Figure skating in public sessions - your feedback please!

[Aussie Willy]

Okay I would like to know what various rinks policies on figure skating in public sessions are. I know a lot of rinks do not allow spins and jumps, but others do. So I have a few questions and would like to get as many opinions as I can. I have numbered the questions so an answer to each would be great.

1. Does your rink allow you to figure skate in a public session (such as practising spins or jumps or doing ice dancing)?
2. If it does not what is the reason given?
3. If it does allow figure skating, does it place any limit on types of elements?
4. If it does not, how many figure sessions a week does your rink have?
5. What is the level of rink patrol at your rink (ie is bad behaviour dealt with, do you have people on the rink at all times)?

So I hope you can help. With the drama involved at my rink over the last week I am very interested to know what your rink does.

[MissIndigo]

Originally posted by Aussie Willy

1. Does your rink allow you to figure skate in a public session (such as practising spins or jumps or doing ice dancing)?
2. If it does not what is the reason given?
3. If it does allow figure skating, does it place any limit on types of elements?
4. If it does not, how many figure sessions a week does your rink have?
5. What is the level of rink patrol at your rink (ie is bad behaviour dealt with, do you have people on the rink at all times)?


1) Yes. We have sessions on weekday afternoons that are advertised and unadvertised morning ice time. These sessions are not usually that crowded and as long as we're using discretion, we can pretty much do what we want.

2) We are only told not to practice figure skating if the session is too crowded (a couple of times per winter).

3) AFAIK there are no limits; it is up to the individual to use discretion on what he or she does according to the size of the public crowd. I, for one, will not practice camel spins and jumps on a busy session. The little kids who are there practicing don't care, and just do whatever...and I have seen near disaster as a result. I guess they don't have a real concept of fear yet, and don't understand that the public does not always understand when to or will want to yield.

4) We have daily freestyles, two per morning and two per afternoon Mon-Sat, but they are overrun with low freestyle skaters (usually very young) who don't have an awareness of rink ettiquette. This is especially true for the afternoon freestyles. Skating on a sparse public session is much better and much cheaper.

5) Sigh, rink patrol is nonexistent when we need it most. Things are not usually too wild on the weekday publics, when it's mainly adults skating and others getting lessons from coaches, so all is pretty well in line. But I did approach a skateguard one time about some kids who were involved in too much horseplay on the ice, and it went in one ear and out the other. I did not press the issue since the guard was a bit flippant in the first place, kind of giggly and just out to impress the signficant other that day. I am also on very good terms with the parents of the guard-in-question, so I didn't want to come across as too bee-yachy. However, if you go straight to the management, horseplay is usually dealt with swiftly, and that's who I go to now if something is way out of line.

Gotta love rink drama. I've just had to be creative and find ways to avoid it if at all possible.

[eliao]

1) So far, my rink allows (and sometimes cones off the center of the ice during crowded sessions) figure skating during public sessions. After each cutting of the ice, before you're allowed on to the ice, the managers make announcements telling non-figure skaters to stay out of the center of the ice. They still cut through though. It wasn't always this way though. In the past, certain rink guards wouldn't let you jump or spin at all, or even do a 3-turn, due to some ludicrous idea that lifting one skate boot off the ice more than 6 inches would kill someone. The rule (and the rink guard) angered many loyal customers after a while, and eventually, things returned to normal.

2/3) Another rink near my area does allow figure skating during public sessions too, but will come down on you if you do camel spins/ flying camels. I think this is because scary accidents have occured involving camel spins, but I'm not sure.

4) There are plenty of freestyle sessions at my rink, mostly in the early mornings and late afternoons.

5) Rink guards usually vary at my rink. Some will do a great job patrolling, others will often add to the problem by joining in a game of tag or chatting away with their friends, oblivious to anything.

You're right, rink dramas are interesting!

Emily

[Mel On Ice]

if the session is filled with nothing but figure skaters, we can do whatever we want. This is rare, and only happens during unadvertised open skates, like holidays and during times when skating school is no longer in session.

On busy open skates, figure skaters are still allowed to practice their stuff, however, we are designated to the center of the ice, which gives you very little room to manuever. You can still crank out a few spins or small jumps.

Guards unofficially allow us to take over one end for footwork and edge practice. This leaves the other end for hocky to tear up.

[StarshineXavier]

Originally posted by Aussie Willy
1. Does your rink allow you to figure skate in a public session (such as practising spins or jumps or doing ice dancing)?
2. If it does not what is the reason given?
3. If it does allow figure skating, does it place any limit on types of elements?
4. If it does not, how many figure sessions a week does your rink have?
5. What is the level of rink patrol at your rink (ie is bad behaviour dealt with, do you have people on the rink at all times)?

1. Figure skating is NOT allowed on public sessions.
2. People have been injured whilst doing freeskating movements, which caused those in charge of public sessions to put a ban on such moves.
3. N/A
4. In the Winter, there are sessions every day, in the Spring/Summer/Fall there are sessions 5 days a week. There are 2 weeks between the Winter and Spring sessions, 3 weeks between the Spring and Summer Session, 3 weeks between the Summer and Fall sessions and 2 weeks between the Fall and Winter session when there is no ice time provided by the club.
5.There are patrollers there, but often they aren't on the ice the entire time, but off socializing with friends or other patrollers. They do enforce infractions well though, and if you cause any ruckus, you're gone right away.

[LoopLoop]

Originally posted by Aussie Willy
1. Does your rink allow you to figure skate in a public session (such as practising spins or jumps or doing ice dancing)?
2. If it does not what is the reason given?
3. If it does allow figure skating, does it place any limit on types of elements?
4. If it does not, how many figure sessions a week does your rink have?
5. What is the level of rink patrol at your rink (ie is bad behaviour dealt with, do you have people on the rink at all times)?


My rink allows figure skating (and private lessons) during public sessions, with no formal restrictions as to elements. Generally figure skaters have the right of way in the center, and "public" skaters on the outside. There is always at least one skate guard on the ice during a public session, sometimes more depending on the crowd. Some of them are quite good at enforcing the rules, and some spend most of the time flirting with teenage girls and seeing how much ice they can spray in their hockey stops.

We have freestyle sessions 5 days/week, from 5:30 am until after-school time; skaters must have passed FS3 (salchow and toeloop, plus upright change-foot spin) to skate on freestyle ice. Lower-level skaters take their private lessons on public sessions.

[skaternum]

1. Yes.
2. N/A
3. There aren't any stated limits on figure skating activities. But if it's really crowded and you're doing something dangerous, like camels, they might ask you not to do that for safety's sake.
4. It's N/A, but I will tell you we have about 10 sessions per week during the normal "season." There are a few more in the summer.
5. There is usually an Ice Patrol monitor on busy weekend public sessions, but not usually on weekday public sessions. The Ice Patrol are usually teenagers, sometimes early 20s. They control the more outlandish behavior, but do let a fair amount of "rough housing" go on. Based on what others have said, they do an okay job.

[flippet]

I haven't really skated in a year, but when I did....
My rink sort of allows figure skating during public sessions. I think 'technically' it's against the rules, but the 'rules' are rarely enforced consistently. So, figure skaters can generally do whatever they like. I think that we're allowed, because we aren't stupid about it--if the session's crowded, figure skaters either just spin, or leave it alone entirely. Even on more empty sessions, we stick to the center. I will say though, it pays to make buddies of the guards, the rink managers, and the other regular skaters. When I skated a regular noon session, we all got to know each other, and the hockey guys came to know our patterns, and we got to know theirs, so we didn't get irritated at each other.

My rink did, however, enforce the 'feet can't be higher than knee/one foot on the ice at all times' rule on occasion--basically, it was done when a certain figure skater was on the ice, because she and the skating director didn't get along. I didn't like going along with it, but to argue it was skating suicide, so we'd just bite our tongues and work on footwork.

I don't know what figure sessions the rink has--they used to have a club, but had a spat, and the club left. Maybe a few early-morning hours. Patrol is hit-and-miss, like anywhere, but the guards will enforce against really reckless behavior. The atmosphere is good in part because the regulars simply understand each other, and we'll all 'patrol' if necessary too.

[Azlynn]

1. No
2. Safety
3.
4. None, club ice only
5. Occasionally someone out there, but not always

That said, I do some figure skating on the sessions and they don't mind. Only on the more quiet sessions, and I'm extremely cautious about it - if there's anyone on that end of the ice, I won't do anything. According to the posted rules, skating around in a circle is all that's allowed (and some other nearby rinks enforce this), but they're more relaxed for the more vacant day sessions. Obviously not in the more crowded ones.

[TreSk8sAZ]

1. Yes, our rink allows figure skating at all public sessions.

2. N/A.

3. I don't believe there are any limits on the types of elements. I'd assume just using common sense. There are always people having lessons on public, so I don't think that they can limit the elements.

4. Even though the rink allows figure skating on public sessions, we usually have three freestyle sessions on weekdays (3,4,5 p.m.) and it varies on weekends (anywhere from two to five sessions). We also have coffee club for the adults (which is wonderful when it's not crowded).

5. There really hasn't been any control, until recently. Every once in awhile you get a rink guard, but not often. I've only seen them in the afternoon public sessions lately.

[TashaKat]

Originally posted by Aussie Willy
Okay I would like to know what various rinks policies on figure skating in public sessions are. I know a lot of rinks do not allow spins and jumps, but others do. So I have a few questions and would like to get as many opinions as I can. I have numbered the questions so an answer to each would be great.

1. Does your rink allow you to figure skate in a public session (such as practising spins or jumps or doing ice dancing)?

Yes, it depends on how many people are on but theoretically you can jump and spin but can do no more than single jumps. Ice Dance isn't a problem apart from the obstacle course that inevitably comes with it!

3. If it does allow figure skating, does it place any limit on types of elements?

Single jumps but not doubles unless it's really quiet (and, to be honest they wouldn't know a double jump if it hit them between the eyes).

4. If it does not, how many figure sessions a week does your rink have?

There are two 'patches' every morning 6-8.30 and 8.45-10.30, there are evening patches Tuesday to Thursday and lunchtime patches on Saturday and Sunday. Senior Club (mix of free and dance but doing free is difficult because there are a lot of adult skaters on there .... I'm an adult so that isn't meant the way it sounds ..... here's me digging a hole for myself ...... there are a lot of recreational adult skaters on there .... okay, I'll stop there!) is on Sunday morning 8.15-10.30. Junior Club is on a Saturday morning (not sure of the times) and Dance Club is on a Wednesday evening. Unfortunately there isn't a 'Club' as such for Free skaters or for the teenagers/better 'kid' skaters, but there again we can use patch so I suppose that it's not really an issue.

5. What is the level of rink patrol at your rink (ie is bad behaviour dealt with, do you have people on the rink at all times)?

From what I've seen pretty awful. The stewards are very often the ones going the wrong way, doing 'spray' stops (badly), sitting on the barrier and generally messing around (WHY don't they employ some of the skaters - hockey and figure - who can actually skate?). There is supposed to be a steward(s) on the rink at all times but this doesn't always happen. I have seen an occasion when the rink was so full it was dangerous and I actually asked management to put some stewards on ...... they sent out this teenager who couldn't even stand up on skates and wobbled around the edge holding onto the barrier with both hands :roll:

So I hope you can help. With the drama involved at my rink over the last week I am very interested to know what your rink does.

[Jeujeucda]

Here in my city there are no public figure skating sessions, period. We have tons of rinks, but the only time you can do figure skating is on sessions owned by clubs.

The two mall rinks very specifically state no figure skating allowed during public skate. One also specifies no backward skating as well. However, I've gotten to know the attendants at one of these two rinks just by showing up regularly for the last two hours of public skate for a couple of weeks. It's usually quieter by then, and they've allowed me to practice elements, jumps, and dances as long as there are not more than a few non-skating kids/adults on the ice.

Jeujeucda

[tidesong]

1. Does your rink allow you to figure skate in a public session (such as practising spins or jumps or doing ice dancing)?

Yes. Because there are (basically) only public sessions.

2. If it does not what is the reason given? NA

3. If it does allow figure skating, does it place any limit on types of elements? No.

4. If it does not, how many figure sessions a week does your rink have?

No regular ones, unless you count booking of ice time before the rink officially opens. And that would be every morning i.e. 7 sessions.

5. What is the level of rink patrol at your rink (ie is bad behaviour dealt with, do you have people on the rink at all times)?

There is no rink patrol. There are the staff that do skate rentals, and zamboni around.