Do you or have you given tips to other Skaters at a Public Skate?

[FSWer]

Say,I was just wondering if any of our Skaters here when they go to a Public Skate have ever given tips to other Skaters?

[sk8ryellow]

At my home rink I do it all of the time because it is sad to watch people struggle, the people at my rink dont care cause I assist on learn to skate but at other rinks I try not to because they get mad for some reason.

[Layne]

I do as well, not that I have a lot of advice to give. Usually it's just "you better tie those tighter".

[FSWer]

At my home rink I do it all of the time because it is sad to watch people struggle, the people at my rink dont care cause I assist on learn to skate but at other rinks I try not to because they get mad for some reason.

In what way don't they care?

[Isk8NYC]

I'm in a different position because I'm a coach as well as a skater. I usually remark on too-loose skates, especially if there's a parent with a young child. I also drop not-too-subtle hints (think: sledge hammer) about wearing a helmet for young kids, explaining that they're top-heavy and their heads will hit the ice like a bowling ball when they fall.

If there are skaters I know from classes, and if they make eye contact with me or say hello/ask for help, I'll suggest corrections in their skating. Things like "keep your feet straight," "check that turn first," and "don't open your hip; stand up straighter." But I won't teach anyone else's private students. I change the subject if they come up to talk to me ("How's school?") or suggest they ask their primary coach. I don't want any friction with another coach.

Newbies that try to imitate me, I'll give a quick two-foot spin lesson or pointers on crossovers, things like that. Only if they get my attention first; I don't go looking for them.

I never, ever, give advice to adults anymore. They just don't take suggestions graciously. I think they're very defensive about their skating and get insulted entirely too quickly. One woman I knew from a class was doing (bkwd) crossovers BACKWARDS - bringing the crossing foot behind the skating foot. I assumed she was mixed up because it was way too early for her to be working on a clean underpush. I simply pointed out that the crossing foot goes in front of the skating foot. You could have kept meat frozen with the nasty stare and icy comment I received in return for reaching out: "MY COACH wants them done this way." Ooookaaay...two years later, she still has crappy crossovers with no curve or power. Whatever floats your boat, lady.

It's different if I'm skating with a friend, like jwrnskater, but I don't even interact with adults I've taught in classes other than to discuss the ice and weather, lol.

[Clarice]

I do pretty much what Isk8NYC does - offer suggestions about tying skates tighter if they're obviously too loose, and giving quick two-foot spin lessons to kids who are trying to copy me. I also don't go around looking for people - I only talk to those who approach me, or if I see an obvious safety hazard. I don't say anything to skaters who take lessons with another coach.

I am also a coach, and have liability insurance. Skaters share tips with each other all the time, but it's not a great idea to try to teach things to people on public sessions if you're not covered in case of accident.

[Casey]

Heck yes!

I got most of my skating "lessons" from more advanced skaters who gave me tips and advice. They were my coaches away from my coaches, and for most of my skating time, I never even had real coaches! Just taught myself, and learned from others. I used to just sit back and study somebody working on something I wanted to learn, and then I'd emulate them. After I started getting better, people started coming up and being friendly and offering advice.

I returned the favor too. Many times, new skaters on public sessions would come up to me to offer a compliment or ask a basic question, and I'd end up giving them bunches of advice. Only when asked though - I don't claim to be qualified to coach nor am I very outgoing towards people I don't know. I regularly gave "lessons" to a couple friends who couldn't afford coaching, pointing out any flaws I could identify and giving tips on how to improve. I think this actually helped me be more aware of some of my own bad habits as well.

It's fantastic when people help each other out for free! :D

[sk8ryellow]

In what way don't they care?

They dont mind me helping out the public skaters because they know that I am not a coach or anything trying to teach lessons or something. At other rinks they care because they think that I am trying to get students or something.

[caffn8me]

If I see someone is struggling because of a basic problem like posture or boots laced too loose or too tight, I'll help. With posture, it's often a case of not enough knee bend, leaning too far forward and looking down at the ice.

I also like to help skaters I know who have lessons to build up their confidence.

I don't consider myself a good skater but having learnt as an adult I understand the problems some have and can help them deal with them because I know what worked for me.

Sarah

[AgnesNitt]

Well, back when I was on the ice regularly, I only warned people about safety issues (untied or dragging laces).

However, once our local catholic priest brought the CYO to the rink. He was kind of stumbling around and I said, "Bend the knees, Father, Bend the knees!"

Among my fellow Catholics this was regarded as very witty.

[londonicechamp]

Hi AgnesNitt

Did you really say that to the Father? That is very daring of you! :)

By the way, what is CYO?

[londonicechamp]

Hi

I only gave advice to fellow skaters if they asked me about it. For example: I have friends learning at the very basic level, and I am about 9 levels higher than them. So when they asked me about how to brake on ice, I told them. They are normally grateful for what I taught them, with the exception of saying that "your stop movement is too quick" but "I do understand why you did it that way, it is coz that you already have your balance". :D

londonicechamp

[Streak]

I never, ever, give advice to adults anymore. They just don't take suggestions graciously. I think they're very defensive about their skating and get insulted entirely too quickly.

This is a shame, Isk8NYC... as a new adult skater, I welcome any and all tips from both coaches and casual skaters. I may or may not implement them, but I usually give them a try and see if they work for me. If something felt really unnatural or uncomfortable, I wouldn't do it for fear of learning it incorrectly, but I haven't really had that happen. Actually, I've gotten very little unsolicited advice; maybe the coaches and skaters at my rink have had similar experiences to yours. Or maybe they're just shy. It's definitely not that my skating is so fantastic that I don't warrant occasional input :lol:

[samba]

I only give tips when asked for them, I tried once with someone that I thought I knew well and got my head blown off, never again, although I did get an apology.

[kayskate]

Only is the person asks for help.
Kay

[Skate@Delaware]

Only is the person asks for help.
Kay
Ditto-and ONLY on public sessions. The pc statement given by the coaches at my rink (I'm not a coach) is: "I can't give you a free lesson"

But if someone wants me to teach them a 2-foot spin, I'm up for it. And no money or anything changes hands, just one friend to another. Like here on the board ;)

[Kat12]

Only when asked, which has been rarely.

There have been times I've seen people I've wanted to correct--whether it's folks struggling to skate backward, or little kids trying to copy figure skaters at the public session, but I haven't. For one, it might not be well-received (especially since it's pretty obvious I'm not a very good skater myself, or if parents don't want somebody talking to their kid or don't believe I might be telling them the right things if they don't know about skating themselves--though I'd never give advice I didn't 100% know was correct). For two, I paid my money to work on MY skating, not to give free lessons to others! I get to skate rarely enough that I need every minute I get and don't need to be spending half an hour helping someone else work on theirs, especially if my advice is unsolicited (plus you never know when the person will see you again and expect you to spend time helping them each time).

Plus if a kid is trying to copy me AND I'm giving them advice...when they get hurt because they stepped on the ice for the first time twenty minutes ago and now they're trying to spin and jump, guess who gets blamed? Which is like Clarice said. Too bad if they get hurt trying to copy me, but if I haven't interacted with them and encouraged them, it's not my problem--then it's on the parents for not saying "Susie, that's not safe, don't do it."

I'd also really love to privately speak to the parents of a couple girls I occasionally see getting lessons during the public session...these kids should not be learning loop jumps, Y spirals, and hydroblading when I would bet they can't even do a good 3-turn! But I'm sure that wouldn't be well-received either--some parents would be grateful to know that their kids don't seem to be learning properly, but most just see that their little future Olympian is learning jumps and spins, isn't she precocious, and that's all they care about. Maybe if I were a coach or something I might say something, but again, I do not look qualified (though, I may not know much and can force my body to do even less, but I do know SOME things, like that you have to learn to walk before you learn to run!).

I'd gladly take constructive advice myself from someone who knows what they're talking about, but I wouldn't want to hear from someone who was clueless or someone making unconstructive criticism.

[FSWer]

Only when asked, which has been rarely.

There have been times I've seen people I've wanted to correct--whether it's folks struggling to skate backward, or little kids trying to copy figure skaters at the public session, but I haven't. For one, it might not be well-received (especially since it's pretty obvious I'm not a very good skater myself, or if parents don't want somebody talking to their kid or don't believe I might be telling them the right things if they don't know about skating themselves--though I'd never give advice I didn't 100% know was correct). For two, I paid my money to work on MY skating, not to give free lessons to others! I get to skate rarely enough that I need every minute I get and don't need to be spending half an hour helping someone else work on theirs, especially if my advice is unsolicited (plus you never know when the person will see you again and expect you to spend time helping them each time).

Plus if a kid is trying to copy me AND I'm giving them advice...when they get hurt because they stepped on the ice for the first time twenty minutes ago and now they're trying to spin and jump, guess who gets blamed? Which is like Clarice said. Too bad if they get hurt trying to copy me, but if I haven't interacted with them and encouraged them, it's not my problem--then it's on the parents for not saying "Susie, that's not safe, don't do it."

I'd also really love to privately speak to the parents of a couple girls I occasionally see getting lessons during the public session...these kids should not be learning loop jumps, Y spirals, and hydroblading when I would bet they can't even do a good 3-turn! But I'm sure that wouldn't be well-received either--some parents would be grateful to know that their kids don't seem to be learning properly, but most just see that their little future Olympian is learning jumps and spins, isn't she precocious, and that's all they care about. Maybe if I were a coach or something I might say something, but again, I do not look qualified (though, I may not know much and can force my body to do even less, but I do know SOME things, like that you have to learn to walk before you learn to run!).

I'd gladly take constructive advice myself from someone who knows what they're talking about, but I wouldn't want to hear from someone who was clueless or someone making unconstructive criticism.

I agree with you Kat. However I myself always feel the erge to try moves on ice. Just to say that I did. When I do it thouh I always watch out for other skaters and am prepared that I might fall. As I'm just a NNovice (would you use Novice in my case to say what I am)? BTW. kAT. what would you say to someone carring a Baby or kid in their arms while skating on the ice during a Public? As I've seen done. Were talking a 2-3 year old maybe younger here. I think someone would have to be a really good enough accomplished skater to do that.As if someone was skating backward....guess what?

[Layne]

what would you say to someone carring a Baby or kid in their arms while skating on the ice during a Public?

I saw someone doing that with a young baby once. I was about to go looking for the manager, but they just did a couple laps and got off. It doesn't matter how good you are, anyone can fall, and that can kill a baby. There is nothing that would make it even remotely worth the risk. I'm not the type that's going to confront the person, but I will tell someone.

[FSWer]

I saw someone doing that with a young baby once. I was about to go looking for the manager, but they just did a couple laps and got off. It doesn't matter how good you are, anyone can fall, and that can kill a baby. There is nothing that would make it even remotely worth the risk. I'm not the type that's going to confront the person, but I will tell someone.

I have never actually as far as I can remember confronted the person. But I have talked to the wife of one that was doing it,and just said that I hoped her husband was a good enough skater to do that.

[Kat12]

I've seen it, and again, I don't say anything. Not my business, not my problem, and not likely to change a person's behavior, just make them mad I'm a regular at my rink, so I don't feel like getting into altercations and making things uncomfortable...it's entirely possible that the person was there once and never will be again, but you never know, or you never know who may see/hear and disagree who WILL be there again.

In addition, there aren't any rules posted, so I can say anything I want to anyone, but there's nothing to back me up that says "don't carry your kid/throw your hockey gloves around on the ice/put your kid out on an ice walker alone and when they fall down and are lying on the ice crying you're nowhere to be found/let your kid act like a hellion/talk on your cell phone while skating/whatever."

Okay, and I admit: frankly, I'm afraid if I complain about kids horsing around and such, the rink people will say, "you know, technically you're not supposed to be doing figure skating moves so if we make rules for them then we have to make rules for you that you can't jump and spin and such."

The only time I did actually say something to someone was the quarter kids, just because I was seriously afraid I was going to get hurt--something that small you can't see to avoid, and I found it within a foot or two of me and the above-mentioned lesson kids too many times when we were practicing spins.

[Kristin]

Say,I was just wondering if any of our Skaters here when they go to a Public Skate have ever given tips to other Skaters?

Only if they ask me a question. The question I usually get is "how do you spin?" :P

Once in a while I will see a tiny kid fall and then try to get their feet under them before standing up. I may offer a suggestion to the parent about how they can get up the *right* way (kneel on both legs, put one skate in front, hands on knee, then push up on that skate). I just don't want to see the kid go flipping over on their head or something. :roll: