She was all up on my section

[niupartyangel]

I gotta start this thread because of what happened today....there's a juvenile or intermediate level skater who shared the 6:30 am ice with me today. Since it's summer the rink is super slow so for 6:30-7 am it was only me, my coach and this junior high kid. To take advantage of the empty ice for my waltz 8, my coach drew two big circles--(the size expected for an adult taking the test that is 5'2" tall i guess ) right in the middle of the rink for me to follow--i still tend to shrink the waltz 8 when i dont have a circle to follow--...anyway so this other girl has the majority of the rest of the ice on both sides to do jumps and spins....

But for some this girl kept doing her stuff like right by me! I wanted to say something but I didn't want to sound so #####y and my coach didn't say anything neither. Later I whispered to her "why is she all up on my space?" and my coach was like, "I know! she has the rest of the place to herself!" So instead of me going through it smoothly i kinda have to pause or stop and jerk around because i was never sure where she would end up being. and she was clearly within the boundaries of my circle :frus: i didn't buy the whole ice for myself but i would think understandably if it's only two of us practicing shouldn't you be like over the other 80% unoccupied areas and leave me and my two waltz 8 circles ALONE??? should i say something next time? (her coach wasn't there by the way).

After 7 am ther rink starts filling in with the other skaters so it was hard to practice waltz 8s by then because everyone else is zooming by me.

[vesperholly]

my coach drew two big circles ... right in the middle of the rink
I hate to tell you but it's difficult to avoid the middle of the rink.

Maybe this kid was being a little less than courteous, but she's the right age for that kind of behavior. The only thing you can do is act your age by not saying anything. And maybe not stop yourself every time she comes within a breath of you and she might learn her lesson ... :halo:

[fsk8r]

I hate to tell you but it's difficult to avoid the middle of the rink.

Maybe this kid was being a little less than courteous, but she's the right age for that kind of behavior. The only thing you can do is act your age by not saying anything. And maybe not stop yourself every time she comes within a breath of you and she might learn her lesson ... :halo:

I've got nerves when anyone comes near me on the ice, but I agree, you sometimes need to hold your own and stand your ground. my coach says if you look like you own the ice people will get out of your way. Sometimes it's easier said than done.
However, I fully agree that it's really annoying that people deliberately ignore you and skate right through you. Some of them might be just going through the age of it, and others are just plain obnoxious and yet others still are plain oblivious. But it's generally easier not to mention it because all these people don't realise that they're doing anything wrong and some will pick a fight. It's best just to get on with things. And maybe mention something to your coach and get her to be the one to say something. Ultimately the person in lesson does have right of way.

[Kim to the Max]

Very frustrating....

But, something to think about...maybe she was drilling something specific for her program? For me, I do my axel in a particular place, and yes, I can flip it to the other end of the rink, but mentally, it is better for me to do it in the exact spot I do it in my program.

[xgskate]

niupartyangel,

Make friend with her and she will be more considerate later.

[SkatEn]

niupartyangel,

Make friend with her and she will be more considerate later.

Haha I think that'll be the best solution too! Talk about what she was doing, "Hey... When I was in my lesson I saw you doing a _______ by me! I could feel the wind in my face! Is this your practice?" and then get the ball rolling.

Not to be too blunt because you'll see her around after all. :P

If I'm in a bad mood, I'd stop purposely and stare/glare at the offending (usually public) skater. :giveup:

[Stormy]

To be fair, she paid to use the whole ice. As did you. And the middle of the rink is hard to avoid, especially if you're practicing sections of your program. The only time you have the right of way and should expect people to get out of your way is if you're doing a program run through. Even if you're the only two people on the whole ice, it's not fair for her to get out of your way if you're using center ice. She's a kid and probably just wasn't thinking if she was skating close by you.

[dbny]

I agree with most of what other posters have alread said, however, since you were in a lesson and she was not, you had the right of way. IMO, your coach should have politely asked her to keep her distance until you were through with the waltz-8's. I had a student doing waltz-8's on a freestyle just last night. It happened to be a crazy session, and I had her do them at one end between the hockey circles, which was new for her. The only real problem we had was with an 8 year old who came and stood exactly where our circles met - while my student was in the pattern - to wait for her music to start. Unfortunately, too many coaches do not teach their students to look out for other skaters. Eight is not too early to learn, and that child could have started her program just a few feet farther out and been fine.

Are there posted rules for your freestyle sessions? If not, ask the club or rink about it. That may help.

[Stormy]

Dbny actually brings up an interesting question for me. Is that normal in rinks, if you're in a lesson you have the right of way of those just practicing on their own? All the rinks I've ever skated in, it dosen't matter if you're in a lesson or not that you have right of way. The only skater that has right of way is the person doing a program run through.

[Kim to the Max]

Dbny actually brings up an interesting question for me. Is that normal in rinks, if you're in a lesson you have the right of way of those just practicing on their own? All the rinks I've ever skated in, it dosen't matter if you're in a lesson or not that you have right of way. The only skater that has right of way is the person doing a program run through.

The rinks that I currently skate at, the order of priority goes:

1) In lesson, doing program
2) In lesson
3) Program
4) Everyone else

When I was younger, it was, as you suggested, just those who were doing their program who were given priority.

I know that we run into issues when there are multiple lessons going on, then who moves? Personally, I have had issues with coaches who are giving lessons not moving when I am in my program in a lesson, and also them telling their students who they were giving a lesson to to not move for me when I was doing my moves patterns (in addition to them not moving for moves patterns). It becomes frustrating, particularly now that I am on Junior moves and am getting ready to test both that (hopefully) and my Juv free. And not to sound conceited, but I do move a lot for others, even if I am in a lesson and if I were to run into one of the younger kids on the ice, I would probably hurt them, as I skate with a lot of power and I am a lot bigger than they are!

[luckykid]

In my rink, the priority is pretty much the same, except that people doing program, regardless of whether they're having lessons get the priority first. Then it's lessons, practice students and public. Well our public session is like the whole day so yeah I have lessons during public lessons and people always come into my way.

[Mainemom]

Those are our sort of our levels of priority too, unless she was having her music played in order to practice her program in which case she is top dog. So unless she was doing MIF or dance patterns, there really is no excuse and IMO your coach should have said something to her OR you could have let her almost run into you and then apologized profusely, pointing out your circles and explaining your need to practice your MIF. If she has any clue at all, she'd get the point. I disagree about the age thing (defending DD and her friends, here who are all that age and are very careful about avoiding other people - having been on the receiving end before) - I think it's obliviousness more often than not. But your coach should have said something, IMO.

[SkatEn]

There's no stated rules and stuff. But IMO, it's just basic common courtesy.

If I'm having lesson, I don't want people standing near my coach/me, regardless of what I'm doing. Sometimes I'd to abort jumps because another skater landed a jump at where I was going towards. That's unintentional, of course, the skater wouldn't have known I'm going there unless she noticed that's where my coach and I are doing jumps. Same with spins.

We all understand the limits of the small rink, with public skaters and whatnot. Sometimes the skaters who are practicing move to the side during someone's program runthrough.

I think it's a lot of courtesy applied here. I mean, if you're driving, isn't it the same? If you're a learner with the L displayed (at least that's how it's like over here), people tend to give you some room.

[londonicechamp]

Hi

Quite interesting discussion here. :lol:

I also got another problem, boys with skating frames (basically those whose first time to skate) at my rink always came up into my lesson area, which is coned off. They will fall right in front of me. My coach helped them up most times.

My question is: if I was doing jumps and spins, and some other moves, and knocked the boy(s) down coz they came into my lesson area, can the parents of the boy(s) ask me for compensation? :roll:

I do know that there is an exclusion clause of accidents and liability in my rink. :)

londonicechamp

[Mrs Redboots]

I'm afraid it's one of the Laws of Skating, that the fewer people there are on the ice, the more likely it is that you will collide.... don't know why it should be, but it happens every time!

[Kat12]

My question is: if I was doing jumps and spins, and some other moves, and knocked the boy(s) down coz they came into my lesson area, can the parents of the boy(s) ask me for compensation?

I'm sure they'd make a valiant effort. I don't know if they'd win it or not. People tend to go relatively ga-ga when a kid's involved, and I suppose they'd try to paint it as you doing daaaaaaaaaaaaaaangerous things when there are children present.

[londonicechamp]

Hi Kat 12

Many thanks for your reply. However, my rink also has a clause that states that: skating is a dangerous sport. All patrons skate at their own risks.

Does that mean that that rule apply in my case?

londonicechamp

[CoachPA]

However, my rink also has a clause that states that: skating is a dangerous sport. All patrons skate at their own risks.

Does that mean that that rule apply in my case?

londonicechamp

I think that unless you intentionally went after these boys, then most people would consider what happened to be an accident that would fall under that clause. If, however, you were purposely trying to knock someone down, then that's a different case.

It sounds as though this was an accident, that your coach was there supervising the situation and even helping the young boys who skated into this coned off area, so I'm not what grounds the parents would have for asking you for compensation of any sort.

Perhaps your coach can ask the boys to be more aware of staying out of the coned off lesson area and explain why (jumps, spins, more advanced skating, etc.). From there if they choose to continue to skate into this area, then that's a risk they are creating for themselves, and I'd hope that the parents would take note of this.

[doubletoe]

While it is possible that this skater was being inconsiderate, I think most skaters are just concerned about practicing the elements they came to practice that day, since ice time is not cheap. If you are in the middle of the rink for your entire lesson (20 minutes? 30 minutes?), you are bound to be right where other skaters need to be at times, especially if they are practicing sections of their programs.
I say this because I often find myself on the other side of this scenario, where a skater and instructor are working on something at one end of the rink--usually involving one or both of the hockey circles. They will stay there for the entire 20 or 30 minute lesson and that means I can't do anything at that end of the rink, even though I've got at least 6 sections of my Intermediate moves-in-the-field that require me to go through that area and another 3-4 elements in my program that need to happen there. The only way I can squeeze anything in is to jump in right as they are at a part of their pattern where I won't hit them. This still brings me pretty close to them, though, and I sometimes wonder if the less experienced skaters who don't recognize my patterns think I'm just trying to intimidate them on purpose.
Meanwhile, I'm always amazed when coaches don't occasionally move themselves and their students to the wall in order to let another skater complete a pattern in their area, especially if they are at a part of the lesson where the coach is standing there explaining something to the student. While it's true that lessons have right of way over skaters just practicing, I would say most of the coaches at my rink are aware of the need to share the ice and will not monopolize one area of the rink for their entire lesson time. However, there are two or three of them who just don't care and won't move no matter what, and IMO it is a disservice to their students because the students don't learn to recognize other skaters' patterns, a real necessity on freestyle sessions.

[Mel On Ice]

I understand your frustration, but if a juv/intermediate skater was running through her program, the center is unavoidable. You and your coach could have moved the waltz 8 pattern somewhere else or negotiated some right of way with her.

The other issue is dealing with sharing the ice, you just have to. If she buzzes you and is not good at sharing, buzz her back.

[londonicechamp]

Hi doubletoe

What is IMO? :roll:

Hi CoachPA

Thanks for your advice. The thing that annoys me and my coach most is that the ice marshalls probably know that the middle area is coned off for lessons, yet they do not tell the young boy(s) with skating frames to not go into my lesson area. Thus the situation happens once already during my lessons last week. I currently have lessons on Tuesdays and Thursdays evenings.

londonicechamp

[SkatEn]

Hi doubletoe

What is IMO? :roll:

Hi CoachPA

Thanks for your advice. The thing that annoys me and my coach most is that the ice marshalls probably know that the middle area is coned off for lessons, yet they do not tell the young boy(s) with skating frames to not go into my lesson area. Thus the situation happens once already during my lessons last week. I currently have lessons on Tuesdays and Thursdays evenings.

londonicechamp

IMO is forum/msn/instant messaging/sms shortform for in my opinion. IMHO is in my honest opinion. I took a while to figure it out.

When your coach does not use the orange cones, how can the public skaters know that you're having a lesson and to stay out? Someone told me that I paid for my lesson, but they paid for their skating time too. You just have to suck it up. It happens all the time around here, and everyone finds some way to deal with it. Not sure how things are done when you were in London, but here, the "ice marshalls" are not there permanently and are usually out when it's crowded (they mainly issue skates!). I usually skate my way around them, or if I'm going slow enough, tap them on the shoulder and point them in the right direction. You're the one who's more able to maneuver around them, so, go skate around them! If it's the same kid over and over, give a shout of excuse me and be on your way.

Now, back to the OP. Even if the skater was on a program runthrough, it should be done in a way that it does not disrupt the one in lesson, like skate around them, or try to avoid that area. It is a runthrough so the skater shouldn't have to cut through those circles, right? Once or twice is forgiveable, though.

[vesperholly]

The rinks that I currently skate at, the order of priority goes:

1) In lesson, doing program
2) In lesson
3) Program
4) Everyone else
At my rinks, flip 2 and 3. I can always redo an element in isolation during my lesson, but it's much harder to redo part of your program properly.

[hanca]

Hi Kat 12

Many thanks for your reply. However, my rink also has a clause that states that: skating is a dangerous sport. All patrons skate at their own risks.

Does that mean that that rule apply in my case?

londonicechamp

That's weird question! You are asking us? You are the lawyer, not us. And, you are in a country most of us have probably never been to. How useful do you think our opinion in this matter may be? ;)

[dbny]

However, my rink also has a clause that states that: skating is a dangerous sport. All patrons skate at their own risks.

In the United States, you cannot give up your rights, which means that you have a right to sue for negligence even if you signed a waiver acknowledging the danger.

Another meaning of IMHO - In My Humble Opinion

[stardust skies]

Right in the middle of the rink is in the way of everything and everyone. Your coach is the one who was wrong...no freestyle skater practicing jumps can avoid the middle. Instead, what she should have done is taken one of the CORNERS (preferably one of the non-lutz corners for this skater depending on if she is a leftie or a rightie which could have been determined by watching her do just 1 jump or spin..) and had you practice your moves there. If it's not a moves session then you do not have right of way doing moves in the field, especially not in the center of the ice, regardless of if there are 2 or 52 kids there. Yes you are in a lesson which puts you "ahead" of the skater who is not, but there are still limits to that...you cannot expect people to just not skate by you for 30 minutes when you're standing in the middle of the ice. Keep in mind that most skaters are also used to skating very close to each other, don't take it as an insult, and don't mind. Only when I've skated with adult skaters have I noticed the "zooming by" being taken as an insult, teens do not even notice it.

Ironically, most skaters' biggest pet peeve is when coaches put their skaters in the middle of the ice for their lesson....it's just not something you do as EVERYONE has to go through the center to set up jumps. Not only are coaches expected to go in a corner or at least somewhere off to the side, but they are actually also expected to *move* to a different corner/area after 10-15 mins, just in case someone actually needed that particular corner for a program run through (with music or without...).

No one should appropriate themselves the middle of the rink and then get pissed off someone keeps zooming by them. It's because you are in the way.

[jskater49]

Dbny actually brings up an interesting question for me. Is that normal in rinks, if you're in a lesson you have the right of way of those just practicing on their own? All the rinks I've ever skated in, it dosen't matter if you're in a lesson or not that you have right of way. The only skater that has right of way is the person doing a program run through.

In our club the right of way rules are as follows

1. Doing your program in vest to music in a lesson
2. In a lesson without vest or music
3. Doing your program in a vest with music

Also if you are in a lesson the coach has a right to go to the head of the line with your music. But only once.

[jskater49]

I'm afraid it's one of the Laws of Skating, that the fewer people there are on the ice, the more likely it is that you will collide.... don't know why it should be, but it happens every time!



I find that is true. Once there were only two of us and I ran smack into the other person.

Maybe you just aren't as cautious when there are fewer people?

[RachelSk8er]

Dbny actually brings up an interesting question for me. Is that normal in rinks, if you're in a lesson you have the right of way of those just practicing on their own? All the rinks I've ever skated in, it dosen't matter if you're in a lesson or not that you have right of way. The only skater that has right of way is the person doing a program run through.

At my rink and all the others I've ever skated at, it's:

--Skater in a lesson doing their program or a dance w/the music (wearing orange waist bands)
--All other skaters doing the dance playing to the music (if applicable) as long as they are also wearing orange waist bands (we have 3 of them)
--Skater in a lesson
--Everyone else

If you were in a lesson, she should have been staying out of your way, but she very well may have been running sections of a program or doing moves patterns, like everyone else already said.

And what do you mean by her being all up in your space? The "too close for comfort" distance threshold that a lot of adult skaters have is often more than what a lot of high level kids/teens have, but they don't always realize that (she can probably safely and easily maneuver around you).

[Skate@Delaware]

My skater-girlfriends and I were just talking about this yesterday. We have rules at our rink for freestyle sessions that are ignored. Right of way is given for:
1. In lesson (i.e. with a coach) doing program (with music)
2. In lesson (with coach) doing moves/dance (with or without music)
3. In lesson
4. Everyone else

The problem has been the young kids thinking if their music is playing that they get the right of way-they do not (clearly stated in our rules). I explained this to a young girl who thought she had the right of way.

We do not wear vests or belts when we skate our programs. We tried it and it worked great, however they young girls refused to wear them. Now it's "who's music is that?" and "who is in program?"

My coach will pull me to a different section of the rink to yield to someone else in lesson (doing moves etc) but more & more we have not been yielding to those just messing around; my coach has told them to move on and she has told me to keep skating. This has worked and they move on and stay away.

We do not do much in the center ice tho, as many moves patterns run through it. If someone is doing moves my coach will set up where we will not interfere. If I'm on the rink for practice and someone is doing moves (and I don't know what they are doing) I ask which area will be out of their way. This works and you make a friend because when you set up for a jump and she is where you want to jump and she sees you coming, she will move.

[phoenix]

We do not wear vests or belts when we skate our programs. We tried it and it worked great, however they young girls refused to wear them. Now it's "who's music is that?" and "who is in program?"

We had the same thing--for a little while we had shiny sequined sashes that the kids wore and it was so great!! Then they disappeared, and we're back to trying to figure out whose music is playing.

My other question is--I totally yield to someone who is doing their program--but what about the ones who play their music 6 times on one session? I don't mind someone doing this, but I stop yielding so much after the first couple of times through. It doesn't seem fair to yield to the same person for an entire hour...

[Clarice]

As I see it, one of the problems here is that the original poster was working on a waltz eight, which is essentially a figure (it's actually on the Preliminary Figure Test). It's really hard to practice figures on an open session, although most of us don't have any other choice. I'm working towards my First Figure Test now, and only very rarely put my circles center ice - you're almost guaranteed to be in the way there. Depending on the session, I'll either put them on the short axis between the two hockey circles and the blue line, or on the long axis next to the boards, also between the hockey circle and the blue line, and not in a lutz corner. No matter where I've placed them, I always yield to skaters who need to cut through my circles. It's not a patch session, so it's not reasonable to expect them to avoid "my" portion of the ice, especially since I'm likely to be there for an extended period of time. With only two skaters on the ice, I probably would have explained to the other skater what I was going to do and asked her where I'd be least likely to be in her way - I've done that with a high level pair team and it worked out fine.

[Isk8NYC]

We do not wear vests or belts when we skate our programs. We tried it and it worked great, however they young girls refused to wear them. Now it's "who's music is that?" and "who is in program?"At one Club I belonged to years ago, the music monitor REFUSED to start the skater's music until s/he was wearing the sash. If you gave her a hard time or took too long, you lost your turn. No one argued, and I have to say that I don't ever remember the coaches having to "jump the line" for lesson students. The session was two hours, that's probably why -- plenty of time for everyone to get in a few runthroughs.

When I skated, it was no big deal to go around a few other people, even if they were in the middle. We just went down the side as if it was a public session and we had to "go with the flow." I guess we were more flexible because we skated on a lot of public sessions and had to fit jumps into crowd gaps while playing (sort of ) by the session rules. Sure helped during competitions when we could move a jump three feet over because there was a huge divot missing from someone else's jump. I teach my kids and students to be flexible and respectful of the ice space.

[RachelSk8er]

Ironically, most skaters' biggest pet peeve is when coaches put their skaters in the middle of the ice for their lesson....it's just not something you do as EVERYONE has to go through the center to set up jumps. Not only are coaches expected to go in a corner or at least somewhere off to the side, but they are actually also expected to *move* to a different corner/area after 10-15 mins, just in case someone actually needed that particular corner for a program run through (with music or without...).

Ugh. There is one rink I HATE skating at because the coaches who tend to mainly work with young/low level/basic skills kids will hog up one corner the whole time, and ALWAYS the corner that people who jump R handed use for lutzes.

We have one coach at my rink who's really bad about this stuff. Why she's coaching is beyond me (sorry if it sounds mean, but she can hardly skate herself, she's REALLY hard to be on a session with when she's skating for herself because she doesn't look where she's going, and panics if you get too close to her, and she's the same way coaching), and not only does she have her kids (young basic skills skaters) work mainly in the center of the rink with her right there next to them, but she doesn't pay attention to others around them and neither of them can move out of the way fast enough. If you're a coach and can't stand by the wall while your kid is skating on a more crowded session, or you need to be right there helping them, you move off to a corner or end of the rink, stay as close to a side wall as possible, or (since I understand that's not always possible), you need to be extra conscious of your surroundings. I almost plowed them both down because I was doing a run-thru of my program (with music, during a lesson), was going through my step sequence (mostly backwards), yelled "coming through the center" as I started my step sequence to warn people, and they still just kind of both stood there totally in their own world. That's dangerous.

[kayskate]

Depending on what type of session it is, sometimes the center is reserved for lessons. However, this is usually on a public.

Kay

[vesperholly]

The problem has been the young kids thinking if their music is playing that they get the right of way-they do not (clearly stated in our rules). I explained this to a young girl who thought she had the right of way.
I have to say, I find that kind of unfair. If your music is playing, it's not like you can just set up the element again 10 seconds later. A skater in a lesson can just wait two seconds for the one other person to pass them, and go at their element again. I mean, you could have 10 people in lessons - who gets the right of way, lesson vs. lesson? Only one person at a time is getting their music played. Then again, at my rink, most people only get to play their programs once.

[phoenix]

Not to mention that someone in lesson may be clear across the rink from their coach so it's hard to know who's in lesson or not.

[Skate@Delaware]

I have to say, I find that kind of unfair. If your music is playing, it's not like you can just set up the element again 10 seconds later. A skater in a lesson can just wait two seconds for the one other person to pass them, and go at their element again. I mean, you could have 10 people in lessons - who gets the right of way, lesson vs. lesson? Only one person at a time is getting their music played. Then again, at my rink, most people only get to play their programs once.

I'm talking about the skaters that are not in lesson but are messing around and playing their music over and over again. This was spelled out in our rules that they would not be given right of way. The kids need to understand the difference between "in lesson with music playing" and "not in lesson and allowed to play music when there is no line at the music box" which really had been discussed in length at several club meetings.

Our club does try to be fair and accomodating to skaters, but some have to bend-after all you can't please everyone. Skaters in lesson skating to their program music do get #1 priority.

As for skating figures such as the waltz-8, yes it's hard to set it up on a full session, sometimes it's possible to set it up just between the large center circle and one of the corners, on the side and do it sideways or between the two corners close to the goal line (this is where my coach prefers).

[sk8er1964]

Right in the middle of the rink is in the way of everything and everyone. Your coach is the one who was wrong...no freestyle skater practicing jumps can avoid the middle. Instead, what she should have done is taken one of the CORNERS (preferably one of the non-lutz corners for this skater depending on if she is a leftie or a rightie which could have been determined by watching her do just 1 jump or spin..) and had you practice your moves there.

<rest of post>

Thank you for saying this! It was my first thought too. As the other skater, I would have been quite upset if a coach had monopolized the center of the ice for an entire 30 minutes.

[RachelSk8er]

I'm talking about the skaters that are not in lesson but are messing around and playing their music over and over again. This was spelled out in our rules that they would not be given right of way. The kids need to understand the difference between "in lesson with music playing" and "not in lesson and allowed to play music when there is no line at the music box" which really had been discussed in length at several club meetings.

Our club does try to be fair and accomodating to skaters, but some have to bend-after all you can't please everyone. Skaters in lesson skating to their program music do get #1 priority.

That's where something like a vest or belt come in handy. It's usually pretty easy to get your music in more than once on our sessions. Particularly since I'm working on a new program, if no one is in line, and I want to work out choreography, see how something works with the music, run a short section, or something like that, I just don't bother putting on an orange belt (or maybe I'll just wear one the first time). If I'm doing the last 30 sec of my program over and over and over to get the steps down and have a chance to do it with the music because no one else is using the sound system, I don't expect people to stay out of my way the whole time.

[dbny]

Right in the middle of the rink is in the way of everything and everyone. Your coach is the one who was wrong
<snip>
No one should appropriate themselves the middle of the rink and then get pissed off someone keeps zooming by them. It's because you are in the way.

Thank you for saying this! It was my first thought too. As the other skater, I would have been quite upset if a coach had monopolized the center of the ice for an entire 30 minutes.

When preparing a student for a MIF test that requires the waltz-8 (Pre-Preliminary or Pre-Bronze) it is important to have the skater do this move in all of the three places they may be put for their test. Those three places are at one end between the hockey circles, at the other end between the hockey circles, and in the very middle of the rink. I do not teach this move in any of those places, but as proficiency improves and test time draws near, I do have my students skate this move in the possible test spots. I agree that one spot should not be hogged for an entire 30 minutes, but since there are no longer patch sessions at most rinks in the US, and since this is now part of the MIF test structure, it must be done on whatever session is available for MIF. I don't think 15 min is too much time, if it is really needed.

What I see as a much bigger problem, is the self centered behavior of too many coaches. The only thing they see is themselves and their students. No one else exists. This is both rude and dangerous. Last week I was teaching on a freestyle, and very clearly using about 4 lousy feet of a blue line, when another coach brought his student over and obviously expected me to move. I ignored him and he got the message and moved himself. Probably didn't like it, but I don't care. He also just needed a small amount of space - so pick a different space!!! WTF.

[Skate@Delaware]

My coach did tell me that the judging panel sometimes aligns your waltz-8 circles in weird places to squeeze people in. So, you should practice them in different places.

Sometimes we do have girls practice 3-4 pieces of music each session. After a while we do recognize who is skating to it....but at first it is hard to recall which piece is it. We usually are looking around and asking everyone "who's music is this?" 8O

[kayskate]

When I had to skate w ppl who played their program music over and over (not on lesson) I would get out of the way the 1st and 2nd time then I wouldn't get out of that person's way anymore (unless they were on lesson). I just thought it was unfair for one person to expect everyone else to step aside so they could do their program for a whole session.

Kay

[Skate@Delaware]

When I had to skate w ppl who played their program music over and over (not on lesson) I would get out of the way the 1st and 2nd time then I wouldn't get out of that person's way anymore (unless they were on lesson). I just thought it was unfair for one person to expect everyone else to step aside so they could do their program for a whole session.

Kay
the only time I make an exception to this is during show rehearsal. Then it's like, what can you do?

[CoachPA]

Thank you for saying this! It was my first thought too. As the other skater, I would have been quite upset if a coach had monopolized the center of the ice for an entire 30 minutes.

Hey, it's not just skaters that feel this way! As a coach, I've seen many other coaches monopolizing the center of the ice (mainly for waltz 8s) making it difficult not only for my students but for other skaters to run through their MIF, for example, especially at the Intermediate-Senior levels. :frus:

Regardless, I think it all comes down to common courtesy. Both skaters and coaches need to be aware (if even just for safety's sake) of where others are skating, whose program is on, who is on lesson, etc.

[stardust skies]

On such an empty session it would have been totally fine to run the move a couple of times in the center- no problem at all. Just not a whole lesson, setting up the circles ahead of time and whatnot...if you're ready to run it in the center then you no longer need the circles drawn IMHO, and if you're not you can learn them equally well anywhere else in the rink (since the coach is drawing the lines anyway).