What are some reasonable goals? | Golden Skate

What are some reasonable goals?

frostea

Spectator
Joined
May 15, 2018
Hi! I really enjoy figure skating and I would like to find reasonable and achievable goals I can progress towards. I'm hoping to compete in open juvenile or intermediate regionally once I reach that level, but I do realize that even getting to those competitions is improbable. Currently I take weekly group lessons with an hour(ish) of practice before, I'll be switching rinks after summer to one that is closer in order to have more practice and instruction. Would learning consistent singles (including axel) and possibly some of the "easier" doubles be achievable? There's probably a lot of factors that play into it, but I don't want to set my sights on something I can't do and be disappointed in the end. Any input would be appreciated. :)
 

Ic3Rabbit

Former Elite, now Pro. ⛸️
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 9, 2017
Country
Olympics
You kind of need to give us more info than that. Age, ability, progress, how long you've been skating, etc?
 

frostea

Spectator
Joined
May 15, 2018
I'm 13 and I've been taking skating lessons for twoish months starting from 'march forward' and etc. I passed basic 1 in two weeks, but basic 2 took up more than a month. It may have been because the group lessons had a lot of members, but the coach rarely got around to evaluating the skills, which I guess is the disadvantage of group lessons. I'm in basic 3, and learning by the USFSA guidelines, I moved up last week which I suppose is not amazing progress.
 

Ic3Rabbit

Former Elite, now Pro. ⛸️
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 9, 2017
Country
Olympics
It might help your progress if you were to look into getting some private coaching.
 

gkelly

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
You'll have to increase your amount of lesson and practice time as you progress to master harder skills. If you will have the time and money and access to ice time to do that as you continue, you may well be able to pass juvenile tests and get all your single jumps including axel, maybe some doubles, after a few years. There's no guarantee that you'll get there, but Open Juvenile is a reasonable long-term goal to aim for if you will have the ice time.

Intermediate often takes about 5 years from first lessons, and the age limit is under 18. Novice doesn't have an age limit but the tests are that much harder to pass than intermediate. So it's less likely that you will be able to reach a qualifying level at regionals. But perhaps not impossible. You'll never know unless you try. That's something to aspire toward, and you'll see as you progress whether it's looking likely that you'll get there.

Meanwhile, have fun learning new skills and maybe competing at lower levels, so the process will be worthwhile whatever the final destination ends up being.
 

loopy

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
I would like to find reasonable and achievable goals I can progress towards.

Take a look at moves in the field for pre-preliminary. Those would be a good long term goal. Don't look much further in the future, it is better to have smaller attainable goals that you consistantly reset after you achieve them. The best bet would also be to skate more often and look for a coach. Having a coach and regular ice time is the best investment if you are looking at long term skating because they can help see your mistakes and remedy them before they become expensive bad habits.
 

frostea

Spectator
Joined
May 15, 2018
So for better progress, I should get more ice time and a coach? I may not have more than an hours practice a week for a couple more months, so would PIC skates be a good investment? Regarding coaching, would it be better to hire one that is more inexperienced but with lower fees or a more experience and higher fees?
 

loopy

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
We have no pic skate experience so I have no advice on that.

As for a coach - at your age it should be someone you have a match with learning styles. Taking classes, you should have had some exposure to other coaches by observing or interaction and have an idea of what works with you. You don;t want a new best friend, you want someone who teaches clearly and who you have respect for. An hour a week will be limited in improvement. Why wait until after summer to add another rink? In the beginning my daughter was skating at 2-3 rinks a week. You take time where you can find it! It all just depends on your goals and timeline for reaching them.
 

jf12

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 8, 2016
So for better progress, I should get more ice time and a coach? I may not have more than an hours practice a week for a couple more months, so would PIC skates be a good investment? Regarding coaching, would it be better to hire one that is more inexperienced but with lower fees or a more experience and higher fees?

You are going to want a coach that is very experienced in teaching a beginner, rather than one that coaches a lot of olympians. For example, you might find demonstration very important, and a lot of high level coaches do not really demonstrate.
 

silver.blades

Medalist
Joined
Jan 4, 2007
Country
Canada
The most important thing when looking for a coach is that your personalities match and you respond to their teaching style. I was only with my first coach for a year because she was too nice. I needed someone with a firm hand, and my first coach was of the lots of praise school of thought and that didn't work for me. At your level, all the coaches at your club should have the knowledge base to teach what you need, although you might want to ask around and find a free skate specialist, not a dance coach if jumps are your goal. A more expensive coach isn't necessarily a better one, it depends on what you need from a coach.
 
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