I agree that a "yelling" coach doesn't mean a bad coach. Every coach has a different approach and every student responds in their own unique way. As a skater you do get to understand good from poor technique and coaching. Saying that, I still believe that every skater needs to figure out which coach works for them. Sometimes this is a journey of trial and error. It was for me. =-) I still think it's best not to give advice. Good luck in your decision! You've been given many points of view to help your in your decision.

teresa

There are ways to yell and be effective and ways to yell that are damaging. Yelling because you're on the other side of the ice and need to be heard (that's not really "yelling"), or because it's an effective way of encouraging a particular skater are fine. Yelling a bit because the skater is not working hard is fine if the skater/coach relationship and the skater's personality makes that appropriate (it's frustrating as a coach when you're working with a skater who is not putting forth effort and wasting your time/their parents' money). I've seen my own coach and some of the others at my club do this with some skaters and not do it with others.

There was one coach who I could not stand to be on the ice with when I was a kid because she SCREAMED at her skaters, her own daugher especially. She put them down and made them feel horrible about themselves. I think she was trying to live vicariously through them or something. They were constantly crying and throwing tantrums. Interestingly I don't see her around any more, nor do I see any of the skaters she coached who I grew up with coaching or still skating.

As a kid/teen we had a synchro coach who had a reputation for yelling, and she was VERY strict. We didn't get on the ice for practice if our hair wasn't in a bun and we weren't dressed appropriately. If we weren't at the rink at least 15 min before practice stretching and getting skates on, we were late. When she was talking, we were to stand up straight with our hands behind our backs, no playing with our hair or slouching, leaning on the boards, etc. We'd have to skate laps if we were not behaving properly or working hard enough at practice. If word got to her that we were not behaving appropriately at club freestyle sessons or on sessions at other rinks, we got in trouble from her. But basically, if you didn't misbehave and do what you're told, you didn't get yelled at. So we just didn't misbehave. When we worked hard, she let us goof off and have a little fun. A lot of kids (and parents) didn't like her, but quite frankly, I loved her. She taught us to make high goals and work for them. There was a reason we brought home medals from nationals every year.

On another team I skated on, one of the coaches didn't like me for whatever reason and would chew me out in front of the entire team pretty much on a daily basis (even though in most cases, I was not the only one doing something wrong, or who needed a deeper edge on a rocker, etc. She'd always single me out). It was not cool, and made skating not very fun.

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2010-2011 goals:
Pass Junior MIF test
Don't break anything