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View Full Version : Should I change Clubs? What do you think?


pet_lover48
08-08-2010, 04:32 PM
Hi! I am a Canadian figure skater (16 yrs old and at the novice level.) In Canada, we have to register with a cetain club every fall (in Semptember.) This club is then considered our home club for that season/year.

Anyways, I am thinking about whether I should change my home club, or not and wanted to know what you guys thought. :)

First, before I give you all the info, anyone who's not from Canada should know how clubs here work. (If you Canadian, you can skip this part.) :D
In Canada, we don't really skate much on "rink ice." (It's pretty rare for rinks to offer this, however, I do skate on a few rink sessions/week.) How it mainly works here is that the clubs buy the ice and then we skate on the club ice sessions, (which can sometimes be at several different rinks in the town, depending on the place.) In order to compete you obviously have to be a member of a club.
I'm not sure if this is all the same as it is in the US and other countries, but I think that's it's a little different.

So, here's my situation: :D

I have been a member of my current skating club basically for ever, (ever since I started skating.) So, basically that's been about 8 years now and I've never been a member of another club. This club is also located in my home town/where I live.

Now, the thing is that I haven't actually skated there in around 6 months and for the past couple years, or so when I did skate there, I only did usually about once/week and twice/week several years ago was about the max. I also don't plan on registering/skating there for any of this year's fall/winter sessions either.

However, so many times we were going to change clubs becuse of this and other politics and stuff, but my family and I sort of "stuck through it." Now, I am the clubs top skater and sort of the last older kid left.
However, they don't offer enough ice/proper coaching for me to train on. They don't even really skate all summer and the sessions they have during the rest of the year are usually farily crowded with younger, beginner level skaters. In fact, I think the highest level skater they have other than me, is only about Preliminary, or Junior Bronze level, or so.) Basically, if you want to be a high level competitive skater, you have to go elsewhere for your training.

So, I do almost all of my training at a club/rink about 40-50 min from my house. I started skating at this club quite a few years ago and pretty well everyone knows me there.
This is also where my coach is. I like this club becuase it has several other skaters at my level and that are other kids as old/older than me too and the training is more "competitive" than my hometown club, which I refer to it as more of a "recreational" club. This other club has quite a few kids in the competitive stream and several kids at the novice-junior level too. They also have quite a lot of ice time available (and skate about all year round - of course.) :)
Anyways, I do most of my practising on their ice (except for a few sessions I do on rink ice) and all the kids I practise with are from this club. There are even some kids that live in my hometown that skate there, but they changed to that club when they started practising there.

So, I guess feel that's really where my club should be. However, I guess the thing holding me back is that I've been with the other club forever and that I live in that town too, but I don't even skate there now, so I'm not sure what to do?

Anyways, let me knows what you guys think - your thoughts/suggestions/comments on what I should do.
Should I stick with my old club, or change clubs?
All responses/replies greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Pet_lover48
PS: Sorry for all the typing/writing. I guess I kind of got a little carried away, but I figured I'd give you all the info I could think of. :)

davincisoprano1
08-08-2010, 05:27 PM
I honestly think you answered your own question, you seem to feel more at home with the other club rather than your "own" club, and you've listed out all the benefits of being a part of that club. It seems that switching clubs would make you happiest. :)

AgnesNitt
08-08-2010, 06:59 PM
Dear pet_lovr,

You said you were only 16, so I, as a woman old enough to be your grandmother, can tell you that your entire life will be made up of decisions like this. Each decision is unique--boyfriends, jobs, houses, roommates, mortgages,...
Welcome to the adult's life. And as someone on the edge of adulthood only you, and none of the people here can give you the answer. You have to create the questions and answer them. I can say that the questions almost always come in pairs: what about my goals is important, which of the choices best meets my goals. Right now from your posting there are two questions.
1. What are my skating goals?
2. Which club will my needs?

Only you can answer them. We're just observers.

sk8tmum
08-08-2010, 07:30 PM
Do what my kid does and a lot of other competitive level Canadian skaters do. Keep a membership at your home club, and pickup a partial membership at the other club. That's fine. You can outgrow a club but still want to show your pride/affection/history by representing them. I get what you mean about being a novice level skater on ice with Jr Bz Starskaters; however, think about whether, perhaps, having you there sometimes might inspire some of them to go to the level you are at. Plus, it's always good for low-test skaters to see what competitive/high test skaters look like. Seeing what a REAL DOUBLE AXEL looks like ... helps the kid who is trying to rotate a good solid single axel.

And, if you're a home-town skater - depending on the town - you can get a lot of support locally that you won't if you're not from the area.

Remember though that you have to be reg'd by August 31st if you're competitive; don't leave the decision to much longer.

pet_lover48
08-08-2010, 09:41 PM
Do what my kid does and a lot of other competitive level Canadian skaters do. Keep a membership at your home club, and pickup a partial membership at the other club. That's fine. You can outgrow a club but still want to show your pride/affection/history by representing them. I get what you mean about being a novice level skater on ice with Jr Bz Starskaters; however, think about whether, perhaps, having you there sometimes might inspire some of them to go to the level you are at. Plus, it's always good for low-test skaters to see what competitive/high test skaters look like. Seeing what a REAL DOUBLE AXEL looks like ... helps the kid who is trying to rotate a good solid single axel.

And, if you're a home-town skater - depending on the town - you can get a lot of support locally that you won't if you're not from the area.

Remember though that you have to be reg'd by August 31st if you're competitive; don't leave the decision to much longer.

Hi! Thanks for the info/thoughts sk8tmum.
Where I am in Canada though, we can only have a membership to one club and there are no partial memberships. Too bad because I think that's what I would probably have done.

Yes, your right about by me skating there, that it would maybe inspire some of the younger/lower level skaters. I know that I am quite a bit inspired by training with other kids that are doing/trying all their triples. However, I won't even be practising at that club. I also know that I do help inspire a few younger kids at the other club, especially the girls, since most of the other high level competitors that train at that club are boys.


Also, to davincisoprano1's reply:
Yes, your kind of right. I know that just by typing the whole thing out, it kind of helped me better see/think of the pros and cons. :)
However, I just figured I get the thoughts/replies of some others to help make the descision.


To everyone else, keep the thoughts/replies/responses coming! They are really appreciated. :D

sk8tmum
08-09-2010, 07:26 AM
Actually, I am Canadian - as are my pre-novice, Senior Bronze and Canskater :). You are mis-interpreting the term "partial membership". You register with your home club and that is your affiliation for the skating year. However, you can also take up a partial membership, i.e. a skating membership, with another club to use their ice. The partial membership usually covers the club's own membership fees, but, does not entail paying the Skate Canada fee again - as your own home club has collected that at registration.

Currently, my PN skater is skating at 3 clubs - one the home club, and two for specialized training - my Starskater at 2. They Program Assistant (amateur coaching) at both clubs, and participate in ice shows at each as well. However, when they skate at comps, they proudly wear their home club jackets, and represent their home club.

Similarly, my Canskater skates at two clubs ... again, a home club and one that has ice time that suits her schedule.

It sounds like you are doing that already ... I'm just pointing out that this is a fairly common practice, especially when you are working with specialist coaches in, say, transitions or dance or pairs or whatever.

One other self-centred benefit ... when I need something turned around fast for an entry form or some other documentation, or a bit of coordinating of a test day issue, the home club where they have skated for years really takes care of them.

icestalker
08-09-2010, 10:06 AM
To put it coldly-

There is no point in staying with a club for the sake of guilty loyalty and inspiring little kids who will likely never touch your level.

jp1andOnly
08-09-2010, 10:47 AM
my brother and many elite level skaters have kept their old home club even though they moved on and trained at other more elite clubs. For our family, it was important to have the club listed as it was the club and the bunch of coaches there that really guided his early career. Ya, my brother was the top skater there for years but he was always recognized at the AGM's even though he didnt skate there, got bursaries, etc. Our family always gave back to the club volunteering for the local competition.

If you have no ties to the club and feel no alliance with them, then switch. However I will say this, it is nice to be recognized and have a place to call home where they actually know you then to be a number where no one cares from year to year who you are....

pet_lover48
08-09-2010, 11:08 AM
Actually, I am Canadian - as are my pre-novice, Senior Bronze and Canskater :). You are mis-interpreting the term "partial membership". You register with your home club and that is your affiliation for the skating year. However, you can also take up a partial membership, i.e. a skating membership, with another club to use their ice. The partial membership usually covers the club's own membership fees, but, does not entail paying the Skate Canada fee again - as your own home club has collected that at registration.

Currently, my PN skater is skating at 3 clubs - one the home club, and two for specialized training - my Starskater at 2. They Program Assistant (amateur coaching) at both clubs, and participate in ice shows at each as well. However, when they skate at comps, they proudly wear their home club jackets, and represent their home club.

Similarly, my Canskater skates at two clubs ... again, a home club and one that has ice time that suits her schedule.

It sounds like you are doing that already ... I'm just pointing out that this is a fairly common practice, especially when you are working with specialist coaches in, say, transitions or dance or pairs or whatever.

One other self-centred benefit ... when I need something turned around fast for an entry form or some other documentation, or a bit of coordinating of a test day issue, the home club where they have skated for years really takes care of them.


Hi! Thanks so much for the reply and info. Wow, I never new you could do that and I never heard of anyone doing that here in BC, but it sounds like it's possible. :)
I still don't quite understand how we would do it. So, we would pay the Skate Canada fee with the other club (that I want to make my new full-time club) and then how exactly do I get the partial membership my old home club?
Do I have to buy a session of ice there to do it because we don't plan on doing that? I don't recall them actually having a (club) membership fee, just the yearly Skate Canada fee we had to pay, so how would I be a partial member?
Thanks again,
Pet_lover48
PS: That's another thing, I was doing the Program Assistant at my old home club last fall/winter and was sort of hoping to continue that, but I figured that by it not being my club and by me not skating there (buying any ice), that I might not be able to do it.

jp1andOnly
08-09-2010, 11:46 AM
so if you want your home club to stay the same and not skate there...basically you go there and pay your SC membership fees. Some clubs ask that you pay a fee (ex 100) to retain a club member..it depends on the club. If you skate elsewhere you just pay the ice fees. There is no membership fee to pay..just let the club know you are registered at club XY so you dont pay twice. It's very simple. If your parents are in charge of paying fees, etc then they can handle it all. If you want to switch home clubs then you just register at your new club and if you want to buy on or skate a day at the old club you just pay their ice fees not the registration fees.

pet_lover48
08-09-2010, 12:07 PM
so if you want your home club to stay the same and not skate there...basically you go there and pay your SC membership fees. Some clubs ask that you pay a fee (ex 100) to retain a club member..it depends on the club. If you skate elsewhere you just pay the ice fees. There is no membership fee to pay..just let the club know you are registered at club XY so you dont pay twice. It's very simple. If your parents are in charge of paying fees, etc then they can handle it all. If you want to switch home clubs then you just register at your new club and if you want to buy on or skate a day at the old club you just pay their ice fees not the registration fees.

Hi! That all makes sense to me, but like I said before then, I don't think it's possible then to have 2 clubs (a full membership and a partial.) I think our official club is just the one that we pay the Skate Canada fee with, right?

So, if I can only have the one club, I guess what we'll probably do is just pay it with the new club (where I actually skate/practise) because it would probably be weird anyway paying it to the other club, when we're not even buying any ice sessions there, so all we'd be doing is paying them the Skate Canada fee. :)
Thanks,
Pet_lover48

singerskates
08-10-2010, 02:05 AM
Hi! Thanks for the info/thoughts sk8tmum.
Where I am in Canada though, we can only have a membership to one club and there are no partial memberships. Too bad because I think that's what I would probably have done.

Yes, your right about by me skating there, that it would maybe inspire some of the younger/lower level skaters. I know that I am quite a bit inspired by training with other kids that are doing/trying all their triples. However, I won't even be practising at that club. I also know that I do help inspire a few younger kids at the other club, especially the girls, since most of the other high level competitors that train at that club are boys.


Also, to davincisoprano1's reply:
Yes, your kind of right. I know that just by typing the whole thing out, it kind of helped me better see/think of the pros and cons. :)
However, I just figured I get the thoughts/replies of some others to help make the descision.


To everyone else, keep the thoughts/replies/responses coming! They are really appreciated. :D

I am an adult skater and this is what I did last year to skate. I got my Skate Canada and club membership through a local club, skated most of my time on what is known in my area as City Ice (also known as ticket ice and City Skate) and bought ice time at another club other than my own from September to the end of March. The rest of the year, I am skating in either Spring Skating School or Summer Skating School. I had to do this last year because my club didn't offer ice time to adult skaters who were past CanSkate but now they do since they changed their sessions from Senior, Intermediate, Junior and Pre-Prelim to StarSkate 1 and StarSkate 2. Being an adult I'm skating on StarSkate 2 no matter what level my skating is but if I were under highschool age and not past the Senior Bronze freeskate, I'd be on StarSkate 1 were most of the little kids are. I'd rather skate with competitive Novice and higher skaters than the kids competing in CanSkate FS to Preliminary any day because the competitive skaters know the rules of the ice and are predictable. Where as the kid beginners are unpredictable. Sooner or later when you make it to Junior Competitive level and the Senior Competitive level, you'll require more ice than any club can offer and you'll have to buy partial ice packages at other clubs to fill your need for more ice.

pet_lover48
08-21-2010, 12:09 PM
Hi! Thanks for all the replies everyone! :D

I understand now that I can only really join 1 club and only have 1 home club and I think I'm probably going to join the new club. That's what I would like to do, except my parents (especially my Dad, who's really into my skating - goes to every practise.) He sort of wants me to stay with the old club, but I'm trying to convince him to have me change to the new club.

I like it better there and feel like I am more of a part of that club. (I think I'm probably even going to do their show this year too.)

Anyways, we'll most likely be making the final decision this weekend, as we have to let the clubs know, so one can and one won't register me with Skate canada before Sept. 1.
So, any last suggestions/comments you have before we make the final decision, let me know. :)
Thanks,
Pet_lover48

pet_lover48
08-25-2010, 04:41 PM
Hi! Well we finalized the decision today - we changed to the new club. :D

Thanks for all the comments/suggestions. They were really appreciated! :)
Thanks again,
Pet_lover48