Intimidated?

[Rusty Blades]

Just got an urgent email from my coach - a family member has passed away and she is gone for the week so she has passed me to another coach for my 3 sessions this week. The coach she passed me to is the only Level 4 coach in this province, a gentleman in his 70's, a former high level competitor, and usually coaches high level competitors (and a few aspiring youngsters). I have known him for a couple of years and he has seen me skate. Of all the coaches I have met, he is the one for whom I have the greatest admiration. In a way, I feel intimidated - he is so much out of my league! I am not "afraid" of him but I value his opinion and feel more pressure than I normally would because I know his standards are very high.

What about you folks? Do you (or have you) had a coach that you felt was out of your league? Did it help or hinder your progress? How did you feel about the experience?

[dbny]

I just really don't feel that way about anyone, but I did once have a lesson with a coach who didn't give me my accustomed spot on a FO three turn. He said "do it", and I did 8O. I was more afraid of showing fear in front of him than I was of the turn. Unfortunately, it didn't stick with me.

[TimDavidSkate]

I always looked for the positive influence they would have over my skating. I get a little tense, sure, I would like to impress them. Since I know that they have been exposed to the high level of skating. I was a mess when I took lessons with Karen Kwan and Derrick Delmore. I couldnt settle. I never got to skate the way I do during practices during my lessons. Luckily they have seen me practice beforehand and after the lessons, so they offered constructive advice.

Good Luck and try to relax, let us know how you do

[doubletoe]

Coaches go in and out of fashion just like hemlines, so if he's in his 70's and is anyone other than Frank Carroll, he is probably going to be very flattered and happy that you are still in awe of him!

[jazzpants]

I have always been in awe of Charlie Tickner since the beginning and definitely at the time that I was taking a few lessons with him. My experience has been wonderful with him though. He is very technical and will work 'ya, but I can assure you (as would kander) that he's probably one of the nicest guy in the skating biz!!! :bow: :bow: Hell, Charlie fixed a problem with my salchow that primary coach has been bugging me about for a while in about 3 minutes flat!!! 8O (Different perspective seems to do the trick for me at times.)

[kander]

I have always been in awe of Charlie Tickner since the beginning and definitely at the time that I was taking a few lessons with him. My experience has been wonderful with him though. He is very technical and will work 'ya, but I can assure you (as would kander) that he's probably one of the nicest guy in the skating biz!!! :bow: :bow: Hell, Charlie fixed a problem with my salchow that primary coach has been bugging me about for a while in about 3 minutes flat!!! 8O (Different perspective seems to do the trick for me at times.)

Yeah, Charlie is a great guy. We "shoot the breeze" a lot. I feel fortunate that he has confided a number of stories in me.

Another poster mentioned Derick Delmore. I have an amusing story about him. He showed up on one of my regular sessions and was working with a coach I'd never seen before. I was very impressed with his skating, but didn't recognize him. Afterwards in the lobby I asked him if he'd ever skated competitvely before.

[Rusty Blades]

Yes, that's it - "in awe" is the right term - sort of like skating with Don Jackson - LOL! TimDavid has it right "I get a little tense, sure, I would like to impress them." - that's what I feel.

I am sure it will go well. He coaches at the same club, has seen me skate, and even saw my poor skate at Nationals :oops: He was also my coach's coach when she was a competitor and referred me to her when I was looking for a new coach.

It will be fine ..... it will be fine ..... it will be fine

[SynchroSk8r114]

My freestyle coach is a former synchronized skating World medalist and a National level dancer and freestyle skater. At first I was intimidated - well, maybe not intimidated, but more nervous about having her coach me because I just left a coach who kind of wrecked my self-esteem (telling me I wasn't going to make it past certain double jumps and levels). I was worried that I'd hear the same thing from my new coach whose opinion seemed to hold more weight because of her accomplishments and all, even though my old coach was a PSA Master-rated coach. All I kept thinking was, 'If I hear that I can't make it past this level again, I'm going to and then just finish my dances and free dances...'

Turns out, my new coach is wonderful! I can't ever believe how intimidated and nervous I was. She is very supportive and when I told her what my ex-coach told me, she said, "What?! That's crazy!" and began working me on double jumps I was told I'd never land.

Because I almost feel I have to prove myself to my new coach, I've found myself skating harder and more determined - my stamina has improved, my choreography/footwork has gotten better, and I'm finally crossing my feet on my doubles (which I could never do before!) and have more consistent jumps. I am also a little less fearful of falling.

[Kim to the Max]

When I skated in Milwaukee there were two coaches that I was a bit intimidated by...I ended up becoming good friends with the one, and actually wished that I had taken lessons from her when I was forced to change coaches (my former coach had up and moved to Hawaii!). She was tough, and pushed her students, but was never the "mean" that I had envisioned...if I ever move back to Milwaukee, I would try to skate with Dawn if she would take me. The other, I never quite got over my intimidation, but I'm sure that if I got to know her, that would lessen....

[Rusty Blades]

Well that was a HOOT! And here I was all nervous about it .....

It seems my regular coach, in her haste to depart, gave the high-level coach only a brief list of what we were working on and no overall assessment of my general skating so he was expecting LESS! (That's a great way to start!)

It isn't that I am at all "advanced" but much of what I can do, I do very well. He was impressed with my near-textbook forward edges and unusually strong and graceful cross-overs :mrgreen:

More of the mundane stuff in the practice thread ....

Thanks everybody for helping me through the nervousness :lol:

[doubletoe]

Yay!! (Off to the practice thread to read all about your lesson. . .)