Private Lesson Handout

[Isk8NYC]

In another thread, we were discussing how skaters/parents are informed about matters such as changing coaches, cancelling lessons, etc. The subject of a rink/coach handout came up as a suggestion. Skittl recommended starting a new thread.

Let's say you're a private lesson student.
What information should be in a handout given to you by the rink or coach?

[Isk8NYC]

This is Skittle1321's ideas (copied from other thread):
Seems like that should be a new thread! Some ideas- not being a coach, I don't know what exactly would be practical- and in hindsight, it appears I'm writing a newsletter, not a handout :)

I would say
1) Expectations of parents- get your skater there one time, pay on time (as well as your payment expectations- monthly, before each lesson, one week in advance...- I would not put the rate on there because I know many coaches who give some people price breaks per personal agreements), cancelation policy

2) Expectations for skaters- always try, focus on the lesson, do they need to have a skaters notebook at the lesson (my coach charges a quarter if we forget), do you expect them to be in a skirt/tights,

3)Make up lesson policy

4) Professional Courtesy. "If you choose to take lessons from another coach, please inform me before the lessons begin. If you are currently taking lessons from another coach, please inform them before you begin lessons with me"

5)Rink Etiquette (What the heck is a lutz corner? Don't park on a circle, right of way expectations- do those apply during public sessions?)

6) Competition policy- do you go with your students? How much do you charge? do you make tapes? ISI or USFSA?

Those are things I'd like to know from a coach before hand. My coach actually has a handout on his website that I just ran across that he gives to parents. I guess I didn't get one because I'm not a parent? I still don't know what a lutz corner is though. (Well I know WHAT it is, but not where, or even if my rink observes it- but is it just EVERY corner of the rink is only for doing lutzes? Or do only CCW skaters get corners? Seems like a huge part of the rink is reserved just for one jump though...)

[TimDavidSkate]

Its wise for coaches to have handouts to new students, from all the coaches I have in the past I only received two.
Sergey Korovin and Leslie Sodergberg.
They listed:
~ cancellation policy (to call 24 hrs prior to the lesson time - or else there would be the normal charge)
~ pricings of lessons, music editing, competition/testing, travel info

[Isk8NYC]

From Skate@Delaware:
As for the other discussion about jumping around from coach to coach and expectations, when I first "hired" my current coach, she gave me a handout with her expectations of her students (child and adult). Full of common-sense things: her fees, call if you can't make the lesson, pay on time, let her know if you don't want to take lessons from her anymore, etc.

[newskaker5]

I think that is a great idea.

Question: what does parking on a circle mean?

[jenlyon60]

Payment expectations (cash, check, etc).

If accepting checks, fee and required correction timeframe if check bounces (unfortunately it happens)

Mileage and other expenses for traveling out-of-town for tests or competitions (e.g. meals, hotel, per diem, loss of earnings). Loss of earnings may not be a big deal for most students, but if a coach is going out of town with only 1 or 2 students and missing several days of teaching remainder of students, that can be a substantial temporary drop in earnings. And for some coaches, that can make a difference in meeting the monthly mortgage or car payment.

[Mrs Redboots]

One that I typed up for my coach included:


Contact details, including home and mobile telephone numbers
Price of lessons, and the fact that a fee is payable if you cancel less than 24 hours in advance, although in practice he waives this if you wake up ill - it's really for the ones who muck him about, although I always have paid him under such circumstances. Or else Husband takes my lesson for me.
price of partnering you in tests
price of attending competitions with you (free if at our rink, negotiable at other rinks)
cutting music
fixing blades.Mind you, the last time he put up his prices, he didn't bother telling me until I had already written the cheque - so I got an extra week at the old price!

[Skittl1321]

I think that is a great idea.

Question: what does parking on a circle mean?


Spending the entire session practicing skills on one hockey circle as if you own it.

[Team Arthritis]

Spending the entire session practicing skills on one hockey circle as if you own it.

If you don't think this is a problem just try to time skating through the occupied circle. Its almost impossible to time it right. Consequently, one person on a single circle effectively excludes everyone else from about 1/6 of the ice surface. Bigger circles like around the middle or entire end aren't a problem because its easy to predict where you will be in 6 seconds.
IMHO
Lyle

[doubletoe]

If you don't think this is a problem just try to time skating through the occupied circle. Its almost impossible to time it right. Consequently, one person on a single circle effectively excludes everyone else from about 1/6 of the ice surface. Bigger circles like around the middle or entire end aren't a problem because its easy to predict where you will be in 6 seconds.
IMHO
Lyle

And then when you are skating your program, you have no choice but to abort whatever you were going to do in that circle or scream, "Program!" and hope for the best. . .

[newskaker5]

how long is it ok to stay in one spot practicing something on a freestyle session? for example - spins? or one jump?

[Team Arthritis]

how long is it ok to stay in one spot practicing something on a freestyle session? for example - spins? or one jump?

That's a very good question and it sort of depends on where you are and what everyone else is doing. For example, we had 8 kids testing higher level moves last week. I hate it when this happens because the patterns are mostly going the wrong way (CW) take up the entire end of the ice and/or cross through the middle on the diagonal, sheesh. So normally, you can hang out beyond the blue goal lines forever and no one will care, but not when they are practicing these moves! So during the last 2 weeks, the best spot to spin was off center, past the blue lines, a spot that normally would be bad because people work their duble loops/Sals/Axels there.

This AM it was very busy and we kept circling around the ends taking turns jumping into the corners. If you get with the flow its really exciting and you feel like a bee in a hive.

So the answer is - watch and predict where people will be. Then balance trying not to be there with your own needs to practice your stuff.
Lyle