It really irks the hell out of me, here I am skating, tyring to do the most basic moves like lunges and shoot the ducks, and the stewards seem to take the mick out of figure skating with their mates, you know, its like some kind of threat to their macho hockey skating so they act like idiots, its just off putting.

I can't wait till I am better than them, I'm gonna show them!

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starting at 28

It seems to be the same all over. I think that figure skating has about as much in common with Hockey as Ballet has with Basketball.
Lyle

Yep, same watering hole, different species. . .

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"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

It's not the real hockey skaters who behave like this - they are usually as courteous and friendly as anybody could wish, and respect the training our discipline involves, as, indeed, we do theirs. And I know a surprising number of skaters who also play ice hockey.

No, the mockers are the wannabes, who wouldn't have the tenacity or self-discipline to train for an ice hockey team, even if they were ever going to be good enough!

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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!

So true, Mrs. Redboots!!! I have had tons of fun skating with REAL hockey players!!!! It's the posers that ruin their bad name

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

I think you are right Mrs R. Its the Chavs in Hockey Skate brigade that do this sort of thing.

S xx

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There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness"

Ah, a fellow UK'er, yes a lot of chavs, but its always the guys who take the mickey, the female stewards are a lot cooler.

Chav skaters, my gawd, they think they are tough throwing ice around and doing hockey stops in front of girls and making them squeal.

Its true though, the ones who takes the mickey are good but not very good. The good stewards never take the mickey, tends to be the new guys, and even then, they don't do their job properly they just talk all the time, and all the stewards wear hockey skates, not one person has figures.. its odd.

--

Believe me, my greatest revenge will come in maybe one years time when I am better then them.. then I will show then HAH!

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starting at 28

I know of one steward who wears figure skates at our rink, and she is very kind - but I know of another two female stewards who wear hockey skates, and they too are very helpful.

Because of finances, I can't get a proper pair of figures until after Christmas, so I too wear hockey skates, but I do despise those guys who think they are really cool by wrecking and spraying the ice, and making themselves not just a nuisance - but a real danger to other skaters.

I'm self taught, and have an open mind as to both (proper) hockey, and figure skating techniques, but always try to skate safely with regard to others, and stay out of the way of serious figure skaters.
As for the poncey skaters, or chavs, who show off with their dumbfound and uncontrolled, so called 'hockey' moves, I just completely ignore them.

I have no doubt, in my mind, that you are already a far far better skater than these guys who try to act cool. Rise above it, and ignore them - and you will really enjoy your skating for you - and in consequence, skate confidently and wonderfully.

ummm whats an ice steward??


Ahh yes... hockey vs figure...

hubby has had this debate going on for AGES...

once, when he and his partner were just finishing their routine, the hockey players decided they had had enough time, and stormed the ice, intending to knock them over, racing around them trying to intimidate them...

Funnily enough, the ones who came out of it still standing and strong were the presenting ice dancers


Although he did have a hockey player tell him the other day that he would be great at ice hockey cos of his ability to move so fast and strongly... so there are some out there who are appreciative and understand

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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

I think that to label them all HOCKEY skaters is giving them more kudos than they deserve!!! Its an insult to most Hockey players!! lol In fact, I trained with the ladies team at my rink, and hell it was hard work.
I agree though, it does appear to be a problem in most rinks that these idiots who feel that they have to 'perform' for each other spoil it for people who take it seriously

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Level one Field Moves......PASSED 05.06.08
Level one Free dance.....PASSED 02.10.08

GOALS FOR 2009

• Level One Compulsary dances.......PASSED 19.02.09
• Level One Elements.....................PASSED 10.07.09
• Level Two Free dance.................PASSED 19.02.09
• Level One Free...........................
• Level Two compulsory dances.......

Loving it, Loving it, Loving it!!!!!

I actually LOVE the p**s takers in hockey boots, I delight in overtaking them with my one stroke to their 3-4 stumbly kicks, bring em on!!

I agree. Figure skating and ice hockey are two very different things. I think that each of these activities is very impressive at the elite level. I also think that the behaviours of certain hockey players and figure skaters has nothing to do with those disciplines either, since there's all different types of people out there. It's important to keep in mind that figure skaters are not necessarily just figure skaters, since some figure skaters also play ice hockey (haha...which is the same as saying some hockey players also do figure skating). Wise skaters (figure or hockey) tend not to have a go at (criticize) either disciplines since they understand that both can be very demanding in many ways....at the highest level.

At our rink, we have skaters (guys and girls) that do figure skating, and on occasions come in with hockey skates too. Can't do too many jumps at all on hockey skates, but all MIF skills can be done in hockey skates, no problems at all. Even spins.

I just believe that individual behaviour on the ice is just that....due to individuals. I personally don't like inconsiderate or dangerous kind of behaviour on the rink though. But got to keep in mind that most people are just having fun at public sessions. So whether somebody is having fun practising spins or jumps, or somebody doing hockey stops and sprays. As long as each person does it when there's an opening then it should be ok.

Long post here. But I must say. One thing that really annoys the heck out of me are huge long ruts that some hockey skaters do for fun. Of course, they're easy to do, but can cause problems for everybody. Maybe they should have some kind of rule against doing that kind of stuff.

ouija ... what does 'take the mick out' mean? Do you mean that the stewards aka skate guards aka skate-cops are harrassing you guys? If so, then that's not nice.

I believe an ice steward is what we in the US call a skate guard (the person with the guard jacket who skates at public sessions and attempts to keep order, keeps everyone skating the right direction, picks up stray candy bar wrappers from the ice, etc.).

I agree with everyone who says that it's only the non-hockey players who are annoying like this. The actual hockey players, in my experience, are usually too busy working on their moves to bug anyone (and are also really nice and try to keep out of everyone's way).

ETA: Duh, I just realized you were in Australia, Erinna - I'm not sure what they call ice stewards/skate guards in Australia

'take the mick' means to make fun of. They don't do it to a specific person but today two of the stewards were doing it and one of them can't even skate backwards, he is a new steward. Two little hockey skaters who belong to a team were also poncing about taking the mick out of figure skating when they flap their arms and do shabby spirals and that stuff, I don't know, its cool to do it for some reason. I don't think they mean offense...

but seeing as I am the only discernable person with figure skates on, its very annoying and I actually do take offense to it.

And I wish they could've seen the patch skaters before them, they were doing double salchows and stuff like that, way advanced for them.

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starting at 28

Hehe, all the english slang in this thread is a lot of fun, but if I didn't have a good irish friend, I probably wouldn't understand half of it.

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Casey Allen Shobe | http://casey.shobe.info
"What matters is not experience per se but 'effortful study'."
"At first, dreams seem impossible, then improbable, and eventually inevitable" ~ Christopher Reeve

thats horrible...our skate guards actually get along really well with the figure skaters b/c we all kno each other.

They still show off more than work, but they are definately not mean to figure skaters. You should tell on them- maybe they'd get fired.

Morgail, I dont think we actually HAVE them in AUstralia...

Ive only ever seen ONE person perform this duty ever... so its not a common thing.. generally its the regulars who tend to ensure everyone skates the right direction, picks up rubbish etc

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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

IIRC, Macquarie Ice Rink in Sydney did have skate guards/stewards. I think they may have been called the Skate Patrol (could be wrong about this - it was a long time ago!). But you're right, I don't remember seeing stewards at other rinks in Oz.

It can be a hassle when there's no skate guards to keep things in check.

All our skates guards, including myself, are figure skaters.

Hockey kids don't stand a chance!!

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Keeping School Figures Alive!!

In Hong Kong, at Ice Palace, skate 'cops' are figure skaters. And 99.9 percent of all skaters (including public) there wear figure skates. Hockey skates are virtually non-existent there. And during weekdays, there's hardly anybody on the ice at all. It's figure skating paradise ... except after say 3 pm, when it's skating nightmare, since the kids and coaches come out and take over everything.

Hehe, I <3 English English!