I am now a junior coach :D

[ibreakhearts66]

Yep yep. It all happened MUCH faster than I could have even hoped for. I posted here a ways back asking about how to get started. Well, I talked to the skating school director and she said that I would start as an assistant. She said she would fast-track me to coaching but that it would still take some months. Well, I started assisting last saturday (the 19th?). Lucky for me, there was a miscommunication between coaches today, so there was a class left without a teacher. The director asked me to jump in. It was an ISI Beta class. My friend was assisting me, and afterwards I asked how I did (paranoid that I was terrible). She said I did great and thought they should just make me a coach already. I laughed. After I assisted a third class (tots...too cute), the director told me to make sure I got paid for the class I taught myself. Next thing I know, she's showing me everything, telling me she'll get me a key to the pros room and asking if I want to teach a class next semester!!!!! I'm starting as a junior coach (which I think means I don't do privates?). But I'm HOPING to move up to "pro" status within 6 mos or so.

On a semi-side note, I'm also starting ice dancing lessons. As I mentioned before, I'm way behind on my tests (testing preliminary on Wednesday). I know I need to test, and moves are my weakness, so ice dancing will help a ton. Plus, if I stick with ice dancing, I'll be more well-rounded!

Wow. I used a lot of exclamations points. I guess I'm excited.

[katz in boots]

That's great news, no wonder you're excited. Great to be accepted like that so quickly.

Funny, I'm going down a similar track at the moment, though it's going to be more complicated for me. I'll tell you about it, so you know why I'm jealous of your experience.

I'm focussing on ice dance at the moment. To become a coach here (Australia), you have to get accredited. So I have to pass the Elementary 1 test (which is why I am doing Dance, as my sit spin isn't low enough to pass the Free skate Elementary 1 - which is okay, as I have an injured knee at the moment and can't jump).
I have to have 40 hours standing in with a coach of at least 10 years experience, plus do a course at my expense, which involves interstate travel. And then there's on ice time, + prepare written lessons and have video of my presenting the lessons. So it is going to be a time-consuming and expensive exercise - and we don't get paid until we are accredited. At least here they put any earnings into a trust fund, which you get once you are accredited. Apparently in some rinks you just don't accrue any money until you are qualified.

I helped out at skate school yesterday, and really enjoyed it and think I could be quite good at it. But husband and I just had a huge row about how I spend enough time and money on skating already, without doing this, so my coaching my be over before I really start. Ah well, if it's meant to be....

[dbny]

CONGRATULATIONS!

[sk8lady]

But husband and I just had a huge row about how I spend enough time and money on skating already, without doing this, so my coaching my be over before I really start. Ah well, if it's meant to be....

Ah, the husbands! Mine was really quite horrid about my skating till he started playing hockey. Once he started spending boogoo bucks on ice time, new skates he HAD to have to make him faster, and physical therapy because he tore his meniscus suddenly I didn't hear quite so many complaints! Encourage yours to find an expensive hobby!!

[katz in boots]

...Encourage yours to find an expensive hobby!!...

When he was younger, before I met him, he used to fly small aeroplanes . Now that is a mega-bucks hobby!

[katz in boots]

...Encourage yours to find an expensive hobby!!...

When he was younger, before I met him, he used to fly small aeroplanes . Now that is a mega-bucks hobby!

I think 1/2 his problem is he doesn't have a hobby, if he did, I don't think he'd resent mine so much.

[Bunny Hop]

When he was younger, before I met him, he used to fly small aeroplanes . Now that is a mega-bucks hobby!

Mine skates, flies small aeroplanes and is also into photography. So if there are complaints about expensive hobbies, they won't be coming from him...