Coach or No Coach

[jskater49]

Two threads - the finances and who goes with you to a comp have veered off to this subject so I thought I'd bring it up.

Seems like lots of adults don't need a coach for test or competing.

My problem is I get very nervous and forget everything and do stupid things like stiffin up my knees and look down and I need someone ANYONE to tell me to bend my knees and look up. I wouldn't pay to bring her along special, but I enjoy the attention I get from my coach. She treats me like she treats her kids. Tells me when to warm up, goes over the warm up with me. Takes my sweater and guards at the boards.

If that sounds silly for an adult...let me tell you as a widowed single mom who usually takes care of everything, to have someone for ten minutes is taking care of me...it's very nice. Of course that's why I like getting my hair washed at the beauty shop as well.

For adult midwesterns, I had my daughter come with me and she took our coach's cue for the motherly approach...even scolding me when I spent too much time before my warm up watching the others in the cold rink, she was afraid was getting oo cold.


j

[techskater]

I prefer to have my coach there for competitions, but if she's not, I know what to do on my own and someone always seems willing to grab my sweater for me. I've competed enough to know how to use my 4-6 minutes wisely, but it's nice if I'm having an issue for her to get me calm.

For tests, well, I passed my Intermediate MIF without her there (we found out I was on a test session ~ 23 hours before the test and she already had plans for that day) and I was actually LESS nervous than if she had been there with last minute instructions because I messed up some stuff on the warm up and I knew how to fix it without getting worked up. I was also more focused that way.

[Mrs Redboots]

I could certainly manage without my coach at a test, and almost prefer to do without him at competitions. I think he, like many coaches, gets very nervous when watching his skaters perform!

And unlike Joelle, I hate being reminded to bend my knees when I'm just about to go on! My coach did that when we were about to test our free dance, but coach2, who I wasn't taking from at the time, was chatting to Husband about something completely different!

[littlekateskate]

Is it possible for children to skate no coach at competitions. I would love to enter my daughter in some contests further away and not pay her expenses. But I am new to the sport and it seems like i am responsible for her and her tape anyway.

[jskater49]

Is it possible for children to skate no coach at competitions. I would love to enter my daughter in some contests further away and not pay her expenses. But I am new to the sport and it seems like i am responsible for her and her tape anyway.

How old is she? I wouldn't make my child compete without her coach. Are you thinking YOU are going to put her on? Not a good idea.

You have to have your coach sign off on a competition application, and I doubt the coach would sign off on that and then not be there for the competition.

I actually used to sent my daughter to competitions with her coach without me because I couldn't get off for a Sunday.

j

[TreSk8sAZ]

How old is she? I wouldn't make my child compete without her coach. Are you thinking YOU are going to put her on? Not a good idea.

You have to have your coach sign off on a competition application, and I doubt the coach would sign off on that and then not be there for the competition.

j

Why on earth not? My mother, and other mothers at the rink, often put their children on. Or, their coach may know another at the competition rink and ask them as a favor to put the child on. It does depend on the child, but so long as the mother isn't trying to actually COACH their daughter, they have no problem with it.

Most coaches have no problem at all signing off on a competition app and then not going. In fact, one set of coaches usually didn't go to regionals with their students until they had so many they just couldn't not go. In most of my rinks, one of which is a large training center in this area, coaches sign and send their students off with a "good luck!" Even to such things as National Showcase, where two of our skaters just went without their coaches.

The coaches are most understanding when the student is going farther away than local competitions. They completely understand that finances play a huge part, and if they weren't going anyway, likely don't want to give up their teaching schedule for one student.

[SynchroSk8r114]

I always have had my coach with my at any competitions (don't compete anymore) or test sessions. Financially, my dance coach charges only $25.00 for test sessions and my freestyle coach doesn't charge at all, so it's not a problem that way.

As a coach myself, I do charge for test sessions and competitions. (Only $10 per event per child.) It's not much right now, but I hope to be able to increase this rate down the road. Why do I charge? Well, for starters, I typically have to committ an entire day to attending my students' competitions/test sessions and I can end up missing out on teaching other skaters during this time. Besides, my rink and the area I teach in is very competitve skating-wise, meaning that financially coaches typically charge at least a certain rate for lessons, competition, fees, etc. Those who are deemed to "cheap" (for instance, only charging $20/hour for private lessons compared to a majority of coaches who charge $40/hour for private lessons) are often looked down upon as some coaches feel that it brings down the sport. (Not sure if I agree with this - I think you should charge based on your individual skating accomplishments, teaching achievements, etc.) Finally, some of these competitions and test sessions are not convenient or close to get to, so I charge to cover gas, hotel, eating, etc. and divide that by each skater, which I covered in my private lesson policies.

[sk8tmum]

The coach goes with my kids - both of them. Right now, both are on learning curves, new jumps, new programs etc; both are being 'groomed' upwards. Because looking long-term, the coach wants to see how they handle competition, how the program looks on the ice vs practice, what needs to be changed, worked on, improved; touches base with the judges for additional feedback that doesn't show up on the details sheet; and does the post-skate debrief and review. Plus, works with the kid on analyzing other skaters performance; and counsels and monitors competion behaviour (are they polite to other skaters? Judges? officials? do they thank all of the volunteers they see? Do they eat healthy food, warm up properly, dress properly, not in ripped jeans and skimpy t-shirts?)

Now, the structure is NOT to attend every competition (or even many). We know at the beginning of the year which ones will be attended; what the costs will be; and that's in the annual budget. Plus, there are generally a number of skaters from "the team" sent, and our coaches really work on minimizing their costs and charges.

I've found some of the most valuable parts of the competition for my kids involve getting that direct coaching on their performance and that monitoring; and, I know I'd drive them both nuts if they were in my hands! Same thing on test day. Because we've got amazing coaches, and they're incredible role models and coach "the whole kid", I can see the two resting comfortably and going out there securely having their coach there. With the cost of the sport annually, I can't see the point in investing those dollars, and then stinting cash on that critical day.

Now, if it's a fun shoot-the-duck type contest ... the coaches don't want to be there, and we don't blame them!!:lol:

[Mrs Redboots]

I think that for very young kids, it's a good idea to restrict them to "home" competitions just at first - the coach will probably have lots of other skaters, often in the same class, and can remind everybody "Jackets and gloves off now, please", and stuff like that.

To be honest, from what I've seen of our coaches at competitions, they see their main function as protecting the child competitors from over-anxious mothers!!!!