PARENTS AND COACHES AS PARTNERS                       by PJ Kwong

                                                                      You have to love any partnership where a person is paid to spend time with your child, especially when there are lots of times that people couldn’t pay you enough to be with them yourself!  I am talking (mostly) about teenagers of course.  Now, before you get all cranky, I am the mother of 3 and a skating coach so I have some expertise in this area from both sides!                                   It’s a delicate balance when it comes to coaches and the parents of their skaters.  What both parties need to keep in mind is that they are both working to try and help realize the dreams and goals of the skaters.

A message for coaches:                           Parents are our strongest allies in dealing with their children.  They get the kids where we need them to be often juggling complicated family and work schedules.  They help support our work by providing financial resources for the extras like the equipment we recommend, the costumes we design, the music we choose and the off-ice classes. They also pay us.  In return, we need to be available to provide the information that they need to become informed about the ‘ins and the outs’ of skating, and how best to help their child. A newsletter at the beginning of the season outlining your coaching philosophy, any planned absences, expectations, and general goals for the upcoming season and how and when parents can contact you is often very helpful.

 A message for parents:                               When you choose a coach in figure skating, you are choosing a person of influence in the development of your child.  You cannot underestimate the effect that this relationship can have on your child, and therefore you must choose wisely.  This person should reflect the kinds of things that are important to you as a parent, therefore supporting your role at home. Once you have found the right person for the skater in your life, trust your decision and let them get on with it.  If you need information, by all means ask for it, however, if you feel the need to second-guess the coaching expert that you have hired to work with your child, then you need to keep looking for a better fit.

 The investment that we, as coaches and parents, make together in ‘our’ kids and the satisfaction that we each get from watching their growth and development is what makes the success of our partnership so vital.

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.  Be sure to check our last month’s issue from our Archives and watch for next month’s article “Parents and Coaches as Partners”!  

Skate Care                                          You’ve made a great investment in your skater’s skates – now you want some help in how to take care of them!  Click on the title “Skate Care” and it will take you some helpful information including how frequently you need to have your skates sharpened!                                                    We offer an over night skate sharpening service – if you can bring your skates to us by close of business one day, we have them sharpened and back in the store by 11:00 am the next morning. 

It’s less than 84 days till Christmas!!

If you’re starting to think of some great gift ideas – check out these new soft fur animal purses in two weeks!

We’ve also got some new skating Christmas ornaments and decorations.

And don’t forget the new SKATE T-shirts that go so well with the SKATE pants that we carry.  The SKATE pants are now also available in youth sizes

2004 Skating Calendars

have arrived!

It is so difficult to get great pictures of all your favourite skating stars, so this calendar is a wonderful collectors item!  Don’t be disappoint, pick up your calendars early!  Remember, they make great stocking stuffers and gifts for coaches and skating friends!

Do you have your Customer Appreciation Card Yet?
With each visit, collect one stamp for every purchase of $50.00 or more, (excluding mounting and sharpening). Collect 10 stamps and receive a $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.

Store Hours!    

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