Freestyle session etiquette - yelling and screaming?

[RoaringSkates]

I have recently started going to freestyle sessions at a rink that's new to me. During our last session, one girl, who was quite good, had the right of way because her music was playing. Lots of the kids on the rink were less skilled than she was. She maintained her right of way by screaming "Watch it!" as she whizzed around the rink. Is this acceptable? It seemed rude to me, but I'm not sure of the etiquette of these sessions. The ones at my old rink were less busy and more sedate.

[jenlyon60]

Even with right of way (program playing etc), if you don't yell, you won't get heard because of other background noise. The yelling isn't necessarily meant to come out sounding aggressive, but when you're moving at a decent clip and want to give someone sufficient notice that you're gonna be skating through near them, you have to yell.

And... what really frustrates me isn't the getting yelled at, or the yelling to warn, it's when I do a "watch out" or "coming through" and someone just continues on their "not paying attention" way... A few weeks ago, my coach and I were warming up, just plain stroking in open hold around the rink, and there were some "newly graduated from group lesson" kids on the FS session. We were moving at a decent clip and I did a "watch out" or "coming through" (don't remember the exact words), and they seemed to be oblivious. We came around for our last pass, and same thing. Had we caused the kid to fall, the mom probably would have filed a grievance.... and we were definitely not skating out of control (this was on a FS session with all levels from barely ISI FS 1 to USFSA Novice FS/Dance and Junior Dance).

Once I can see, twice in a row is exasperating.

OTOH, the opposite is equally bad... skaters who expect that you know their program and can read their mind and who expect everyone to automatically give them the right of way, even when a. their music is NOT playing and b. they are NOT in a lesson, and c. they don't warn you that you're in their way.

--jsl

[jp1andOnly]

Shouting out, especially when doing your program is very acceptable. I know some skaters who stand there and watch and almost take out the person who's program it is. Sometimes you dont see the person coming because you are too into your own elements or are busy chit chatting. Usually we try to encourage the skaters to say "excuse me please" and barring that "watch out".

When new skaters move up a level or don't know the rules of "get out of the way when someone is doing their program" usually an older and more experienced skater will explain the rules to them. One skater never did learn and this older skater doing triples was in the middle of the program and yelled out, but the other skater didnt move. The older skater kept on skating and when the skater was almost on top of the less skilled skater, the older skater slammed on the brakes. I think it scared the bejesus out of the younger skater. Needless to say, the younger skater learned the rules pretty quick. I also know skaters who will watch for a skater when they take their starting pose so that they know whose music it is so they can try and stay out of the way. Its hard to do if you don't know the skaters though.

[ClevelandDancer]

If her music was playing, she shouldn't have had to yell! It definately is "acceptable" and the skater with the music is the one who should be annoyed, not the skaters getting yelled at. During my dance lesson a couple weeks ago, I (in a lesson, on music, partnering with my coach) had to yell watch it at a couple of perennial brats that were goofing off and not paying attention (as usual for them). It happens a lot with these two. Anyone else, it's usually an accident, these two often get in the way "on purpose". I've had several near misses with these two (especially the one) and a couple clips, my coach loathes their presence. I've even overheard the ones parents talking about her "having to pay the price if she doesn't learn to not to where she's not supposed to be".

I don't usually skate freestyle sessions, but I did at my home club a couple weeks ago. They have instituted a "jersey rule" ... they have two yellow mesh jerseys like the ones used in school gym class. The skater with the music (A) wears one, the other is for the "next in line" (B). When A is done, B starts her program and A gives the jersey to the next in line (C). This was the most organized session I have ever seen!

It is definately annoying when you get an "Excuse Me" or "Watch It" girl when she does NOT have the right of way. However, many rinks have a handful of skaters that NEVER pay attention to what they are doing and just need yelled at. Actually, IMO most of these need a good paddling! It usually is only 2 or 3 out of a session of 15-20, and it will be the same ones every session.

[manleywoman]

Originally posted by ClevelandDancer
They have instituted a "jersey rule" ... they have two yellow mesh jerseys like the ones used in school gym class. The skater with the music (A) wears one, the other is for the "next in line" (B). When A is done, B starts her program and A gives the jersey to the next in line (C). This was the most organized session I have ever seen!


This is how a lot of clubs in our area handle this, and it's great. If I'm on a different session than usual and with a lot of unknown kids, I really appreciate being able to quickly spot the kid in the jersey or belt. And when I'm the one in the jersey, I notice it really keeps people out of your way.

Yelling is acceptable, but it should be kept polite..."excuse me" is just fine, but I've heard "get out of my f***ing way" before, and that is definately NOT acceptable!

Sometimes the yelling may sound rude, but remember that these kids are really breathing hard, and I know from experience how hard it is to mutter a few words while doing a program! It rarely comes out sounding anything but curt. I always give the benefit of the doubt to the kid if it comes out sounding rude.

[JDC1]

Sure, I yell watch it to people all the time, mainly to avoid collisions. When people are doing their program on a FS session you need to get out of the way and if you don't know their program it can be a bit of a pain but once you get familiar with their program you can anticipate them. I also think people should give a little more "way" to people who have private lesson on FS sessions, I am continually being interupted (and I don't mean by skaters skating their program) when I take my private lesson and trust me I am not using much ice!! We try and find a less congested place but people still obliviously skate right between us, I am paying for this time and they know it, they should show some consideration. There are also a couple of aggressive jumpers to whom I've given some pretty dirty looks and come close to yelling "watch it".

[LoopLoop]

My club and rink use a bright orange sash for program runthroughs during freestyle sessions. It works pretty well. The biggest problems tend to come from two things: skaters who are new to freestyle sessions, and other skaters who are having lessons. Sometimes they get so focused on their lesson that they don't pay attention to anything else and end up right in the path of the skater doing their program.

Of course every rink has a few skaters who just don't pay attention to anything or anyone outside of themselves... the ones who stay in one spot on the ice for half an hour at a time, and watch you coming toward them during your program, and don't move out of the way.

[RoaringSkates]

At this rink, you're supposed to wear a vesty-thing when you're doing your program. This woman wasn't wearing it, so I didn't know what was going on at first. Luckily, I was not in her way.

[JDC1]

What a good idea. It took me forever when I was a newbie to free style session to figure who had I had to get out of the way for!! I used to be so scared of the ice dancers I skated away like a frightened rabbit.

The person doing the program should always have right of way, that is the golden rule where I skate too, even during a lesson we figure out how to get out of the way.

But no matter what you will get the occaisonally rude person who doesn't like sharing the ice but I don't see much of that, most people are polite and good at sharing the ice.

J

[jenlyon60]

We have an orange sash but it's not consistently worn. After a while, the regulars know the programs etc, but if you're new to the rink, and someone isn't wearing the sash, you probably wouldn't know where to stand/not to stand.

[pattern99]

ahhh...an issue that made me infamous at my current rink!:lol: At my current rink, I'm one of probably 2 older/ higher level skaters. (nov. -senior) and the rest of the rink is comprised of 6 year old beginners. My frustration is as follows, as I'm trying to get ready for regionals or SG, they all seem to get in my way more than ever. None of them move and the coaches don't tell them to move. So I originally started with "Excuse me" very politely. And that got me NO WHERE. That turned into "Corner" etc..which none of them knew and "HEADS UP!!!" and all the little kids stare up at the roof. It's literally IMPOSSIBLE to get through a program in this place with out atleast 3 interuptions. Finally, I had to resort to my previous coach's advice, "hit'em and they'll move". Unfortunately, I had to jump on top of them and litterally bump into coaches etc before they'd move. Keep in mind, this was after I kindly asked them to make their skaters aware of the rules. It's soo frustrating to be going through your program and NO ONE moves.... nowadays it's "HEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADSSSS UPPPPP!!! MMMMMMMMOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVEEEE!!" because frankily, that's what it takes and from the other rinks I skated at (especially Ice House) not only is that the standard, it's the norm. We should do the sash thing tho....

*patt99*

PS> hope this helps you understand a little bit more... coming from someone on "the other side".

[Terri C]

Look at it this way:
What would you rather have- someone yeling at you or landing on you?

When I go to a unfamiliar rink, I always observe who is on lesson and who is doing their program.

[dbny]

Downhill skiers call out "on your left/right" to let skiers immediately below them know which side they will be passing on. I wish this were part of rink etiquette, but I have never heard it, and only used it myself a couple of times because it made me very self conscious to be the only one.

[manleywoman]

my understanding of the order of right of way is as follows:

1) someone spinning (because if you've started a spin out of everyone's way, and then a skater doing their program is coming towards you, you still can't see them while spinning)
2) someone doing a program
3) lessons
4) everyone else

Thoughts? Corrections?

[icenut84]

Originally posted by manleywoman
my understanding of the order of right of way is as follows:

1) someone spinning (because if you've started a spin out of everyone's way, and then a skater doing their program is coming towards you, you still can't see them while spinning)
2) someone doing a program
3) lessons
4) everyone else

Thoughts? Corrections?

I've never skated on a freestyle session but I think that order is pretty good. I agree that people should be aware of skaters spinning, because when you spin you can't concentrate on who is coming towards you. It's no big deal to go around them either, obviously not passing too close. I just think everyone should be considerate, it drives me nuts when some skaters couldn't care less where they're going and crash into people, especially when they don't say sorry or even look back.

[ginamarie]

At the rink I skate at, we have open sessions, so everyone basically skates at the same time...figure skaters and public skaters. What annoys me is the public skaters that just stand there on the ice, knowing you're heading that way, and not move.

There was a time when I saw this public skater standing on the ice behind me, so I moved a little and shouted out "Excuse me" to avoid crashing into her....guess what?....at the last moment she moved right into my way and BANG!. I said sorry and she just stared at me as if I did it on purpose. Later, she called me a B**** in chinese as she walked by me off the ice....some people...*sigh*:x

[Mazurka Girl]

In this situation, I would consider the skaters who are not yielding to the skater with the program as the ones who are rude. She shouldn't have to ask or admonish anyone in the first place. Skaters shouldn't be on the session if they do not know or understand the rules of the road. I'm amazed by the number of experienced skaters who do not practice standard ice etiquette as well as new skaters haven't been trained properly in the rules by their coaches. Skaters & coaches are responsible for knowing & adhering to the rules & it is especially important for beginners on freestyle to understand them.

[Mazurka Girl]

Double post deleted.

[Mrs Redboots]

I find, though, that what goes around comes around. One moment it's my turn to be dodging Senior (level, not age!) dancers as they run through their extremely difficult and dangerous Free Dance, and the next minute they are getting out of the way of my clunky (as yet!) Interpretive programme! We do shriek if someone is in our way, but that's okay, because they'll shriek at us. "Oh, sorry!" never goes amiss if you are one of the ones just shrieked at!

When everybody is having a lesson, we tend to give priority for people practising for competitions - if your competition is tomorrow and mine isn't until next week, I'll stand aside for you, and vice versa. It's all a matter of give and take, and a few grins, apologies where needed, and intelligent interest in what the other skaters are doing will often result in excellent skating relationships.

[Designdiva]

1) someone spinning (because if you've started a spin out of everyone's way, and then a skater doing their program is coming towards you, you still can't see them while spinning)


I nearly decapitated a kid who was skating around aimlessly while I was in a camel spin. Guess who got chewed out for "not being careful"? Moi.

I used to try to go around other skaters, even if it meant losing seconds in my program. Later, I started yelling: COMING THROUGH! which works for older, aware skaters, but there are some kids who literally *watch* you coming through and don't have sense enough to move.

[manleywoman]

I nearly decapitated a kid who was skating around aimlessly while I was in a camel spin. Guess who got chewed out for "not being careful"? Moi.

Here's one for you...when I was a 12 year old kid and I was doing a camel spin during a lesson, another kid did a shoot-the-duck right under me, and as I came down out of the spin I ever so lightly sliced her throat! Enough to cause a thin scrape across her throat and to scare the bejeesus out of her and all watching, but not enough (thank god!) to do any more damage than that! (could've been a helluva lot worse)

And beleive it or not, everyone at the rink told the girl and her parents it was her fault for skating under me. Because the rules at my rink were always spins get right of way. So her mother apologised to me for the "collision." Needless to say the girl learned her lesson

Nowadays if that happened I bet I'd get sued.:roll:

[JDC1]

That would be so scary.!!! I saw something similar almost happen once, a skater was in a camel spin, decent speed, and a little girl, totally oblivious, skated within a hairsbreath of her blade. I just stood there watching (I was too far away) just hoping she didn't get her face sliced.

[peachstatesk8er]

At most rinks here, there are Low and High FS sessions which helps a lot.

My biggest pet peeve is skaters who think they're all that attempting to hog ice on a public session. I don't care who's who, public is just that, public, open to anyone. IMO, if someone is going to try to skate FS on a crowded public, then it's their problem and no one, certainly the general public, needs to feel the need to get out of their way; they've all paid the same amount of $ after all. If a FSer/Dancer/Pair wants more open ice, then they need to skate an appropriate FS or Dance/Pair session.

Second biggest pet peeve is FSers coming on a Dance/Pair sessions acting like jerks and expecting everyone to move aside.

Now on FS sessions then a different code of conduct is indeed in order. Unfortunately some skaters still try to hog regardless of who's doing their program. They are :evil:

[tazsk8s]

Originally posted by JDC1
That would be so scary.!!! I saw something similar almost happen once, a skater was in a camel spin, decent speed, and a little girl, totally oblivious, skated within a hairsbreath of her blade. I just stood there watching (I was too far away) just hoping she didn't get her face sliced.

Same thing nearly happened to Taz Jr. when she was first starting to skate on freestyle sessions. She was short enough at the time that she went right under the spinning girl's free leg, but it scared the **** out of me. Her coach saw it and immediately had a few words with her on the rights of way of people in camel spins!

I try to be tolerant of younger, beginner level skaters on freestyle sessions because my kid was once one of those, too. But they drive me crazy more often than not, because the coaches at our rink don't consistently teach them what to watch out for and stay out of the way of. I'm getting tired of dodging them practing crossovers and spins in the lutz corner, because nobody in a position to tell them *i.e., their coaches* will tell them that isn't a good place to practice that sort of thing. If they aren't old enough to understand the rules of a freestyle, then maybe they aren't old enough to be ON said freestyle. :evil:

[Imo]

Originally posted by tazsk8s
... she went right under the spinning girl's free leg...

That's happened to me, only I was the one in the camel spin. I was actually doing a combo, but I saw the kid at the last second and didn't go into the sit... The whole thing kind of freaked me out.

[Chico]

I would rather be yelled at than run down. Saying that, there is yelling and THEN there is being a huge pain in the b***. My persoanl pet peeve is the individual who skates "into" you when spinning. Not their program or anything, just being a fool. When spinning your personal space needs to inforced. Folks who are oblivous to this drive me nuts. It's like their trying to take out two souls in one shot. This person never seems to notice what just almost occured either. This is while you stand there having a panic attack. I had a skating pal call this skating with your head up your b***. Personally I could care less, but don't do it around me! I happen to enjoy life for the most part!

Chico