Beginning Skating.

[Sawyer365]

I'm a Sixteen year old boy just starting Figure Skating. Does anyone have any words of wisdom for me? Is there any chance for someone my age to make it anywhere? I plan on eating and breathing anything and everything to help me progress.

[Clarice]

Welcome to the sport!

It depends on what you mean by "make it anywhere". If you mean being good enough to make the World or Olympic team, there probably isn't much chance. Heck, there isn't much chance even if you had started when you were 5! Don't worry about that, and focus on the journey. It's a whole lot of fun learning new skills.

Many of us on this board began when we were MUCH older than you. I was 37, and I skate well enough now to compete at Adult Nationals and teach beginners. There are competitions available for skaters at all levels, if that's what you'd like to do. Once you turn 21, you're eligilble for adult competitions, and those are pretty cool. (I'm assuming you're in the US - if not, you'll have to see what opportunities are available in your country.)

Once you get past the basic skills level, you might consider learning some ice dance. Even if you don't want to compete as an ice dancer, guys can make some extra money partnering girls through their dance tests, so it's worth thinking about. If you like team sports, you might check out whether there is a synchro team in your area that you could join.

There are lots of different things to do in skating, and I'm sure you'll find your place! Have fun!

[Mrs Redboots]

You may well not make it to the very top, but there's no reason you won't make an excellent competitor in a couple of years - competitions start almost as soon as you do, and if you enjoy performing, you're already ahead of the game.

Relax and enjoy it. Skate as often as you can, and make sure you have plenty of practice-time between lessons. It's the greatest sport there is, and will last you a lifetime - there are skaters in their 70s still competing, and I've even skated against someone in his 80s.

[Sawyer365]

Thank you both very much. I had no idea that there were competitions for adults! :D
I'm very happy to know that, Yeah, I probably won't make it to the Olympics but I can become a good competitor in other things.
I am homeschooled and I have three ice rinks within 15 minutes of my house. I have always wanted to figure skate but never did I have an ice rink within two hours and now that I moved and have an opportunity, I am going to try in every way possible to become the best I can be.

[Sawyer365]

I just found out I won't be starting for 8 weeks :(
So in the meantime, I'm going to get in shape with pilates and yoga! Does anyone know something else I can do to improve myself? What should I work on glutes/legs/core etc.?
I'm definitely an over achiever so anything and everything I can do...I will.

[Layne]

You can't start lessons for 8 weeks, or can't get to the rink at all? I started going to the public sessions 2 months before I started lessons and am glad I did. My balance improved a lot, and my legs got much stronger. You'll do much better when you do start lessons if you've been skating already.

So far as words of wisdom...Just ignore what narrow minded people think about male figure skaters. :frus:

[Kat12]

^Agreed. I started actually skating public sessions before I was able to take classes, and by the time I started classes there were some things I already knew how to do (we're not talking sit spins or anything, but my crossovers were getting up there and such, I was experimenting with edges and learning to stop, etc.). Might as well not waste class/lesson time and money tottering around your first steps on the ice if you haven't skated before...don't try to teach yourself anything you're not 100% sure about because you don't want to pick up bad habits, but you can certainly start working on stroking, stopping, crossovers, etc. especially if you read a lot about how these things are properly done.

[sk8tmum]

Basic question: do you have figure skates? If yes, have you skated with toe picks before, or, have you used hockey skates?

If you've never "toe picked" - practice a few times before you go to lessons. It will be a significant change.

If you haven't got figure skates yet, you should look into it: guys stuff is often in shorter supply than girls is, and you may have to have things ordered in. It would be a shame to miss lessons because your skates weren't in yet.

[doubletoe]

Basic question: do you have figure skates? If yes, have you skated with toe picks before, or, have you used hockey skates?

If you've never "toe picked" - practice a few times before you go to lessons. It will be a significant change.

If you haven't got figure skates yet, you should look into it: guys stuff is often in shorter supply than girls is, and you may have to have things ordered in. It would be a shame to miss lessons because your skates weren't in yet.

I agree with Sk8mum! Go to the skate shop at one of the rinks and get your feet measured for skates, since they will probably have to order them and that will take awhile. The fit must be perfect, so try different brands or get a suggestion from the fitter for the best brand of boot for your foot shape. The boot should be snug in the heel and have no extra room in toes, but it should also not squish your toes or press in on the widest part of your foot. Also, do NOT let them sell you the more expensive boots, as these are made for people landing double and triple jumps and will be too stiff for you to skate in properly.

[Sawyer365]

Thank you all!
I have ice skated when I was younger but I just rented the skates and I don't own any currently. I can't even GET to a rink for about 5 weeks because we haven't moved yet. Is there a brand of skate I shoud try out? I'm getting a private coach because I want to learn as fast as possible, I'm sure I can find a good one.

[Sawyer365]

By the way, you guys are much nicer than the people on the Ballet Forums! :D

[Layne]

^Agreed. I started actually skating public sessions before I was able to take classes, and by the time I started classes there were some things I already knew how to do (we're not talking sit spins or anything, but my crossovers were getting up there and such, I was experimenting with edges and learning to stop, etc.). Might as well not waste class/lesson time and money tottering around your first steps on the ice if you haven't skated before...don't try to teach yourself anything you're not 100% sure about because you don't want to pick up bad habits, but you can certainly start working on stroking, stopping, crossovers, etc. especially if you read a lot about how these things are properly done.

Hmm, I thought crossovers were somewhat more advanced than the rest of that. I'm afraid to just try it on my own, I hate falling down. I'm not very good at gliding on one foot yet, and my legs are not very long or thin.

[Mrs Redboots]

In terms of skates, the ideal is what fits your foot! As you're a beginner, you won't need an expensive or difficult-to-find pair of skates; your best bet is to see if there's a professional fitter in your area who will be able to advise you. Failing that, you will do very well for your first pair if you are fitted at the rink shop.

Don't forget that if all else fails, there is such a thing as shoe dye - if the really don't have anything suitable in black men's skates, you can always dye a pair originally designed for women! But that's unlikely to be a problem for a year or so yet.

[Isk8NYC]

Home schooling is AWESOME for figure skaters because you can set your own schedule and attend empty, inexpensive daytime skating sessions. That's wonderful.

When you move into your new home, go to the pro shop and buy a pair of skates. Look for Riedell Blue Ribbon or Jackson Marquis. Have them sharpened while you're there - they usually do it for free.

Pick up the public skating schedule while you're there, along with the group lesson brochures.

Skate a few sessions before you start taking lessons. It'll help you get up to speed quickly and over the learning curve of gliding and holding your knees bent and your feet straight.

While you're there, look for students taking lessons and check out how the instructor works with them. Be subtle, but figure out which instructor would suit your personality best. Some people are more demanding and picky, others like to chat and laugh - how do you learn best?

You might also want to stop by during group lessons and observe. The rink might have a teen group, which would help you make friends.

[Sawyer365]

This may sound like a stupid question but, What will I wear for practice, do they sell specific pants like they do at dance stores? Oh, I also have shoulder length hair will I have to cut it or can I put on a beanie?

[Skittl1321]

Most of the boys at my rink start out in running pants. Many of them never switch to a "skating pant"- the ones who do tend to wear under armour products, or specialty figure skating wear you can find online.

However, most don't actually wear figure skating wear except for competition. The advantage of wearing it in practice is that your coach can see your leg line better, and you don't need to worry about catching your leg in the bottom of your blade. For many men, those concerns aren't enough to account for the expense of specialty wear and the image issue of tight lycra pants. It's completely up to you with what you are comfortable with, what is the norm at your rink, and what your coach wants. For a group lesson, especially a low level one, I'd wear general workout clothes.

There will be no need to cut your hair unless you want to. You could just skate with it down, or tie it back.

[sk8tmum]

Not a stupid question at all.

Hair: tie it back; you don't want it swinging in your face. shoulder length guy hair is usually just pulled back into a "guy" pony tail.

There are "guy" skating pants, but, they are expensive. You can check out Podium Skatewear, they make guy pants - they are a Canadian company, you can order them through www.skatingboutique.com. However, what my "guy" does is wear UnderArmour pants - not the loose baggy ones, but normal fit ones that are cut like a dress pant at the bottom. They always have those available. You can also wear leggings (running style ones) - but you may find them to be a bit unusual on the ice. UnderArmour Cold Gear is nice in terms of keeping you warm.

Don't wear jeans, don't wear stuff that "rustles" like some of the sports pants do, and when you get serious about it, you will want a coach to be able to see the line.

As for the OTHER unique to guys question: yes, dance belts exist; no they are not worn often in practice or learn to skate; a good solution is compression fit boxer shorts, like UnderArmour sells. Not necessary, however, unless it's a personal preference.

And, avoid heavy ski jacket/parka style stuff on top. Get a warm sweater, dress in layers. Bulk impedes mobility.

[Layne]

I wear jeans most of the time (but it's Texas, we do everything in jeans). As a beginner, pretty much anything goes. And no one is going to care about your hair. Just make sure you dress warm enough, you can work up a sweat during the public sessions, but beginner lessons are just a lot of standing still and moving slow. The indoor temperature will depend on your local climate, but it will be cold. Layers are a great idea because the temperature varies a lot too for reasons you can't predict.

[rlichtefeld]

I'm an adult male skater that started at 37 and am turning 50 this year.

If you could give a little info of where you will moving to, or the names of the rinks that will be near you, it may help us with some recommendations of where to get skates. Not all pro shops are great.

There are several adult male skaters with long hair. Some just wear it long, some wear it in a pony tail. Not sure what the younger skaters do.

As to what to wear, that will change as you progress. When you are just starting out, you will want something quite warm. In the group classes you will be moving slowly and standing and watching your instructor quite a bit.

Since you WILL be falling, wear pants that are made of synthetics, they don't pick up water like cotton does. There are lots of brands & types out there, but you don't have to spend a lot.

I wear LL Bean running tights/pants. However, I also have full zip fleece pants that I wear over them when I'm teaching. As for the top, try a mock turtle - either something like UnderArmor or REI performance undershirts. Then, cover that in fleece. I start out with the REI long sleeve mock turtle, then a fleece vest, then a fleece club jacket. I just shed the layers as I need to as I warm up. And, then if during a lesson, I start getting cold, I just start adding them back on.

Socks are very important. Thin is in. I wear REI polypro sock liners. They are about the same thickness as ladies' tights. Don't wear cotton athletic socks. Your feet will most certainly sweat when you get active, and you need something that wicks away the moisture.

Another thing you may want is Bungapads. These are like ace bandage sleeves with silicone on one side. You put the silicone side on your ankles and it give a little cushion so the boots don't hurt your ankle bones. They also extend up over the boot's cuff, so that doesn't cut into your ankle.

Gloves are also important; a pair of glove liners, work well. They wick the moisture and stay warm even with falling and getting wet. You can find these in sporting good stores or online at REI, LL Bean or Lands End.

As to underwear, this is problematic for guys. Not so much at the beginning, but when you start doing sit spins (once you try a sit spin, you'll know why). I wear jockeys that are made of a lycra blend. You used to be able to find them on Jockey.com, but the last time I looked they were discontinued. Luckily, I purchased quite a few at the time. Some people wear jocks, and some where Speedos. If and when my Jockeys wear out, I'll probably go the Speedo route.

Probably more info than you wanted, but there you go.

Rob

[Skittl1321]

Socks are very important.
bah! Skip the socks (if you own your skates)


Another thing you may want is Bungapads.


Huge agree! I have scars on my ankles from the tops of my skates cutting into them. Bunga pads (or Silipos- my preference, they are slightly thinner) are lifesavers

[Sawyer365]

I'm going to get a private coach even for my first lesson so, hopefully, They'll say what to wear from now on if for some reason they prefer I wear something different.
Yes, I will own my own skates but I can't stand wearing shoes without socks so if it doesn't matter I'm going to wear thin socks.

[sk8tmum]

Wear socks. It cuts down on the stench in the boots and keeps some of the sweat off of the lining. Also cuts down on that rubbing at the top of the skates against the leg. Plus, guys wear pants; it's bad enough to see the socks popping out at the top of the skate when they do spirals or something and they don't have the elastics on the pants to hold them down ... bare leg would be worse.:)

Some coaches don't like socks because skaters can "grip" with their bare toes in their boots on landings. Other than that, it's a personal preference, however, remember, you'll be changing your skates in dressing rooms, and having a barrier between bare feet and grungy floors in the switch shoe to skate ... well, something to consider.

[Sawyer365]

Quick question! :D
How often should I practice? 3 Rinks will be 15 minutes away (walking distance) and I read that I should go ''Three times a day Six days a week.''
Can you get a membership so you can skate for free like at the zoo? It might take a little bit of influencing my parents but I'm sure once I start practicing "Moves" my parents will let me go much more often. Also, how often should I go with a private coach? I read once a day but that's seems TERRIBLY expensive.

[sk8tegirl06]

Quick question! :D
How often should I practice? 3 Rinks will be 15 minutes away (walking distance) and I read that I should go ''Three times a day Six days a week.''
Can you get a membership so you can skate for free like at the zoo? It might take a little bit of influencing my parents but I'm sure once I start practicing "Moves" my parents will let me go much more often. Also, how often should I go with a private coach? I read once a day but that's seems TERRIBLY expensive.

These numbers sound more like elite skating times and yes it is terribly expensive, most beginners will have a lesson once a week maybe twice a week, with one to two practices between lessons.

I'm not sure what you mean by 3 times a day 6 days a week. 3 skating sessions a day? Around me, 3 freestyle sessions a day will run you about $36 times 6 days a week $$$

Memberships probably depend on the rink, different rinks have different policies. I have three rinks I go between.

Rink 1 is very much hockey dominated and freestyle is limited to 2 days a week for 1 hour 15 minutes. At this rink I tend to go to the public sessions in the middle of the day because they are much cheaper and tend to be really empty. I can arrange my work schedule for afternoons/evenings, so I can skate earlier in the day.

Rink 2 is pretty evenly split hockey/figure skating. You can buy an individual 45 minute session for $12. Or you can buy a punch card, for 10, 20, or 40 sessions, because you buy in bulk there is a little bit of a discount, maybe averages out to like $9-10 a sessions.

Rink 3 is dominated with figure skating/synchro. Here a 40 minute session is $12. They have a similar punch card system available to students, 12 sessions and it averages to about $9/session. Or you can register for a contract, this buys you into a designated number of sessions for a year.

As a beginner, especially being home schooled I would say start on the public sessions. I have been to some public sessions during the day where I have been literally the only person on the ice. Some rinks around here actually allow lessons on public sessions, something to consider at least from a financial perspective.

[Sawyer365]

Oh Yeah, sorry for the confusion. It was 3 sessions per day with one of those sessions having a private coach. :oops:
I'm confused about the ''Sessions'' Public Session must obviously mean other people...So are you saying a freestyle session is where you buy out the entire ice? Sorry to ask such stupid questions but if I don't ask I won't learn! hahaha

[fsk8r]

Oh Yeah, sorry for the confusion. It was 3 sessions per day with one of those sessions having a private coach. :oops:
I'm confused about the ''Sessions'' Public Session must obviously mean other people...So are you saying a freestyle session is where you buy out the entire ice? Sorry to ask such stupid questions but if I don't ask I won't learn! hahaha

Freestyle / Patch sessions are where people go and practice figure skating. Public sessions are where anyone can come along. Some rinks may have policies about what you can do on these sessions (like no hockey, no figure skating jumps, etc) because they are trying to look after the safety of all users.
As a beginner a public session is probably the safest place to be as freestyle sessions have lots of fast moving skaters doing double and triple jumps and you may not feel confident about getting out of the way (and it can be quite intimidating).
I would have a look at the rink timetable for your local rinks and see what prices they charge and at what time sessions are. Quite often you get more hours for your money on a public session which will be the most cost effective way when you're just starting out.
I'd also suggest that you ramp up your skating hours slowly. Start with one lesson a week and a practice session and if your legs can cope add a second session in. Initially the list of what you need to practice is quite small as you're trying to get moving. As you progress the list gets longer so you start wanting more lessons to cover everything and more time practicing.

[Mrs Redboots]

I wear jeans most of the time (but it's Texas, we do everything in jeans). As a beginner, pretty much anything goes.

Even still, jeans aren't a great idea, as you move inside them, rather than them moving with you. Plus they do get wet and cold when you fall over. Far better to wear sweatpants while you're actually skating.

[luckykid]

I never wear jeans to skating. They make me feel heavy and hug me too tightly.

[Sawyer365]

Deleted.
This post was done in haste and due to ''The Heat of The Moment'' in which it was posted; it came out rude, childish and ignorant. I apologize whole-heartedly to anyone I mistakenly offended.

[dbny]

So is it possible to be more than just a washed up coach?

Don't quite know what you mean by that. Many of us chose coaching and either never competed seriously or knew even during the competitive years that coaching was a worthy goal.

As for what's possible - no one knows for sure. Even the most talented kids who started young don't all make it to the top. Talent and hard work are certainly necessary, but they are not the whole story. Rather than speculating on what you might possibly achieve, I recommend focussing on the process itself. Enjoy what you are doing and set short term goals for yourself. If you don't think you would enjoy coaching at some point then be sure to also work towards a different career. We already have plenty of coaches who were competitive skaters and don't know how to do anything else. It's pretty sad to see what was once a source of joy become just daily drudgery for those who did not plan for a life after competition.

[vesperholly]

So is it possible to be more than just a washed up coach? (snip) Until I try I'll never know but the chance of becoming more than average is all the boost I need to become all I can be and more.

Everyone has given you some very sound advice in this thread so far, and has done it kindly.

I'm going to be blunt.

No, you will not make it to the Olympics if you start skating at 16.

Maybe, if you show incredible talent, hard work and a good deal of luck, you can make it to Nationals. Most likely in ice dance, where the field is far thinner and male dancers are in shorter supply.

That said, there are many, many fine and admirable pursuits in figure skating that do not involve the Olympics. In fact, most all of figure skating is about everything but the Olympics. There are many excellent posts above detailing just what you can accomplish. I would suggest not repeating the bit about coaches, because you may have a hard time finding one to teach you skating with that attitude.

One last note regarding the last thing that I quoted: If you are only interested in figure skating as a meal ticket to something "bigger and grander", I suggest either revising your expectations or finding a different sport. Figure skating will chew you up and spit you out if you do not truly love it or you're in it for the wrong reasons.

[Mrs Redboots]

Until I try I'll never know but the chance of becoming more than average is all the boost I need to become all I can be and more. I sound crazy. :)

The thing is, enjoy the journey. You may never get as far as you wished, but you can enjoy each stage as you come to it. Don't focus too intensely on the future, instead, focus on the present. Actually, you'll find when you're on the ice you can't focus on more than what you're actually doing!

[mdvask8r]

Ya know, I'm going to add to the last few posts -- let's not get so focused on the eventual outcome before you've even begun. Your posts sound as if you've only ever stepped on the ice a few times - and in rental skates, at that. If this is so, your muscles have not even had a chance to figure out what skating is. There's nothing wrong with big goals, but give yourself a chance to conquer at least some of the basics before you set yourself up for disappointments.

Have you trained in any other sports? Say gymnastics, equestrian, skiing ? how about dance? Or have you played any team sports? Any other experience in sport/physical training is going to help in learning to skate. So what is your background? Any activities you'll be able to relate back to when training your body and brain in this new sport?
Have you studied music at all? Skating has a rhythm that can be enhanced by an understanding of music.

I'll echo the advice above to watch the derogatory remarks about the value of a coaching career. You won't get far in the skating world w/o a good coach. Coaching is harder than skating because you not only have to know how to DO it yourself, you have to know how to TEACH it effectively to a zillion different learning styles and body types. The skating world has many fabulous former and current elite-level skaters who skate beautifully, but can't teach worth beans. A coach must be able to tear every movement down to minute details that you never even imagined were part of the finished product. Coaching is a skill that takes far more study than learning to skate yourself. Good figure skating coaches deserve DEEP respect.

Good luck to you. I hope you enjoy your skating journey and come back here often to share with us your triumphs and frustrations.

[Sawyer365]

No no no please don't think I meant anything rude at all about coaching! I actually think coaching would be amazing and I'd love to do it. What I meant was could I myself (starting so late and because of how hard it is) be a good coach and not the one that noone wants. I honestly didn't mean for it to come out rude. :( and for the Olympics and so on I don't plan on that being why I get into it, I just put it there as an extra option that I don't care all that much whether it happens or not. I did ballet and soccer when I was younger and I currently play classical piano...if that counts for studying music. Going bigger and grander is definitely not why I'm getting into figure skating, anything I went into I would just want to try my all at progressing as much as possible in it. What I really want to do is be able to do more than pace back and forth on the ice! I know that there's no excuse for how rude and idiotic I sounded in my previous post but I really am sorry and I meant nothing rude at all. :(

[Clarice]

Everyone has given you some very sound advice in this thread so far, and has done it kindly.

I'm going to be blunt.

No, you will not make it to the Olympics if you start skating at 16.

Maybe, if you show incredible talent, hard work and a good deal of luck, you can make it to Nationals. Most likely in ice dance, where the field is far thinner and male dancers are in shorter supply.



I think I told you in my very first response that the Olympics were highly unlikely. I said it was highly unlikely even for people who started when they were 5. That means that people who have been training since they were little with the same kind of dedication you plan to give are the people you will have to compete against. They'll have years and years of experience on you.

You also need to know about the age limits in the US for qualifying competitions. There are local club competitions all the time, with events for every age and ability level. You can start competing in those practically right from the beginning (but expect to be the only one in your group, or to be competing against kids much younger than you). There are several levels of Qualifying competitions - Regionals comes first, then skaters advance to Sectionals, and from there to Nationals. To compete at Regionals, a skater has to be at least at the Juvenile level (that means they've passed 8 USFS tests). The thing is, you're not allowed to compete as a Juvenile once you've turned 13. So, for you to even go to Regionals, you'd have to be at the Intermediate level (pass 2 more tests). Intermediate level skaters are attempting double axels and triple jumps. And you can't compete as an Intermediate once you've turned 18, so you only have 2 years to get to that level. After that comes Novice - there are no more age restrictions from that point on, but you definitely need the triple jumps by then if you intend to be a top competitor. And remember, it's not just about the jumping - you have to pass Moves in the Field tests for each level, which are all about edges and turns, to even be allowed to take the corresponding free skate test. These things cannot be mastered quickly.

So I'll echo what I said in the first place: Welcome to the sport! Enjoy the journey! It's so much fun learning new skills, and there are so many things to do in skating. Very, very few people become top competitors. The odds are overwhelmingly stacked against you. Don't worry about that, and just have fun!

[Sawyer365]

Thank you.
And once again, the Olympics and World team was purely there as an extra option to the list. I didn't mean to sound so idiotic by posting what I said but my friend that used to figure skate kept saying "Oh, well it's not like you'll make it somewhere! At your age it's like trying to become a professional ballet dancer. You'll never compete so why do it?" Which I didn't believe because of all the amazing skaters on here that started when they were alot older. So I logged on and posted a hasty and poor written post packed full of idiotic ranting and unintentionally rude remarks. I think that what matters is just getting up in the mornings and doing it; not "What if" but for some pathetic reason I got sucked into my friend's comment. So if anything at all can sum up my bad post it would have been: "Is competing and being able to coach a possible goal at my age? Because I'm not sure where age comes in to play." I hope that I still don't sound ridiculous and I've cleared up the misunderstandings. :)

[Isk8NYC]

This "friend" sounds like a downer - I'd tune him out.

Age is just a number. Unless you have an infirmity, anyone can learn to skate well. There are competitions, albeit separate from the kiddies, that are challenging and exciting. They're also all around the world. There's also a hell of a lot more good sportsmanship among older skaters than among the kiddies with their 'skating parents.'

US Figure Skating separates the standard track as "under 13" and "13 and older." US Figure Skating also has an adult track, which is for people 21 or older.

You're 16 and haven't even set foot on the ice yet. I think you need to set some realistic goals for the next year or two before you worry about the Olympics. You might put on skates and find that you hate the sport, so all this worry and aggravation is for naught.

Coaching is another skill entirely. The best skating coach for beginners that I know is a woman whose day job is as a pre-k teacher. She never got beyond single jumps in her own skating, but she's coached students up through axels.

[Sawyer365]

Haha! Yeah, I don't know why I listened to her when she definitely doesn't have the knowledge of everyone on here. She skated 3 years with no lessons and never competed compared to you guys who are (atleast to me) awe-inspiring professionals. I mean, If you can jump, I'm amazed. haha! Yeah, the Olympic team is definitely not my goal. I just want to do tricks and compete, if that's possible I'll be more than happy. :)

[Virtualsk8r]

:roll: If I had a dollar for every child or parent that came to me and stated: "I want my child to be a champion...can you guarantee she/he will make it to nationals or the Olympics?" I'd retire!!!!

Or - "We really want her/him to be a serious competitive skater - oh, btw - we can only skate once a week on a 15 minute lesson -- but we expect you to have her/him at nationals next season" :lol:

Or - 'We don't want to discourage her/him, so unless she/he is going to win/pass the test......we don't want to enter or try. It is too hard on her/his ego to lose......." My favorite!!!!!

My top skaters, the one's who have passed the highest tests and competed at nationals -- never had to be urged to skate nor were concerned about passing tests or winning competitions. They sucked up information like a sponge, worked their butts off all the time, kept their heads down and did their own thing rather than letting others get to them when things got tough. They looked at every test or competition as a personal challenge and wanted to push themselves to excel. Not many skaters out there like that -- except all the ones at the top at nationals! That's the common denominatior between Olympic and National competitors.....they are focused, determined and inwardly motivated to excel personally despite setbacks and defeats.

That said - one of the most accomplished skaters I ever had was a 14-year old who came to me with few skills. She skated once a week with me and did as much public skating as she could fit into her tight, multi-tasking schedule. By the time that skater graduated from high school - she had mastered all her doubles and had become a very good skater. Her goal - to be the best SHE could be given her time restrictions and finances. Did she make it to the Olympics or nationals? Of course not, but she left the sport with a lifelong love of skating and a sense of personal accomplishment.

So skate because you love it and want to learn -- not because there are rewards or medals. You might surprise yourself along the way. And, yes there are adults who manage to turn their skating skills into a coaching career as well.

Don't forget adult skating competitions as a viable option, too!

[sk8tmum]

And may I add ... some of the best coaches I know are ones who were not "natural" skaters or at the top level of competition. Being able to teach a discipline is very different from being able to perform it.

Sometimes, those who are slower to learn have had to focus on the mechanics of knowledge acquisition and development more than those who simply stepped on the ice and "did it". They also have likely experienced more approaches to teaching or learning a skill, and they can draw upon this in teaching others. They are often more understanding of those who need to try often and differently to succeed, and may have more patience.

I also know some natural skaters who are wonderful and effective coaches, and who competed at the highest levels including the Olympics and the Grand Prix Circuit, however, I want it to be out there that you can be a good coach without that history being part of your portfolio.

[mdvask8r]

Thank you.
And once again, the Olympics and World team was purely there as an extra option to the list. . . . "Is competing and being able to coach a possible goal at my age? Because I'm not sure where age comes in to play." I hope that I still don't sound ridiculous and I've cleared up the misunderstandings. :)
BRAVO Sawyer!! So happy you clarified your intentions.
Yes! It is VERY possible to start at your age to compete (to what level remains to be seen) AND to become an excellent coach. Many are doing just that, some starting much later than you.

Good to hear too that you have some athletic and music background. It will serve you well.
You'll do fine, Sawyer. Welcome to our wonderful, lifetime sport!

Yay!! to Sk8mum's entire post. You said it so well. Skaters who struggle to learn a skill so often absorb a better understanding of the skill than those to whom the skill came easily and naturally.

[RachelSk8er]

I'll echo the advice above to watch the derogatory remarks about the value of a coaching career. You won't get far in the skating world w/o a good coach. Coaching is harder than skating because you not only have to know how to DO it yourself, you have to know how to TEACH it effectively to a zillion different learning styles and body types.

And not to mention that coaching can be FAR more stressful than being the one out there skating. I competed synchro at the senior level, went to nationals many, many times over, and even competed internationall. NEVER did I suffer nerves as bad as I did when I was coaching at the open junior and collegiate levels and my teams were out on the ice competing. At that point, you have NO control, all you can do is stand there and hope all goes well. My stomach was in some serious knots all day until after they were done skating and I practically heald my breath the entire program. My alternates would stand next to me while the team was competing and I squeezed their hands so tight it wasn't even funny.

And may I add ... some of the best coaches I know are ones who were not "natural" skaters or at the top level of competition. Being able to teach a discipline is very different from being able to perform it.

One of the top coaches in the history of figure skating, Gustav Lussi, was NEVER EVEN A FIGURE SKATER. He was a ski jumper. And we all have him to thank for that tight position over the R shoulder that your coach tells you to focus on in backspins and in the air, and for flying spins.

[vesperholly]

No no no please don't think I meant anything rude at all about coaching! I actually think coaching would be amazing and I'd love to do it. What I meant was could I myself (starting so late and because of how hard it is) be a good coach and not the one that noone wants. I honestly didn't mean for it to come out rude. :( and for the Olympics and so on I don't plan on that being why I get into it, I just put it there as an extra option that I don't care all that much whether it happens or not. I did ballet and soccer when I was younger and I currently play classical piano...if that counts for studying music. Going bigger and grander is definitely not why I'm getting into figure skating, anything I went into I would just want to try my all at progressing as much as possible in it. What I really want to do is be able to do more than pace back and forth on the ice! I know that there's no excuse for how rude and idiotic I sounded in my previous post but I really am sorry and I meant nothing rude at all. :(
Apology accepted :) I'm glad you clarified your goals. I just hate to see people go into skating with all the wrong reasons and expectations and get crushed.

Thank you.
And once again, the Olympics and World team was purely there as an extra option to the list. I didn't mean to sound so idiotic by posting what I said but my friend that used to figure skate kept saying "Oh, well it's not like you'll make it somewhere! At your age it's like trying to become a professional ballet dancer. You'll never compete so why do it?" Which I didn't believe because of all the amazing skaters on here that started when they were alot older. So I logged on and posted a hasty and poor written post packed full of idiotic ranting and unintentionally rude remarks. I think that what matters is just getting up in the mornings and doing it; not "What if" but for some pathetic reason I got sucked into my friend's comment. So if anything at all can sum up my bad post it would have been: "Is competing and being able to coach a possible goal at my age? Because I'm not sure where age comes in to play." I hope that I still don't sound ridiculous and I've cleared up the misunderstandings. :)
That's a shame that your friend said that. Thankfully, unlike ballet, there are many options for skaters to enjoy and excel in the sport for years and years. I would say a good goal for you right now is to pass Basic Skills level 10. I'm not going to put a length of time on it, because everyone learns and progresses differently. But I think this is certainly a reasonable first step, and perhaps after you skate for a while and see how you're progressing, you can reevaluate.

[mdvask8r]

Basic Skills 10 ???

[vesperholly]

Basic Skills 10 ???

Oh my bad, 8. I mostly teach under a different program that goes up to 10!

[mdvask8r]

Oh whew! I thought maybe our area got passed over when the updates were issued adding 2 more levels. (We do tend to slip thru the cracks at times :))

[rlichtefeld]

Sawyer365,

Just for your information, this is what our club puts out at my rink for new or prospective skaters and parents. It may be helpful to let you know what you are in for:

http://gafsc.org/forms/new-to-skating.pdf

Also, this is what US Figure Skating has as the progression of skills in the Basic Skills program (Group Classes):

http://usfsa.org/content/BS-Overview.pdf

Each of the levels must be mastered before moving to the next level. However, at my rink, if they see someone progressing faster than the rest of the skaters in the group, they will move them up, even in the middle of a session. Back when I started as a 37 yr old male, the rink was teaching under ISI levels, and I skipped from Pre-Alpha directly to Beta. Which would be like skipping from Basic 1 to Basic 3. Or, Adult 1 to Adult 3.

At my rink, you aren't allowed on Freestyle sessions until you've passed Basic 6 (or Adult 4) in group classes. And, then there are freestyle sessions that are limited to High level skaters. Trying to take Dance lessons on a Public session will be difficult.

Skating can be a lifetime sport, lots of fun, and great exercise. Rushing it will cause you lots of grief.

Rob

[jwrnsktr]

Well, first of all you sound totally enthusiastic and committed and that's half the battle! It's harder than it looks and you have to really want to be on that ice and work hard if you want to be competitive. I wish you all the luck in the world. I am so envious of your youth - I didn't get to start til age 46!

Now, it sounds like you have a ballet background.....that will help you immensely. If you don't, you might want to get some lessons....

Public sessions are open to the general public and you will be on the ice with a lot of people. It's a bit difficult to navigate and practice when there are a million little kids zipping here and there, teenagers horsing around, etc. It's less expensive than freestyle ice. If you can get on the ice the minute the session starts, you can usually get about a half hour of pretty good skating in. Most rinks don't allow jumping and spinning during public sessions. Freestyle sessions are for skaters who are a little more advanced, and serious about their skating. Those skaters are usually practicing for tests and competitions and some are having private lessons. There are less skaters on the ice and the session is more expensive than public ice. At some rinks you can buy a "punch card" that will allow you to buy sessions in advance and therefore the sessions are less expensive.

Hope this helps. Good luck and keep us posted!