Public Skating

[lossieskater]

when i go 2 the public skate all the hockey players go 2 show off nd totally put off beginner skaters by knocking them over and taking them by suprise
its ok for the figure skaters because they have most of the middle ice but nothing is done about the hockey players

[Sessy]

Yeah that's hockey players for you. Ours do the same thing even with figure skaters - at least, those who haven't "proven" themselves in some way to them, or those who scream at being snowshoveled.

[sk8tmum]

Try this. Have a chat with the director of the rink. Discuss the liability issues of having a bunch of people injured by uncontrolled hockey skaters. Discuss how -unpleasant- it would be to be featured in a media report after some small child ends up injured, or after a head injury is suffered on the ice.

They get rather more interested about having good skating etiquette in place at that point. If they figure out how their insurance premiums would go up if there was an accident and it could be proved that there was contributory negligence, they get it.

(Note: this is from a Canadian perspective, I'm not sure how the same technique would work in the US or elsewhere).

[Bill_S]

(Note: this is from a Canadian perspective, I'm not sure how the same technique would work in the US or elsewhere).



It would likely work even better in the lawsuit-happy U.S.

Good advice.

[AndreaUK]

I think its a world wide rink problem. Unfortunately the rink stewards tend to be of the hockey mentality also and dont seem to care a jot how these morons behave.

[Sessy]

I think the problem is that figure skaters are seen as to be doing some "fancy tricks" and the hockeyers are seen as "well, they're not doing anything, they're just skating"
Not taking into account that the sheer speed, force and frequency with which they change direction is already enough to cause accidents, where as a figure skater's path is much more predictable.

[doubletoe]

I think the *real* hockey players are more conscientious and also less likely to show off. The problem is the "wanna-be" kids in hockey skates who don't have the edge control to match their egos. . .:roll:

[hannahuk]

I agree - even more dangerous than the mental hockey players are the ones who act like they can skate like a hockey player but soo can't!
Yes I got shoved in the back by one of these specimens last night!

I guess this is a worldwide problem! I thought it was especially bad at the rink I go to as it is the home of a hockey team so they basically act like they own the rink.

I think the only consolation is once you build a bit of confidence on the ice (especially mastering the stop!) they start to unnerve you less.

The "ice marshalls" at my rink don't do anything to reign them in!

Bliss - patch sessions - no hockey players!! :D

[Mrs Redboots]

I think the *real* hockey players are more conscientious and also less likely to show off. The problem is the "wanna-be" kids in hockey skates who don't have the edge control to match their egos. . .:roll:
Yes, real hockey skaters work nearly as hard as figure skaters and ice dancers do. It's the show-offs who zoom round who are a nuisance. Thankfully I don't skate on public sessions, so don't have to mix with them, but I remember when I used to...

[sue123]

So today, I go to a public session with a few friends, and the zamboni was broken, and the ice terrible, so they let us on for free. My legs are sore now because I found that I really had to bend and push really hard to get going and get any speed, so in a way, I guess it was a good thing. But everything was working so much better than it has been, I centered a few spins, jumped higher. I don't know if because it was so snowy, I was focusing more on what my body was doing and hwere things should be, but I hope it will translate once they fix the zamboni.

The really bad thing is if you fall, you don't slide. You just go splat and stick to the ice. I have a few scrapes on my hands from falling, and probably even more bruises, but overall, skating on such scrapy ice was not as terrible as I thought, at least I got a great workout.

[Sessy]

Yeah but it's also a matter of misplaced masculinity... See at our rink, when they rent out skates, and a kid can't decide whether to get hockey or figure skates, they say "well figure skates are for girls, hockey skates are for boys"
that's where it all starts...

Next, when the 6 year old hockey players abused me verbally the coach said NOTHING ABOUT IT! So I had just as many snide remarks back at them, not a big deal, but, at age 6 I wasn't thinking about calling adult women names, the fact that they are and the coach says nothing about it, is rather disturbing. Although when the older hockey players started remarking on the butts of figure skaters with really nasty remarks, basically like "hey honey come home with me tonight" sorta remarks to every girl older than 10 or so, I think the coach did say something about that because it stopped rather abruptly.
Also the hockeyers are apparently of the opinion that figure skaters ruin "their" ice... Well yes we are the home to the team that won the nationals last year, but we're also the home rink to some figure skaters which very well might become the first to represent the Netherlands at the olympics for the first time in decades, because two of our girls are really extremely good. So we have as much right to that ice, I believe! But they obviously don't. Also I think part of it are like, teenage insecurities.

Though for example the tuesday night public session is both hockey and figure skater friendly. Somehow a crowd gathers that respects each other's choice of sport and manages to share the ice, which is very pleasant to see that it's actually possible.

[Morgail]

Yeah but it's also a matter of misplaced masculinity... See at our rink, when they rent out skates, and a kid can't decide whether to get hockey or figure skates, they say "well figure skates are for girls, hockey skates are for boys"


That is so true! My husband came to skate with me when we were on vacation in North Carolina. He rented skates and had to specifically ask for figure skates. The guy at the counter kept asking, "Are you sure? Don't you want hockey skates?" :roll:
However, husband did get the nicest pair of rental figure skates I have ever seen that day. I don't think they'd ever been worn. And the blades were sharp! He had a good time skating that day:)