In 2011, I stated that the Professional Skaters Association rules governing so-called "solicitation" were restraint of trade. This did not make me popular at PSA seminars, where people in this insular industry could not be made to understand the singularity and bizarreness of the anti-soliciting rules.
Turns out the FTC agrees with me.
To review, the PSA had an anti-solicitation rule stating roughly that no PSA member coach can knowingly directly solicit another coach's student, or tamper with a coaching relationship either directly or indirectly. What this meant was that you could not approach a student who was already working with someone else. You had to be careful about talking to the parents and friends of someone else's student. If a student came to you privately about switching coaches, you were supposed to report this to the other coach if the student had not already done so.
Until a few years ago, when USFS and PSA colluded to impose membership on all coaches doing testing or competing, it wasn't even particularly enforceable, because if you weren't a member of PSA it didn't even apply to you. You could be as big a jerk as you wanted, and if you weren't a member, there was no one to report you to.
If you were a PSA member, it still didn't matter, because the unethical coaches ignored it, and the ethical coaches didn't need it.
There are all sorts of nuanced minefields to this. Kid's parent bragging in the stands? Better be prepared that you have told the parents that you do not encourage this. Got a talented kid in class? Don't praise them too much, either to the kid or the parent if someone else is their coach. Parents in arrears with fees? An "ethical" coach is supposed to refuse to take you until you pay up the prior coach. (Even if the other coach has actively encouraged parents to stay in arrears to keep them from leaving.) Kid in your class been taught incorrect technique on a skill? Careful how you tell the kid their technique is wrong-- that's tampering.
Coming from a business and music background, this sounded absolutely insane to me. Imagine if you had a contractor for your house that wasn't doing the job-- by the standards of this rule, if you went to someone else, they would be ethically required to report you to the guy who was messing up.
Further, it didn't stop unethical coaches, it was used to intimidate students and parents (I knew people who quit skating rather than have to tell a coach they wanted to switch) as well as less experienced coaches and made the whole coach switching thing a nightmarish balancing act.
At the urging of the FTC in another industry, the rules have been changed. It is now only considered statutorily (by PSA statute) unethical to solicit a student actively engaged in competition or a test session. I would call this the "don't be an asshole" rule. The new language is here.
Now, what this means is not that there are no more ethics in coaching. It means that the foolishness of expecting parents to know the esoteric ethical constraints of coaching is over.
In other words, now, if you actively solicit another coach's kid in secret, or start telling parents that you would do better, or bragging to them about how great your kids did at regionals, or telling the kids they would get farther faster with you, you're not strictly unethical according to the rewritten PSA definitions.
You're just an asshole.
The good news: coaches no longer have to report a parent (seriously wtf) to the old coach if they come to you about switching (not that anyone ever did this). The whole team-- parent, skater, coach-- no longer has to tiptoe around hoping that the other coach doesn't file an ethics complaint while you navigate the switch.
It means that skaters and coaches no longer have to fear PSA or USFS sanctioned retaliation if a coach decides to be a jerk about it.
Switching coaches will still be an emotional minefield and you still have to do it with a lot of thought and care, keeping the best interest of the skater at the forefront. There are still ethical issues regarding actively approaching someone else's student (seriously-- don't do this).
Try to work out the issues with the original coach. Talk to the new coach off the premises. Make sure you're paid up. Don't flaunt the change-- no bragging, trashing, or airing of dirty laundry. If you're a coach, always ask someone who comes to you about lessons if they already have a coach, and if so why they want to switch. Give it a week between the final lesson with the old coach and the first lesson with the new one. Keep it friendly with the old coach.
And goodbye to the gag rule. Now we all get to be civilized because it's the right thing to do.
Dec 20, 2014
Dec 10, 2014
How can you be a coach if you aren't coaching?
Last April I had to quit teaching classes because life threw me several curveballs and I'm a skater not a sportsballer. I don't know how to catch, or hit, a curveball.
Something had to give, and it needed to be as much a financial decision as anything else. I was teaching at a remote rink and it was costing me as much in gas as I was earning. The commute was an agonizing 2+ hours, reducing my "hourly" to less than minimum wage. The combined professional fees were further eroding the financials. (Skater professional fees are upwards of $600 per year, a burdensome level for people like me who don't do it full time.)
It was a very difficult decision-- I'd been struggling with it for months, but just couldn't give it up. I derive huge emotional satisfaction from teaching, especially from my kids with special needs. I'm very good at it. I miss those kids in particular.
There is fall out-- because I have only one regular and a couple of occasional students, I don't have the income to justify the professional fees. I stuck with the cheaper option–ISI–so that I could still get coaching insurance. But I dropped USFS (!) and PSA, which means I also put my hard-earned rating in abeyance.
So you will now see my rating listed as "I have earned a Senior rating in group instruction" rather than "I have a Senior rating in group instruction." Unlike other professional credentials, PSA says the rating doesn't count if you're not a member. I believe I'm not even supposed to couch it as I have. (This is bullsh*t. Imagine if you were told you don't get to say you have a law degree if you're not practicing law, or that your senior freestyle test doesn't count any more if you're no longer a member of USFS. But that's for another rant on another day.)
It is challenging to reinstate a rating-- it takes up to three years, because you have to re-earn continuing education credit, and they won't count credit earned while you're not a member (I asked). Technically, you're supposed to be teaching an average of 5 hours per week even to qualify as a professional member, and you need a skating director to attest this.
Fortunately for me, coaching is not a very heavily regulated profession. I have my insurance, and the good will of local rinks. I may get back to it on a more regular basis-- I had always figured that coaching would be my retirement job, and it may yet be.
So how can I be a coach if I'm not coaching? Well, I'll be here, coaching parents on navigating the insanity that is skating culture and the reward and beauty that is the sport of figure skating.
Something had to give, and it needed to be as much a financial decision as anything else. I was teaching at a remote rink and it was costing me as much in gas as I was earning. The commute was an agonizing 2+ hours, reducing my "hourly" to less than minimum wage. The combined professional fees were further eroding the financials. (Skater professional fees are upwards of $600 per year, a burdensome level for people like me who don't do it full time.)
It was a very difficult decision-- I'd been struggling with it for months, but just couldn't give it up. I derive huge emotional satisfaction from teaching, especially from my kids with special needs. I'm very good at it. I miss those kids in particular.
There is fall out-- because I have only one regular and a couple of occasional students, I don't have the income to justify the professional fees. I stuck with the cheaper option–ISI–so that I could still get coaching insurance. But I dropped USFS (!) and PSA, which means I also put my hard-earned rating in abeyance.
So you will now see my rating listed as "I have earned a Senior rating in group instruction" rather than "I have a Senior rating in group instruction." Unlike other professional credentials, PSA says the rating doesn't count if you're not a member. I believe I'm not even supposed to couch it as I have. (This is bullsh*t. Imagine if you were told you don't get to say you have a law degree if you're not practicing law, or that your senior freestyle test doesn't count any more if you're no longer a member of USFS. But that's for another rant on another day.)
It is challenging to reinstate a rating-- it takes up to three years, because you have to re-earn continuing education credit, and they won't count credit earned while you're not a member (I asked). Technically, you're supposed to be teaching an average of 5 hours per week even to qualify as a professional member, and you need a skating director to attest this.
Fortunately for me, coaching is not a very heavily regulated profession. I have my insurance, and the good will of local rinks. I may get back to it on a more regular basis-- I had always figured that coaching would be my retirement job, and it may yet be.
So how can I be a coach if I'm not coaching? Well, I'll be here, coaching parents on navigating the insanity that is skating culture and the reward and beauty that is the sport of figure skating.
Dec 2, 2014
Sink or swim warm ups: 5 ideas to keep your head above water
It's been seven months since I dropped all my group classes due to health and business pressures. (Oops, did I forget to mention that? Last April I had to drop all my staff positions due to health and business concerns. I guess I'll do a post about that!)
The result is that I haven't seen a freestyle warm up in seven months. And I haven't seen a warm up at a rink that doesn't train its beginning freestyle students in the challenging warm up skills in even longer than that.
A couple of weeks ago I went to watch my student H, who passed into Freestyle One this session. His mother was a little concerned, because both I and his class teacher had told her he'd be fine with the skills, it was the warm up that she should be worried about.
He, and the other baby freestylers actually do fine. They stumble through the skills, sometimes badly and fast, sometimes well, but slow, but pretty much clueless throughout.
The Ice Rink of the Damned actually got this one right-- they inserted a level between Delta and FS1 called "Pre Freestyle" with the express mandate of teaching the kids the warm up patterns. At my last rink, you didn't get out of Delta (or out of Beta for that matter) without the flow, speed and skating knowledge to handle the warm up. (Yes, all those kids skated better than me. It was a little intimidating. Fortunately I'm extremely arrogant.)
H's rink-- man, they just throw them in the deep end, or would have, if it wasn't frozen. Because those kids were drowning.
I don't think the kids knew this, and the coaches were handling it reasonably well, but I don't really understand the point of having kids try to figure out a complex skill like power 3-turns. They're just getting it wrong and are going to have to unlearn it, or they'll feel incompetent and will check out. (haha skating joke).
Here are some solutions:
Pre-Freestyle
As I noted, you can simply add a level. The Basic Skills and ISI curricula are not governed by force of law. You can mess around with them. The problem moving from Learn to Skate into Freestyle is that LTS teaches the skills in isolation; Freestyle requires flow, and the ability to move from one skill to another. (This is actually one of the areas where Basic Skills gets it better than ISI, because it does teach more flow than ISI.)
The skills that kids should learn are alternating 3-turns, waltz 3-turns, power 3-turns, alternating mohawks, stopping drills, cross rolls and cross steps, perimeter stroking (PrePre pattern), perimeter cross overs (forwards and backwards), 3-turn tap toes. That'll do it. Once they have these in their muscle memory, other warm up patterns will become more intuitive.
Divide the ice
If your rink doesn't have enough available ice to add a level, and you've got mixed high/mid and low in a single class, put the new freestylers on one side of the blue line (about a quarter of the rink), with the rest of the class sharing the remainder. Yes, the high skaters will be somewhat restricted, but on the other hand they won't be tripping over the low skaters anymore. You don't even need to do it for the whole session-- maybe the first month, until the newbies learn the moves.
Add it to Delta
Delta Is So Boring. Start teaching the kids to put the skills together. They'll be more engaged and they'll be more ready for freestyle.
Rearrange the classes
Instead of putting Gamma and Delta on the same ice, put Gamma with the Betas, and create a Delta-FS1-FS2 level. this is another place where Basic Skills gets it right, by putting beginning spins and jumps in their learn to skate curriculum. FS1 and FS2 (and maybe FS3) shouldn't even be considered "Freestyle" but should still be counted in Learn to Skate, because they are still introducing basic concepts. But nobody asks me.
Divide the ice, part duo
To get around the full-ice problem created by dividing the ice along the short axis, put the high freestyle kids on the perimeter, and run the beginners up the center so they can both learn the skills and go at their own speed. You won't be able to run any "five circle" warm ups using this traffic pattern, but on the other hand you won't have the highs tripping over the lows. You'll also teach the high freestyle kids to use the whole ice. It makes me insane when skaters avoid the end zone like there's a force field blocking it.
How does your rink integrate or prepare low freestyle into the freestyle curriculum?
The result is that I haven't seen a freestyle warm up in seven months. And I haven't seen a warm up at a rink that doesn't train its beginning freestyle students in the challenging warm up skills in even longer than that.
A couple of weeks ago I went to watch my student H, who passed into Freestyle One this session. His mother was a little concerned, because both I and his class teacher had told her he'd be fine with the skills, it was the warm up that she should be worried about.
He, and the other baby freestylers actually do fine. They stumble through the skills, sometimes badly and fast, sometimes well, but slow, but pretty much clueless throughout.
The Ice Rink of the Damned actually got this one right-- they inserted a level between Delta and FS1 called "Pre Freestyle" with the express mandate of teaching the kids the warm up patterns. At my last rink, you didn't get out of Delta (or out of Beta for that matter) without the flow, speed and skating knowledge to handle the warm up. (Yes, all those kids skated better than me. It was a little intimidating. Fortunately I'm extremely arrogant.)
H's rink-- man, they just throw them in the deep end, or would have, if it wasn't frozen. Because those kids were drowning.
I don't think the kids knew this, and the coaches were handling it reasonably well, but I don't really understand the point of having kids try to figure out a complex skill like power 3-turns. They're just getting it wrong and are going to have to unlearn it, or they'll feel incompetent and will check out. (haha skating joke).
Here are some solutions:
Pre-Freestyle
As I noted, you can simply add a level. The Basic Skills and ISI curricula are not governed by force of law. You can mess around with them. The problem moving from Learn to Skate into Freestyle is that LTS teaches the skills in isolation; Freestyle requires flow, and the ability to move from one skill to another. (This is actually one of the areas where Basic Skills gets it better than ISI, because it does teach more flow than ISI.)
The skills that kids should learn are alternating 3-turns, waltz 3-turns, power 3-turns, alternating mohawks, stopping drills, cross rolls and cross steps, perimeter stroking (PrePre pattern), perimeter cross overs (forwards and backwards), 3-turn tap toes. That'll do it. Once they have these in their muscle memory, other warm up patterns will become more intuitive.
Divide the ice
If your rink doesn't have enough available ice to add a level, and you've got mixed high/mid and low in a single class, put the new freestylers on one side of the blue line (about a quarter of the rink), with the rest of the class sharing the remainder. Yes, the high skaters will be somewhat restricted, but on the other hand they won't be tripping over the low skaters anymore. You don't even need to do it for the whole session-- maybe the first month, until the newbies learn the moves.
Add it to Delta
Delta Is So Boring. Start teaching the kids to put the skills together. They'll be more engaged and they'll be more ready for freestyle.
Rearrange the classes
Instead of putting Gamma and Delta on the same ice, put Gamma with the Betas, and create a Delta-FS1-FS2 level. this is another place where Basic Skills gets it right, by putting beginning spins and jumps in their learn to skate curriculum. FS1 and FS2 (and maybe FS3) shouldn't even be considered "Freestyle" but should still be counted in Learn to Skate, because they are still introducing basic concepts. But nobody asks me.
Divide the ice, part duo
To get around the full-ice problem created by dividing the ice along the short axis, put the high freestyle kids on the perimeter, and run the beginners up the center so they can both learn the skills and go at their own speed. You won't be able to run any "five circle" warm ups using this traffic pattern, but on the other hand you won't have the highs tripping over the lows. You'll also teach the high freestyle kids to use the whole ice. It makes me insane when skaters avoid the end zone like there's a force field blocking it.
How does your rink integrate or prepare low freestyle into the freestyle curriculum?
Nov 24, 2014
Skating school exhibitions that don't make you want to poke your eyes out
Anyone ever been to a 3-hour skating school exhibition?
How about an 8-hour one, where your skater is at 10:30, her best friend is at 11:15, her synchro team is at 1:30, her tot class is at 3 and her best-friends-group is at 6:30. So you have to sit there all day, because heaven-forbid you should miss a single precious moment.
How about the ones that front-load the tots and beginners, and lump all the high level skaters who can actually skate in a single flight starting at 9 p.m., so that the only people left in the stands are the other skaters (even the parents have gone home, let alone the little kids).
It's time for a revolution.
First, if your exhibition goes 2 hours or under, suck it up and sit through the whole thing-- the kids deserve an audience, even the tot who just sits on the ice and cries (there's always one). Personally, I think that "free" exhibitions should have a refundable ticket fee-- but it only gets refunded if you stay through the whole thing. If you come late or leave early, you've just made a donation to the rink.
If your exhibition lasts more than 2 hours, it's time for some creative thinking, because even with a refundable fee, no one is going to sit through three hours of alpha level skaters performing to "Let It Go".
An exhibition can be made interesting, like anything else, by mixing it up. Make sure each flight (defined however you want-- by number of skaters, or by time), has a nice range of skating, and no repeated music. For instance, segments of 15 (two warm ups), with at least 2 high level skaters and one or two group numbers in each flight to guarantee audience and give people something to watch. Then people can choose which hour to attend.
Put in some tots, both solo and group, in each flight for the awwww factor.
Make sure there are boys. If you don't have any boys, invite a hockey team to demonstrate drills, or speed skaters to stage a race. (Do this even if you do have boys.)
If you've got Special Skaters, give them a spot as well.
Finish each couple of flights with a local star, to entice people to come, and to stay. And by star, I mean someone that non-affiliated people would want to see-- the kid who made it to Senior Nationals; the coach who is a former international medalist (if s/he's still skating), the award-winning synchro team. The definition of "star" should be decided by the skating staff, or else every coach is going to want their own "star" to be the "star" even if they're not a "star" and no one cares to see them any more than they want to watch the tots cry.
If you've got a small unusual program-- theater on ice, special disciplines like pairs or ice dance, make sure you highlight them, as well. These kids don't get a lot of credit, and you might help build the program (which is the reason you do exhibitions in the first place).
Sell tickets. Seriously folks, stop with the free exhibitions. Make it $5 for a single flight (at least 45 minutes), and a discount for multiple flights. If you need to make it palatable, use the money to fund skating scholarships.
People will stay and your program will grow.
And no one will want to poke their eyes out.
How about an 8-hour one, where your skater is at 10:30, her best friend is at 11:15, her synchro team is at 1:30, her tot class is at 3 and her best-friends-group is at 6:30. So you have to sit there all day, because heaven-forbid you should miss a single precious moment.
How about the ones that front-load the tots and beginners, and lump all the high level skaters who can actually skate in a single flight starting at 9 p.m., so that the only people left in the stands are the other skaters (even the parents have gone home, let alone the little kids).
It's time for a revolution.
First, if your exhibition goes 2 hours or under, suck it up and sit through the whole thing-- the kids deserve an audience, even the tot who just sits on the ice and cries (there's always one). Personally, I think that "free" exhibitions should have a refundable ticket fee-- but it only gets refunded if you stay through the whole thing. If you come late or leave early, you've just made a donation to the rink.
If your exhibition lasts more than 2 hours, it's time for some creative thinking, because even with a refundable fee, no one is going to sit through three hours of alpha level skaters performing to "Let It Go".
An exhibition can be made interesting, like anything else, by mixing it up. Make sure each flight (defined however you want-- by number of skaters, or by time), has a nice range of skating, and no repeated music. For instance, segments of 15 (two warm ups), with at least 2 high level skaters and one or two group numbers in each flight to guarantee audience and give people something to watch. Then people can choose which hour to attend.
Put in some tots, both solo and group, in each flight for the awwww factor.
Make sure there are boys. If you don't have any boys, invite a hockey team to demonstrate drills, or speed skaters to stage a race. (Do this even if you do have boys.)
If you've got Special Skaters, give them a spot as well.
Finish each couple of flights with a local star, to entice people to come, and to stay. And by star, I mean someone that non-affiliated people would want to see-- the kid who made it to Senior Nationals; the coach who is a former international medalist (if s/he's still skating), the award-winning synchro team. The definition of "star" should be decided by the skating staff, or else every coach is going to want their own "star" to be the "star" even if they're not a "star" and no one cares to see them any more than they want to watch the tots cry.
If you've got a small unusual program-- theater on ice, special disciplines like pairs or ice dance, make sure you highlight them, as well. These kids don't get a lot of credit, and you might help build the program (which is the reason you do exhibitions in the first place).
Sell tickets. Seriously folks, stop with the free exhibitions. Make it $5 for a single flight (at least 45 minutes), and a discount for multiple flights. If you need to make it palatable, use the money to fund skating scholarships.
People will stay and your program will grow.
And no one will want to poke their eyes out.
Nov 22, 2014
Follow Xanboni!
Don't forget I'm on Facebook and Twitter!
You'll get a lot more content, more regularly. On Facebook I like memes, skating news, and skating friends, as well as posting great content from some of my favorite blogs (see the resources page). I'm perfectly happy with "blog whoring" on there too-- if you know, or write, a great skating blog or site, post it! (I won't lie, it's the only place where I sometimes go a little fangirl.)
On Twitter I'm more intermittent, but I "live tweet" most championship-level competitions like the Grand Prix series, Nationals, etc that are on Ice Network, plus other competitions that I'm able to find streams that haven't been blocked by the money-men.
So come on, hundreds of Twitter followers, and thousands read this blog each month-- join me there too!
See you online!
Xanboni on Facebook
@Xanboni on Twitter
You'll get a lot more content, more regularly. On Facebook I like memes, skating news, and skating friends, as well as posting great content from some of my favorite blogs (see the resources page). I'm perfectly happy with "blog whoring" on there too-- if you know, or write, a great skating blog or site, post it! (I won't lie, it's the only place where I sometimes go a little fangirl.)
On Twitter I'm more intermittent, but I "live tweet" most championship-level competitions like the Grand Prix series, Nationals, etc that are on Ice Network, plus other competitions that I'm able to find streams that haven't been blocked by the money-men.
So come on, hundreds of Twitter followers, and thousands read this blog each month-- join me there too!
See you online!
Xanboni on Facebook
@Xanboni on Twitter
Nov 11, 2014
When should your child start coaching-- a guide for parents
That's right. This is not a "how to teach" post. It's how to support your child's budding career, and it's a great one. Coaching has gotten many a former skating princess through medical school, because there are always jobs, and it pays more than minimum wage (as much as double minimum wage, in fact), even more if you pick up private students.
Kids can start teaching (as opposed to coaching) as young as 12, and depending on your state's laws, can be hired as regular staff at 14 or 15, and anywhere at 16 (labor laws). I hunted around on the PSA and ISI sites last night and could not find any guidelines for starting young coaches. The closest I found was PSA's Intern membership level. PSA also has the apprenticeship program which is a great option for learning how to teach. (See my posts about learning to teach here and here.) Here's the USFS guide for coaching.
But this post is about you.
I would (and did) encourage, even push, my skater to try coaching. As I said, for the age group it's lucrative. Your skater may decide she or he hates coaching (mine did), but that's okay. It's important to keep this option open while they need it.
So how young?
The one rink I've ever encountered that does it right, Northbrook Ice Arena in Illinois, allows kids to junior coach as young as 12, and has "buddy" options in the ice show younger than that, based on skating level and audition. Most of the girls (it's all girls at Northbrook) start at 14.
So you just throw them on a class and hope for the best?
Sadly, at many rinks, yes. And they always seem, inexplicably, to put them with the tots, the absolute hardest level to teach. If your newly minted coach is teaching a class by her/himself, complain. This is not appropriate for so many reasons-- skill, trust (i.e. why should parents trust your 14 year old with 8 tots), and not least, liability.
Wait, liability?
Young coaches who are on staff, or junior coaches in a formal program, are covered by the rink's insurance. In a rink where junior coaches are just sort of "at discretion," it's less clear. Your skater cannot get their own liability insurance until they are 16, and they must be members of the PSA to get it.
What's the first step
If your skater is already 16 and skating at least FS4 (arbitrary level choice, but I wouldn't go any lower with a young skater), and has not expressed an interest in coaching, or been asked by the rink, bring it up. If you know that there are opportunities at the rink, push it. I really believe kids should do this. Then have the skater (not you) talk to their coach, a coach on a class they'd like to teach, or to the skating director about how to become a junior coach.
Pay
If your skater is actually hired, they must receive the same pay as any other coach hired in their category (it will vary from rink to rink and municipality to municipality, but is a statutory limitation based on H.R. categories. This is a legal thing.) They MUST receive at least minimum wage; it is against the law to hire someone for a regular position and pay them less than minimum wage.
If it's part of a junior coaching program it might be for pay (again, if they are on payroll this must be at least minimum wage), it might be quid pro quo, it might be "point building" towards a regular hire. This will vary hugely; no two rinks are the same. This is a place where you as a parent can ask. If the answer is vague, or worse, "oh I don't know we'll think of something" or if you find out that your arrangement is different from the next junior coach over, complain. This is one area where I would say you don't have to let your skater take the lead.
Learning to teach
Teaching is not skating. Knowing how to skate does not mean you know how to teach. My daughter pointed out that she had no idea how to teach a swizzle, because she'd been 4 when she learned it. Encourage a high degree of humility. Let your skater know that a coach instructing them in teaching tips is no different than a coach instructing them in how to do a sit spin-- it's just another skill. Nothing sets my teeth on edge more than a 16 year old acting like she knows teaching better than I do.
Your child's coach
Lots of coaches will use their older or more advanced students to help with younger skaters working with the same coach, sometimes for pay, sometimes for quid pro quo (i.e. free lessons)
Instruction in instruction
Check your ISI District and the Basic Skills website for free seminars-- coaches can go to either, it doesn't matter what curriculum the rink uses. Don't go with your skater; you wouldn't want her at your professional continuing ed either. This is the arrogance thing again-- even experienced coaches learn something at these; a young coach shouldn't assume that because she can skate, she can teach. Plus, there's a lot of bad technique being passed around out there-- it might be your skater who is getting it. Seminars are great places to learn about good technique. And they often have superstar cred-- I learned how to teach flips from Tom Zakrajsek, and have seen Jason Brown, Gracie Gold, and Evan Lysacek among others as demonstrators.
But the most important thing you can do for your young coach is the same for all aspects of their lives-- be vigilant, but stay out of the way. (After pushing them into this, that is.) Don't stand in the rink door. Don't harass the pro on the class about giving your child more opportunities to teach; don't nag the skating director for "better" classes or more coaching time. Don't offer advice unless you are asked. (This is especially hard if you are also a skating coach.)
Don't be a "coaching parent" anymore than you should be a Skating Mom™. You know that Olympic dream your skater has? Coaching is another way to get there.
Kids can start teaching (as opposed to coaching) as young as 12, and depending on your state's laws, can be hired as regular staff at 14 or 15, and anywhere at 16 (labor laws). I hunted around on the PSA and ISI sites last night and could not find any guidelines for starting young coaches. The closest I found was PSA's Intern membership level. PSA also has the apprenticeship program which is a great option for learning how to teach. (See my posts about learning to teach here and here.) Here's the USFS guide for coaching.
But this post is about you.
I would (and did) encourage, even push, my skater to try coaching. As I said, for the age group it's lucrative. Your skater may decide she or he hates coaching (mine did), but that's okay. It's important to keep this option open while they need it.
So how young?
The one rink I've ever encountered that does it right, Northbrook Ice Arena in Illinois, allows kids to junior coach as young as 12, and has "buddy" options in the ice show younger than that, based on skating level and audition. Most of the girls (it's all girls at Northbrook) start at 14.
So you just throw them on a class and hope for the best?
Sadly, at many rinks, yes. And they always seem, inexplicably, to put them with the tots, the absolute hardest level to teach. If your newly minted coach is teaching a class by her/himself, complain. This is not appropriate for so many reasons-- skill, trust (i.e. why should parents trust your 14 year old with 8 tots), and not least, liability.
Wait, liability?
Young coaches who are on staff, or junior coaches in a formal program, are covered by the rink's insurance. In a rink where junior coaches are just sort of "at discretion," it's less clear. Your skater cannot get their own liability insurance until they are 16, and they must be members of the PSA to get it.
What's the first step
If your skater is already 16 and skating at least FS4 (arbitrary level choice, but I wouldn't go any lower with a young skater), and has not expressed an interest in coaching, or been asked by the rink, bring it up. If you know that there are opportunities at the rink, push it. I really believe kids should do this. Then have the skater (not you) talk to their coach, a coach on a class they'd like to teach, or to the skating director about how to become a junior coach.
Pay
If your skater is actually hired, they must receive the same pay as any other coach hired in their category (it will vary from rink to rink and municipality to municipality, but is a statutory limitation based on H.R. categories. This is a legal thing.) They MUST receive at least minimum wage; it is against the law to hire someone for a regular position and pay them less than minimum wage.
If it's part of a junior coaching program it might be for pay (again, if they are on payroll this must be at least minimum wage), it might be quid pro quo, it might be "point building" towards a regular hire. This will vary hugely; no two rinks are the same. This is a place where you as a parent can ask. If the answer is vague, or worse, "oh I don't know we'll think of something" or if you find out that your arrangement is different from the next junior coach over, complain. This is one area where I would say you don't have to let your skater take the lead.
Learning to teach
Teaching is not skating. Knowing how to skate does not mean you know how to teach. My daughter pointed out that she had no idea how to teach a swizzle, because she'd been 4 when she learned it. Encourage a high degree of humility. Let your skater know that a coach instructing them in teaching tips is no different than a coach instructing them in how to do a sit spin-- it's just another skill. Nothing sets my teeth on edge more than a 16 year old acting like she knows teaching better than I do.
Your child's coach
Lots of coaches will use their older or more advanced students to help with younger skaters working with the same coach, sometimes for pay, sometimes for quid pro quo (i.e. free lessons)
Instruction in instruction
Check your ISI District and the Basic Skills website for free seminars-- coaches can go to either, it doesn't matter what curriculum the rink uses. Don't go with your skater; you wouldn't want her at your professional continuing ed either. This is the arrogance thing again-- even experienced coaches learn something at these; a young coach shouldn't assume that because she can skate, she can teach. Plus, there's a lot of bad technique being passed around out there-- it might be your skater who is getting it. Seminars are great places to learn about good technique. And they often have superstar cred-- I learned how to teach flips from Tom Zakrajsek, and have seen Jason Brown, Gracie Gold, and Evan Lysacek among others as demonstrators.
But the most important thing you can do for your young coach is the same for all aspects of their lives-- be vigilant, but stay out of the way. (After pushing them into this, that is.) Don't stand in the rink door. Don't harass the pro on the class about giving your child more opportunities to teach; don't nag the skating director for "better" classes or more coaching time. Don't offer advice unless you are asked. (This is especially hard if you are also a skating coach.)
Don't be a "coaching parent" anymore than you should be a Skating Mom™. You know that Olympic dream your skater has? Coaching is another way to get there.
Nov 8, 2014
Where did Xanboni go?
Many of you know that I also have another profession-- I operate a consulting firm advising small and start-up nonprofits, which, miraculously and wonderfully, has gradually crept up to full time. A little over a year ago, combined with difficult life and health issues, something had to give, and as those of you who write blogs know, blogging is time consuming and hard.
Xanboni wasn't the only blog I write that suffered. Not Dabbling in Normal was also a casualty.
But the fans keep finding me.
On Facebook, on Twitter, by email, and yes, in the lobby of the ice rink.
So I'm planning some intermittent posts, aiming for about one per month. Because I'm only teaching about an hour a week now, my finger is not quite as much on the pulse as it was, but I'm just as opinionated as ever, so I welcome suggestions for posts.
In the meantime, watch for When Should Your Child Start Coaching- a Guide for Parents next week, and A New Approach to Exhibitions around Thanksgiving.
Xanboni wasn't the only blog I write that suffered. Not Dabbling in Normal was also a casualty.
But the fans keep finding me.
On Facebook, on Twitter, by email, and yes, in the lobby of the ice rink.
So I'm planning some intermittent posts, aiming for about one per month. Because I'm only teaching about an hour a week now, my finger is not quite as much on the pulse as it was, but I'm just as opinionated as ever, so I welcome suggestions for posts.
In the meantime, watch for When Should Your Child Start Coaching- a Guide for Parents next week, and A New Approach to Exhibitions around Thanksgiving.
Feb 15, 2014
The kids who won't go to the Olympics
I've been working with atypical skaters for several years-- kids who have special needs, first as a designated aide, and now as a Program Leader with the Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association (NSSRA), part of a national movement of "SRAs," essentially park districts for individuals with special needs.
On Saturday mornings, I teach in a fast growing program called SPICE (SPecial skaters ICE Experience) with 20 kids and 20+ "buddies"-- high level skaters who work one-on-one with class participants. SPICE was NSSRA's very first program, a couple of decades ago. Here's a typical class:
Staff and buddies are gathered in the lobby waiting for the skaters to start arriving. N, 14 and a huge flirt, has the buddies fighting over him. His regular buddy is absent; we finally settle on him helping one of the older girls to teach a new student.
S walks in with his beautiful service dog, repeating Hi Xan! in his booming voice several times. S is also a popular skater, both because he's a really good skater, and because he tells amazing stories while skating around.
C won't look at me, but I happen to know he's into lions and have brought a hand puppet.
J also knows better than to look at me, because I am really mean and have been making him stand up on the ice (I know, right?). P is usually quite quiet, and needs two helpers to stand on the ice, although he physically strong. Even with typical skaters, it's often one of the biggest challenges to help them understand that "slippery" is not the same as "impossible to stand on this." In fact, T, who was doing great last week, has decided that Dad is a way better option than the skating teachers. Like the hero that these kids often are, however, a few minutes into the class, and with the help of two buddies, his gliding like a pro.
C is complaining, but the lion is proving to motivate him.
M missed the first four classes-- we wondered where she was; turned out her registration had gotten lost. She showed up today, with pink hair! (I knew I liked that kid!) Last session she absolutely insisted that she had to have a pusher, but today she just zipped right past them without a thought.
G missed two sessions as well, for his bar mitzvah. His buddy also missed those sessions, because the kids have bonded so beautifully-- His buddy JG went to the service and party. These are the kinds of really beautiful things that happen at SPICE. G does not stand on his own and has a special adaptive frame so he can skate, with JG pushing. There is nothing quite so joyous as his laughter as he moves faster than anyone else on the ice.
Each class we sort out all the pairings, have a 10-minute class (typically swizzles, backward wiggles, two-foot and one-foot glides and other basic skills) and about 15 minutes of free skating (so that I have time to fight with J about standing up instead of scooting around on his butt).
These are just a few of the 20 skaters that I work with every week. They and their families are literally what keep me skating-- I've thought often about quitting. But knowing the difference I make in these lives, the volunteer buddies that I am inspiring, and the joy that all of us feel from these special classes keep me coming back for more.
On Saturday mornings, I teach in a fast growing program called SPICE (SPecial skaters ICE Experience) with 20 kids and 20+ "buddies"-- high level skaters who work one-on-one with class participants. SPICE was NSSRA's very first program, a couple of decades ago. Here's a typical class:
Staff and buddies are gathered in the lobby waiting for the skaters to start arriving. N, 14 and a huge flirt, has the buddies fighting over him. His regular buddy is absent; we finally settle on him helping one of the older girls to teach a new student.
S walks in with his beautiful service dog, repeating Hi Xan! in his booming voice several times. S is also a popular skater, both because he's a really good skater, and because he tells amazing stories while skating around.
C won't look at me, but I happen to know he's into lions and have brought a hand puppet.
J also knows better than to look at me, because I am really mean and have been making him stand up on the ice (I know, right?). P is usually quite quiet, and needs two helpers to stand on the ice, although he physically strong. Even with typical skaters, it's often one of the biggest challenges to help them understand that "slippery" is not the same as "impossible to stand on this." In fact, T, who was doing great last week, has decided that Dad is a way better option than the skating teachers. Like the hero that these kids often are, however, a few minutes into the class, and with the help of two buddies, his gliding like a pro.
C is complaining, but the lion is proving to motivate him.
M missed the first four classes-- we wondered where she was; turned out her registration had gotten lost. She showed up today, with pink hair! (I knew I liked that kid!) Last session she absolutely insisted that she had to have a pusher, but today she just zipped right past them without a thought.
G missed two sessions as well, for his bar mitzvah. His buddy also missed those sessions, because the kids have bonded so beautifully-- His buddy JG went to the service and party. These are the kinds of really beautiful things that happen at SPICE. G does not stand on his own and has a special adaptive frame so he can skate, with JG pushing. There is nothing quite so joyous as his laughter as he moves faster than anyone else on the ice.
Each class we sort out all the pairings, have a 10-minute class (typically swizzles, backward wiggles, two-foot and one-foot glides and other basic skills) and about 15 minutes of free skating (so that I have time to fight with J about standing up instead of scooting around on his butt).
These are just a few of the 20 skaters that I work with every week. They and their families are literally what keep me skating-- I've thought often about quitting. But knowing the difference I make in these lives, the volunteer buddies that I am inspiring, and the joy that all of us feel from these special classes keep me coming back for more.
Feb 12, 2014
The Olympic Effect
The winter session (generally starting somewhere late December to early February) always has the highest enrollment at most skating schools.
In an Olympic year, it's even more heavily enrolled, and this year in the Chicago area it's on steroids because of all the press about Jason Brown and Gracie Gold.
If you're feeling the Olympic Effect (that is, if you've caught the bug and signed yourself or your child up for skating), here's some basic information for skaters and parents:
What to wear to lessons
Dress for “sweater weather”: gloves, t-shirt, long-sleeve shirt and sweater (but no bulky parka-like jackets), tights and pants or leggings. Dress to respect the sport—you wouldn’t send your child to music lessons in muddy and torn blue jeans; don’t send them skating like this either. I don’t recommend skating dresses for children under Freestyle Two, as they don’t move very fast and may get cold. Don’t wear large bulky coats, as it gets too hot, and the coach can’t see what the skater’s body positions are. Highly recommended for beginners to wear a helmet; flat-backed skateboard helmets are the best, followed by the “Ice Halo.”
Skates and blades
Fitting skates is not like fitting shoes. A correctly fitted skate will feel snug, which children may characterize as “too tight.” You need to know if it is merely uncomfortable when compared, for instance, to sneakers. Skates may feel uncomfortable; if they actually hurt, try a different pair. To put the skates on, unlace the boot as low as it will go, and pull up on the tongue to create the widest possible opening (Do the same when removing the skates). When the skate is open like this, the foot should slide in with just a little pressure. If it slides in extremely easily or must be forced, it may be the wrong size. You will almost never need a skate larger than your street shoe (although a knowledgeable dealer can help you buy a skate with some grow room).
Rental skates are usually perfectly fine for skaters through the Alpha or even Beta level. Rentals are always the best choice for children in the Tot classes, due to cost and foot growth. Ask a pro (not the office personnel) to check the boot and blade condition. At Robert Crown Center, if you find a rental skate that you particularly like, note the shelf number (as opposed to the size) and always ask for that pair of skates by number.
Used skates can be purchased at many pro shops and used goods stores. Get a good fit—never buy a skate that is too big; some growth room is fine, but seldom more than a half size. The ankle should not be too creased and the interior padding not too compressed. Don’t buy more skate than you need. Beginning skaters need to learn to bend their ankles, which they cannot do in a skate that is too heavily constructed. Buy a leather boot—molded plastic boots are not flexible enough and may lead to injury. Watch out for rusty or heavily nicked blades. It is a good idea to get fitted at a reputable figure skate dealer; fitting does not obligate you to buy from him.
New skates are often the last choice for beginning skaters. Children’s feet grow so fast that they often don’t get to the broken-in stage before they need a new size. Some brands are so stiff that it interferes with learning. The new “comfort skates” (Sof-Tec or other brands) that look like sneakers are a wonderful first skate for a beginner. Always go to a knowledgeable dealer to get fitted for new skates, even if you end up buying them at Sportmart. The dealer can help you learn what to look for and will be happy to do so, as he’ll figure you’ll be back for accessories and future pairs of skates! Be honest about your child’s skating level—don’t say you have a freestyle skater if you have a Gamma skater—it will make a huge difference in what the dealer recommends you buy.
In an Olympic year, it's even more heavily enrolled, and this year in the Chicago area it's on steroids because of all the press about Jason Brown and Gracie Gold.
If you're feeling the Olympic Effect (that is, if you've caught the bug and signed yourself or your child up for skating), here's some basic information for skaters and parents:
What to wear to lessons
Dress for “sweater weather”: gloves, t-shirt, long-sleeve shirt and sweater (but no bulky parka-like jackets), tights and pants or leggings. Dress to respect the sport—you wouldn’t send your child to music lessons in muddy and torn blue jeans; don’t send them skating like this either. I don’t recommend skating dresses for children under Freestyle Two, as they don’t move very fast and may get cold. Don’t wear large bulky coats, as it gets too hot, and the coach can’t see what the skater’s body positions are. Highly recommended for beginners to wear a helmet; flat-backed skateboard helmets are the best, followed by the “Ice Halo.”
Skates and blades
Fitting skates is not like fitting shoes. A correctly fitted skate will feel snug, which children may characterize as “too tight.” You need to know if it is merely uncomfortable when compared, for instance, to sneakers. Skates may feel uncomfortable; if they actually hurt, try a different pair. To put the skates on, unlace the boot as low as it will go, and pull up on the tongue to create the widest possible opening (Do the same when removing the skates). When the skate is open like this, the foot should slide in with just a little pressure. If it slides in extremely easily or must be forced, it may be the wrong size. You will almost never need a skate larger than your street shoe (although a knowledgeable dealer can help you buy a skate with some grow room).
Rental skates are usually perfectly fine for skaters through the Alpha or even Beta level. Rentals are always the best choice for children in the Tot classes, due to cost and foot growth. Ask a pro (not the office personnel) to check the boot and blade condition. At Robert Crown Center, if you find a rental skate that you particularly like, note the shelf number (as opposed to the size) and always ask for that pair of skates by number.
Used skates can be purchased at many pro shops and used goods stores. Get a good fit—never buy a skate that is too big; some growth room is fine, but seldom more than a half size. The ankle should not be too creased and the interior padding not too compressed. Don’t buy more skate than you need. Beginning skaters need to learn to bend their ankles, which they cannot do in a skate that is too heavily constructed. Buy a leather boot—molded plastic boots are not flexible enough and may lead to injury. Watch out for rusty or heavily nicked blades. It is a good idea to get fitted at a reputable figure skate dealer; fitting does not obligate you to buy from him.
New skates are often the last choice for beginning skaters. Children’s feet grow so fast that they often don’t get to the broken-in stage before they need a new size. Some brands are so stiff that it interferes with learning. The new “comfort skates” (Sof-Tec or other brands) that look like sneakers are a wonderful first skate for a beginner. Always go to a knowledgeable dealer to get fitted for new skates, even if you end up buying them at Sportmart. The dealer can help you learn what to look for and will be happy to do so, as he’ll figure you’ll be back for accessories and future pairs of skates! Be honest about your child’s skating level—don’t say you have a freestyle skater if you have a Gamma skater—it will make a huge difference in what the dealer recommends you buy.
Are you new to skating (and to Xanboni?) Tell us why you decided to start. All my fans-- tell your friends who've jumped in the deep end about the community here and on Facebook!
Feb 10, 2014
I'm supposed to watch the edge. Um, what's an edge?
Forget the edges. Forget the toe picks. Forget flutzing.
If you're watching the Olympics and can't tell what jump they're doing, here's some advice:
Don't worry about it.
Seriously, unless you're planning to become a fan, and watch all the time, and look at the protocols (never mind), it literally doesn't matter what jump they're going to do. They all look alike in the air. This is because they all ARE alike in the air. Once the skater has achieved orbit, the position and rotation and landing are identical for every jump.
Okay, incipient geeks, yes I hear you-- some skaters rotate to the left, some skaters rotate to the right. This changes the dominant side, but not the basic position. 'K? Can I get back to my post now?
Ditto the footwork-- 3-turns, choctaws, counters, rockers, brackets, walleys, twizzles, I could start making up words at this point and you'd have no clue.
But it doesn't matter. Just enjoy.
Now, that said, if you really want to know what's going on, forget about edges and toe picks. You have to watch a lot of skating to be able to pick up on this in the fraction of a second in which it occurs. You want to watch the entrance.
Axel
We'll start with the easy one. Everyone recognizes the axel because it takes off forwards. (Skating geeks shut up-- I know that all jumps take off more or less forwards. You're just confusing the issue.) The axel has no backwards set up. In fact, doing a challenging backwards pattern before entering the forward take-off edge will earn you points. (Listen for comments about "difficult entry to that axel.")
And this is the secret of recognizing jumps. You'll often notice that the commentators know what the athlete is going to do before they do it. This is partly because they have a cheat sheet, but also because they know the set ups-- they are primed to watch for a certain jump because the set up is part of the skill. Skaters who don't "telegraph" their jumps (Yuna Kim, Jason Brown, Patrick Chan, and Michelle Kwan come to mind) are a lot of fun to watch because of this; it is also one of the things that makes their programs flow so beautifully.
Lutz
Technically a toe-assisted counter jump off a back outside edge. Forget it. Watch for a long shallow edge, usually the longest entry edge of all the jumps, and skaters tend not to precede it with footwork. This is because it is a "counter" jump-- the rotation is in the opposite curve of the entry edge (for people who jump to the left, it will be a clockwise entry edge and a ccw rotation). This is changing, because any difficult entry gets you points. Again, listen for the comment about difficult entry.
Skaters often put the lutz in a corner, to give them the maximum entry distance. One of the things that used to make Yuna Kim's lutzes difficult to spot were short entry edges, and she would place them in the middle of the ice, where no one ever does lutzes.
The lutz is the jump where skaters put one or both arms over their heads, the "Tano" or "Rippon" positions. I've also seen this done with the axel.
This is the jump with the most "edge calls"-- taking off from the wrong edge-- because the counter rotation can force the foot onto the wrong edge at the last minute if you don't time it just right.
Flip
The flip is a toe assisted jump from a back inside edge, but watch for a long forward edge and/or a short (two-three moves) footwork sequence before the skater does a quick turn for the back take off. Ironically, after judges starting really hammering skaters for "flutzing" their lutzes (flipping to an inside edge at the last moment, which makes it a flip), skaters fixed that and started "flupping" their flips-- turning to an outside edge, making it a lutz. The only reason you care, is because a take off from the wrong edge is one of the things that mysteriously lowers the scores.
Loop
Outside edge jump with no toe assist. However, you want to watch for another longish entry, on a much tighter curve than either the Lutz or the Flip. Skaters will often cross their feet and appear to be lifting off a crossed two-foot glide. This is also a common second or third jump in a combination.
Toe loop
Same entry as the loop, but with a toe assist. This is one of the hardest jumps to spot, as most skaters find it easy, so they throw it in willy nilly, especially if they've missed an earlier jump and need to add points. It's a common first quad jump, and also common in the "bonus"-- the second half of the program where you get extra points for every jump. Another common jump in combination.
Salchow
A common "warm up" jump (the other is the double axel), that is, a jump in the first few seconds of the program to get the feel of the ice. This is another "edge" jump, with no toe assist, often telegraphed by a very curvy entry edge and an upper body wind up. This and the toe loop are generally the only quads you'll see (this has to do with the actual number of rotations in the air, which is fewer than four, trust me.) Matthew Savoie used to do a triple (quad?) salchow out of a back hydroblade position. Amazing.
Footwork sequence: jumps
Walleys, bunny hops, albrights (also called scissor and mazurka), splits, falling leafs (falling leaves?), Russian splits (Jason Brown anyone?), and this year one of the women has a one-foot axel in her footwork. (Can't remember who it was, but I almost dropped my coffee.) These generally don't count as jumps; they're calculated in the necessary turns and changes of direction for the footwork.
Footwork sequence: turns
WHO CARES. This is the part of the program where the skaters generally have the chance to create some art, to connect with the audience, to sell the program, to tell a story. If they aren't doing this, if they're just "technical" skaters with the requisite number of turns, edges, changes, etc. then they are doing it wrong.
If you're watching the Olympics and can't tell what jump they're doing, here's some advice:
Don't worry about it.
Seriously, unless you're planning to become a fan, and watch all the time, and look at the protocols (never mind), it literally doesn't matter what jump they're going to do. They all look alike in the air. This is because they all ARE alike in the air. Once the skater has achieved orbit, the position and rotation and landing are identical for every jump.
Okay, incipient geeks, yes I hear you-- some skaters rotate to the left, some skaters rotate to the right. This changes the dominant side, but not the basic position. 'K? Can I get back to my post now?
Ditto the footwork-- 3-turns, choctaws, counters, rockers, brackets, walleys, twizzles, I could start making up words at this point and you'd have no clue.
But it doesn't matter. Just enjoy.
Now, that said, if you really want to know what's going on, forget about edges and toe picks. You have to watch a lot of skating to be able to pick up on this in the fraction of a second in which it occurs. You want to watch the entrance.
Axel
We'll start with the easy one. Everyone recognizes the axel because it takes off forwards. (Skating geeks shut up-- I know that all jumps take off more or less forwards. You're just confusing the issue.) The axel has no backwards set up. In fact, doing a challenging backwards pattern before entering the forward take-off edge will earn you points. (Listen for comments about "difficult entry to that axel.")
And this is the secret of recognizing jumps. You'll often notice that the commentators know what the athlete is going to do before they do it. This is partly because they have a cheat sheet, but also because they know the set ups-- they are primed to watch for a certain jump because the set up is part of the skill. Skaters who don't "telegraph" their jumps (Yuna Kim, Jason Brown, Patrick Chan, and Michelle Kwan come to mind) are a lot of fun to watch because of this; it is also one of the things that makes their programs flow so beautifully.
Lutz
Technically a toe-assisted counter jump off a back outside edge. Forget it. Watch for a long shallow edge, usually the longest entry edge of all the jumps, and skaters tend not to precede it with footwork. This is because it is a "counter" jump-- the rotation is in the opposite curve of the entry edge (for people who jump to the left, it will be a clockwise entry edge and a ccw rotation). This is changing, because any difficult entry gets you points. Again, listen for the comment about difficult entry.
Skaters often put the lutz in a corner, to give them the maximum entry distance. One of the things that used to make Yuna Kim's lutzes difficult to spot were short entry edges, and she would place them in the middle of the ice, where no one ever does lutzes.
The lutz is the jump where skaters put one or both arms over their heads, the "Tano" or "Rippon" positions. I've also seen this done with the axel.
This is the jump with the most "edge calls"-- taking off from the wrong edge-- because the counter rotation can force the foot onto the wrong edge at the last minute if you don't time it just right.
Flip
The flip is a toe assisted jump from a back inside edge, but watch for a long forward edge and/or a short (two-three moves) footwork sequence before the skater does a quick turn for the back take off. Ironically, after judges starting really hammering skaters for "flutzing" their lutzes (flipping to an inside edge at the last moment, which makes it a flip), skaters fixed that and started "flupping" their flips-- turning to an outside edge, making it a lutz. The only reason you care, is because a take off from the wrong edge is one of the things that mysteriously lowers the scores.
Loop
Outside edge jump with no toe assist. However, you want to watch for another longish entry, on a much tighter curve than either the Lutz or the Flip. Skaters will often cross their feet and appear to be lifting off a crossed two-foot glide. This is also a common second or third jump in a combination.
Toe loop
Same entry as the loop, but with a toe assist. This is one of the hardest jumps to spot, as most skaters find it easy, so they throw it in willy nilly, especially if they've missed an earlier jump and need to add points. It's a common first quad jump, and also common in the "bonus"-- the second half of the program where you get extra points for every jump. Another common jump in combination.
Salchow
A common "warm up" jump (the other is the double axel), that is, a jump in the first few seconds of the program to get the feel of the ice. This is another "edge" jump, with no toe assist, often telegraphed by a very curvy entry edge and an upper body wind up. This and the toe loop are generally the only quads you'll see (this has to do with the actual number of rotations in the air, which is fewer than four, trust me.) Matthew Savoie used to do a triple (quad?) salchow out of a back hydroblade position. Amazing.
Footwork sequence: jumps
Walleys, bunny hops, albrights (also called scissor and mazurka), splits, falling leafs (falling leaves?), Russian splits (Jason Brown anyone?), and this year one of the women has a one-foot axel in her footwork. (Can't remember who it was, but I almost dropped my coffee.) These generally don't count as jumps; they're calculated in the necessary turns and changes of direction for the footwork.
Footwork sequence: turns
WHO CARES. This is the part of the program where the skaters generally have the chance to create some art, to connect with the audience, to sell the program, to tell a story. If they aren't doing this, if they're just "technical" skaters with the requisite number of turns, edges, changes, etc. then they are doing it wrong.
Any questions?
Why I do this
Overheard at the class next to mine:
Skater to coach: How do you have such good ideas!?
Coach: Oh, I guess just because I've been a teacher for a long time.
Skater: But they're so good!
Coach: Well, why do you think they're good ideas?
Skater: Because it's really helping me!
Skater to coach: How do you have such good ideas!?
Coach: Oh, I guess just because I've been a teacher for a long time.
Skater: But they're so good!
Coach: Well, why do you think they're good ideas?
Skater: Because it's really helping me!
Feb 8, 2014
Choosing a skating camp: What to look for
Choosing camp isn't a terribly linear endeavor; it's more of a matrix of cost, goals, and needs. I firmly believe that the place to start is with the cost. Don't research the ideal camp, get all excited about it, and then discover you need to take out a second mortgage to afford it.
Remember to consider all the factors likely to draw dollahs from your wallet-- basic tuition, room and board, travel, spending money, extra coaching, uniforms, books or equipment, etc. Some camps have a basic package, and then charge extra for specialty classes, private lessons, celebrity guest coaches, etc.
Know what type of skater you have (and be honest with yourself)
National trajectory? (Novice test and triple jumps at age 12 or so); strong recreational skater (planning to test through Senior by end of high school, does some competitions); competitive (planning to test through Senior, goes to qualifying competitions); recreational skater (favorite activity is the ice show, but still committed to testing and improving); social skater ("what's testing?").
That said, a good summer program has the ability to move your skater onto a different track-- from strong recreational, for instance, to competitive, or competitive to national ambitions.
How much skating will my kid put up with
A recreational, half-day program is going to have an hour and a half of ice in two 45-minute sessions. Skating this much every day is going to result in improvement, but it's not going to get you to nationals. On the other hand, a more high-powered program with 4 to 6 hours of ice and off-ice training every day is not going to be a fit for someone who's in it for the social scene.
Who is coaching
Don't be dazzled by a name, nor dismiss the unknown coach. Check out who their students are. A coach with multiple competitors and zero recreational skaters is not going to be a good fit for your recreational skaters. (Many highly competitive coaches also teach tot classes; I'm not saying competitive coaches are terrible recreational coaches, but that coaches who don't like to teach recreational skaters are not going to be good with a recreational skater just because it's your kid.)
Find the coach who teaches kids like yours, or like the skater your kid wants to be.
Conversely, a coach who has never had competitive success is unlikely to start with your kid. Doesn't have to be Frank Carroll, but some competitive record is a good indicator. (For the most part. All coaches have to start somewhere.) And camps are a great place to network-- both for your skater and your regular coach to start making those very important connections.
Camps will publish bios of their faculty, generally on the website, but read between the lines. A coach who has really had international competitors will generally specific at least the competition, if not the name of the skater or skaters. Professional Skaters Association rankings are another good indicator of how honest a bio is. If the coach is claiming multiple high powered competitors but not noting their PSA ranking (not the same as rating), take the bio with a grain of salt.
Who goes (or has gone) to this camp?
Check your goals-- national competition? Senior test? Pizza night?-- and see which program has students that share them. Programs that have famous "graduates" will promote this. I would rely less on endorsements, as those can be, literally, bought.
Remember to consider all the factors likely to draw dollahs from your wallet-- basic tuition, room and board, travel, spending money, extra coaching, uniforms, books or equipment, etc. Some camps have a basic package, and then charge extra for specialty classes, private lessons, celebrity guest coaches, etc.
Know what type of skater you have (and be honest with yourself)
National trajectory? (Novice test and triple jumps at age 12 or so); strong recreational skater (planning to test through Senior by end of high school, does some competitions); competitive (planning to test through Senior, goes to qualifying competitions); recreational skater (favorite activity is the ice show, but still committed to testing and improving); social skater ("what's testing?").
That said, a good summer program has the ability to move your skater onto a different track-- from strong recreational, for instance, to competitive, or competitive to national ambitions.
How much skating will my kid put up with
A recreational, half-day program is going to have an hour and a half of ice in two 45-minute sessions. Skating this much every day is going to result in improvement, but it's not going to get you to nationals. On the other hand, a more high-powered program with 4 to 6 hours of ice and off-ice training every day is not going to be a fit for someone who's in it for the social scene.
Who is coaching
Don't be dazzled by a name, nor dismiss the unknown coach. Check out who their students are. A coach with multiple competitors and zero recreational skaters is not going to be a good fit for your recreational skaters. (Many highly competitive coaches also teach tot classes; I'm not saying competitive coaches are terrible recreational coaches, but that coaches who don't like to teach recreational skaters are not going to be good with a recreational skater just because it's your kid.)
Find the coach who teaches kids like yours, or like the skater your kid wants to be.
Conversely, a coach who has never had competitive success is unlikely to start with your kid. Doesn't have to be Frank Carroll, but some competitive record is a good indicator. (For the most part. All coaches have to start somewhere.) And camps are a great place to network-- both for your skater and your regular coach to start making those very important connections.
Camps will publish bios of their faculty, generally on the website, but read between the lines. A coach who has really had international competitors will generally specific at least the competition, if not the name of the skater or skaters. Professional Skaters Association rankings are another good indicator of how honest a bio is. If the coach is claiming multiple high powered competitors but not noting their PSA ranking (not the same as rating), take the bio with a grain of salt.
Who goes (or has gone) to this camp?
Check your goals-- national competition? Senior test? Pizza night?-- and see which program has students that share them. Programs that have famous "graduates" will promote this. I would rely less on endorsements, as those can be, literally, bought.
Feb 5, 2014
Choosing a skating camp: types of camps
I was reminded by a fan message on Xanboni Facebook that it's February-- time to sign up for summer camp.
The skating magazines are full of shiny ads and the Lobby Moms are judging you (you know they are-- they question is, do you care?) and your kid wants to go to sleep away skating camp (and soccer camp and eco camp and theater camp, too. What do you mean I can't do all of them?)
How do you choose. I think I need a flow chart for this (where is St. Lidwina when I need her), but here's a list instead.
Day camp or sleep away?
All about cost, really. The boarding camps are expensive on their own, and astronomical if you add in private lessons, which are not always included-- check the literature. If privates are available with a celebrity coach add a couple of zeros to the cost.
Home rink camp
Most rinks will have a regular programs run and promoted by the rink and staffed by skating school staf. These might be half day or full day; they might incorporate other sports, crafts, community services, etc.
Celebrity Day Camp
If you're in a large metro area, chances are there's a prestige coach running a summer program near you, saving you the boarding cost. This is basically super-home-rink camp (hey, it's someone's home rink), with a premium for the prestige coach. (Who may or may not have all that much face time with your kid. More on that in the next post)
Coach camp
Depending on the rink, "Coach camp" can be run on regular ice run and promoted by individual coaches, and sometimes restricted to their private lesson students only; or on purchased ice, where those participating have the sessions to themselves. (This happens mostly with high powered coaches, and/or at rinks that don't allow coaches to run their own camps on regular ice.) I ran Xanboni Camp for several years, with 75 minutes of ice, 40 minutes off-ice and an hour of craft or story time. It was a blast.
The cheapest option of course will be the rink camp. Don't let coaches tell you coach camp is cheapest; some will try to disguise the cost by billing you only for the group coaching time upfront-- you'll have to pay for ice and privates separately.
However, it's not only about the cost. So what do you look for in a camp? First, you need to know your goal (as all good readers of Xanboni understand). Here's some reasons to go to skating camp:
Gotta park the kid somewhere
Rink Camp. 'nuff said.
All her friends are doing it
I say this somewhat facetiously, but it's actually a factor. Skating is hugely social endeavor, more, I think, than team sports, because kids are on their own during practice so much. If all her friends are doing a particular camp, and it's one you can afford, then sure, choose that camp. Just be aware that skating may not be the central motivation!
Improvement
Summer is a great time to work on a test, a new skill, or a new program. This means you need to choose a camp either with a coach that knows your skater, or one that specifically promotes skill development or testing.
Prestige
I don't judge. If working around skaters training at a high level, attending the "name" rink, or working with a celebrity coach are important to you, and you can afford it, then go for it. I have never heard anything negative about Little Suzy from Spokane at places like Ice Castles. These programs get good reputations for a reason-- they're good.
Networking
If you can honestly say you have a skater on a national trajectory, talk to your coach (TALK TO YOU COACH) about programs where s/he and the coach can meet people-- judges, officials, other skaters, specialty coaches. The coach will know which programs these are, will have preferences for various programs because of the connections s/he already has, etc. Families do sometimes pay some or all of a coach's expenses to basically go to camp with the kid. Check with the program to find out what the arrangements are for guest coaches.
But I'm an adult!
Oh good heavens, save your pennies and go to adult skating camp. There are lots of them, with great adult-sensitive coaching for all level skaters and I universally hear wonderful things about them from friends who have gone.
Next: what to look for in a camp.
The skating magazines are full of shiny ads and the Lobby Moms are judging you (you know they are-- they question is, do you care?) and your kid wants to go to sleep away skating camp (and soccer camp and eco camp and theater camp, too. What do you mean I can't do all of them?)
How do you choose. I think I need a flow chart for this (where is St. Lidwina when I need her), but here's a list instead.
Day camp or sleep away?
All about cost, really. The boarding camps are expensive on their own, and astronomical if you add in private lessons, which are not always included-- check the literature. If privates are available with a celebrity coach add a couple of zeros to the cost.
Home rink camp
Most rinks will have a regular programs run and promoted by the rink and staffed by skating school staf. These might be half day or full day; they might incorporate other sports, crafts, community services, etc.
Celebrity Day Camp
If you're in a large metro area, chances are there's a prestige coach running a summer program near you, saving you the boarding cost. This is basically super-home-rink camp (hey, it's someone's home rink), with a premium for the prestige coach. (Who may or may not have all that much face time with your kid. More on that in the next post)
Coach camp
Depending on the rink, "Coach camp" can be run on regular ice run and promoted by individual coaches, and sometimes restricted to their private lesson students only; or on purchased ice, where those participating have the sessions to themselves. (This happens mostly with high powered coaches, and/or at rinks that don't allow coaches to run their own camps on regular ice.) I ran Xanboni Camp for several years, with 75 minutes of ice, 40 minutes off-ice and an hour of craft or story time. It was a blast.
The cheapest option of course will be the rink camp. Don't let coaches tell you coach camp is cheapest; some will try to disguise the cost by billing you only for the group coaching time upfront-- you'll have to pay for ice and privates separately.
However, it's not only about the cost. So what do you look for in a camp? First, you need to know your goal (as all good readers of Xanboni understand). Here's some reasons to go to skating camp:
Gotta park the kid somewhere
Rink Camp. 'nuff said.
All her friends are doing it
I say this somewhat facetiously, but it's actually a factor. Skating is hugely social endeavor, more, I think, than team sports, because kids are on their own during practice so much. If all her friends are doing a particular camp, and it's one you can afford, then sure, choose that camp. Just be aware that skating may not be the central motivation!
Improvement
Summer is a great time to work on a test, a new skill, or a new program. This means you need to choose a camp either with a coach that knows your skater, or one that specifically promotes skill development or testing.
Prestige
I don't judge. If working around skaters training at a high level, attending the "name" rink, or working with a celebrity coach are important to you, and you can afford it, then go for it. I have never heard anything negative about Little Suzy from Spokane at places like Ice Castles. These programs get good reputations for a reason-- they're good.
Networking
If you can honestly say you have a skater on a national trajectory, talk to your coach (TALK TO YOU COACH) about programs where s/he and the coach can meet people-- judges, officials, other skaters, specialty coaches. The coach will know which programs these are, will have preferences for various programs because of the connections s/he already has, etc. Families do sometimes pay some or all of a coach's expenses to basically go to camp with the kid. Check with the program to find out what the arrangements are for guest coaches.
But I'm an adult!
Oh good heavens, save your pennies and go to adult skating camp. There are lots of them, with great adult-sensitive coaching for all level skaters and I universally hear wonderful things about them from friends who have gone.
Next: what to look for in a camp.
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