New skates and an audition coming, need advice!

[FunnyFairy]

Hi all, my daughter is a beginner level but her skating school teacher got her an audition for beginners level synchronised team. It's next week. Her current ice skates are terrible, they are cheap and too big for her but she skates beautifully in them. I bought her a new pair of Jackson Ultima skates which were fitted in a shop by an expert. She says they feel fine on her feet etc. But I took her to practice in them today and she stumbled over the toe pick several times and couldn't stop in them. She got very upset as all her achievements just went away in her mind. Now I'm worried about the audition next week. She has 4 hours on 4 separate days to practice before it but should she continue in the new skates or do the audition in the old not so good skates? I really don't know what to tell her so please, any thoughts? Thanks!

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Hi all, my daughter is a beginner level but her skating school teacher got her an audition for beginners level synchronised team. It's next week. Her current ice skates are terrible, they are cheap and too big for her but she skates beautifully in them. I bought her a new pair of Jackson Ultima skates which were fitted in a shop by an expert. She says they feel fine on her feet etc. But I took her to practice in them today and she stumbled over the toe pick several times and couldn't stop in them. She got very upset as all her achievements just went away in her mind. Now I'm worried about the audition next week. She has 4 hours on 4 separate days to practice before it but should she continue in the new skates or do the audition in the old not so good skates? I really don't know what to tell her so please, any thoughts? Thanks!

Hi. Are the blades she's in now on the new skates different than her old ones?

 

[Diana Delafield]

Hi all, my daughter is a beginner level but her skating school teacher got her an audition for beginners level synchronised team. It's next week. Her current ice skates are terrible, they are cheap and too big for her but she skates beautifully in them. I bought her a new pair of Jackson Ultima skates which were fitted in a shop by an expert. She says they feel fine on her feet etc. But I took her to practice in them today and she stumbled over the toe pick several times and couldn't stop in them. She got very upset as all her achievements just went away in her mind. Now I'm worried about the audition next week. She has 4 hours on 4 separate days to practice before it but should she continue in the new skates or do the audition in the old not so good skates? I really don't know what to tell her so please, any thoughts? Thanks!

First, if she were my daughter, I'd talk to her group coach about her problem with her new skates. If, as @Ic3Rabbit suggests, these are different blades from what she's used to, they will take some time to get used to, especially as she's a beginner and not accustomed to adjusting to new equipment. I'd let her audition using her old skates -- it's only another week, and obviously her coach thought she looked competent enough in the old ones to recommend her. But I'd take along her new skates to the audition. Then if someone there for any reason suggests she needs newer equipment, you can show the new skates and explain that she'd only had them a week or so and hadn't had time yet to adjust to a different style of blades, if that's what they are, and your description of her problem sounds like it.

I've seen boots and blades designed specifically for synchro skaters (never tried synchro myself so I don't know what the differences are), but I doubt if they're needed at a beginner team level. Let her be comfortable with her old skates and then after the audition she can start adjusting to her new skates. Good luck to her in the audition!

 

[FunnyFairy]

Hi. Are the blades she's in now on the new skates different than her old ones?

Yes new blades. The toe pick is lower on the new skates, causing her to trip over often

 

[FunnyFairy]

First, if she were my daughter, I'd talk to her group coach about her problem with her new skates. If, as @Ic3Rabbit suggests, these are different blades from what she's used to, they will take some time to get used to, especially as she's a beginner and not accustomed to adjusting to new equipment. I'd let her audition using her old skates -- it's only another week, and obviously her coach thought she looked competent enough in the old ones to recommend her. But I'd take along her new skates to the audition. Then if someone there for any reason suggests she needs newer equipment, you can show the new skates and explain that she'd only had them a week or so and hadn't had time yet to adjust to a different style of blades, if that's what they are, and your description of her problem sounds like it.

I've seen boots and blades designed specifically for synchro skaters (never tried synchro myself so I don't know what the differences are), but I doubt if they're needed at a beginner team level. Let her be comfortable with her old skates and then after the audition she can start adjusting to her new skates. Good luck to her in the audition!

Yes new blades, the toe pick is lower than on the old skates which she's struggling with. Also stopping in new blades is hard for her. Otherwise she was doing ok with them. But in her mind she wasn't so she's not confident.
It's a good idea what you suggested to take the new skate with us to audition. I will let her audition in her old skates. She will need the synchro skates but according to the coach not until towards the end of the year.
Thank you so much for your response!

 

[FunnyFairy]

Just an update: practised today again both on new and old skates. My daughter said the new skates feel better on feet and when she tried the old ones it seems she had lost her skills to skate on those too. She was on the ice quite long with the new skates and gradually started doing much better. I think we'll have to go through the audition and the practice time before that with the new skates now. She build up her confidence today so I'm hopeful by next week she'd be fine.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

What skate boot and blade is she in if you don't mind my asking?

 

[FunnyFairy]

What skate boot and blade is she in if you don't mind my asking?

Jackson Excel boot with ultima mark 2 blades

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Jackson Excel boot with ultima mark 2 blades

Depending on your daughters age and height/weight, those won't be stiff enough for her and the blades aren't great. Do not let her jump in them, they're rated 2 in stiffness.

 

[FunnyFairy]

Depending on your daughters age and height/weight, those won't be stiff enough for her and the blades aren't great. Do not let her jump in them, they're rated 2 in stiffness.

She won't be doing any jumps if she gets in the synchronised team. She's 40 kg. Her previous skates were much much worse and we tried more advanced skates but she wasn't able to even wear them, it was a shock to her how stiff even these were compared to her old cheap supermarket skates. It's what we have for now until she's more advanced, I'm expecting to buy new ones again in 6 months time if she gets in the team.

 

[silverlily1]

She won't be doing any jumps if she gets in the synchronised team. She's 40 kg. Her previous skates were much much worse and we tried more advanced skates but she wasn't able to even wear them, it was a shock to her how stiff even these were compared to her old cheap supermarket skates. It's what we have for now until she's more advanced, I'm expecting to buy new ones again in 6 months time if she gets in the team.

I'm linking Jackson's fit chart here:

Jackson Fit Guide

Jackson Ultima Fit Guide

jacksonultima.com

As you can see on the second page, at her weight the boots are only suitable for low to possibly mid levels of beginner skating, and she's on the upper end of the weight chart for them being okay for the mid levels of beginner skating. She shouldn't be doing much of anything on them, except forwards and backwards skating.

The blades have little to no spin rocker, so they will be difficult to turn or spin on, but she shouldn't be doing turns in those boots anyway. They really aren't suitable for the purpose you bought them for at her weight. They're skates for little-little kids.

 

[FunnyFairy]

I'm linking Jackson's fit chart here:

Jackson Fit Guide

Jackson Ultima Fit Guide

jacksonultima.com

As you can see on the second page, at her weight the boots are only suitable for low to possibly mid levels of beginner skating, and she's on the upper end of the weight chart for them being okay for the mid levels of beginner skating. She shouldn't be doing much of anything on them, except forwards and backwards skating.

The blades have little to no spin rocker, so they will be difficult to turn or spin on, but she shouldn't be doing turns in those boots anyway. They really aren't suitable for the purpose you bought them for at her weight. They're skates for little-little kids.

I can't afford new skates now as I just bought these on the recommendation of a skating shop. I had hoped that these would last until autumn as I was told if she makes it into the team then they're doing basic skating skills all spring until summer break. She's 10 years old, 152cm and 40 kg. So do you mean these won't do until then and I should buy new ones again?

 

[silverlily1]

I can't afford new skates now as I just bought these on the recommendation of a skating shop. I had hoped that these would last until autumn as I was told if she makes it into the team then they're doing basic skating skills all spring until summer break. She's 10 years old, 152cm and 40 kg. So do you mean these won't do until then and I should buy new ones again?

Can you describe more specifically exactly what skills she is doing/what level of skating she is at? I'm assuming you're probably in Europe or Asia given the units you're using to describe her weight and height, and I'm having trouble finding beginner synchro skills for those areas.

As a separate note from the above, basic skating skills can include two foot jumps, one foot jumps, two foot jumps with a turn, one foot jumps with a turn, bunny hops, edges, 3-turns, even waltz jumps, depending on who you're talking to. And most of those, it would appear, can show up in non-competitive early synchro, though the waltz jumps (for example) not at the most beginner levels.

 

[FunnyFairy]

Can you describe more specifically exactly what skills she is doing/what level of skating she is at? I'm assuming you're probably in Europe or Asia given the units you're using to describe her weight and height, and I'm having trouble finding beginner synchro skills for those areas.

As a separate note from the above, basic skating skills can include two foot jumps, one foot jumps, two foot jumps with a turn, one foot jumps with a turn, bunny hops, edges, 3-turns, even waltz jumps, depending on who you're talking to. And most of those, it would appear, can show up in non-competitive early synchro, though the waltz jumps (for example) not at the most beginner levels.

Yes we are in Europe. She's a beginner level, just finished spring term in ice skating school. The synchro team she is trying to get in is a beginner level team. It's basically the first step where they spend their first year and then move onto more advanced teams. I was told no jumps. Coach said the requirement level to get in is forward and backward skating with confidence but backward skating doesn't need to be perfect as they'll learn it there. Also balance on one foot. The coach said most of their skating is backwards skating with some spins. I don't really know any more details. The audition came as a surprise really as I expected her to stay in ice skating school for another year. Which she still might of course. Regards to her skills now, she's able to do some backwards skating and she can balance on one leg. Still learning two foot spin. Apologies I know nothing about ice skating so I'm not sure if my terms are correct!

 

[silverlily1]

Yes we are in Europe. She's a beginner level, just finished spring term in ice skating school. The synchro team she is trying to get in is a beginner level team. It's basically the first step where they spend their first year and then move onto more advanced teams. I was told no jumps. Coach said the requirement level to get in is forward and backward skating with confidence but backward skating doesn't need to be perfect as they'll learn it there. Also balance on one foot. The coach said most of their skating is backwards skating with some spins. I don't really know any more details. The audition came as a surprise really as I expected her to stay in ice skating school for another year. Which she still might of course. Regards to her skills now, she's able to do some backwards skating and she can balance on one leg. Still learning two foot spin. Apologies I know nothing about ice skating so I'm not sure if my terms are correct!

I don't know and can't find enough information about synchro programming in Europe to be able to know what she will be taught. Doesn't help that the only language I can passably research in (other than English) is French.

I will say that "no jumping" could still mean some jumping, just not official jumps like waltz, toe loop, salchow, etc.

I'm sorry I couldn't be more help.

 

[FunnyFairy]

Just an update, she passed her audition and got in the team
The coach said the skates will do for now. Possibly need new ones next winter. Thanks everyone

 

[LolaSkatesInJapan]

Just an update, she passed her audition and got in the team

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[WednesdayMarch]

Just an update, she passed her audition and got in the team
The coach said the skates will do for now. Possibly need new ones next winter. Thanks everyone

Great news! I hope she loves Synchro.