Frequently Asked Questions

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About Kay Kay's Skates and Equipment Kay, the Skater Off-Ice Training Kay's Broken Ankle Kay, the Coach Information for Beginning Coaches NEW! Advice for Skaters

About Kay

Who is Kay?

Some readers probably wonder exactly who Kay is. Well, you can read about me on my Biography page. “Kay” is a nickname. I do not give out my real name on this site because I am concerned about my own privacy as well as the privacy of individuals, rinks, and businesses that are mentioned in my journal. I change all names to ensure the privacy of everyone. This does not mean the events described in the journal are fiction. They are absolutely real. However, I do take the liberty of changing names and certain irrelevant identifying details to maintain anonymity for myself and others.

By writing this journal, I aim to share my skating experiences as honestly as possible. That means, I tell the good and the bad, as I perceive it. My goal is never to discredit anyone or any entity such as a rink or club. Someone else placed in a similar situation may have an entirely different reaction than what I describe. Bare in mind, the journal is a personal diary. It is my opinion about my own experiences and observations. With this being said, I still feel it is absolutely necessary that I remain known only as “Kay”. I am concerned that if my true identity became widely recognized, I would no longer be able to publish an honest account of the skating world around me.

Where do you live and train?

I live in the United States and have for my entire life. I have traveled abroad and have even skated abroad. I choose not to name the city and/or state where I currently live or the rink(s) where I train and/or coach. The skating world is small. Best to keep my sometimes brutal honestly anonymous. If I could not be honest, this journal would not be worth reading or writing.

Kay's Skates and Equipment

What kind of skates do you have?

~Boots~
I wear custom Harlick boots. At the time of this writing (10/2007) I am using the third pair of boots made from the same pattern that has been very successful for me. My current pattern was made from a mold of my foot. Previously, I had a pair of custom Harlicks made from measurements only. I personally prefer those made from the mold. They also have custom orthopedic insoles. My first pair of boots was Reidell Gold Star which I purchased in the early 1990s.

~Blades~
I have never used anything but MK Pro blades. They serve me well and are reasonably priced.

~Outdoor Quad Roller Skates~
My outdoor quad roller skates are Reidell 220 boots with Sure Grip plates and Kryptonics wheels. I use these skates almost exclusively for distance skating. For me, a Reidell 220 boot would be far too soft for freestyle ice skating; however, it provides adequate support for basic roller skating.

~Pic Frame Inline Roller Skates~
I have recycled a pair of custom Harlicks for inline skating. They are mounted with Pic Frame plates and spin wheels. Spin wheels are harder polyurethane than Axel 6.0 wheels, which seem to be standard issue for Pic Frame skates. An old pair of ice skating boots is perfectly suitable for roller skating. Since roller skating is done in a warm environment, feet may tend to swell a bit making a very tight fit undesirable.

~Indoor Quad Roller Dance Skates~
I recycled another pair of custom Harlicks for indoor roller dancing. They are mounted with Atlas plates and dance wheels. I bought the plate and wheel assembly used from a former roller dance competitor and do not know any specifics regarding the wheels. Their former owner had the frame mounted to a pair of Reidell Silver Stars, a softer boot than would be worn by an ice dancer of similar ability level and physical size. In general, competitive roller skaters wear softer boots than ice skaters.

Kay, the Skater

What is your test level?

I took USFSA Prepreliminary Moves in the Field and Freestyle in December 1999. I passed Adult Pre-Bronze in April 2001. Although I worked on Preliminary Moves with the intention of testing, I decided skating tests make me nervous and detract from my enjoyment of the sport. I have not tested since. Since I chose not to pursue testing, my test level does not accurately represent my freestyle proficiency.

However, I have trained Moves in the Field through Juvenile. When I took these tests, I was not coaching. I did not foresee an opportunity to coach. Testing would have been a method for me to set goals and document my progress. Many skaters find this useful and rewarding. I struggled with the axel for a few years, eventually landing about 75% of my attempts short of rotation. The other 25% ranged from simply sitting down on the landing to train wrecks. Without a reliable axel I could test no further than USFSA Pre-Juvenile freestyle and Adult Silver. In the ISI system, I would be stymied before reaching level 5. I found this discouraging and simply decided to learn as much as I could without worrying about tests.

Do you compete?

No, I do not compete and have never entered a competition. This does not mean I never will. As a child, I did not compete in any sport as an individual or as part of a team. Athletics was not encouraged in my family, so I missed out on that opportunity. By nature, I am not a competitive person. I always strive to do my best, but I tend to play against the par rather than trying to perform better than someone else.

Did you skate as a child?

As I mentioned above, my family did not promote sports as a serious passtime. Yet, the answer to this question is an ambiguous “yes and no”. Allow me to clarify. Like many children of my generation (I grew up in the seventies and started high school in 1980), I had a pair of quad roller skates. At that time they were not called “quad” roller skates. They were merely known as roller skates, because an inline alternative did not exist. I believe inlines were actually invented around the turn of the twentieth century for use as an ice skating substitute in theatrical performances, but I would have to check my references on that detail. In any case, they were not available in modern form to the public and no one had ever heard of a roller skate without wheels arranged in a four-corners pattern.

I liked ice skating and had seen it on television. My mother enjoyed watching lovely young ladies like Peggy Fleming glide gracefully across her TV screen. So did I. I took basic group ice skating lessons as a small child, but did not continue. My parents wanted me to be able to skate, swim, do a cartwheel, play an instrument, and other sundry skills all on a very cursory level. Any additional skating would be up to me.

I grew up on roller skates. First the type clamp-on type with metal wheels then vinyl boot skates with metal wheels followed by their polyurethane-wheeled cousins. I also got a pair of roller disco tennis shoe skates with big chunky wheels as a Christmas present. As a high school student, my dad bought me a pair of department store leather skates with polyurethane wheels. I became a competent skater on the last two pairs. Most children grow up riding a bicycle. I grew up on roller skates. Eventually, I taught myself freestyle skating elements on my roller skates. I learned by watching skaters in the roller rink during weekend sessions whenever I had a chance to get to a rink which was very infrequent. I also picked up moves from televised ice figure skating competitions.

Since I rarely had access to a rink (ice or roller), I roller skated in the street, on a driveway or in a garage. As a teen, we lived in a house with a three-car garage without support beams to interfer with the skating surface. My father would back the cars out for me, I plugged in a portable radio and skated to my heart's content. I did this several times a week and became a competent roller skater given the limitations of simplistic equipment, no formal training, and a relatively small skating area.

In the most general sense, I did skate as a child; and that skating helped me to improve quickly once I seriously took to the ice in my twenties. I never suffered through that awkward clinging-to-the-wall stage where many beginning adults may be stuck for months. I knew how to skate. I also went to ice rinks once in a while as a kid, and I could skate in a public session capacity. I could even do crossovers and skate backwards.

Did I train as a child? Absolutely not.

What elements can you do?

A thorough listing of my skills is provided on my Biography page.

Do you still work on the axel and double jumps?

I attempted to return to axel training during the spring of 2005. During the period of about two months I took one fifteen minute lesson per week that focused almost entirely on the axel. I also worked on my off-ice technique by jumping in my backyard. Shortly after making this commitment, the rink where I trained closed. For the rest of that season and the next, I could not find suitable ice time to pursue a skill as difficult as the axel. I was lucky to skate for one hour a week. Under those circumstances, my priorities centered on maintaining the skills I had rather than acquiring new ones or making significant improvements.

In the fall of 2004, while fooling around on a freestyle session, I got the urge to do a double salchow. Why this suddenly struck me after at least two years of not doing doubles, I have no idea. But I warmed up with salchow-loop combinations, then landed the first double I tried. Since then, I have never tried another double salchow. I remember an interview with two-time Olympic gold medallist, Katarina Witt. After she landed what was to be her last triple jump in a professional competition, she kissed her palm and touched it to the landing edge on the ice. She had decided to leave triples in the past. At the time of that rather random double salchow, I felt something similar.

Will I ever do axels and doubles again? I have not made that decision. At some point, I may decide to try to pass Adult Gold Freestyle which requires an axel. In that case, I would have to dedicate myself to axel lessons again.

Do you still take lessons?

At the time of this writing (October 2007), I am not taking lessons, nor have I taken lessons since spring 2005 when I worked on the axel. Originally, I did not take lessons because available ice time was so limited, lessons did not make sense from a financial perspective. I also had career commitments that would have forced me to cancel lessons too frequently. In July 2006, I broke my ankle and had another serious injury in December 2006. Between these two accidents, I was off the ice for months. When I did get back on the ice following the ankle break, my time focused on learning to skate again, something I was able to do without professional guidance. During the spring of 2007, after recovering from the second injury, I was in a hostile working environment that required all of my resources to survive with my sanity. I had no time or peace of mind to devote to skating. Fortunately, I resigned from that job within a couple of months.

Presently, my financial situation disallows splurging on skating lessons. I hope to find a training buddy that I can work with casually. A friend I met while teaching group lessons is in a similar situation. Maybe we can team up and help each other.

Kay's Off-Ice Training

Kay's Broken Ankle

When and how were you injured?

I broke my ankle during a public skating session on July 10, 2006. I was working exclusively on moves in the field. After skating for about an hour, I tripped while performing a series of double three-turns. Specifically, I caught an edge in an backward outside three-turn. This turn rotates counterclockwise which is not my natural direction. However, I have practiced three-turns of all varieties for years and was not unfamiliar with the movement. In fact, I felt rather confident and had been adding a balletic flourish of leg turn out and toe point to enhance the dance-like quality of the skill. I lost my balance, my right leg buckled under me and I fell in a heap.

Did you know you were seriously injured?

I did not hear the bone break, as many people say they did when they suffered a similar injury. I was also not in pain. A friend skated over to me and asked if I was okay. Falling is part of skating, and I am always okay and quick to jump back to my feet. I told her I was fine and was getting up. Well, it never quite happened. I tried to push myself up and was overcome with exhaustion. Still no pain whatsoever. I told her I had to take a nap first. Apparently, I was in shock. However, I never for a moment thought I would not get up. All I needed was a little rest and then I would get up and go home.

A rink manager came on the ice. Meanwhile, my friend had given me her jacket rolled up into a pillow so I could take my nap. I was resting easily in spite of people skating around me and staring. I told the manager I would be fine if I could just get up and rest in the office. There was no way anyone was getting me off that ice. They called 911. I was horrified. I still believed I would walk out of there and drive myself home.

Where was the break?

I broke my fibula just above the ankle and dislocated my foot. The fibula is not the weight bearing bone.

Did you need surgery?

No, I was fortunate that my injury did not require surgery. The orthopedist relocated my foot without anesthesia. I was very nervous, but the procedure itself was not especially painful.

How long did you wear a cast?

I wore a temporary cast from the emergency room for a couple of days until I went to the orthopedist for my long-term cast. In order to isolate the joint from any and all motion, I wore a cast to my upper thigh for a month. During that time, I took a plane trip to visit my father. Once I got the hang of it, I had no trouble walking on crutches. After a month, the orthopedist cut down my cast below the knee which gave me an amazing sense of freedom. I wore the shorty cast for another month.

I never had a walking cast. I used crutches for the duration of the time I spent in the cast. After the cast finally came off, I wore an ankle brace for at least another month. I walked with crutches for at least two weeks, starting with two crutches and graduating to one. I usually started the day with both crutches, switched to one as I got stronger then went back to two once I felt tired. The orthopedist predicted I would need crutches for another month. I worked very hard for that not to me true. Actually, I was still using the brace when I started skating again. I took it off, shoved my foot in the boot, skated, took the skates off at the end of the session, re-braced my ankle, and went home. The crutches would have helped me get on and off the ice, but my husband allowed me to lean on him, and he gently placed me on the ice. I wore the brace for at least a month.

Did you exercise while you were in the cast?

Definitely. I did upper body work while sitting on the steps in my house. This consisted of lifting two to six pound aerobic weights. I also worked on flexibility on the living room floor. This involved stretching my legs to the extent that I could in a cast. I also practiced spirals. To keep my injured leg strong, my husband bought a couple of sets of ankle weights that I draped over my right thigh. I did legs lifts of various types while watching television or using the computer. I literally did hours of leg lifts every day.

In spite of my efforts, the muscles of my right leg atrophied. Before the injury, I was a muscular atheletic person. My quads were very well-defined. No longer. My right leg looked completely emaciated, while my left leg remained very toned and strong. I had been hopping around on it for two months. It was more powerful than ever.

Describe your physical therapy.

I should have done more physical therapy than I did. However, I had demanding job for an unsupportive institution. Working all day and trying to get to therapy three times a week was killing me. I literally had to learn to walk again. Much of this I did on my own. The therapist stretched my ankle and worked on regaining a full range of flexion. In some cases, this was very painful. I could point my toe, but pulling the foot back was difficult. I had lost almost all of my range of motion. Most of my take-home exercises focused on this problem which was the primary reason why I limped dramatically even without the brace. I used elastic bands to pull back my foot and strengthen the joint. At the therapist’s office, I walked over steps, used a treadmill, and balanced on various platforms.

Since I did therapy after work and my job required that I be on my feet a lot (yes, I was on my feet and received little help or understanding from my coworkers), my calf became grotesquely swollen. The therapist gave me a compression stocking to provide support and reduce swelling. Regardless, I needed an electrode pulsation treatment to reduce the swelling before beginning a therapy session. After my workout, an assistant iced my ankle and I rested for ten minutes before going home.

The therapist recommended more visits, but I had had enough. I was exhausted and frustrated. I had begun to skate again. For the most part, I went to the therapist’s office and worked on my own. I could do that at home without the difficulty of making and keeping appointments. After I was discharged from physical therapy, I continued with all of the exercises every day for weeks. Eventually, I tapered off as my skating improved and limp diminished.

How did you regain the musculature of your injured right leg?

Physical therapy was not necessarily aimed at rebuilding lost muscle. It was more focused on regaining function. Conveniently, I had purchased a Total Gym before the injury and used it as part of my recovery plan. Squats on its gliding platform not only built muscle, they were low impact and helped me regain range of ankle motion.

We also bought a used Nordic Track cross-country ski machine. The action of that exercise also developed ankle flexibility while working my legs and providing cardiovascular stimulation. In fact, I found that a few minutes on the Nordic Track loosened up my ankle to the point that I no longer limped for a while. Once it stiffened and the limp returned, I could just jump back on the Nordic Track, ski for a few minutes and be rid of my limp once again.

Of course, I got back to the gym. Although I was not able to jog immediately, I rode the recumbent stationary bicycles and enjoyed the resistance equipment and free weights. I walked on the treadmill and used the ellipticals. I slowly returned to aerobic classes but struggled with step aerobics and kickboxing. My ankle simply could not tolerate the jarring. Low impact suited my needs and I tended toward aqua aerobics and swimming. Once the orthopedist approved, I started jogging again on the treadmill in short spurts to build back my strength and stamina.

Do you still limp or have permanent damage due to the injury?

As of June 2009, I rarely limp. However, after a long workout at the gym and skating/coaching the same evening, I will limp that night after my ankle stiffens again. Otherwise, there are no noticable effects of the injury.

Kay, the Coach

When and how did you start coaching?

I taught my first group lesson in February 2004. The rink where I was skating regularly at the time, was desperate for instructors. I volunteered my services not knowing what I would be paid but not expecting it to be very much. I was pleasantly surprised to draw a good hourly wage with free ice time thrown in as a fringe benefit. I taught at that rink for the rest of the season and the next season. The rink closed toward the end of spring 2005. I had a fulltime job and did not pursue other teaching options because the hours and commute would have been too difficult to manage in addition to my other professional commitments outside the skating world.

What kind of coaching do you do?

For the most part, I teach group lessons. Technically, I may be called and “instructor” or “teacher” rather than a “coach”. A “coach” is usually responsible for directing the overall training of an athlete. Coaches may train elite skaters or competitive recreational skaters. Although other professionals may be engaged for off-ice training, dance, choreography, sports psychology, and nutrition; the athlete usually has a head coach who directs this team or is heavily involved in consultation with the athlete (and his/her family, if relevant). However, athletes involved at this level are usually elite or working toward elite competition. Some may also be high-level test skaters who do not necessarily plan to contend for national or international competition. I do not participate in this type of coaching, nor am I qualified. Coaches at this level are usually former competitors and hold gold medals (USFSA senior tests) in one or more disciplines.

Coaches may also be involved in preparing lower level skaters and recreational skaters for competitions. This may also be done in consultation with other professionals. To date, I have not prepared skaters for competitions, even local ones.

Currently, I teach groups (ranging from beginner to low freestyle), test group students and teach private lessons (from tot to low freestyle). I have also taught birthday party groups.

What are your coaching goals?

I love coaching and plan to continue for as long as it is practical for me. As of September 2008, I am involved in retraining for a new career path, so I am going to school and coaching. I also work as an adjunct professor at local community colleges. I plan to graduate from my training program in 2010 and return to work fulltime off-ice. At that point, I do not know if coaching will be possible with my new schedule and responsibilities.

Until that time, I am fortunate to have found an excellent rink where I work as a staff pro. It is a recreational rink that focuses mainly on hockey and public skating. We have a comprehensive group lesson program and are building a grassroots skating school, an endeavor which I am launching in cooperation with the management. However, we face a difficult economy, and our skating school is a slow-growing long-term project. I would like to train my current low freestyle students as high as I can possibly teach them then hand them over to a more experienced pro who can take them through advanced test levels. Ideally, I would like to eventually specialize in spins and work as part of a team toward preparing skaters for competition.

So You Want to Be a Coach…Information for Beginning Coaches

How can I become involved in coaching?

As I mentioned in the previous section, there are many types of coaching from group classes through elite. However, almost all coaches start by teaching group lessons. Even highly qualified coaches will often recruit students out of groups. Where you start and where you can go depends on many factors such as your skating resume, teaching skills, dedication to coaching, rinks where you work, and students you are able to recruit. In my opinion, prospective coaches with gold medals and competitive experience have the best chance of becoming successful and working fulltime. For the most part, coaching is a great part-time occupation.

Regardless of your background, talk to your coach and skating director. Many rinks need extra help with groups during peak season, which is from December through March or April. You may be able to volunteer as a helper with tot or beginner classes. A mentor will assist you in working with children and show you techniques to help them learn basic skills. You may also be paid for your work and may even receive complimentary skating privileges. In any case, you will need insurance. All coaches in the United States must carry insurance. In order to join the Professional Skaters Association (PSA), you will need a sponsor. The skating director of the first rink where I worked sponsored me. Insurance may also be obtained from other national skating organizations. Your coach, mentor, or skating director should be able to help you with this. Personally, I was never mentored. I was thrown in with my own classes immediately due to the rink’s urgent need for instructors. Over the years, I have learned many teaching techniques from other pros and personal experience.

Where should I coach?

Inquire at the rink where you skate or train. They know you and have seen you skate. This is especially important if you are not a high-test skater with a grocery list of accomplishments. Many adults skate beyond their test level and have professional abilities outside the skating world that can work in their favor. By all means, apply to every rink in your area. Call the skating directors, especially at peak season. Don’t let them forget you! Even if you sent a resume in September and they had no openings, call back every month. Get on the sub list. A reliable sub is often given his/her own classes.

Some coaches are concerned about teaching where they train. Remember the old saying: “Don’t shit where you eat”? I admit to having pondered that message. Why? When you are training, you are learning new skills and inevitably falling. You may not present the image you prefer to students and potential clients. I know people from both camps on this issue. If you are no longer actively training, it is not an issue. If you are a test/competitive skater, it may not even be a relevant concern unless you find yourself training on the same sessions as your students. However, most of us can skate at a level so far beyond our students, and whatever we do looks impressive to them. Only you can weigh the pros and cons of this decision based on your individual circumstances.

What should I list on my resume?

If you have skating accomplishments such as tests, competitions, exhibitions, show skating, judging credentials, ratings, etc.; list all of it at the very top. However, if you are an adult or recreational skater, your test level may not reflect your skating ability and other professional qualities. In this case, you will prepare a typical resume with your education, off-ice work experience, any volunteer work, clubs, interests, and certifications (such as CPR). This list is not exhaustive, so add to it based on who you are. Be sure to include your skating memberships such as USFSA, PSA, and ISI. Also include a list of references both on and off-ice. Ask your coaches who know your abilities to act as references for you. This helped me to get jobs since I am not a high-test skater. Your supervisor from your “real job” knows you are reliable and a hard worker. Ask for his/her recommendation.

What should I wear/ bring for my first coaching experience?

Some rinks have dress codes. I worked at one place that required coaches to wear black pants. Ask. I strongly recommend against a skating dress, tights, or tight-fitting pants. You will look like a student rather than a teacher. Modest warm clothing is your best bet. Many pros wear zip pants that can be easily pulled over leggings and removed before leaving the rink. I wear mine all the time. Remember, you will be standing around more than when you are skating for yourself. Rinks are cold. Layer your clothes. Avoid cotton. It absorbs perspiration and you will feel very chilled. Some rinks will provide you with a coaching jacket that you will be expected to wear whenever you are teaching. Unfortunately, you may have to buy your own. As a beginning instructor, I was never asked to fork out money for an expensive uniform. For general purpose teaching attire, invest in a polar fleece sweatshirt, leggings, nylon or polyester over-pants and a vest or jacket with plenty of pockets for business cards, tissues, and marking pens.

That brings me to the next topic of what to bring with you. Get a set of washable marking pens (or at least one big one). You will want to draw on the ice. You have probably seen coaches doing this in group classes. Now it’s your turn. Kids love this. If your rink does not have a supply of stuffed animals, you may want to bring one or two small ones if you are teaching tots. Kids will skate around them and retrieve them. It gets them moving, and they love it. Again, ask your mentor what is available on site and what you might need.

Do I need business cards?

Short answer: yes! Business cards are your ticket to private lessons. Rinks rarely provide them for coaches. Get your own. You really do not what to have to write your phone number on a napkin (assuming you can find one) for a potential client. Order them online immediately. If you are having a conversation with a parent or adult student, give the person your card. This is how you recruit from group lessons. Parents may ask if you give privates. Be prepared.

What will I be paid?

That varies widely. In large cities, you will be paid more than in rural areas or small towns. Senior coaches with experience and strong skating resumes are usually paid more for group teaching. Some rinks pay a percentage of your private rate for groups. Some rinks expect you to give one or two group lessons without pay to be allowed to teach privates at that facility. The first thing you will be asked for is your private hourly rate. You need to have decided this before walking through the door. Find out what the going rate is in your area. As a beginning coach or coach with a short skating resume, you cannot expect to earn as much as your more experienced colleagues. Don’t under-price yourself either. Ask your coach or mentor for suggestions.

Every rink has a system for compensating coaches for private lessons. Learn the system so you can do your paperwork properly. You may have to submit receipts. In some cases, students may pay you directly. Usually, rinks take a commission on your private lessons. Commissions vary from 10% for staff pros to 25% for visiting coaches. Normally, you will not pay the admission fee for the session you are using to teach. You may also be asked to join the skating club as a professional member to utilize club ice. If you work in multiple rinks, don’t be surprised if every one has a different policy.

Most rinks hire coaches as independent contractors. That means you are not actually an employee. Taxes will not be deducted from your paycheck. At the end of the year, you will receive a 1099 form for tax purposes. I have been employed as a contractor and an employee. However, the trend toward 1099 is most prevalent, in my experience.

What can I expect from my coaching career?

At the time of this writing, the US is experiencing a down economy. Skating lessons are a luxury for most Americans. That means, business is down. Some rinks have laid off coaches who are not senior staff. As a new coach, don’t be hurt if you are laid off at the end of the season. Summers are usually slow anyway. Skaters who are not involved in serious testing or competition choose other activities in the summer. Many don’t return in the fall. Bad economy or not, this is typical of learn-to-skate students. Personally, I have a fraction of the private students in 2009 that I had at the same time in 2008. I am not alone.

So what can you expect? That simply depends on you and what you bring to your career. If you are coaching part-time while in college, or as a supplement to another income, or just for fun; expect some wonderfully rewarding experiences and some good extra money for the hours you work. Coaching, in my opinion, is part-time by definition. Few rinks offer more than ten hours of group classes per week. Most coaches do not teach all hours because the classes need to be distributed among the staff. Freestyle hours are limited, and coaches must have students to fill their time slots. If you don’t have a student, you don’t work, and you don’t earn money. It takes time to build up a following of students. This will be easier in a rink that has an established freestyle program or skating school and if you are well qualified. Skating directors probably will not refer students to new coaches with few credentials. You will have to recruit and train your own. It is possible, but it takes time. Also, don’t be upset of you spend your first year teaching only tots and beginners. Senior staff want to teach higher groups, because recruiting privates is more likely.

Unless you hold national, world or Olympic medals, do not be surprised if fulltime coaching is a rough road. One of my former coaches was an Olympian. In addition to coaching private freestyle students, he taught groups, hockey, and had a “day job”. Another coach I knew worked in fancy restaurants until he landed a skating director position. After several years, an adult skater who turned professional is finally able to earn about what she earned working in a retail shop. Of course, she now works part time instead of fulltime. Her skating income is what most people would consider modest.

Students come and go. Skaters quit for a variety of reasons. Coaching is very dependent on the economy, as I have learned. Under more prosperous circumstances, you will definitely earn better money, but this is true of most occupations. Coaches with childhood skating backgrounds have confided that they spent their first year with only one or two private students. One or both of those students dropped out by the spring. We count on new faces appearing in the rink every fall and winter. Don’t be discouraged. This is the nature of coaching. Even elite skaters leave their coaches or retire from the sport.

Advice for Skaters

Would you consider writing an “advice column” for skaters?

Yes. I recently conducted a readership survey and over 50% of respondents were interested in journal entries that include tips for skaters. Rather than bury these in the journal and eventually in the archive, I am considering creating a new section of my web site that will include information about training on and off ice, getting started in the sport, staying motivated, getting over plateaus, improving technique, etc. I still have not prepared the first article in this series.

As a coach, can you give me tips on how to perform certain elements?

Interest in this topic was a major finding of the survey I conducted of my readership in late 2007. Yes, I can do this and often post technical suggestions on message boards. Creating a database of these tips and suggestions would be a valuable addition to my web site. I will be unable to diagnose individual problems because I cannot meet with skaters one-on-one. In addition to the general suggestions I give on my site, I will always qualify them by recommending skaters seek the advice of a coach who can work with them on a regular basis and meet their specific needs.

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