Qualifications of a coach for private lessons?

What qualifications should I be looking for in a coach? I just recently came across an advertisement for skating lessons online and upon asking, she told me that she was at the level of gold free skate test and is at the senior competitive level.

She is asking an affordable rate for half an hour lessons so I am debating whether or not I should go for it. I'm not high level at all myself but I'm just looking to improve on my skating. I'm also currently in a group learn to skate program.

It really depends where you are based, but in general your national federation's website should be able to give you some guidance on the qualifications they expect & may even be able to provide a list of accredited coaches. Don't just base it on what level the skater has tested up to themselves, you want to be sure they have coaching qualifications & experience alongside their own skating ability!

For example, in the UK, to work as an assistant coach, you must be level 1 accredited, and to coach on your own you must be at least level 2. http://www.iceskating.org.uk/index....ing/nisa-licensed-coach-levels-1-5-2014-2015/

In the US, if the coach is just working with beginners, they need a basis skills qualification http://www.usfsa.org/content.asp?menu=coaches&id=486 and if they are coaching at a higher level it gets a bit more complex http://www.usfsa.org/content/Copy of Requirements Chart.pdf.

I think something very telling that you can ask is if a coach has coached adults..... Being doing so is much more difficult, and signifies needing to know how to explain things like posture, position, edges, physics in detail for adults (rather than with children where you can just have them mimic you).

Asking other adult skaters about their coaches can be much more helpful than asking the parents of children or the children themselves. Parents aren't there for the actual lesson (on the ice). Children will go along with whatever. But adults in general will demand a teacher who can really explain what they are doing.

Another strategy is to take any group lessons your rink might offer, and see if you like any of the teachers (or substitute teachers). That's how I stumbled upon my teacher, who I otherwise wouldn't have initially considered.

My coach actually started skating at the age of 28. But previously she was a nationally competitive gymnast and gymnastics coach, and had a knack for explaining and teacher. Twenty years later, she is phenomenal at coaching figure skating, and specializes in teaching adult skaters because she knows what we are going through as beginners on the ice. She's able to pinpoint what I'm doing at a level of detail that none of the other coaches/group lesson teachers I've had could do, in large part because many of *those* coaches started as children and take a lot for granted.

ruki06 said:

What qualifications should I be looking for in a coach? I just recently came across an advertisement for skating lessons online and upon asking, she told me that she was at the level of gold free skate test and is at the senior competitive level.

She is asking an affordable rate for half an hour lessons so I am debating whether or not I should go for it. I'm not high level at all myself but I'm just looking to improve on my skating. I'm also currently in a group learn to skate program.

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What level her own skating is at is not relevant in this case. What you need to find out is what kind of coaching credentials she has.

It may be a little different where you are, I'm not sure, but I know that here, if a coach does not have the proper PSA accreditation, then they are not covered by insurance and by extension, their students are not either. So if you got hurt as a result of poor coaching, you could find yourself out of pocket.

She might be Senior, but that does not automatically mean she can teach.

Thank you everyone for your input! I see now that her own skating level may not necessarily translate to good coaching abilities. I've asked about her coaching experience and she told me she has 4 years of experience teaching adults at a university and is working on the process of becoming certified as a coach (I'm located in Canada). I'm thinking of maybe trying one lesson out just for fun and to see how it goes since she is only asking $5 for 15 minutes.

ruki06 said:

Thank you everyone for your input! I see now that her own skating level may not necessarily translate to good coaching abilities. I've asked about her coaching experience and she told me she has 4 years of experience teaching adults at a university and is working on the process of becoming certified as a coach (I'm located in Canada). I'm thinking of maybe trying one lesson out just for fun and to see how it goes since she is only asking $5 for 15 minutes.

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Before you do anything else, please look up the rules for trainee coaches in Canada. Email the federation if you have to. I know that here a trainee coach who is not yet fully certified must be supervised by a qualified coach, and I imagine it would be the same for there. If this skater is going outside the rules to coach private lessons before she is qualified and without supervision, then you could be putting yourself in quite the uncomfortable position.

Thanks Karne for letting me know. I am going to read up the rules regarding trainee coaches now, that didn't even cross my mind!

aromaticchicken said:

My coach actually started skating at the age of 28. But previously she was a nationally competitive gymnast and gymnastics coach, and had a knack for explaining and teacher. Twenty years later, she is phenomenal at coaching figure skating, and specializes in teaching adult skaters because she knows what we are going through as beginners on the ice.

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That sounds like Cruella Noelle--inventor of the Torture Edge (Back inside edge facing out of the circle).

Babbette1 said:

That sounds like Cruella Noelle--inventor of the Torture Edge (Back inside edge facing out of the circle).

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Haha wait... Her name is Noelle! Are you a DC skater?