As a recreational skater and someone who works in health care, I applaud anyone who gets off their couch potato backsides and gives any sort of aerobic activity a try. Especially if they have to to in front a bunch of people who can't do anything but sneer at them.
I don't about other places but I do know that ice time to be tight in places with few rinks and several kids hockey teams. That private clubs are extremely expensive and public rinks are paid for primarily by the taxpayers giving them the idea, I suppose, that they are allowed to skate in them.
Unless you got the bucks for private ice, sometimes you gotta a share.

I don't think anyone here is "sneering" at newbies. We are just fascinated that the Olympics and TV programmes like "Dancing on Ice" have inspired so many people to have a go. It's great for the sport and once those who find it too hard drop out, we may be left with some serious skaters as a result which can only be a good thing.

We've all been there and taken that first, tentative step on the ice so we all know exactly what it's like and we also know how much of a commitment it is if we really want to make good progress. Of course anyone who get's off their backside and takes up a sport, no matter what, deserves praise.

I just feel sorry that you have got the wrong idea about this thread. I think it was just an innocent observation by a regular skater, that the Olympics have inspired so many to take up skating. These rinks have been here several years with little interest then suddenly the Olympics and a new TV programme or two, and we are inundated!!

I agree that skating on busy sessions isn't ideal and from that perspective it is a bit irritating, but most rinks offer patch ice and if skating on sessions is becoming impossible as it is at my rink, then best to skate on patch, which is what I do!

Nicki

The interesting thing will be to see how long the craze lasts!

Being so late in the season (for the Northern Hemisphere), I'd bet half (or less) of them stick it out until spring when the rinks start shutting down. I'd be surprised if 10% show up next fall to sign up.

There's a big difference between buying hardware store skates and showing up at a few public sessions and making the commitment to get good equipment and signing up for a structued program.

More figure skaters is good - it gives us and the FSCs "clout" with rink management

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Dianne
(A.O.S.S.? Got it BAD! )

I don't know where you are, but I know many rinks in the USA, and the majority of full-time rinks in the UK (as opposed to the temporary "Christmas" rinks, the last of which closed last weekend) stay open all year round. It is not, alas, true, in Europe - but in an uncomfortably hot summer, the ice-rink is a wonderful place to be!

In fact, over here, the main competition season is in the summer, since that's when the rinks aren't wanted for 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 would never sneer at them.

Actually I've given more impromptu advise to new skaters in the last week than I usually do in a month.

Had one little girl who was in tears because it looked so easy on television, but all she could do was fall down. After I got her the right size skates (mom had gotten her shoe size) and coached her to keep her arms in front and to march, she did much better. Got a nice thank you at the end of the session.

I'm all for newbies to get on the ice, but it would help if they knew that they might need some experienced help or lessons.

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Many go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. - Henry David Thoreau

I do the same: tell them to get a smaller size, or re-tie their skates for them (I'm sure you would believe me how loose they have them tied), tell them to bend down in their knees, get their hands out of their pockets, etc...

I sometimes get asked if I'm a coach, professional, etc.... I smile, say no and tell them about lessons....

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

That reminds me of the time one little girl asked for my autograph, I though she was joking until my coach said "just sign it"

Same here.

If you can get them started in the right direction, they'll be skaters for life. Otherwise, they'll be frustrated and never return.

`

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Many go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. - Henry David Thoreau

see all i ever seem to be asked is how to jump...the trouble is, i have no idea what to say to these kids other than show them and tell them to take lessons. They always seem to get upset and leave, trying to do back crossovers when they can barely stand up on their skates.

I wish they would do a seperate session from public ones, especially for people who have never skated before and have a couple of skate guards go around and make sure they are doing ok. I feel abd for some of the little kids who egt knocked down by 12 yr old hockey players who dont even seem to watch where they were going.

I was trying to do a double salchow saturday and some annoying hockey kid ran right into me as they were racing in the opposite direction of the rink...he ended up with a huge cut on his hand from my freshly sharpened blades...and as much as i hate to say it, i really didn't feel sorry for him.

all i ask of skaters is for them to just watch where they are going and give figure skaters some room, because the fact is, we are still going to practice and if there is no space someone can and will get hurt.

Yes....that kind of thing is not good. That's when the rink supervisor must step in to stop that kind of thing. There was one time an idiot was skating backwards FAST against the flow of traffic and suddenly I saw him. There was no time to dodge, so I just stood my ground. He came crashing hard to the ground after he collided into me and I just stood there unmoved. The rink supervisors saw it. I just said to the supervisor....'that's what happens when people don't follow the rink rules', and the supervisor smiled.

Today was worst yet though, because the school district had a teacher in service day, and so the rink was packed in the middle of the day. I had a lesson today, and I didn't feel we got a lot worked on because I kept having to stop. Barry, of course, could do all sorts of things in small spaces, but I felt too nervous. Probably half of the time was wasted because I felt I had to stop, reset, and attempt an element again.

What really upset me was how many times my skates got clipped by other people on the ice.

Please don't misinterpret what I said. I don't sneer. I smile internally at those who really do act as if they can do everything straight off.

I too, give gladly of my time to those who ask questions. I am only too happy to answer questions and demonstrate things. My most common answer to the "how do you do that?" is ;"a good teacher and lots of practise".

I love that so many people want to try it, and genuinely hope many will push past the shock that it isn't that easy.

I only bemoan (tongue in cheek) that it doesn't leave much room on our rink for those who want to practise the jumps, spins, spirals etc.

As for tax-payers - ???? Aren't all rinks businesses? Are you telling me that there are government funded rinks in some places?

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Karen

I skate - therefore I am

If I'm putzing around, I don't mind helping kids/adults with the basics. I will NOT teach someone how to jump/spin if they can't skate around. I tell them about lessons and tell them they need to learn the basics stuff first!!! (Kind of a cop-out but it's safer that way!!!)

If I see someone blasting around in a dangerous manner (i.e. backwards without looking) and there are no ice guards, I catch up to them and kindly ask them to look behind them while they are doing it. If there are ice guards, I inform them and let them do it. If the kid keeps doing it, sometimes I play devil's advocate and get near him where he will skate into me (yeah, I'm bad). Believe me, I've been knocked into about 5 times so far and no one's gotten hurt but it does open their eyes!! I have the blessing of the rink manager on this one.

I also see parent's carrying kids around while skating. I kindly ( ) tell them what could happen it they trip, and suggest they put the child down and offer advice-cone, skating tips, etc. (their stupidity astounds me!)

Last night I had to remind a teenage FIGURE SKATER during lesson warmup to look behind....this is the 50th time I've had to remind her so guess what happened???? Yup! I let her skate into me! I asked her if she saw me..... I think that is the only way some of them will learn. Luckily, it was me and not one of the little kids. This is the same girl who skates around with both earphones on, loud music, not able to hear. Gave her a warning. Durn whippa' snappa's!!!

Yeah, I'm evil. I should make a hat.

OTOH, I will COMPLEMENT ANYONE who has nice skills, whether a figure, hockey, or recreational skater. I think it's good to build a rappor with the skating public. I'm there a lot (that's one reason why I'm asked if I teach or if I'm a coach I guess). I can also tell people about what restaurants are in the area or shopping, etc. I have met the most interesting people during public skate!!!

PS-My rink is "funded" by the State Lottery-Slots under the Delaware State Fair. So you would think it would be some super-duper place that's open all year long.....well, it's nice enough, but they are always complaining about the money and it's closed in the summer. Word through the grapevine that it is a tax write-off for the State Fair. That being said, they aren't interested in "making money" but barely breaking even so $$$ can be written off every year. If they show too much profit this can't happen. They close every summer "for the State Fair" so the building can be an exhibit hall for the 4-H. Yeah, it closes mid-April through August for the fair which is held for 1.5 weeks in JULY for exhibits for the 4-H which has the lowest attendance out of the whole fair, because the rink is at the farthest corner of the fairgrounds. AND last year they received over 500 calls asking about skating hours during the fair alone!!!

Another reason is they don't want to make it a competitive rink-just recreational. No high-level training, just LTS programs.

Ok, I'll shut up now.

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

Most of the rinks in the St. Louis area are part of the Parks & Recreation Department of the city or county they are in. It's very hard for rinks to make a profit, so most operate at a break even basis (if possible).

The St. Louis County Parks and Recreation Department runs 3 indoor rinks. Kirkwood, Creve Coeur, Brentwood, Florissant (outdoor only), and Webster Groves all run their own rinks. St. Louis City has a large outdoor rink that they run.

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Many go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. - Henry David Thoreau

Because of the Olympics my rink is increasing its enrollment rate for learn to skate classes - even before the Olympics they were overrun with students because they absorbed the students from my old rink, but now they're having to turn people away from the LTS program. Part of the reason I decided to switch over to two privates during the day when there's NO one around. I need me some space.

In a lot of the northern cities in the USA, there are rinks that are run by the municipalities and county governments. I think Chicago has about 40 rinks and almost all of them are run by government.

However, in the South, where I'm located, most of the rinks are private businesses. Since they aren't subsidized with tax revenues, they are more expensive.

Rob

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Geriatric Figure Skating Crew - President for Life!
Georgia Figure Skating Club - President (again)
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"I'm too old to die young, and too smart to be happy" - Kinky Friedman, The Mile High Club

2010 Adult Nationals - earning a gold - "Priceless"
2009 Adult Nationals - competing with a cold is not much fun.
2008 Adult Nationals - Too little sleep, too much vodka!

All the rinks I've encountered in Texas are private. The Dallas Stars Franchise owns my training rink in Frisco, but my rinks in Austin are owned by a single individual (who also is an absolutely awesome skate-smith, and repairs all figure skates personally).

Aughhh and those who become over-confident and spend the entire session criss crossing their way through the middle of the ice, where of course we who usually attend the lunchtime session are trying to spin jump.

Also, net increase of moronic teenagers saying "wow, you're good". Yuck.

Same as Chicago. They're often attached to other community facilities like parks or pools. Great concept.

Not sure what the situation is with my local rinks... they seem to get some govt. funding for building but I don't know about the running. My local is a co-op but I don't know if that's just for management or ownership too.

To be fair, this is why rinks insist that skaters doing their programs wear a vest, sash, armband or some other identifying mark. Does your rink not have them?

Even when I do recognise people's music at my local rink, I can't spend the entire session paying attention to who's where at every moment. The armband stands out as a reminder of whom you definitely must make way for and those who you should show courtesy to, but not stop what you're doing (eg, skaters doing runthroughs outside of lessons).

Blisspix: That particular session is usually about 12 of us, all "mature" (well, it's TRUE, even if only in years!), and it isn't normally a problem. When they play program music, the do announce who's program is coming up so everybody knows it's a program. For us "locals" we know most of the programs and know where the skate will be going.

Most all of the rinks up here in Canada are built with tax-payer's money and operated to break even. I know my two clubs pay $90/hour and $145/hour respectively for ice time, the rural rink being less expensive. There is only one private rink (club) that I am aware of and it no longer caters to figure skaters - more money to be had from hockey

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Dianne
(A.O.S.S.? Got it BAD! )

Sounds like our ONE rink in Melbourne and the rinks in Perth Dont get me wrong, I know that hockey has to practise, but so do we!!

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-Erinna-
aka cassarilda

My Progress Report!
"Did I mention there is only ONE rink in Melbourne?!"
"If you're not flying, you're obviously not trying!!!" - courtsey of the guy who helped me up off the ice after my last spectacular and sore fall

That's why it's great when local governments run the rinks. They must cater to all skaters as a community service. Figure, hockey, and speed.

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Many go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. - Henry David Thoreau

i guess i can't complain, our rink does have freetyle sessions AT 4:30-6:00 AM.and i have to be in school by 7 when the rink is 30 mins away...nevr mind changing and showering.
I'd rather run into people at publics and go at a normal time, than wake up at 3:30 and pay $15 for less than 30 mins ice time with 21 skaters on there as well as me, then breaking every road rule so i can hop in and out of the shower and get some clothes on.
Don't get me wrong, when I really need to egt something with my coach i'll do it, but definately not often and its not preferable.

Now Erinna, I read in the paper only yesterday about a proposed $60million ice centre for Melbourne, where they hope to hold a sort of World Youth Olympics every two years.

You'll need a new catch-phrase if that ever happens!

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Karen

I skate - therefore I am