Finding A Coach by PJ Kwong

The time has come.  You have joined a skating club.  It is now the time to find a coach for private lessons.  To start with, most skaters tend to have a single coach as they begin their skating career, who teaches all (elementary) disciplines of the sport.  As time goes on, your coach may recommend a “specialist” to help them with ice dance, or choreography, or skills or whatever, while still remaining your “base” or primary coach.

Assuming that you are a parent, and the coach is for your child, you need to consider a number of things when making this decision.  You need to know your child, and the kind of learning style they have, as well as the kind of personality in a coach that will most enhance their learning.  Figure skating is a sport that is intensely one on one as far as the coach/skater relationship and you need to know that the coach’s philosophies mirror those that are important to you.  The only way to find that out is to have a friendly conversation with any of your club’s coaches, and talk about your child and your expectations of what you would like to see.  You also need to discuss lesson rates, and come to an agreement as to how many lessons you require.  Keep in mind that lessons are booked for a season, and that barring any unusual circumstances, changing coaches mid-season is considered very poor form.  If you would like to make a change, inform your coach of this decision, and make the change at a natural break like spring/summer or fall school.

  As a coach, I have found my relationships with my students to be intensely rewarding watching them develop from children to young adults.  As a skater, I know that the relationships that I have shared with various coaches along the way have helped to shape me into the person as well as the coach that I have become…a definite win/win situation!

PJ Kwong, creator and author of “Edgework”, International skating announcer, skating coach and Mom, is writing a series of articles for our newsletter and website including such topics.  Be sure to check out last month’s issue from our Archives and watch for next month’s article “Setting Goals”!  

Click on the word "Edgework" to view the latest "favorite skating moment", or look under "Newsletter" for back issue that you may have missed.

August Store Hours!     This is our last month for reduced hours!  If you need to double check, please don’t hesitate to check our website homepage or call us 1-877-396-6423, for the latest hours!  We’re always open to arranging “after hours” appointments for skating fittings, if that’s helpful!

 “Soul” Searching!

You’ve chosen your skating club, signed up for ice time, selected a coach and now all you need is the equipment!  So where do you go for skates?

Most parents are inclined to head to the nearest sporting goods store to purchase a pair of skates, because “they’re not sure their skater is going to like the sport, so they don’t want to spend a lot of money”!  The difficulty is that if the equipment is not properly fitted, or the right quality for the height, weight and skill level of the skater, the skater is not going to get the full enjoyment from the sport or be able to maximize the investment in the sport that’s already been made.

So, a little food for thought.  A beginner pair of skates at a sporting goods store will probably be in the $80 - $100 range.  The same people who can fit your jogging shoes will fit your skates. 

Beginner skates at a skating specialty store will start at about $125.00 and go up from there.  The people who fit the skates will most likely be, or have been, skaters themselves, who understand the different skating skills and levels.  They know that skates and shoes fit differently, and can tell you why heavy sport socks are not appropriate for inside skates.  They can recommend the right people to sharpen figure skates because figure skates are sharpened differently than hockey skates.  And they can punch the skates to help customize the fit, and minimize blisters.  

If you amortize the difference in the cost between buying at the sporting goods store and buying at the skating specialty store – the pleasure and enjoyment is worth the extra $25 to $45!

It's also import to budget for new skates every year, for two reasons.  One, feet grow!  And two, skill level improves.  So as your skill level increases, you need to move up in the quality of the skate.  Talk with your coaches, and the experts who are fitting your skates for the best information on the quality of the skates you need.

Introducing…                                          The Customer Appreciation Card!

With each visit, collect one stamp for every purchase of $50.00 or more, (excluding mounting and sharpening).  Collect 10 stamps and receive a free $25.00 Dress Wright On Ice Gift Certificate to use toward a future purchase.  This is our way of thanking you for being a valued customer.

If you’re not already on our email mailing list, please be sure to send your email address to info@dresswright.com, so you don’t miss a single exciting article

Good Luck, Skate Hard – ‘tll next time!

5484 Tomken Road, Unit 18, Mississauga, Ontario L4W 2Z6

905-282-1555

Toll free 1-877-396-6423 info@dresswright.com

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