Hello!
I am a new parent to ice skating. My 7 year old daughter has been skating for about a year and really loves it. She can't get enough of it. She has progressed through the class levels
(tinytot-gamma) quite rapidly. The next level is delta. What happens after this? I've heard of freestyle and private lessons. What do we have to look forward to?

After Delta, you go to Freestyle 1, then Freestyle 2,..... until you get to Freestyle 10 (which few do).

The early Freestyle levels are taught in group classes or by private coach. Your choice.

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

as a mom of a child who has been skating a year or so.. it just depends on where you/ she want it to go.
My kids take priavtes cause its what is best for us.They spend the rest of the time practicing.It is spendy, so depends on how much you as a family want to invest in this.Our ice time is pretty cheap conpared to others.They do skate 4 to 5 times a week.Where we live at, the fs levels arent group lessons.They do have one condioning class, but most group lessons here are for tots to delta.
You could talk to her about all the things you can do as a skater.My kids seem to be born hams and like showing off and playing the crowd.
The difference that i see is that osme kids are out there skating, but dont have alot of energy in it.They can do the movements but just dont have the IT that makes it so special.
Good luck no matter what she does, she will always be able to skate and have fun.

You’re at the point where the decisions you make can take you in several directions. We started with group lessons and then moved to privates followed by competing. If you decide on being a recreational skater and avoid the competition route, you will have a sport that you can enjoy. If you go the competition route, then you are entering a very complex system where you will have highs and lows. It's easy to become confused and frustrated with this sport and that includes lessons, practice, testing and competing.

We have enjoyed our daughter's skating experience, but it can be very expensive and time consuming. As your skater moves to the higher levels (USFSA), you will be spending a lot of your time and money and it's hard not to be over-involved considering what you have to give up.

The normal track for where you are now is to find a good coach and they will tell you what you have to do. This includes the type of skates and blades along with lessons and practice time. The coach runs the show and you write the checks.

There are other options besides freestyle and dance. Synchronized and ensemble skating can be fun and then your part of a team.

Synchronized and ensemble skating can be fun and then your part of a team




But all places dont have it, wish we did here :{

It is hard not to be over involved when you are spening $1000 a month just on ice skating lessons and ice time, then you have off ice lessons and personal trainers. This all adds up to more money out of your pocket, don't get me wrong I love watching my child skate. Then add in the drive of 40+ miles each way to a rink, and we do that daily! Our daughter enjoys it so much and that is what makes it worth the money, time and drive.

I suggest first to try and find a good "honest" coach, then go from there. When you find your coach have a good talk with them about what you expect your child to learn and the time table it will take to get there.
Remember one very important thing:
Your skater MUST have fun!

I agree, your skater needs to really want this and have fun!!!It takes alot of practice
We were asked by her now coach if she wanted to do a ISI competion locally. To compete you need a coach to help with your routines.She asked if it was something we had thought about, could handle ect.It all does add up, ice time, coaching, editing music, practice outfits, comp dresses, tights, a good pair of skates ect.
And a mom and dad who wants to support her choice, can take them to the rink ect. We as a afamily go and support them, help with the rink stuff and get involved.

Spending $1000 a month on lessons, cha-ching! You can spend less than half that and still fare well as a competitive skater. I am always amazed at those parents out there who have convinced themselves that the more they spend the better their skater will perform. What do you other competitive skaters think about amount of lesson time per week?

I might be new to this, But I have seen lots of post where people talk about 30,000 or more per year. I dont see how the op said she spent that much.She said 1000 as month, with lessson Ice time ect.Ice time at some places might even run more than coaching.
At two lessons a week or more for ice dancers, how much do you think it should cost ?Ice time 5 days a week?

In our area, coaches often get $80 or more per hour. If you divide 1000 by 80, you get 12.5 hours of lessons per month which works out to about 1/2 hour per day. Most competitive skaters get at least that much lesson time if not more.

$30,000 a year is very much a reality when you add up all of your skating costs up. Transportation to the rink can run $100-200 or more every month and that's not counting wear and tear on the car. Add in ice time, $300+ a month and I'm up to $18,000 per year and haven't bought the first outfit. Then you have competition expenses, travel, hotels and food for the parents, skater and coach(es). Junior nationals and nationals can add $3000-$5000 in cost every year to the total so now you're looking at $25,000 plus skates, sharpenings, music and choreography.

If your skater trains away from home you have room and board to add to the total.

That was my point, how is 1000 is month out of line lol. It doesnt seem to be at all.

Sujet, I'd just like to encourage you not to get scared off by all the talk of how expensive skating is. It can be very expensive, but it doesnt' have to be, and at your skater's level, it isn't even relevant yet. Starting private lessons usually happens around the freestyle 1 level, but doesn't have to for your skater to keep learning. Even if/when you do start, typically you'd start off with 1 or maybe 2 lessons a week, depending on how much practice time she's getting & frankly, how talented/motivated she is. She may never wish to be a big time competitor, and may just like to skate, or test. Even if she does start to compete, most kids are not taking a lesson every day.

I hope she (and you!) continues to enjoy her skating, and take things/make decisions as they come. Now is NOT the time to look at the info people are putting out there and say, "Whoa! We can't spend that kind of money! Guess she can't keep skating!" She's only a little 7-year old Delta level skater. Ease into it, and see where it goes. Good luck!

But on the other hand, dont you think its good to know now how spendy this is?some places, like where I am, we dont have group lessons after alpha/ beta so if you want to learn, you have to do privates.Two lessons a week , ice time 4 times a week is still alot for some people.I dont think anyone on here said her child shouldnt skate, but she should have all the information at hand.
She really needs to talk to someone who knows her and her child and take it from there. you are right, she might not want to compete, but how about if she is doing an axel next year and wants to?

Well it depends! It's a waste to spend a thousand dollars a month for a 6 year old girl in delta or something...because you don't know if she'll want this 4 years down the road, plus her bones are still developing and too much practice and too advanced moves will create physical complications in the future such as arthritis and more serious problems...I think at that age, a couple lessons a week and maybe one session a day 4-5 days a week is PLENTY. However, I'm in Intermediate right now, which is not even that high a level (it's the one right before Novice, for the parents who don't know yet) and my training already costs me about 1800 a month between off ice, ice time (2-3 sessions a day 5 days a week) and one 30 minute coaching lesson per day with a top coach. I eventually will need one hour of coaching per day 5 days a week if I want to get competitive in the Junior and Senior ranks, so that'll add an extra 40-50 bucks a day. Then there's gas spent to get to the rink. Some people also add 1000 bucks of rent if they relocate for a coach. This is not even counting equipment, I'm about to get 400 dollar blades and they're not even the most expensive, and then there's dresses, test fees, comp fees, travel...I actually think that for a competitive, int-adv. skater, estimating 1000 dollars a month of expenses is way too low. I skate at a rink with many other Regional, Sectional, and National competitors and they are all getting the same or more training than me, so it's not just me making this up. If you wanna stay competitive, you do need to add the ice and coaching time, cause everyone else is. The good news is that from Novice on, there's monetary assistance to be had, sometimes younger if you play your cards right. These figures are, obviously, for someone who wants to get to Nationals, and who competes USFSA. If you do local comps for fun with ISI and things like that, then yes, 1000 bucks a month is all you need to spend, maybe way less. Also depends on the level. You NEED a lot of coaching to get triples down!

The other people who spend twice that (myself included) hope to earn back some of that training money someday. Though of course, nothing is guaranteed. It's a risk you take. But you can always coach, too, on the side, and that's a lot of $$$$.
-FadedStardust

its not a waste if you can afford it and its both what you and your child want.what does what happens in the future have to do with the here and now?we arent doing this for 4 years from now, we are doing this for the present.I dont know what will happen in 4 years, and we as parents, dont look at it like that.We dont look at it like she might win a medal, just it is something she loves to do and seems to have a talent for.
We dont spend 1000 a month right now , but when she is 6 we might.We spend 300 a month on ice time and a few hundred on lessons right now.
Its up to the family as a whole as to what they can spend.

But it's not like you're buying her a new Barbie. It's a sport, a very serious one, and even if she's having fun, pushing her body too much too soon WILL cause her problems in the future. Why do you think Tara Lipinski had hip replacement surgery (a surgery reserved for old ladies) at 18? It's sad. Very sad. But she was doing triple loops at 12! Her hips weren't even developed yet. And that's why she had to have it replaced. And while she won an Olympic medal, she can't even skate now. I'm sure she's so happy about that. Not. Sometimes, you can't think about instant gratification. Sure, your kid's having fun now. But if it means she won't be able to bend her knees in ten years, maybe it'd pay to think ahead. This is obviously an example only...but the repercussions of what she's doing now WILL translate to her future in one way or another.

It has nothing to do with money. It has everything to do with health of the child. Starting early is great. Skating is great. Having fun is great. But it's also a very physically demanding hobby. You wouldn't have a 4 year old doing a 25 mile marathon, would you? Well, this is the same thing. I don't know what you child is being taught, I'm sure that right now what she's doing is fine for her body because you said she was only working on Freestyle 1. But if when she's 6...she's working on her double axel, then you might want to remember this post, and the health of your kid.

-FadedStardust

But there are lots of skaters who started early, including kwan, who didnt have a hip replaced at 18.There are no easy answers, and anything can happen.Most sports are hard on everyone bodies but unless a docor or other professional says there is a issue, I wouldnt worry about it now. I didnt say have a 6 yo on the ice for 4 hours a day, and if my child hurt, she wouldnt be skating.
In the end, its still up to the parents, and the child as a team to see where skating should be going.Its all comes down to what is best for your child and your family and all kids and families are different and have different needs.What works for one might not work for another.No one can say what is right for a family but the family involved.

Well, we have five lessons a week between us, plus ice time, and it comes to - hang on, the prices went up last week - £57.00, which works out at roughly $104 per week, or $450 a month, there or thereabouts. For his would-be elite skaters, who want lessons every day, my coach works out some kind of monthly or weekly fee that includes ice time and as many lessons as can be fitted in.

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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 agree with you there.

-FadedStardust

Right now, I'm takeing two lessons a week. One is private and the other is group(my skating club has group lessons through ?juvenille?). I had been taking both on the same day using public ice time for my private lesson which is 1/2 hour and costs $22+$4 ice fee. My group costs about $120 for a 1 1/2 hour lesson/practice. I have been thinking about joining a theatre on ice team(along w/ group and private) or taking 2 private lessons a week starting this summer. The team costs $55 a month and 2 -1/2 hour privates will probably run about $50 a week. The costs do run up when you add in a decent pair of skates($$$depends on level). Right now, I'm looking for ice time to take private lessons on because public is closed. This could run up to $300. However, my family can't afford that much(i still skate in stock boot/blade combo(changed blade)). This sport can be very expensive, however, if you look for ways to cut prices, it can be affordable. My suggestion would be to talk to your daughter about her options(she can to synchro, ToI, singles, pairs, recreational or competetive) and see where she wants to go. Once you know what track she wants to pursue, talk to a good coach and she/he will be able to help you find a cheaper but equally good way to start off whatever lessons your daughter will need. Good Luck!!!

To the OP: first off, I would find out whether your rink offers group lessons for Freestyle levels. Some do, but a lot don't. Even if your rink does offer group Freestyle classes, this is a good time to think about private lessons. The skills will get more complex at this level, and it's very important that your skater learn to do them well because she'll need to build on them later. A skater who learns to do a waltz jump with poor technique is going to have a very hard time turning it into an axel in a year or two. The extra attention, even thirty minutes a week one on one, can ensure that she learns the right technique.

OTOH, practice is more important than private lessons at this point if it comes down to one or the other. Most low freestyle skaters at my rink do a group once a week- that's 30 minutes class and 30 minutes practice- and then a 30-minute private lesson once a week, with another 15-20 minutes on the freestyle session before or after the lesson to practice.

Some rinks allow Freestyle 1 skaters on Freestyle sessions, some don't. Some will allow it only as long as they're with a coach. Try to get her on a session with mostly skaters around her level, and ask one of the coaches to go over the rules with her beforehand. Beginners who don't know about right-of-way are not only a safety hazard, but they don't tend to be real popular with the other kids, either- at least not until they start learning!

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Shae-Lynn and Victor: We knew you were champions, and on 3/28/03 the whole WORLD found out! Thank you for twelve wonderful years!

we are blessed as our rinks allow kids wh are doing any kind of routines ect to skate freestyle.She has learned even at 4 to look for the bigger kids who are doing jumps ect and knows to stay out of the way of kids in lessons.

I haven't visited this board in a long time, but this topic I just had to address.

The most important person in the whole decision is the skater. Health issues and their age and interest level is the utmost importance.
The next most important thing is to find an honest coach who's focus is your focus. We were, in this sport for 16 years as my daughter climbed the competitive ladder. We were lucky, for the most part, but along the way we encountered way too many parents who were lied to by dishonest coaches who told them the kid had all the talent & ability to make it to "the top", what ever that means. There are underqualified coaches are looked at as competent because they charge alot. There are coaches who need to make a certain income, so they keep teaching at levels they shouldn't. Some "class lessons" are purposely poorly taught to force kids into private lessons that are 4x ther cost. There are those who insist on as many competitons as possible to "get her name out there", when all they are doing is lining their own pockets.
And remember that few skaters ever make it to "the top" for a reason- it's hard. Real hard. Not everyone is meant to do it, and that's what makes those national level competitors so special.
I don't mean to sound negative, but in this sport, "buyer beware" should be the mantra. Don't be taken, and watch your child's progress, health (mental and physical) and happiness. ANd donh't be afraid to ask questions. You are the employer and deserve answers and explanations for all decisions.

I do agree with what you said.
I wouldnt just listen to a coach, but i do listen to other parents, other coaches and people who have no reason to lie or make it seem like she is better than she is.If it was one person ie a coach, I would feel different.

I hoped I didn't come on too strong, but even my daughter who is a coach herself says that the parents are the ones who have to make the decisions and are in ultimate control, not her. She gives her best professional advice and we taught her to be honest yet tactful (I hope). Our first coach was a wonderful honest lady who told us how far she could take us, and then recommended someone more qualified. We took a clue from her and continued to try to keep an oppen dialog with each coach along the way. COmmunication is so important.