Can the rink make a difference

[littlekateskate]

It seems to me that some rinks really seem to bring out much better skaters then others. When I have watched competitions sometimes I will notice multiple competitors at national levels competing and they are from the same rink.

I have Four choices of rinks within an hour drive of me. The farthest one I tend to keep taking my daughter too because of who they have had and where they have gone in the past. Does it really matter?

Should I just really stick with a closer rink? Does it really just depend on coaches? How do you really go about getting the right coach? Does age really matter?

[Lmarletto]

Rinks matter very little. Coaches matter a lot! But good coaches often end up flocking together in a rink environment that supports them.

Choosing a coach for a young skater can be really tricky. You want someone who has the right temperament for working with young children because skating can be frustrating and most kids will give up if it's not fun. But the quality of the coaching at the single jump level has a big impact on how far a skater can go, so, since you're going to be spending a lot of money, you'd like to find someone who knows what they're doing. The parents of skaters a little more advanced than yours can be a wealth of information. Do you have opportunities to chat with parents at any of these rinks?

[dbny]

The social environment is also important. There are poisonous clubs where a clique rules and everyone else is made to feel unwelcome, there are clubs that are more social than skating, there are just plain poorly managed clubs, and then there are well managed clubs where all are welcome and know it, and where there is a reasonable but not obsessive work ethic. I think the environment is as important as the coach.

The first club we belonged to went crazy under the direction of a lunatic coach. This coach ultimately forbade all of her skaters to talk to my daughter (they had all been friends), and started interfering with my daughter's lessons and practice. When we left, they lost four full paying members who bought every minute of freestyle ice offered. Our next club was one we were already associate members of, and we were welcomed. Of course, there were still some girls playing stupid games, but my daughter had many friends there and they all practiced together in harmony. That club was done in by bad leadership who locked horns with the rink owner (also a bad manager). You are going to hear lots of similar stories. The best you can do is hope to steer clear of the craziness yourself, while finding a place where you and your daughter feel comfortable and have good coaching. With four rinks nearby, you have a pretty good shot at it, IMO.

[Isk8NYC]

Rinks DO matter. The atmosphere of a rink makes a huge difference. THink about quality of the ice, cleanliness of the facility, and management of the crowds. Skaters who endure bad ice, filthy bathrooms, and wild rule-free skating sessions don't stick around for very long if they have other options. My rink is newer than our other rink, but we were drawing away many of their skaters because our facility was so much better. Now, the other rink has improved their facilities from warming room to bathrooms, as well as cutting the ice better, so they're holding their own.

Also, check out the ice time available for figure skating at the four rinks and see if there's a difference. Our rink has gotten really good with providing freestyle time (we have no clubs), but other rinks have only limited freestyle ice time. Skaters will use those rinks as practice sites, but compete for the one that offers the better ice times. Coaches will teach at the the rink that provides ice time for more students.

I agree with DBNY about the social environment. Some clubs are more elitist or competitive than others. You need to select one with a healthy atmosphere for your skater and for you. We've had many parents bring up conflicts and fights that took place in clubs and rinks over nothing.

[herniated]

I find for myself that the rink does matter. I skate at 3 to 4 different rinks just because of my time constraints. I also like to do it because that way I don't get involved with the club and/or rinks politics. And the atmosphere and coaching staff can change from year to year too. It depends on the club tha's there and or the owner of the rink. I do agree that top level coaches do tend to flock together.

Some rinks have higher level skaters and it is great to skate with them. Their speed and work ethic help me to skate 'up'. But, ultimately it is where you and your daughter feel comfortable. Hope this helps.

[SynchroSk8r114]

Like others, I agree that the facilities make a huge difference for skaters. It's much more beneficial to skate out of a facility that supports figure skating and has the amenities necessary to produce well-developed skaters (such as gym, ballet/off-ice classes, group lessons, sufficient ice time, etc.) I used to teach at a very poorly-managed rink - I'm talking minimal ice time, no lights on the ice most of the time, skaters who usually did not pay because ice time was never monitored, coaches teaching group lesson levels higher than they could skate, maybe ten figure skaters at the most (who were usually on the ice with hockey players shooting pucks and whatnot)...it was absolutely pathetic! 8O

In a twist of fate, I found myself about two years ago as a coach at a new rink with the amenities I listed above, an ice monitor, lights for the freestyle sessions - and let me tell you, it has made all the difference for my students! There is over 7 hours of ice time available daily (sometimes more), great off-ice classes, one of the city's largest competitions offered, holiday and spring ice shows for kids to show off their skills, a ton of figure skaters who are able to support each others efforts, and (my personal favorite) my city's first synchro team and Learn to Synchronize Skate classes that are offered. Because of a change in facility, my skaters are stronger, happier, more determined, and better trained than when they skated out of their previous rink. It's amazing to see the progress they've made since switching rinks.

So, IMO - the rink and what it offers plays a large role for figure skaters!

[UDsk8coach]

I totally agree that rinks matter. I drive an hour from my home to teach at a facility that has a positive atmosphere & wonderful training environment. On my way to that rink, I pass a facility only 20 min from my home, but w horrendous politics & nasty parents that are only out for the betterment of their child, at the expense of everyone else. I'M happier & my SKATERS are happier at the rink that is an hours drive away, they are skating wonderfully and fell in love w skating again, after becoming frustrated and discouraged at the closer rink.

I think the atmosphere & the people IN that environment matter a great deal. I found that at "higher level" skating facilities, there is less bs because there are so many knowledgeable people around, not just parents spouting off what they read on the internet & making themselves seem more important than they really are.

As long as my students are happy and in a place where they feel comfortable training, then that's where I'll teach. In the end, that's all that matters, right?