Competitive figure skating

[Anonymous]

DD loves figure skating and shows talent for it. We are considering allowing her to skate more seriously. Obviously it is an expensive sport, but roughly how much are we talking about per year? What do we need to know going into this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD loves figure skating and shows talent for it. We are considering allowing her to skate more seriously. Obviously it is an expensive sport, but roughly how much are we talking about per year? What do we need to know going into this?

Hmmm thousands of dollars a month on coaching and costumes. Also your DD would probably need to get tutored privately or go to a special private school that would allow her to train 3-4 hours a day.

Some families move to cities with Olympic training centers and world class coaches.

[Anonymous]

Where is she skating now? For perspective from a World and Olympic coach, see if you can talk with Audrey Weisiger at Fairfax Ice Arena.

[Anonymous]

My DD is now in Freestyle 3. She doesn't compete at all. You don't say what she's doing now in terms of how many times a week or what level she's in.

FWIW, I buy DD's skates on eBay - I sell the old ones and use the money for the next size. Her Zucca bag was a gift from friends (an outrageous gift). She has a pair of skating pants and wears regular t-shirt and sweatshirt. No costumes.

When she's struggling with a level, we do a shared private lesson for a half hour with a friend at the same level once a week, in addition to her weekly class.

[Anonymous]

23:48 is right. I was a competitive skater until I was 9 (more than 30 years ago) and dropped out for family reasons because I would have had to cut back, and once you are in the world, you don't cut back.

If your daughter is fortunate enough to get a pro, then you will be paying her exorbitant fees, renting daily ice time, starting figures, paying for music and choreography, custom freestyle and figure skates (and if you can't get them here in your locale you will travel to get them), travel most weekends, custom skating costumes that will be dictated by the pro, etc.

My pro had us go to ice shows to meet famous skaters and network (which you will be paying for).

She also will require additional lessons. My pro first wanted us to do gymnastics, but decided it was terrible for our posture, so we had to do ballet. But, not just everyday ballet. We had to work toward passing our ballet grades if we wanted to continue. That's an entirely other competitive sport.

The other thing is your pro and her skaters will become your kid's immediate family. My parents passed me off to her most weekends and that's who you socialize with. If you've watched Dance Moms, it was like that although the parents were much more out of the way, by design. Also, my siblings hated me for a very, very long time and I don't blame them since they sat in a cold rink for 2 hours every morning.

I didn't move or go to a special school because I was only 9, but I did have permission from the principal to go in 45 min late every day and then I went back to the rink after school.

In addition to figure and freestyle competitions, and ballet, we had to do shows for the rink, so more practice and costumes.

When I quit I was excommunicated. It was like a death, for me and for them. I never set foot on a rink again until I was in college. Nobody from my pro "made it," but two people from my rink did. One of the girls in my group ended up with anorexia, which I only know about because our dads had been friends prior.

At the time I was devastated and angry, but I've come to understand that it was the best thing to happen to me. I was the one driving it all, my parents had nothing to do with it. I honestly think that's the only way to do it because it is grueling.

[Anonymous]

pp here, I first skated at 6 and got the pro right before turning 7

[Anonymous]

My cousin's child started to get competitive @ age 8. She is now 16 and stopped skating this year because she came to the realization that she was not going to make it big time.

I know in the last couple years they were upwards of $30K in this area. That included 3 different private skating coaches - each focused on something different , ballet lessons private, personal trainer, private ice time, competition travel including the cost for her main coach to travel as well, competition fees, skates, custom designed dresses,

[Anonymous]

21:27 is right. $30K s a good estimate. If you have not found a private coach yet, start with that. Just one, No need to have more than one coach at this point. If you do not want to commit to competing, lower-level involvement is getting through all test levels, moves in the field and freestyle. Takes several years to do that.

Another popular track now is synchronized skating. Depending where you live, there are several teams in the area, with quite good reputation. Also consider solo dance as it is not quite so crowded.

Unlike other sports, once you start working with a private coach, you are at least 18 months away from the competitions, so you can always decide later if your child wants to compete or not. Our kids have been competing for 6 years now, and, frankly, I wish they never started.

[Anonymous]

You should take a look at synchronized skating. DC Edge and Team Ashburn are the big ones here. DC Edge has already held tryouts but will place skaters on beginner teams. You get the benefits of a team sport too. It is less competitive than freestyle, which is crazy in this area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD is now in Freestyle 3. She doesn't compete at all. You don't say what she's doing now in terms of how many times a week or what level she's in.

FWIW, I buy DD's skates on eBay - I sell the old ones and use the money for the next size. Her Zucca bag was a gift from friends (an outrageous gift). She has a pair of skating pants and wears regular t-shirt and sweatshirt. No costumes.

When she's struggling with a level, we do a shared private lesson for a half hour with a friend at the same level once a week, in addition to her weekly class.

Buying used skates is not a good idea! At that level the skates should be pretty worn out by the time they are finished with them and you definitely want good ankle support. A good professional fitting is well worth the money IMO.

[Anonymous]

The biggest issue we have found beyond money is ice time. We have to practice 5:30/6 am. If your child is a good student this is brutal. This is why so many of my dd ice friends are now homeschooled. We are unwilling to do this and the reality is our dd will only be able to go so far without the extra ice time that you get when homeschooled--those kids are on ice all the time. My dd still lives skating and competing but again it can only go so far. As for synchronized girls, it is nice but they are usually not as competitive as skaters. If your dd has a real drive to compete this will not satisfy this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD is now in Freestyle 3. She doesn't compete at all. You don't say what she's doing now in terms of how many times a week or what level she's in.

FWIW, I buy DD's skates on eBay - I sell the old ones and use the money for the next size. Her Zucca bag was a gift from friends (an outrageous gift). She has a pair of skating pants and wears regular t-shirt and sweatshirt. No costumes.

When she's struggling with a level, we do a shared private lesson for a half hour with a friend at the same level once a week, in addition to her weekly class.

Buying used skates is not a good idea! At that level the skates should be pretty worn out by the time they are finished with them and you definitely want good ankle support. A good professional fitting is well worth the money IMO.

Yeah well, we do what we can afford. We got barely worn skates on eBay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD is now in Freestyle 3. She doesn't compete at all. You don't say what she's doing now in terms of how many times a week or what level she's in.

FWIW, I buy DD's skates on eBay - I sell the old ones and use the money for the next size. Her Zucca bag was a gift from friends (an outrageous gift). She has a pair of skating pants and wears regular t-shirt and sweatshirt. No costumes.

When she's struggling with a level, we do a shared private lesson for a half hour with a friend at the same level once a week, in addition to her weekly class.

Buying used skates is not a good idea! At that level the skates should be pretty worn out by the time they are finished with them and you definitely want good ankle support. A good professional fitting is well worth the money IMO.

Yeah well, we do what we can afford. We got barely worn skates on eBay.

This +1million. I've found very goods deals - even from Craigslist - where kids drop out after mom & dad have just bought a nice, new pair of skates. It's not common, but not unheard of either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD loves figure skating and shows talent for it. We are considering allowing her to skate more seriously. Obviously it is an expensive sport, but roughly how much are we talking about per year? What do we need to know going into this?

Granted this was back in the 80s but I was a competitive junior skater. Before moving into seniors (olympic level) my coach and advisor sat my family and I down and spelled it all out for us. From junior to senior is a huge huge leap in training. Make sure it is her whole life because that is what it will be. 4-6 hours on the ice a day plus 2-4 in the dance studio and gym. Tutors/homeschool. Be prepared to travel with her or give guardianship to her coach. Financially it won't be a big issue because of sponsors.

My parents were supportive but I wasn't. I wanted a normal high school experience and was already missing out on a lot without adding more on top of it. I don't regret it one bit and I still love skating. If your daughter is determined, organized and mature and you all understand the drastic change in your lives absolutely go for it.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD is now in Freestyle 3. She doesn't compete at all. You don't say what she's doing now in terms of how many times a week or what level she's in.

FWIW, I buy DD's skates on eBay - I sell the old ones and use the money for the next size. Her Zucca bag was a gift from friends (an outrageous gift). She has a pair of skating pants and wears regular t-shirt and sweatshirt. No costumes.

When she's struggling with a level, we do a shared private lesson for a half hour with a friend at the same level once a week, in addition to her weekly class.

Buying used skates is not a good idea! At that level the skates should be pretty worn out by the time they are finished with them and you definitely want good ankle support. A good professional fitting is well worth the money IMO.

Yeah well, we do what we can afford. We got barely worn skates on eBay.

This +1million. I've found very goods deals - even from Craigslist - where kids drop out after mom & dad have just bought a nice, new pair of skates. It's not common, but not unheard of either.

This is fine for a lower level skater but not an upper level skater who is at all competitive. They heat mold the skates to the skaters foot. You need to have skates fitted and sharpened by a professional if your skater is upper level. You can't convince me otherwise of this.