Hi

After almost 6 months off the ice, I returned last week with my new skates and blades which feel absolutley fantastic. I have never felt as secure and supported on the ice as I do now. However on my return I find that my usual coach is tied up with the GB team and has been abroad many many times in the last few months, training and competing, which of course must be her main priority.

On my return I found that I needed a coach with me for confidence plus to run over some things so I hired another coach to fill in whilst my usual coach was away. Now my usual coach is a freestyle coach and this new one is a male dance coach.

I am still in the LTS program, Im 32 years old so Im never ever going to be a professional or a world champion, nor do I ever intend to compete. Im skating for the pure love of the sport, challenge, social aspects and physical fitness.

Now, as I started out with a freestyle coach, my skates when I upgraded were the RIsport RF3 with Coronation Comet blades. I love these boots and blades and I feel very much safter on the ice due to the support ect however now I am doing LTS but with a dance coach I wonder will I still be ok to use these boots and blades. They cost me an absolute fortune, I love them and I really dont want to have to fork out a fortune (which I dont have) for Dance boots and dance blades. Would I be ok to continue LTS and probably passport levels with this equipment?

I also feel a bit rotten. I havent had a lesson with my usual coach since last August and only returned to the ice last week, but have this other coach and I would like to stick with him. Does this mean Ive done the dirty on my coach becuase I never intended it to be that way. It was just that when I returned I needed someone to skate with me and unfortunately she was away. What do you guys think?

Andrea xx

Generally speaking, a skater doesn't need dance blades/boots until they are at a fairly advanced stage of dance (well past LTS). Somewhere around the USFSA Pre-Silvers/Silvers is probably the earliest that most skaters doing dance start to benefit from dance blades/boots, from what I've seen.

I know several skaters who have tested and competed the highest level dances (USFS Internationals) in freestyle blades.

__________________
American Waltz... Once, Twice, ???? ...

Q: How many coaches does it take to fix Jen's Dance Intro-3 Problems
A: 5 and counting...

Wait and see which coach you like the best. I could learn from any of the coaches at our rink but some of them would make me crazy in a couple of weeks. Also if old coach is that busy, she may not miss you and may like to increase new coach's skater numbers. Its your choice, be strong, its OK to choose.
Lyle

But also TALK to your old coach about the situation as soon as you can. It would be really awful for her to find out through the grapevine or by showing up and seeing you with your new coach and wondering what is going on.

I will talk to her when she gets back into the UK, I know my new coach said he was gonna phone her and let her know the situation but I still think I need to talk to her myself

Andrea

Yes, that's a good idea.. and very smart of your new coach to want to talk to her as well, so everyone is clear on everything!