Calling CW coaches

[kayskate]

I am a CW skater and am coaching FS. I have experience teaching group beginner classes and am now getting into privates for FS. Most students and skaters in general rotate CCW. I can do basic spins (2-foot and 1-foot upright) in both directions. For a while I did CCW camels but have not worked on them for a long time. I did simple CCW waltz jumps a couple yrs ago before I broke my ankle. I broke my right ankle and am reluctant to land jumps on my rt.

However, I can walk through just about anything CCW. But I cannot actually do a full-out demo. From my own experience as a skating student, very few coaches actually demoed moves CW for me. In fact, other than the simplest skills, I have seen very few coaches demo other than a walk-through.

Today I got very involved in my teaching. My student has a great rt shoot-the-duck. She is a CCW skater. I am encouraging her to develop an equally good left shoot-the-duck for her forward sit spin. I started doing a CCW sit spin and was overcome by vertigo. It was absolutely bizarre.

Long story to get to the point. So, CW coaches: how do you demo to your CCW students?

Kay

[Skittl1321]

Kay, I'm not a full coach, just a LTS instructor, but I am a CW skater taking from a CCW coach. I also completely understand your predicament, because I get incredible vertigo from even two foot spins that are CCW- which makes it somewhat difficult when I end up having to teach those in LTS (thankfully, not too often, since I usually do tots.)

My coach always walks me through everything CW, but if I'm getting a full out demo, I see it CCW. This hasn't caused any problems for me at all. For a very young student, it might, as I am an adult who can understand switching what he does left to me doing right, and vice versus, but I think a student in at least upper elementary school shouldn't have too much trouble with it. So for basic skills- I think it's important to show it "their" way, since at those levels they don't have a lot of understanding of a move. For FS, I'd expect a mental understanding of the move.

The one spin element my coach demonstrates in my direction is a backspin, as it's taken a very long time for me to figure it out. So when he first started doing it, it was only a little better than mine- now he can do a really good one, and I still can't :(


So, I would say that I think it's okay to demonstrate a move CW, and then teach/ walk through it as CCW. A skater should understand that one way isn't the ultimate "right" as long as you make it very clear that the student uses the opposite directions.

[ferelu]

I'm also a CW skater and I tend to just demonstrate a simple version of the element CCW, like I just to the entrance to the spin but don't pull my leg in or anything. Also for more advanced elements, you can just call over another skater on the ice to demonstrate it CCW, this way, since the element is done by someone closer to their age, size, height, they can relate and know the element is doable.

[Isk8NYC]

I skate CCW and have had a number of CW students. I always explain that I skate in the opposite direction.

I'll demonstrate the CW entry and exit edges, and fake a few spins or jumps CW, but other than that, I just say "I have to do it in my direction" and demo my normal CCW method. The kids and their parents understand - they're hiring me to teach their children HOW to skate properly, not to show off.

I've found that it's more effective to have the student do the walk-through with you, so they can "feel" the different stages.
If you're really stuck, just draft a higher-level skater as your demonstrator.
I've done that a few times with the tougher jumps.

[doofsy]

Hi... I am a CW coach teaching almost all CCW students. I've spent ALOT of time teaching myself to do things CCW. Having been a CW student of a CCW coach as a child, I think that it's really important for kids to be able to see a demo of a new skill in their own direction. I used to get SO confused when learning something complicated (like...flying camel) never having been shown by a CW skater.
IMO, it's not "showing off" to demo something for your students.... there are alot of kids out there who are strictly visual learners, and need to see things before trying them. Not every kid can look at a walk thru and understand what they're actually supposed to be doing on the jump. And there's not always a higher kid to demonstrate something. Plus, it's much easier to explain something that you've done yourself without having to stop and think "which arm leads, which way does the head face", etc.
I say, as much as you can, learn to do things CCW..... it gets MUCH easier after awhile.

[fsk8r]

I don't coach but i'm a left handed CW skater. I've been quite interested in the whole left handed business, and read a book on the subject recently which was saying how children don't understand the difference between their left and right and your left and right until they're about 11, and only understand left and right from about 7 (although some will be earlier). This might mean that demos going the "right" way of the child are more important.
Not sure this helps much, but it's a really fascinating subject...

[slusher]

I'm a CW and coach. My old coach was competing internationally and could demonstrate triples if I asked, CCW, and could do everything up to single axel CW. This was sort of fun if I didn't feel like skating so would ask for more demonstrations! My current coach doesn't skate much, and is CCW, but that's okay, I don't need to see a big lutz out in the middle of the ice. I would rather have it slow and walked through, with the explanation of which arm where. I trust that my coach can decipher what she sees even though I'm turning the other direction.

The only thing I have a problem with is choreography, she tends to choreograph for CCW, so crosscuts into a jump set up that is the wrong way for me but I remind her and then she thinks about it and fixes it.

As a coach, because I coach learn to skate and those just learning to jump and spin, I have learned to demonstrate CCW because kids will copy me exactly. I can spin CCW and do waltz and toe CCW. I haven't tried a salchow, maybe I'll try one tomorrow (hmm, LFO3, eh?)

[Emberchyld]

I'm not a coach-- but I do have a chime-in story on this thread:

I currently spin in both directions and jump CCW. CW is my most "dominant" spinning direction, though, and the one that I usually use to get the initial "feel" of a spin. My coach is a CCW spinner.

Back when I was still in LTS and she was my LTS teacher, we were in a big group class working on our spins for FS1 and FS2-- and I was the only adult out of all of the little kiddos, and the only CW spinner of the bunch. Believe it or not, my coach had to constantly run interference with the kids because they'd get confused sometimes and start trying to spin CW because they'd see me setting up for spins and imitate me. Just having one CW spinner in the class threw off half of the class.

I think it really depends on the age and the student. For me, it's okay for my coach to do a walk-through and then a demo in her direction, but for those kids, they really needed it shown CCW to "get it". I'd suggest evaluating how the students react and, if necessary, get someone who can demo in their direction.

(Of course, being "ambidextrous" can be a pain, too... since I have a habit of forgetting which way I'm supposed to be going... even on jumps :frus:)

[chowskates]

Long story to get to the point. So, CW coaches: how do you demo to your CCW students?

Interesting responses so far... I skate CCW, but had a CW student, 8 years old at that time. I agree with all that say the younger ones need a demo in the correct direction they are going!

What I usually do is explain that I go the opposite direction, and show her the *real* thing my way first. I will then walk her through, step-by-step, in her direction for the set-up and exit. I don't always do the actual spin or jump CW, but I do work on it to a point that I can demo upright forward spin & backspin, most half jumps, single Sal, toe and loop going CW.

The girl has since moved overseas, but being able to upright spins in both directions worked wonders for my combi spin under the IJS system! LOL! :lol:

[jp1andOnly]

get a student to demo it. I'm CCW and my one coach only does walk thrus and has asked me to demo stuff for other adult skaters. I've had kids demo stuff for me