No Coach

[dlkksk8fan]

Today I waited for my coach to show up for my lesson and he didn't show. At about 20mins past my scheduled lesson I went into our pro shop looking for him. I was told he left about 20mins ago and I said well that's nice but he was suppose to give me a lesson today. The guy that owns the pro shop offered to call him to let him know that I was waiting for him. I told him don't bother since it was getting late. It seems that my coach has been coaching at another rink and is setting up a pro shop there. He will no longer be working at the rink I skate at. What he forgot to do is tell me this was going to happen and left without letting me know. I found this very rude! Why didn't he let me know last week instead of saying "see you next Wednesday". I felt shafted. I guess I wasn't that important as a student to warrant an explanation. Anyway I guess the guy in the pro shop got ahold of him because he came back to give me a lesson. I told him he didn't need to, but he insisted and apologized so I said ok. I actually had a good lesson, but am still sort of mad and disappointed about the situation. I think I might just go coachless for awhile and save my $$

 

[Mrs Redboots]

I can totally understand your frustration and anger!

But, if you want to take your skating seriously and perhaps test and compete, you really do need a coach, if only for 15 minutes a week. That way they can see any bad habits you may be about to develop, and help you correct them before they become ingrained.

I think you could ask your present coach to whose care he would recommend you once he has gone, and have a couple of trial lessons with them to see if you suit each other.

 

[dlkksk8fan]

Thanks Redboots for you suggestions, but my coach has left the rink and is not returning. I would have never known that he wasn't going to teach anymore if I hadn't gone looking for him yesterday. I want to continue taking lessons because it has helped me improve a great deal. I have made big improvements in my skating since he started teaching me a few months ago and I want to continue to improve. But I think I will take a break from looking for a coach right now until I decide what I want to do.

 

[icer]

My previous coach is also gone from my rink, so I am in a similar situation (though he gave ample warning to all of his students, so different there). I have been busy with lots of non-skating things, and indecisive about who I want to work with next. I'm sad to report that without a regular coach, it's not just that I don't keep making progress, but some of the skills I worked very hard at have declined. Not only that, without the need to go to a regularly scheduled coaching session, it's somehow harder to get out of the office to skate (for a lesson, you can't be late). Based on personal experience, I'd recommend starting with a new coach as soon as you can...

 

[dlkksk8fan]

Based on personal experience, I'd recommend starting with a new coach as soon as you can...

Icer-sounds like good advice to me. I don't want to lose the progress that I have made over the last few months.

 

[LutzGurl]

I think that is pretty bad coaching on his part, he should of let you know what was going on!, I can't believe he didn't even think about you.
Anyways, I know how your feeling but like most people have been saying in this thread , you really do need to keep a coach..and as you said they have helped you a great deal.
My advice is find a new coach as soon as possible, I think you will thank yourself for it in the longrun .

Well thats my 2cents.

 

[dlkksk8fan]

Thanks for your 2cents LutzGurl I'm still deciding on what to do. I'm just a old adult skater so it isn't too important to find a coach right away, but I still do want to continue lessons.

 

[LutzGurl]

No Problem...GoodLuck in finding a new coach.

 

[cheekers85]

I think alot of coaches don't take adult skaters seriously, and assume even if they have been working with you that you are just there to kind of fool around and not to learn how to do thing the same way a younger student would, working towards mastery and higher levels. It isn't really fair, but it seems to me that misconception is out there and assumptions seem to get in the way of things in this sport at times. It's good to see adult skaters growing in general though. This board seems to have alot of them. Hopefully stuff like what happened to you that time will be avoided in future. Maybe as competitons grow adult skaters can be that showpiece skater for coaches who knows. It would be nice to see. The rink I went to practice in recently had two posters of adult skaters up in the champions section and they were the most prominent pictures there. It was a change and it was kind of fun. Anyway good luck in finding a coach that is more invested in you, as well as a being skilled in what they do, dllkksk8fan. Don't let this one incident stall your progress.

 

[sk8er1964]

Thanks for your 2cents LutzGurl I'm still deciding on what to do. I'm just a old adult skater so it isn't too important to find a coach right away, but I still do want to continue lessons.

IMO, as an older skater, it may be more important for us to have a coach. Our bodies do not learn as quickly, and do not retain as much, as the kids. We can lose it faster. Therefore, it is important that we have someone to guide us and correct our bad habits.

That said, I think what your old coach did show a lack of professionalism and a lack of respect for adult skaters. Hopefully you can find a good coach soon. We have several national level coaches here at my rink that coach adults - and are glad to do so - because they know we are there for the love of the sport. Good luck!

 

[dlkksk8fan]

Thanks all for all your postive comments. I'm still without a coach and haven't decided on what to do yet but after last weeks practice I think I better hurry up and find someone!