Supporting our coaches | Golden Skate

Supporting our coaches

Sunshine247

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 17, 2018
I posted elsewhere as well, but wanted to spread the word....How many people are paying their coaches while their rink is closed? I know not everyone can do this, but for our family, we have budgeted for regular lessons at least. This is a very unusual situation that many coaches couldn’t predict. They usually set their fees to accommodate normal down times but I’m sure this isn’t what they expected. So I wrote to my coaches to let them know we’d be paying for any of our regularly scheduled lesson times to ease the burden on them. I’m grateful we can do this and I’d like to encourage anyone else that also can. Heck we are saving $ by staying in while our schools are closed and now our rinks as well. Stay well everyone!
 

tstop4me

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 2, 2015
Country
United-States
Are you in the US? Do you skate at a university-run rink? Other than university-run rinks (that also open to the general public) that have shut down because the universities have shut down, the rinks in my area are still open. Though one private rink I skate at has shut down for two days for a "deep cleaning".
 

cl2

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 9, 2014
Great question, I've been wondering about that myself---how to do it tactfully without appearing patronizing?

For me, my coaches invoice me every month for the number of lessons I took, so my coaching expenses vary month to month. So even though I personally budget for coaching expenses, it's not like I automatically pay them a fixed budgeted amount each month. Some months when they or I are away a lot (e.g. for competitions or vacay), I barely spend anything on lessons; other months I ask for extra lessons and overshoot my budget for that month. So for me it will seem weird pay them some arbitrary amount without having taken the lessons. I want to keep my coach-student relationship professional, not charity.

Other thoughts I had were to pay in advance for lessons, at least it would help them through short term cash flow difficulties (essentially a zero interest loan, with repayment in services... lol). Or sidestep the coach-student relationship and set up fund or go-fund-me type thing.

Fortunately, my rink is still opened, so this question is purely hypothetical for me atm. But who knows how the situation may change day to day? Many of the other rinks in the area (Greater Boston area) closed overnight, or are severely restricting access. So sad what a precarious position it is for the coaches whose livelihoods depend on being able to coach.
 

tstop4me

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 2, 2015
Country
United-States
I pay my coach at the end of each lesson. If there's no lesson for whatever reason, there's no payment.

This is a tricky issue, one which I hope that the federal emergency funding bill will address. But who do you select to subsidize on a personal basis? At my home rink, almost all the support staff (front desk attendants, Zamboni drivers, guards, cleaners ...) are hourly workers. If the rink closes, they don't get paid either. And that's just one subset of people I deal with on a regular basis.
 

JSM

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 11, 2011
Many rinks in my area have closed, including the one I teach at, which is run by the city. My full time job is not skating related, but the missed income will hurt. I’ve been told to prepare for my full time job to shut down too. It’s a scary and uncertain time for many.
 

celia

Rinkside
Joined
Apr 6, 2011
Other thoughts I had were to pay in advance for lessons, at least it would help them through short term cash flow difficulties (essentially a zero interest loan, with repayment in services... lol).

I was thinking of this too. I take a weekly lesson. I could continue to pay for a weekly lesson with the understanding that when things get back to "normal" maybe I would take twice weekly lessons until "repaid." Most of our rinks are closed, but a few are open that are seasonal rinks and will be closing within less than a month.

Also because of social distancing I've been thinking of staying home even if the rinks are open, so as not to further spread the virus. But I don't want my decision to negatively impact my coach.
 

cl2

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 9, 2014
Fortunately, my rink is still opened, so this question is purely hypothetical for me atm. But who knows how the situation may change day to day? Many of the other rinks in the area (Greater Boston area) closed overnight, or are severely restricting access. So sad what a precarious position it is for the coaches whose livelihoods depend on being able to coach.

It happened. My rink just announced it is closing for two weeks. :cry:
 

tstop4me

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 2, 2015
Country
United-States
Are you in the US? Do you skate at a university-run rink? Other than university-run rinks (that also open to the general public) that have shut down because the universities have shut down, the rinks in my area are still open. Though one private rink I skate at has shut down for two days for a "deep cleaning".
Well, after the deep cleaning, there were limited sessions over the weekend. Just got email today that public sessions are cancelled until further notice. But the rink is not closing fully; limited number of pre-registered sessions permitted under controlled conditions.
 

Nimyue

On the Ice
Joined
May 15, 2018
Luckily our rinks aren't closing to figure skaters. Everything else is cancelled but because we are limited to 30 people on the ice, we are able to keep skating.
 

tstop4me

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 2, 2015
Country
United-States
Luckily our rinks aren't closing to figure skaters. Everything else is cancelled but because we are limited to 30 people on the ice, we are able to keep skating.
Does your rink have online or telephone advance pre-registration (reservation) for a session? That is, how does your rink avoid having, e.g., 60 people crowding into the lobby at the same time trying to get on to freestyle (which is exactly the scenario we want to avoid)? Especially with most schools closed and many rinks closed, it's difficult to predict whether there will be high demand, or whether people will just stay home: historical attendance doesn't apply any more.
 

cl2

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 9, 2014
I was thinking of this too. I take a weekly lesson. I could continue to pay for a weekly lesson with the understanding that when things get back to "normal" maybe I would take twice weekly lessons until "repaid." Most of our rinks are closed, but a few are open that are seasonal rinks and will be closing within less than a month.

Also because of social distancing I've been thinking of staying home even if the rinks are open, so as not to further spread the virus. But I don't want my decision to negatively impact my coach.

After my rink announced yesterday that it will be closing for at least the next 2 weeks, my coaches, amazing coaches that they are, are now offering individualized off-ice training program for their students. It can be done online at our own pace, but with video feedback and peer community support. So now I have a good excuse to continue paying them within the coach-student relationship. Absolutely love their professionalism!
 

cl2

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 9, 2014
Luckily our rinks aren't closing to figure skaters. Everything else is cancelled but because we are limited to 30 people on the ice, we are able to keep skating.

In Massachussetts, Governor Baker has limited gatherings to 25 people max. So even with 30 skaters on the ice (and some of our sessions have that many, as well as a waitlist), plus their coaches, plus their parents sitting next to the ice, plus skaters waiting for the next session, plus kids whose parents seem to think the rink is a day care center... the numbers easily exceed the restriction.

Even worse, I don't understand for the life of me why our skaters can't even seem to respect the 6 feet of separation rule on the ice. :sarcasm:
 

Nimyue

On the Ice
Joined
May 15, 2018
Does your rink have online or telephone advance pre-registration (reservation) for a session? That is, how does your rink avoid having, e.g., 60 people crowding into the lobby at the same time trying to get on to freestyle (which is exactly the scenario we want to avoid)? Especially with most schools closed and many rinks closed, it's difficult to predict whether there will be high demand, or whether people will just stay home: historical attendance doesn't apply any more.

Yes they opened up the pre-registration so we can pay online before we go.
 

Elija

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 25, 2019
For the people who live where rinks are closed, have your governments announced support for people who can’t work? Where I live the government has just come out with a huge financial support package for people who are unable to work due to coronavirus.
 

tstop4me

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 2, 2015
Country
United-States
For the people who live where rinks are closed, have your governments announced support for people who can’t work? Where I live the government has just come out with a huge financial support package for people who are unable to work due to coronavirus.

What country are you in? In the US, there is pending legislation by the federal government to address this issue. Too severe for municipal and state governments to handle.
 

Elija

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 25, 2019
What country are you in? In the US, there is pending legislation by the federal government to address this issue. Too severe for municipal and state governments to handle.

New Zealand. Good luck, I hope something is announced soon. We are very dependent on tourism here, so with no tourist arrivals it is very tough. A lot of people will be laid off, but the government package will help a lot. So far the ice rinks are still open, by we’ll see for how long.
 

MiraiFan

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 6, 2016
Our coaches are offering virtual off ice, yoga, and other sessions daily for about $50 per week. The sessions are after "working hours", so those of us who telecommute can join. Really happy about this.
 

bunnybarista

If I risk it all, could you break my fall?~
On the Ice
Joined
May 27, 2018
I'm joining this thread late, but yes, I am still paying my coach during these crazy times, and I've urged others to continue to pay their coaches as well! If you are financially stable (i.e. working from home, or have good emergency savings), please please please continue to pay your coaches! They may be living paycheck to paycheck, and all of their income has suddenly disappeared for an indeterminate amount of time. It is really scary and heartbreaking.

Not only will your payment to your coach help keep them afloat, I think your coach will really appreciate knowing that someone is thinking about them amidst all the chaos! :)
 
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