skills. It helps me to remember some of the skills that I learned but now have to practice to have them do it first for me.

If you are a more advanced skater, you could ask the skate director if there are odd jobs or something you could do to assist in LTS classes as an aide to see if they would give you free/reduced ice time in exchange.

Of course there is old fashion baby sitting at your age. I would also think you might approach some of the adults to see if you could skate with their kids or even baby-sit rink side while they skate and then make enough to pay for your own skate time.

Skating is expensive, help your parents to feel better about their contribution by insisting you do some extra stuff around the house and they may find it is easier for them to consider the expensive package. Ask Mom for the grocery list and insist she gets her hair done or something while you get the weeks groceries by dropping you off first. Parents always need more time. Think what is reasonable for the amount of money they spend and contribute as you can. Look to see what your parents or neighbors hire out! Such as lawn mowing etc.

Good luck to you! If you were at my rink....I would pay you to skate with you! Be friendly with the LTS folks and maybe you can get some job leads! My true desire is to be a late adopted kid of some skating obsessed family...giggle.

[TwirlGirl10]

Im open Juv, working on my double flip and soon to be double lutz.

Also, its not so much that they don't want to pay for it its more of, well we can but we would have to stretch to do so.
I really want to!!

[phoenix]

Rinks are often looking for people to hire for:

work at skate rental
work as a monitor at public sessions
help w/ LTS classes

Many rinks give LTS teachers either free ice or a hefty discount. My rink also exends this to the helpers.

[AndreaUK]

If its any consolation, its rather expensive to skate in England also. Public sessions are around £6 each (well they are at our rink anyway) lasting approximately 2 hours. The summer season and school holidays seem to have brought an all day bumper price range for £3 all day including skate hire which isnt so bad.

For freestyle or patch sessions we have to buy a book of 6 which is around £25 - £30 (depending on rink) and works out cheaper than the publis sessions but still shelling out that much in one go is a bit of a pest, especially when you are on a low income.

Lessons in the Uk tend to be around £7 for 15 minutes.

So looking on a currency converter were lookin like

£6 - $11 (public session)
£3 - $6 (reduced holiday public session)
£25 -£30- $47-$57 (6 freestyle/patch sessions - 2 hours each)
£7 - $14 (15 mins coaching session)


of course the conversions are a rough guide.

Andreaxx

[Sonic]

We are very luck at our rink. It's run by the city council, and they operate this 'slice card' scheme (which - even better - employees at our company get discount on).

I pay a flat rate of about £38 (that's roughly US$70) and that gives me unlimited access to the ice rink (patch AND public sessions), and I can also use it a council-run gyms - classes, gym and swimming.

S xxxx

[Clare]

I pay a flat rate of about £38 (that's roughly US$70) and that gives me unlimited access to the ice rink (patch AND public sessions), and I can also use it a council-run gyms - classes, gym and swimming.

I would be overjoyed with that deal :) Heck, I'd pitch a tent in the lobby and move in!!

Clare

[mintypoppet]

I would be overjoyed with that deal :) Heck, I'd pitch a tent in the lobby and move in!!

My coach recently asked me whether I had done exactly that :lol:

Slice cards are wonderful things, even if I pay a bit more for mine than Sonic does - £41/month.

[Jump]

Hey, I've been complaining about how much ice skaitng costs too.. Until i checked out some private music schools, and realised that their 1hour classes for 1 month cost more than my 5 1/2 hour classes (with unlimited ice time for that day)!
ouch! Looks like most things are just plain expensive, especially when you're not earning. I guess even if you are earning, you still have lots of other things to pay for.

our classes are $190 = US$120 for 5 1/2 hour lessons
and each public session is $8 = US$5
so for about a month that would be US$200, if you skate 3 times a week. There's only one rink where i live, so its pretty much a monopoly and they can charge anything they like, people will still pay out of their ears. Oh our rink is really teeeny too, so some days its just impossible to get anything done. yuck!

All the best with your lutz :bow:

[SkatingOnClouds]

I guess it varies a lot, depending on where you are.
At our Association sessions it costs $12. Plus lessons. Because my daughter comes with me and has lessons, double it. Plus the petrol to get there, which isn't so cheap these days!

When I go to public sessions it costs me $10, even if my daughter comes with me because her school has a discount card with the rink. Small mercies.

Today I hired the whole rink for an hour, for $45. Bliss!

It certainly is an expensive way of life, once you add the boots, outfits, costumes and so forth, and have 2 in the family doing it. However, we both used to play cello, and I reckon that once you tallied up all the sheet music, lessons, strings, bows, accessories, music camps, plus the thousands for the instrument, skating may actually be cheaper. Or so I tell my husband.

[Skate@Delaware]

At my rink, employees skate for free at all sessions except club ice. That is a lot of savings! They also get to skate on unadvertised sessions (employee-only).

There are other jobs as well, babysitting, tutoring, animal-sitting, etc. if you are too young to actually work at the rink.

Good luck to you!

[Mrs Redboots]

We pay £15 per week for as many training sessions as we want (there are 32.5 hours of teaching ice, spread over ten sessions), but the snag is we have to pay that £15 52 weeks/year, even if we are away, even if the coach is away, even if there is no early morning ice, as there isn't next week due to hockey school (btw Clare, there isn't any public ice on Monday, either, as there is filming going on). But it still works out worth it. Single sessions are a fiver a throw. Plus lesson fees, of course.

Some coaches will arrange an all-in "package" for their student, so much per week to include ice time and a lesson every day - and more if there is time, which probably works out cheaper than paying separately.

[kateskate]

I pay £600 a year for entry to any sessions. And £100 for a locker. We only have 1 ½ hrs of official lesson ice a week (yep each week not each day!) so I can use my pass for public sessions as well. It works out cheaper as our rink is £9 per session whatever the session and so if you skate at least twice a week you are saving money. And I pretty much always skate that if not more - all year round.
And then there are lessons on top of that. Does get expensive. And because the rink is in Central London, rent for the teachers is high and so lesson prices are in turn quite high. Although, on the whole its not bad at all in comparison actually - there are a couple of teachers who are very expensive - over £10 for 15mins.
I just feel sorry for the mother's of 2 or 3 kids - £9 for each admission and then lesson fees! I'm glad I only have to pay for myself.
If I didn't skate, I could afford to move - but skating takes most of my disposable income. I'm enjoying it while it lasts!

[Mrs Redboots]

If I didn't skate, I could afford to move - but skating takes most of my disposable income. I'm enjoying it while it lasts!Well, Kate, when you think that there are skaters in their 70s who are still competitive.....

[kateskate]

Well, Kate, when you think that there are skaters in their 70s who are still competitive.....


I'm never going to have any money! Ah well - at least I'll be happy and skating......:D

[Clare]

We pay £15 per week for as many training sessions as we want (there are 32.5 hours of teaching ice, spread over ten sessions), but the snag is we have to pay that £15 52 weeks/year, even if we are away, even if the coach is away, even if there is no early morning ice, as there isn't next week due to hockey school (btw Clare, there isn't any public ice on Monday, either, as there is filming going on).

Thanks - I noticed a sign up last night saying that Monday was off limits. Not a chance of escaping from work this Monday anyway to hit the daytime session so no inconvenience for me this time. If I could just get a job in Streatham...;)

So, while I find myself in this thread...as a newbie, I'm just starting to settle into a regular spending pattern which I've realised I can deal with much more easily if I don't actually think about it!!

Each 6 week block of Skate UK lessons costs £55 plus £15 for my weekly private lesson along with £6 for each public session and I aim for 2 publics per week alongside my group lesson on a Thursday (admission is included in the £55 for the 6 week block), more if I can manage it.

Clare

[rlichtefeld]

At my rink it is either:

1) US$8.75 for each 40 minute freestyle session or
2) US$300 for unlimited skating each month. There are approximately 6 morning sessions and 6 afternoon sessions Monday - Friday, and 4 sessions on Saturday morning.

Since I can't skate that much during the day, I end up paying for 2-3 freestyle sessions a week, and then I also skate 1 or 2 public sessions.

Rob

[Morgail]

I worked at my rink when I was 15 - just doing skate rental, the snack bar, and sometimes being a skate guard (which was fun!). I didn't get any free ice from it, but I did earn some money to pay for sessions (and saved to buy a car). And it wasn't too bad of a job. I liked working at the rink a lot more than babysitting:)

[debrag]

For the London/near to London rinks what level do you have to be to be able to pay a set amount for public/patch etc?

I love skating though I've only started lessons (skated as a kid) and would love to skate as much as possible. Me thinks my next move will be next door to a rink :)

[twokidsskatemom]

try having two skaters, both skate 4/ 5 days a week for 2 plus hours a day.
I work at the rink for ice, at least that helps a bit!!


good luck !!

[littlekateskate]

I agree with a few previous posters. Maybe you can help during LTS and get some free ice time. Or even work the snack bar in exchange.

Heck maybe you could offer your babysitting services to some other skater parents :) Moms are always looking for babysitters!! :)

[jskater49]

We just got our fall/winter/spring contract in the mail . I wanted to skate 4 days a week sooo bad this year but it costs so much (well for us its a lot!) its $40 a week to skate for 4 days plus 1 off ice. Its $33.75 to skate 3 days plus 1 off ice and thats just the ice bill, no coaches bills. I want to do 4 days SO SO bad so does anyone have ideas for getting money. Im 15, maybe a job or something? anyone else ever had this problem?? please share, it will make me feel better to know that im not the only one!

I know it's tuff...but I wish my dd could skate 4 days a week for $40. How many hours is that? It's $13 an hour in the morning and $17 an hour on the weekend - and only 3 hours weekday ams available so we have to pay the $17 ice for her to get enough time. I had to cut back my time to afford time for her. Fortunately she's gotten on as a junior coach at the club and has a few students. $12 a half hour while her friends are flipping burgers for 6 bucks an hour. Plus she gets paid for teaching Learn to Skate.

j

[Ice Dancer]

What gets worse is when you have to work out whether to eat this week or skate, or get evicted or skate!! ;) ;)

I worked out the other day how much I spend a month on skating and it was shocking (almost £250, although I have now cut down. That includes my lesson time). Sometimes ignorance is bliss!

[debrag]

I wish I had £250 spare to send on skating. I could prob get away with £100-150

[Rusty Blades]

When I was 14 and wanted to skate I got a part-time job in a retail store to pay for my skating.

I kept track of my skating costs for my first 14 months, including a trip to Nationals. Including skates, club fees, coaching, and the expenses of the trip it was just shy of $10,000 8O Considering competitive youngsters at the higher levels invest in excess of $50,000 per year, that's CHEAP!

I now skate a 7-9 a.m. session three days a week - ice card is $125 for 20 sessions - a real deal if you don't mind getting up at 4 a.m. ;) Coaching is about $100 a month. This year's Nationals will cost about $3,000.

[aussieskater]

I guess it varies a lot, depending on where you are.
At our Association sessions it costs $12. Plus lessons. Because my daughter comes with me and has lessons, double it. Plus the petrol to get there, which isn't so cheap these days!

When I go to public sessions it costs me $10, even if my daughter comes with me because her school has a discount card with the rink. Small mercies.

Today I hired the whole rink for an hour, for $45. Bliss!



That's not too bad for Australian costs, SkatingOnClouds. Our publics are now $16 with your own boots for a 2-hour session; and hourly rink hire is - wait for it - not $45 but closer to $450!!! (Funnily enough, we don't hire the whole rink, and don't know anyone who does.)

You can get 10-session cards for $150 (saving one whole dollar per session - you can see they really are generous to their regulars).

The quarterly pass, which entitles you to every public and private session for 3 months, costs $565 (unless it went up - again - on 1 January.) Hubby and I haven't bought our quarterlies for January as we don't skate in the holidays - we have small kids home from school.

Warning: vent

The rink management conveniently ran out of session cards in December, and would not let those of us who used them advance-order until they come in (management says they're finally coming 31 Jan). So for the whole of the Christmas holidays, we've been paying full rack rates to skate. Of course, we only found out the session card price had increased - again - when management put the notice in the window that they'd be available at the end of this week. Now try telling me that wasn't planned!

Vent over now. Back to normal.

[coskater64]

I try to look at it from the rinks point of view, you have a 200x 85 sheet of ice that has to be cooled most places have pretty high ceiling our rink is about 30 ft ceilings with seating for 700-800 people, prices for electricity doubled about 3 years ago. The ice costs 190 per hour to run. I get to skate contracted sessions for 7 dollars each and currently use about 6 sessions a week but several years ago I would average 20 per week. I am sometimes the only skater on the ice so 7 bucks to skate when I know the ice costs 190 isn't a bad deal.

Our sessions are 45 minutes long they only have packages in the summer for every 8 sessions I pay for I do get one free. Our contracts are generally 2-3 months long so I shell out about 400-500 bucks each time, and as I recover that number will go up.

Lessons which I have a lot of are the usual 60 per hour, and as noted above I also do time consuming events like figures and dance, speaking of which I must go find all my dance music which is on another computer in the basement.

Skating will continue to be a very expensive sport, it will help when fuel cell technology becomes more prevelant because that will remove one cost component but maintaining a rink is costly and skating is expensive. The first hint is that skates cost at a minimum $300 and blades 100, nothing is cheap ....anymore...:halo: :halo:

[debrag]

If I get onto patch at Lee Valley it's £40 a month or £2.50 an hr

Novice have around 16hrs a month (weekend lunch times)
Junior have 64hrs (afternoons & weekend mornings)
Senior have 116hrs (mornings)

novice = beginner to NISA level 1
junior = NISA level 1 to junior competitor
senior = competition skater

[Mrs Redboots]

Either our patch fees or our lesson fees (or possibly both) will be going up as soon as the coaches have agreed, or have agreed to differ. Don't know what to. Figure Club ice went up last week, although as we weren't notified until after the session, it effectively goes up today.

Let's see.....

Patch fees: £15 per week
Lesson fees: £8.00 per 15 minutes
Competition entry fees: anything up to £80 per class
Travel, hotel, etc: Goodness knows!
The joy of skating and competing: PRICELESS

[debrag]

I dread to think what it will be like once I get up the levels.

[Helen88]

I pay £15 week for one 30min private lesson, plus £3 patch. That's the lowest price patch, the weekend lunch time one, the others range from £3 - £5 I think. I'd probably be better off getting a months pass (you can get them for a month, two months, 6 months and a year), which gives you access to all patch sessions. Haven't looked into them yet. Public sessions range from £5 - £7. Never added up how much it costs in a year...not sure I want to know ;)

[Sexy_Lexy]

I think thats the reason football is so popular. All you really need is a ball. Ice skating may require wuite a bit of equipment but you should try extreme mountain biking! 8O It's ridiculus.

[Sessy]

At least you don't need to freeze the mountains yourself for that.

[Mrs Redboots]

I think thats the reason football is so popular. All you really need is a ball. Ice skating may require wuite a bit of equipment but you should try extreme mountain biking! 8O It's ridiculus.
The really ridiculous one is dressage, which my niece does! Now, that's the one sport I've found that's more expensive than ice skating!

[sue123]

My cousin is on a top hockey team, and it costs close to $5,000 a year just to be in the league. That's not to mention all the equipment costs. There was one stick that my cousin wanted, it was over $200, and my uncle bought it for him as a birthday gift. He used it in a couple games, and then it broke. Now, he has to settle for the sticks that cost $110 a piece. He also had to go and buy some fancy clothes, as his team says that when they have an away game, they must show up with a tie.

Personally, I think it's ridiculous how expensive these things are, but it does keep him doing relatively well in school, motivates him to go to college, and keeps him out of trouble. But all these sports, especially once you get to the top levels, will cost a lot of money. It's the nature of the beast.

[Sessy]

LOL yeah last time I was at our skating shop to get rollers mounted on my boots, there was this guy buying a hockey stick of over $400. Apparently it weighs next to nothing and is all fancy and stuff, but if you're so unlucky as to get a puck against it, it breaks right away. The skateshop guy said some unlucky chap had that happen to him within 5 minutes of the first time he was on ice with the thing.

[twokidsskatemom]

My cousin is on a top hockey team, and it costs close to $5,000 a year just to be in the league. That's not to mention all the equipment costs. There was one stick that my cousin wanted, it was over $200, and my uncle bought it for him as a birthday gift. He used it in a couple games, and then it broke. Now, he has to settle for the sticks that cost $110 a piece. He also had to go and buy some fancy clothes, as his team says that when they have an away game, they must show up with a tie.

Personally, I think it's ridiculous how expensive these things are, but it does keep him doing relatively well in school, motivates him to go to college, and keeps him out of trouble. But all these sports, especially once you get to the top levels, will cost a lot of money. It's the nature of the beast.


As far as I know, hockey is a team sport. Most teams, even comp teams have lots of fundraising and sponsors.At least here, the travel teams have sponsors. Parents do shell out for part of it, but at least they dont but their own ice and private coaching.
We spend alot more than 5000. per skater.. I keep trying to get them to go to hockey but so far....:giveup:

[kayskate]

Not sure how long your sessions are, but the price you quoted for 4 sessions + off-ice does not sound too bad to me. I work in a rink where FS is $20/hr. If there are other rinks in your area, you might try shopping around. You might also consider lightly attended publics for stroking drills and such. Rinks also need skate guards, so you could earn $ while you are skating around.

Kay

[blackmanskating]

Well I calculated my monthly cost of skating and I almost passed out.

I skate 6 days a week and I typically have lessons 4-5 days a week for a half hour.

Ice time: $180 a month

Coaching: $480-$600 a month!!!!!!

I spend more than $8000 a year on skating!!!!!!! 8O

And that doesn't include costumes and $1000 skates. (Dang Gold Seals)

No wonder I can't buy a new car. :frus:

For that much money, Where the heck is my triple axel:?: LOL :giveup:

I have no idea why this costs so much and why I have to have expensive hobbies but, it is what it is. Gosh, my music lessons cost way less than this.


BlackManSkating

[blackmanskating]

The really ridiculous one is dressage, which my niece does! Now, that's the one sport I've found that's more expensive than ice skating!


Gosh just feeding that horse costs more than my skating bills. LOL

[R D Lite]

The really ridiculous one is dressage, which my niece does! Now, that's the one sport I've found that's more expensive than ice skating!

Ah, and having been a dressage rider since I was 11, I really appreciate my new "cheaper" sport, LOL. My saddle actually cost more than my horse! (Think skates are hard to fit? Try equipment that needs to fit you AND your horse! 8O ) My situation was even more ridiculous than most, as my horse became very ill and cost me thousands and thousands in veterinary bills alone in his last year. It drove me crazy when people would assume I was wealthy because I had a horse--I was in college full time but also worked 2 jobs as well as taught riding lessons to pay for it all. I loved my horse very much, so it was all worth it, but it is insane.

I am saving my money now for vet school, but someday I'll get another horse, even knowing how much it can cost! Just goes to show what we'll do for what we love. And hey, those skating bills don't look so bad after all, LOL! :D

[blue111moon]

Skating is expensive. <shrugs>

You want cheap, take up running. Although even there, the costs for coaching and meets add up, once you get out of school.

[Sessy]

I am saving my money now for vet school, but someday I'll get another horse, even knowing how much it can cost! Just goes to show what we'll do for what we love. And hey, those skating bills don't look so bad after all, LOL! :D

Well I've got to say, after dancing the skating bills weren't that scary either. The dress- and equipment costs are a little bit higher but the monthly costs are the same.

[Query]

You need a parent's permission to legally work, and maybe a note from school.

Are there cheaper rinks?

Some crazy ideas you could do at a rink (might also get free ice time):

Make skating dresses or outfits for other skaters.

Star in a movie about ice skating.

Other rink related jobs:

Work the pro shop.
Work the snack bar.
Be a cashier.
Volunteer to help a coach with crowded group lessons, on or off ice.
Teach an off-ice dance class.
Offer to recruit a group of kids to skate at the rink, use their lessons, or party there.
Babysit or tutor kids of skaters - maybe the rink would provide space.

Imitating this idea is a lot for a 15 year old to to organize or inspire: One summer about 10 years ago a world class ice dance coach made a deal: the rink scheduled lots of ice dance sessions. He taught a group lesson at the rink, convinced his competitive students to teach (and dance with) the group lesson customers during sessions he supervised, and he only taught there. The rink attracted customers, and maybe got a cut. The competitive students got experience (assistant) coaching and we paid them $15 for 15 minute lessons, less than the $80/hour the coach himself charged. Adapt the idea to the skating discipline you do, and play the competitive student's roll.

Some rinks have annual memberships, many have discount coupons if you buy a pack of 10 or 20.

[CanAmSk8ter]

As far as I know, hockey is a team sport. Most teams, even comp teams have lots of fundraising and sponsors.At least here, the travel teams have sponsors. Parents do shell out for part of it, but at least they dont but their own ice and private coaching.
We spend alot more than 5000. per skater.. I keep trying to get them to go to hockey but so far....:giveup:

It depends... some organizations do a lot more fundraising than others. Every bit helps, obviously. But there's a trade-off to being part of a team. While the costs get shared, it takes away families' freedom to cut corners- espcially on a travel team. In an individual sport like skating, parents are free to try and cut costs- not doing competitions that require a hotel stay, practicing in leggings and t-shirts rather than $75 dresses, not buying that $200 custom competition dress. But when you're committed to a team, expecially a travel team, there isnt that option to say, well, we're not going to that tournament. Or, my child's gloves/pants/helmet from last year still fit, so he's going to wear those even though the rest of the team is going to have blue ones.

Overall, I think for young ones (Mite or Squirt house-league hockey/Freestyle 1-4) the equipment for hockey ends up costing more than figure skates, guards, and a dress or two. Ice time costs are hard to compare, since at some rinks FS 1-4 kids would be skating on public sessions and at others they'd be on freestyle. By Pee-Wee hockey/Pre-Juvenile, I think figure skating would be coming out as more expensive. Make it that hockey team a travel team, and I'm not so sure. I know there's someone here whose son plays/has played travel hockey; maybe she could enlighten us.

I won't even start on the costs if you have a kid who's a goalie. 8O

[sue123]

[QUOTE=CanAmSk8ter;353144

I won't even start on the costs if you have a kid who's a goalie. 8O[/QUOTE]

LOL, my cousin wanted to be a goalie one year, and his dad quickly shot down that idea.Too much money, and on his team, most of the goalies work with goalie coaches, which cost extra. Also, the equipment itself is much more money. It's a good thing he didn't go to goalie though, he's now leading his team in points as a forward.

I believe hockey skates don't last as long as figure skates do, so that's another cost issue. But they also don't cost as much money as figure skates, and the sharpenings are cheaper and can be done by the pro shop kid. No matter how you look at it, it's going to cost money.

I also know on my cousin's team, I think there travel costs are included, but if a parent wants to come along, they pay there own way. My uncle is like insane hockey dad and will never miss a game, he's afraid that he will get hurt and he won't be there, as the one practice he missed when my cousin was little was the one he broke his collarbone in. So he travels with them everywhere, be it upstate NY or Canada or wherever, and they usually have a tournament every weekend.

Now that my cousin is old enough, he works at the hockey camp at Chelsea Piers in the summer, good way for him to make some money and learn some responsibility. Also gives him something to do in the summers so he's not just sitting around wasting away the days.

[R D Lite]

Well I've got to say, after dancing the skating bills weren't that scary either. The dress- and equipment costs are a little bit higher but the monthly costs are the same.

See? All we have to do is take up a really expensive sport first. :lol:

[sk8tmum]

Oddly enough, our synchro team is a killer for cost; the parents pay huge for fundraising, costumes, and the coaching and ice time AND travel. I found it to be equivalent to competitive dance, especially if they're travelling out of province to compete. Plus, they get mandatory team jackets (every year different); mandatory team practice outfits; etc.

Now, as to the hockey aspect re: cost: our area's top level players do NOT get on the team without exceptional skills, which are typically honed at very expensive training camps (upwards of $1,500 CDN for a week, more than once a year); the $200 or more sticks; the league fees; the team jackets (often up in the $3 to 400 range); and they're dropping $600 to $700 on skates. Everybody wears UnderArmour; and they do require dress pants, etc. They train in the offseason, and even go out of province to summer hockey camps. I figure they are the equivalent of a Competitive stream skater for time and money commitment.

As for me? Go figure, with 3 kids on the ice, 2 of which are on 5 days a week and 1 baby on twice a week; 2 primary coaches, a choreographer, the variety of skills and dance coaches and partners; and a private club with sizable fees that at least ensure only 20 club kids on the ice at one time, professional sound system, and all that. But, I'd not trade the payoffs in maturity, life experiences, and simply 'keeping them out of trouble' for any amount of money ... and, hey, I get to sit around in arenas and read a book without feeling guilty about not doing the housework that is piling up at home! :D

and, yes, both kids do amateur coaching,as many hours as they can pick up, to help offset ice fees. Which I'm proud of them for ... they do it of their own volition, and are known as the kids you can always call if you need coverage for a session. (proud mom moment, sorry)

(and, yes, dressage is even worse; and our competitive dancers drop between $5 and $10,000 a year)8O

[twokidsskatemom]

I think my point was missed.
Im sure comp hockey players pay for skates, sticks ect. We have a huge hockey influence here in Alaska. I do know parents of kids who do comp hockey, and they tell me anywhere from 7500 to 10, 000 or more.
But they are a team, and as such have sponsors.They dont pay for ice the same as fs do, they split it with the team.The kids do have to stay in the same hotel but they have a bunch of kids share a room.They wear team clothes with the names of sponsors.Yes, they wear nice clothes to a game but they can wear them anywhere.Yes, they go to camps in the summer but so do figure skaters.
I think comp fs is alot more in the long run,unless you just stay in state and do local comps.
ymmv

[Mrs Redboots]

But they are a team, and as such have sponsors.You're very lucky then. Not all teams have sponsors by any manner of means.

[isakswings]

Well I've got to say, after dancing the skating bills weren't that scary either. The dress- and equipment costs are a little bit higher but the monthly costs are the same.

You know, I can see why you would say that! My daughter's friend was in dance and was on a competitive team and honestly, it WAS expensive. The costumes were expensive, the shoes were expensive, pictures, ect. So I guess it is all relative.

My sister in law is 17. She is in a HS Show Choir and it is very expensive. The costumes, the trips for competitions, not to mention it is expensive for us to go to some of her shows! We paid 50.00 for my dh and I to see their special C'mas program! Anyway... atleast they are able to have fund raisers, but I do know my MIL still pays a lot for SIL to do this. Not to mention she also takes dance lessons and private singing lessons! I think it is all relative.

When people find out that my daughter skates, they usually comment about how expensive it must be. One lady at work said, "Wow, you got your daughter involved in one expensive sport!" Yes, yes I did, but she loves it!

She has tried gymnastics and also loved it, but again, it too can turn into a very expensive sport. She has mentioned dance and once again, it can also be a very expensive activity to be involved in. I think no matter how you look at it, these extracurriculars can be very expensive.

Anyway, we are at the very begining levels of skating, so I am sure we will feel the costs more and more as she gets deeper into it.

[isakswings]

Well I've got to say, after dancing the skating bills weren't that scary either. The dress- and equipment costs are a little bit higher but the monthly costs are the same.

It depends... some organizations do a lot more fundraising than others. Every bit helps, obviously. But there's a trade-off to being part of a team. While the costs get shared, it takes away families' freedom to cut corners- espcially on a travel team. In an individual sport like skating, parents are free to try and cut costs- not doing competitions that require a hotel stay, practicing in leggings and t-shirts rather than $75 dresses, not buying that $200 custom competition dress. But when you're committed to a team, expecially a travel team, there isnt that option to say, well, we're not going to that tournament. Or, my child's gloves/pants/helmet from last year still fit, so he's going to wear those even though the rest of the team is going to have blue ones.

Overall, I think for young ones (Mite or Squirt house-league hockey/Freestyle 1-4) the equipment for hockey ends up costing more than figure skates, guards, and a dress or two. Ice time costs are hard to compare, since at some rinks FS 1-4 kids would be skating on public sessions and at others they'd be on freestyle. By Pee-Wee hockey/Pre-Juvenile, I think figure skating would be coming out as more expensive. Make it that hockey team a travel team, and I'm not so sure. I know there's someone here whose son plays/has played travel hockey; maybe she could enlighten us.

I won't even start on the costs if you have a kid who's a goalie. 8O

I've been pricing hockey equipment for my son. YIKES. Yes, it is more expensive then what I paid for my daughter's skates. I got up to 250.00 and that was because I was lookign at stuff on clearance and at this stage of the game, he doesn't need a specific jersey or specific brands or colors ot match a team. We're thinking about putting him on a pee-wee league in the fall and that alone will be around $350.00.

I don't know the exact costs of the travel teams here, but my daughter's friend's brother is on a travel team and they definately pay a pretty penny to be on the team. It's definately NOT cheap. EEK.

[CanAmSk8ter]

Oddly enough, our synchro team is a killer for cost; the parents pay huge for fundraising, costumes, and the coaching and ice time AND travel. I found it to be equivalent to competitive dance, especially if they're travelling out of province to compete. Plus, they get mandatory team jackets (every year different); mandatory team practice outfits; etc.


Synchro can be outrageous. The one year I did it, several of us joined late (they desperately needed members or they wouldn't have a team) so we were cut a big break on some stuff. The way did things, jackets, costumes, etc. belonged to the team so they didn't have to be purchased every year. That was a big help, especially since as a Senior my teammates and I had to have short and long program dresses. For practices we had matching leggings and tops. We generally slept three skaters and a chaperone or four 18+ skaters to a room.

A student of mine is doing synchro this year and I know it's been a big eye-opener to her mom. She said every few weeks there's another cost- team breakfasts at competitions, tights, an extra hour of ice time they managed to pick up. Nothing huge, but over the course of a season it does add up, especially on top of the travel costs. And this is for a Beginner team- no Sectionals, no Nationals. The mom was 8O when I told her that, starting at Juvenile, there are years when they might have to fly to not one, but two competitions if they qualify for Nationals.

[twokidsskatemom]

You're very lucky then. Not all teams have sponsors by any manner of means.

Im not lucky. I didnt say my two skaters had sponsors. I said the comp travel teams all have sponsors. Even the mites here have sponsors but then we live in a city that has lots of hockey.

[singerskates]

I can see why ice dance, pairs, interpretive, syncro and powerskating cost lots of money. But why does freeskate cost so much when in its name it says free?













ROTFLOL


Come to matter, what about the so called freedance?






Just kidding! No skating is free.

[Mrs Redboots]

Im not lucky. I didnt say my two skaters had sponsors. I said the comp travel teams all have sponsors. Even the mites here have sponsors but then we live in a city that has lots of hockey.If you read what I actually said, instead of what you thought I'd said, you'd see I said that not all teams have sponsors. I mentioned nothing about your skaters! You - i.e. your rink and those who skate there - are lucky if where you live the hockey teams have sponsors; that is not necessarily the case across the globe.

[twokidsskatemom]

If you read what I actually said, instead of what you thought I'd said, you'd see I said that not all teams have sponsors. I mentioned nothing about your skaters! You - i.e. your rink and those who skate there - are lucky if where you live the hockey teams have sponsors; that is not necessarily the case across the globe.

It is for most travel comp hockey teams in the usa. As I said even the younger non travel comp teams have sponsors of some kind ie docs, dentists. Its not my rink, its at all rinks.
Sorry I didnt undertand you, just not sure how I am lucky because a hockey player has a sponsor.But either way I was just saying hockey is a team sport where figure skating isnt.

[fsk8r]

I can see why ice dance, pairs, interpretive, syncro and powerskating cost lots of money. But why does freeskate cost so much when in its name it says free?


I saw a t-shirt a few years ago saying "If it's called free skating why's it so damn expensive".

I really regret not buying it now, but at the time I'd just bought $400 odd dollar boots for me and another pair for my sister so my credit card was feeling a bit maxed.

Then again by the sounds of it, I actually have things pretty good here.
I'm at a council rink and I get unlimited ice time for £40 ($80) a month. That at least keeps one portion of the equation under control. I've not quite worked out why none of the rinks in north america seem to be doing that sort of deal. I skated in Texas the other year, and I begruded the cost of ice time, and my sister skates in Canada and she begrudges it. She's finally decided that one of the local private rinks which is slightly further from home is the best bet. She knows there's always public which is always nearly empty between 9 and 3 every weekday for $4.50. She can skate as long as she wants for that, and it's emptier than the freestyle sessions which are all only an hour long.

[skatergee01]

I understand your frustration. Skating is a very expensive sport!

[Sessy]

I saw a t-shirt a few years ago saying "If it's called free skating why's it so damn expensive".

OMG!!! I want one of those!!!

[Query]

OMG!!! I want one of those!!!

I don't know if that quotation is copyrighted or trademarked, but anyone can buy a printer transfer sheet for a few dollars, print anything they want to it from their computer, and transfer it to a shirt.

[Sessy]

Oh that's a good idea!

[blue111moon]

It is for most travel comp hockey teams in the usa. As I said even the younger non travel comp teams have sponsors of some kind ie docs, dentists. Its not my rink, its at all rinks.
Sorry I didnt undertand you, just not sure how I am lucky because a hockey player has a sponsor.But either way I was just saying hockey is a team sport where figure skating isnt.

None of the hockey teams at my US rink have sponsors; the parents either shell out the money themselves or they do fund-raising things like raffles or candy sales to reduce the costs. The school teams get some funding from their schools but even they shell out $$$ in athletic fees and transportation fees, etc.

It's the Little League (baseball) teams that collect all the local sponsorships from pizza parlors and coffee shops.

My cousin's sons switched from hockey to soccer just because the hockey fees got too expensive for the family to afford.

[Maggi315]

i'm subbing because we are fairly new to ice skating and love it. However, I have 3 skaters and the fees, coaches, skates, and even the gas and competition fees are getting to the point we just not able to keep up. I am trying to come up with creative ideas to keep them skating, I already work, and can't work more and be expected to drive them around all week!!! My 12 yo volunteers her time at the rink on the weekend and is allowed to skate for free during that time, and during the week, we don't do the expensive freestyle ice, but do the cheapskates. She will soon be at the point that it's not feasible to do this anymore.

so any ideas people have would be great! I understand other sports are expensive too, but once you have a few skaters, it's gets crazy! And we are buying our boots off ebay, trading dresses, etc. already which helps alot.

[isakswings]

She will soon be at the point that it's not feasible to do this anymore.

so any ideas people have would be great! I understand other sports are expensive too, but once you have a few skaters, it's gets crazy! And we are buying our boots off ebay, trading dresses, etc. already which helps alot.

I feel your pain! I don't have any suggestions, but I do feel your pain. My daughter's coach just suggested we give ballet lessons a try. ACK, more money! My youngest son is taking hockey lessons and will likely play on a team in the fall. I will have to buy him all the gear to go with it! My 2 skaters own their own skates and my daughter has a couple dresses, but she will need a competition dress in June. OY!

Anyway... good luck!

[Sessy]

Well you could give one of them up for adoption. :twisted:

More seriously, do you have "work trading" websites over there? The way they work is like, you get X points for doing something, like, painting somebody's house. Those points are taken off the account of the person whose house you painted. Then, suppose somebody is offering ballet/music lessons for 0.25X amount of money, you can pay with the acquired points for those...

[sk8tmum]

Have you talked with your coach(es) about your situation? Most coaches appreciate honesty about your time and money commitment. Maybe they don't know that you're getting stretched out in many ways, and can suggest strategies (sharing a lesson with another skater, carpooling with another skater to get to competitions, not going to some competitions,cutting back on privates and giving the kid specific "work-ons" instead; eliminating, for example, in Canada skills lessons for a bit and just doing freeskate to cut down on coaching costs) ... they want, usually, to keep you in the sport, and believe me, they know how expensive it can be.

They're also a great source of "one of my other skaters just outgrew his/her Coronation comets and I know you could pick them up for X$".

Generally, they don't want to be nosy, but, in my experience, the really good ones respect parents who are upfront about their ability to commit to the sport (both "right now" and "in the future") so that the coach can make plans going forward. For example, perhaps they're expecting you to be able to afford to go to a competition in X city, and are working towards that. Finding out at registration time that you can't go means wasted time,money, and effort, and it's not effective. And so on.

Plus, it does give you a measure of the relationship between you and your coach - you should be able to talk to them about such things. Ask for a time when you can sit down and talk about finances.

Now: as to other money saving stuff: buy yourself a Bejeweller and learn how to do your own stoning. Saves me a fortune on competition dresses; and maybe you can "trade" with another mom/dad who can make dresses but doesn't like to do rhinestones and such? My daughter's dresses would cost me hundreds if I bought them with the stoning that I do, but, by having them made undecorated and stoning them myself with stones I buy bulk, they cost a fraction of what the other moms are paying (and they look darned good too, in the opinion of others - !) You can also take a relatively inexpensive off-the-rack or used dress and the same thing to get something that looks good and different.

[sk8tmum]

and ... last but not least, when we were in the middle of the hockey/figure skating debate, I came across a newstory from Toronto Ontario about the cost of hockey: One mom with 3 boys in AAA hockey was dropping over $20,000 annually to keep her boys on the ice. This didn't shock the hockey moms/dads in my workroom - ! 8O

[Jumper]

Skating is expensive if you do it seriously competitive (like Juvenile and up, shooting for Junior nationals). You can always regulate how much you want to spend but you have to be realistic that you won't get the big competitive results. Even without costumes and with minimal competitions schedule it comes up to 20-25K a year for Juvenile skater if your skater dreams big. And believe me costumes are the less expensive item there (Unless you need 1500 dress or two), it makes only a small dent. For DIY dress that worth $500 you will save about $250-300 because all other are materials and stones (I do dresses myself). And it is not counting trip to JNationals if the skater is good and lucky. It is usually includes 4 lessons a week, 3 X 45 min freestyle sessions a day 6 days a week, 2 off-ice/conditioning lessons a week, one group dance class a week, gas and tolls to get to the rink, travel, hotel and all the fees and coaching expenses for competing at Regionals, two-three other medium-to-long driving distance competitions. I have never seen anybody doing skating 2 hours a week, taking only two 1/2h lessons a week and having gone to Junior nationals. It takes what it takes, unfortunately. And you are shocked by 20K for the THREE boys in hockey...

[Query]

I skate a bit at a rink in an economically disadvantaged area. They posted this page at their rink

http://units.sla.org/chapter/cdc/committees_files/poems03.html

Notice the story of Mabel Fairbanks, who slept in the park.

Does this give you any ideas? :evil:

See also

http://www.aaregistry.com/african_american_history/2123/An_artist_on_ice_Mabel_Fairbanks

I just posted

http://skatingforums.com/showthread.php?t=25932

about ISI scholarships. There may be other skating organizations who give scholarships, if you are lucky and you plan to meet their criteria years in advance.

[Helen88]

Skating is expensive if you do it seriously competitive (like Juvenile and up, shooting for Junior nationals). You can always regulate how much you want to spend but you have to be realistic that you won't get the big competitive results. Even without costumes and with minimal competitions schedule it comes up to 20-25K a year for Juvenile skater if your skater dreams big. And believe me costumes are the less expensive item there (Unless you need 1500 dress or two), it makes only a small dent. For DIY dress that worth $500 you will save about $250-300 because all other are materials and stones (I do dresses myself). And it is not counting trip to JNationals if the skater is good and lucky. It is usually includes 4 lessons a week, 3 X 45 min freestyle sessions a day 6 days a week, 2 off-ice/conditioning lessons a week, one group dance class a week, gas and tolls to get to the rink, travel, hotel and all the fees and coaching expenses for competing at Regionals, two-three other medium-to-long driving distance competitions. I have never seen anybody doing skating 2 hours a week, taking only two 1/2h lessons a week and having gone to Junior nationals. It takes what it takes, unfortunately. And you are shocked by 20K for the THREE boys in hockey...

Seeing it listed like that is actually really, really depressing...

[Virtualsk8r]

You are sooo right, Jumper! If your child is on the national elite track - forget about having a life outside of skating - and forget about having a bank account!!! I just wrote cheques for $800 - some ice and lessons for January - and my child didn't skate every day at that rink or with that coach!!!

Parents, and for the most part - skaters are really not aware of the total cost of making it to the national stage. It's not just the money ($25,000K and up) but the dedication, work ethic and family committment figure skating is for just one child. If the parents are not willing to find time in their 'family time' schedule for 3 sessions x 5-6 days a week, minimum 1/2h lesson 6 times a week in free skate only, ballet, pilate, yoga, off-ice jump class, stretching every day and little, if any time for other sports the parent might like -- or for lessons in skills, stroking, and $$$ for choreography, custom music and costumes...

And the other part - is that skaters and parents are often unable to see that no matter how much $$ they put into the poor child - it's not going to happen either!!

Let's see $20,000 for three kids in hockey vs $20,000+ for one child in figure skating............but then hockey doesn't have such an endless season as skating (yes I know there are summer leagues).

I'd rather figure skate!

[Sessy]

Let me quote from a 1938 print book:


"During the ordninary school-age period (...) she will take about two classes a week during eight months of the year: average cost of the class, 4s. Total cost, £43 16s, excluding shoes, practice dress, et. It would be fair to rate her dancing education for those seven years at £50.
From fifteen to seventeen years of age, she will take a lesson a day for eight months of the year at £1 a week. In addition she will probably pay £12 a year on a series of private lessons. This makes the cost of the last two years £88, with no extras for dress. Total cost to turn out a dancer: £ 138 to 150.
By that time she is (...) ready to join a company. Thousands of girls pass through dancing class every year; of those, one hundred may have the ambition to join a ballet company. There are some three companies with perhaps six vacancies altogether, and it must be rememebered that the RUssian companies have the schools of the entire world to supply their wants. They have more offers than they can consider, even of girls wishing to join under apprenticeship conditions. It is clear that the candidate, to be successful, must have altogether exceptional gifts and also exceptional luck.
Once she is chosen for the cops de ballet she pay me paid, on an average, £5 a week. She will be given a pair of shoes for every eight or twelve performances (...) this is inadequate, and she will have to purchase about three extra pairs a month (...). In addition she must provide her own tights - silk - at £3 3s a pair (...). Her expenses are not met yet (...). Not very much remains to reward an exceptionally talented girl for work that is nearly as hard as that of a hospital nurse. Also, most girls take classes at their own expense in addition to those given by the company. (...) There is, of course, the possibility of a rise in salary and position. With exceptional good fortune it could reach £15 a week. In such case the dancer would be almost at the top of her profession, as well known to her followers, though they would be smaller in number, as the actress earning £40 a week, or the featured film player, earning from £150. Not a very bright picture.


It seems this problem is of all times.
I'm quoting from "Ballet", first publication pelican special by penguin books limited. Now obviously skating is more expensive than ballet would've been (but then, they speak of two lessons a week! starting at around twelve!!! Remember this is 1938) but the rest sounds like it could still be today, LOL!

[Jumper]

You are sooo right, Jumper! If your child is on the national elite track - forget about having a life outside of skating - and forget about having a bank account!!!

That is why there so many crazy skatemoms. If you invest so much into it it would be "natural" for some parents to demand results fast. I do understand them from that point of view but I do not want to turn into one of them. (At least I'm trying hard :halo: )


And the other part - is that skaters and parents are often unable to see that no matter how much $$ they put into the poor child - it's not going to happen either!!

You never know even for a talented kids. It's worse then gambling at times. But many just keep going either with their kid's or with their own dream...