The Cost..to Parents...

The Cost..to Parents...

I just came across this article about the cost to produce a champion figure skater and it's staggering. No wonder Canada is suffering in the ladies development. This would explain a few things. Here is the web site for anyone who is interested in the article.

www.tsn.ca/wtsn/figure_sk...re_skating

Ladskater

PS- There is also a great article by Debbi Wilkes about the Canadians and Canada's future in the sport in general.

Let me get this straight

Let me get this straight. There is a thought process that says members of the public should help to fund an athlete's eligible career. However, if the athlete is one of the lucky ones who makes it to the top and gets umpteen dollars as a pro, the public should pay $60 and up for a ticket to see that pro they funded. Why doesn't this seem to add up?

Linny

Re: Let me get this straight

So what would you rather have instead?

Would you want to see skaters from only wealthy families? Or the ones who can find personal sponsors?

And the ice show tickets price would not go down as long as there are enough people who are wiling to pay that cost, whether you have donated to help any skater's career or not.

Maybe you should suggest a discount coupon for ice shows to people who have donated to skater development. You get Gold, Silver, etc. status based on the money you have donated to your federation's skaters development fund, and when you purchase tickets for ice shows, you get discount based on your booster status. Skaters who participate in those shows will also be required to give a percentage of their earnning to the development fund. For that to happen, you'd need much better coodination between ice show organizers and skating federations.

Re: Let me get this straight

<blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>Would you want to see skaters from only wealthy families?[/quote]

What? HECK NO!!!!!! Absolutely not. To me, it don't matter whether they be rich or poor they still be skaters!

<blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>Or the ones who can find personal sponsors?[/quote]

Still no.

Re: Let me get this straight

How about this: public money would be used for helping youg athletes. That is good policy since being involved in sports develops a child both physically and in terms of displine, work ethic etc. Then, if the skater makes it, they would have to pay it back the way one pays back a college loan.

Re: The Cost..to Parents...

Ptichka:

That's a great idea. I don't know how it would go over though. "Food for thought."

Ladskater

financial assistance

Hi all

Bottom Line: It would be your choice to make financial contributions to skaters and in return receive a tax break.

Personally, I donate to the CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind) I am not blind, nor do I know anyone who is. I donate because #1 it offers me a tax break, #2 I think everyone should be able to see their children, families, flowers, etc. #3 I feel it is my civic responsibility to support something.

Short of myself or a loved one going blind, I will never reap any benefit or enjoyment from these donations.

Given the choice to instead give that money to Skate Canada for training assistance of athletes, I would do it in a heartbeat. At least I could sit back and watch skating and know that somehow someway I helped that person get to a level where they can now entertain me and that in itself is my reward.

Re: financial assistance

Good Lord, $150,000 when everything else parents do for children costs so little! Why not get those lazy parents who only spend $200,000 sending thier kids to college to chip in? Or what about all those deadbeat parents who give thier kids dance and music lessons? Those things cost peanuts, I'm sure!

And let's not even bother to discuss why the costs are so high. I mean, little Tommy or Joey just has to have a $15,000 hand beaded designer costume or he won't be able to land his double axel! Why even bother to think that this little kid is sweating all over some hideous outfit that costs more than most of us spent on our cars. And what about the coaches. They just have to make $40,000 and up per skater. It's not like they partied their way thru college like those parasite Engineers and Nurses who give nothing back to society. And don't even get me started on teachers! And I shudder to think of what the world would be like if Sandra Bezac hadn't given so much or herself, tirelessly choreographing program after program, figuring out how to get the skaters around all of the spinning furniture on the ice, and all out of the goodness or her heart with no thought of money.

Sure, skating history is overflowing with Oly champs who parents didn't have a pot to piss in, but hey, what's Nancy Kerrigan and Michelle Kwan got to do with recent history. I think that I'll take a second mortgage out on my house so little Tiffany Nobody can practice triple/triples all day and blow out her hip a week before the next Olys.