What I wish I'd known to ask

Things I learned the hard way:

What's involved in competitions?
Both the obvious things like dedicated/extra cost, travel, extra practice time, how to get music. But also what happens when I get there? What's the parent's role? How many should we do?

Why should my skater do this particular competition?
I somehow got the impression that there were required competitions. I had no clue what that there was a thing called "non qualifying competition." No one ever told me what "regionals" was-- I thought you had to be invited, because our original coach never brought it up, and the mothers of the kids who went lorded it over us. Ask your coach why he/she does certain competitions, and what the value is in going to them.

Why do those kids go to different competitions?

Why don't I see the rink's best skaters at the competitions that my skater goes to?
 It might be that you're just not seeing them. It might be that your coach is taking you to crappy competitions, for reasons unknown.

How do you get to Nationals?
By which I mean, know what the path is, not whether you're talented enough.

What is "moves?" (or any other technical class)
Another thing I didn't learn until I started coaching.

Why should I join ISI-- what does that mean?

Why should I join USFS and does it matter which club?
In a small market, there's probably only one club. But in a large market like Chicago there are a lot of them. Our coach had us sign up for the "prestige" club, but frankly it was all in his head. This club had a terrible testing schedule, punitive fees, and arrogant skating moms in positions of power whose sole purpose in life sometimes seemed to be to lord it over the "lesser" skaters by withholding information and being generally unpleasant.

What questions do you wish you had asked?

How do you start a booster club?

First of all, what is a booster club?

We all know about figure skating clubs. These are USFS sanctioned organizations that are subject specific rules not only of USFS but also of the IRS, as they are registered tax exempt entities.  They are subject to approval by USFS and have a specific mandate to promote figure skating generally and to feed skaters into the USFS pipeline among other things defined, again, by USFS.

A booster club, on the other hand, is a much looser and more locally specific thing. It can have a much narrower focus--only for kids at a specific rink, or in a specific school for instance. You don't have to incorporate if there are no tax implications. (For instance, if you're not incorporated you can raise money, but you can't offer tax deductions to your donors, or apply for state sales tax exemption. You aren't required to have a formal board, etc.)

Which brings us to Why, and How.

Why start a booster club?
You might need a booster club if you're trying to increase collegiality at the rink, encourage socializing both on and off-site, raise extra money (for instance for scholarships, uniforms, equipment for the rink like video, or a better sound system, etc.) A booster club can help tone down cliques and gossip-klatches by giving people both something to do, and a place to vent frustrations, or even more to take positive action with the things that are frustrating them.

How do you start it?
Leaflets. Seriously, just start leafleting cars, Zucca bags, bulletin boards. Talk it up. Arrange a meeting, then another one, then another one. If it's just a booster club with no tax implications or national oversight organization then it's no different than starting a book reading club.

But first.
It will not work if rink management is not on board. If the Skating Director is not part of at least the initial process, she or he will kill it either deliberately or through benign neglect. The SD can get you free space, photocopying, can facilitate the leafletting, and hopefully be at the first meeting to let parents know that they're on board.

Let the SD know exactly why you think the rink needs a club; make sure they understand that this is not about circumventing, undermining, or taking over their function, or about challenging their authority. Have a specific mandate: we want to do field trips to Stars on Ice, or raise money for a skating school display, or create scholarships for shows and lessons (or all of the above). She will probably know of ways to help you also, with the city or the part district, or, in a private rink, with rink ownership.

A booster club is a positive thing
Do NOT start a booster club if what you're trying to do is get rid of someone in management or on the staff. If this is the problem, find another rink, or start a petition.

Who runs it?
Lots of possibilites here. Basically, the person whose idea it is, at least for starters. Have a steering committee rather than a boss. Make sure that the steering committee isn't just the founder and her cronies, or no one will join. Don't do elections; if you've got a really big steering committee, good for you. Try to get a couple of teenagers on board. (Get the local high school to offer community service hours for participation.)

Facebook
Facebook has been an absolute godsend for volunteer organizations. Your Facebook page will be almost more important than your meetings. Make it a public page so anyone can join, or at least a by invitation page (i.e. don't have a secret group, make it accessible). My experience with Facebook groups is that they are pretty much troll-free and extremely useful for disseminating information and creating community.

Rule of threes
Everyone who has ever been involved in a volunteer organization knows this one. One third of the people do all the work, one third of the people sit on their hands, and one third of the people drop out. Make sure you replace the people who drop out; rule of thirds applies to the smaller group too--one third of those left will then drop out. This is how attrition happens.  If you are the one-third of the people who does all the work, don't resent it. It is what it is. You get a fast track to heaven.

Has anyone started, or joined, a booster club? Tell us about your experience!

What's my job?

One of the biggest headaches in a skating matrix (i.e. the whole panoply of relationships that go into making a skater), is when someone oversteps their role. This happens when club presidents try to alter established practice ice rules on the fly, or when monitors pick on individual coaches or kids; when skating directors don't know what's going on in classes, or when parents complain too far up the line (like to the mayor instead of to the coach. Not kidding.).

So, what does everyone do? Here's the whole heirarchy, from the politicians down to the skater's little brother:

City Council member
What they have to do with skating: Trying to get zoning changed or parking added? This is the person to talk to.
What they have to do with your skater: Nothing. City Council has NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR SKATER. No one should ever call City Council EVER about an individual skater.

Head of the recreation division, or president of the private management company that runs your rink.
What they have to do with skating: See above, under City Council.
What they have to do with your skater: nothing, unless he is your brother in law. Then you can invite him to ice shows.

Facilities Manager
What they have to do with skating: If the facilities manager is the one who is directly in charge of scheduling or selling ice, or you are on a parks board and have macro issues to discuss, it is appropriate to directly approach the FM. Otherwise, keep moving down the line.
What they have to do with your skater: The only time you should be bringing the FM in on an issue is when children are physically at risk and the Skating Director is not dealing with it.

Skating Director
What they have to do with skating: If it doesn't actually stop, the buck (puck?) should really stall out here. A problem that can't be solved by the SD is either too big for just you, or you are not accepting reasonable compromises that have been proposed. Most problems that can't be solved by the time you get to the SD have been blown out of proportion by you.
What they have to do with your skater: This is as high as most personal skating issues need to go, and then only if the Club President, coaches, and/or ice monitors are not satisfactorily dealing with an issue. (And by "dealing with" I don't mean "doing it my way or else." I mean addressing it in the best interests of the children.) It is, however, appropriate and even necessary for the SD to be at least cursorily aware of every regular practice ice skater in the program, and their coaches. They should be actively knowledgeable about the top competitive skaters.

Club President
What they have to do with skating: club issues only. They have nothing to do with classes, parking, facilities, non-member coaches, non-member skaters, non-member parents, non-club ice.
What they have to do with your skater: nothing unless the skater is a member of that club. If you believe that your skater is being persecuted in violation of USFS rules, contact USFS (not City Council, for instance).

Ice Monitor
What they have to do with skating: They enforce practice ice rules. Period.
What they have to do with your skater: They get to make your skater and your coach follow the rules. Don't argue with them or make a scene in the middle of practice ice, please. They are volunteers, even when they are also petty dictators. And frankly, ice monitors need to be petty dictators, because the ego on an ice surface could sink the Nimitz.

Judges
What they have to do with skating: following USFS and ISU rules for judging.
What they have to do with your skater: Nothing. Period. Leave them alone. (Okay, I'll let you complain about them behind their backs, since I know I can't stop you.)

Coaches
Wow. Really? Just now got to coaches way down the line? Here's why--
What they have to do with skating: not that much really.
What they have to do with your skater: Everything on ice. They're in charge of the skating. The training schedule, the competition schedule, competition costume design, the music. They only thing they're really not in charge of is your budget, unless you cede this to them.

Parents
What they have to do with skating: even less than the coaches
What they have to do with your skater: Everything off ice. School, happiness, food, love, and keeping the lines of communications open with the coach, so he/she can keep the lines of communication open with everyone above him.

Skater
What they have to do with skating: nothing
What they have to do with your skater: do the job to the best of their ability, as long as it is fun, rewarding and affordable. Feel the wind in your hair, and learn to fly.

Skater's little brother
What they have to do with skating: Nothing, poor kid. Stock up on books for them to read at the rink.
What they have to do with your skater: Whining, vis: "We have to go to the rink AGAaaaaaaiiin? That's so boooooring. Why do we always do what SHE wants to do?