Hey, our club needs a fundraiser...maybe we can try that!!
I tried a public session on a Sunday afternoon this summer, you know when it's hot and most people are doing the beach/pool thing. I had the ice to myself for 20 minutes and then there were just enough people to where a spin or two was fine, other than that forget it.
OTOH, I did skate on our "very empty" 9am weekday public a couple of weeks ago and I had the ice practically to myself.

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

Well, one hockey guy I asked that question of thought for a couple of moments, and then said "A stick - sticks don't argue!"

And another one pointed out that if he broke his stick, it was a lot easier to replace than a woman!

One year at the British Championships there was a stall selling mugs that read "If figure skating were easy, they'd call it hockey!"

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

I think it has a lot to do with what you're used to. I grew up taking lessons and practicing on publics (our rink doesn't have freestyle/club sessions), so I'm very much used to it and feel more comfortable on public sessions. I skated on club ice at another rink this summer & was completely freaked out. I was unfamiliar with the higher level dances and Moves patterns; I was afraid to even do a waltz jump. To top it off, a little girl (who wasn't looking where she was going) skated backward and tripped over my extended free leg while I was doing a waltz eight in my lesson.
I am much more comfortable on the public sessions, but I can see how one could also be more comfortable on club ice too.

But sticks can't cheer you on during the game, comfort you when you lose a game or take you out for a nice steak dinner after winning a big game!

Why on earth would you want to replace a good woman???

Ha ha!!! An ice dancer guy who used to play hockey, calls hockey "garbage skating."

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Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

Maybe he's afraid of breaking one?

I find that a crowded public session is pretty much useless for getting any productive practice accomplished, because I can't skate with the same speed I do on a freestyle session and can't do deep curves or much opposite-direction skating. If there are, say, fewer than 10 or so people on the session, or maybe if 20-some if they actually know what they're doing and are practicing their own skills instead of just muddling around, that would be different.

On a fuller session, if the middle of the ice is coned off and there are only a few low-level freestylers there, then it's possible to practice spins somewhat usefully, although still more tentatively than I would on a freestyle, and probably not camel spins. And axels, since I don't do them with any speed or distance anyway.