Too Old to Join a Skating Club?

[kathrynskates]

I'm sixteen and started out skating when I was fifteen back in the beginning of January. My main goal right now is to just test at the end of the LTS program. I also want to try my hand at competing, I know I won't be going to Nationals but I think it would be a fun experience. The thing is that I would need to join a local skating club.

Sounds like a small problem but I just feel slightly self conscious about joining one since I've joined pretty late in the game and just want to become a member for fun. It seems like a lot of skaters join for the sake of competitions and I don't want to be the odd man out who is older and less experienced than some of the members. Even for the competing aspect, I don't want to be out of place or looked down upon. I've tried digging into two nearby clubs for info, but I've been left in the dark. I already know what it's like to be discouraged, Basics 1 was kind of terrible as I was the eldest among a group of smaller kids and some of the higher up students just pointed me out and laughed.

I want to join a club to be part of the community really, my parents are pretty supportive about it as well. Any thoughts?

 

[karne]

My thought is that I started competing at 23. For which I had to join a club. So I did.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

If you're skating and want to join a club then do so. It's going to happen eventually anyway in the US LOL.

 

[Seren]

First of all, I'm sorry you have been discouraged. And as for the people who made fun of you, they aren't worth it. As long as you love skating for yourself who cares (I skate in a power class were I am 20+ years older than the youngest skater in the group- I can keep up and get value from the class so I got over it).

And as for competing- even the 'top' skaters in most clubs won't make it out of regionals. But at the non-qualifying levels there are lots of ways to compete, and if technical stuff doesn't end up being your thing there are artistic/dramatic and showcase events. My advice would be to have your parents call the contact person for the local clubs and inquire from them- they should have a website or facebook page.

And 16 is not old for skating- I know adults who started a lot later who have axels and compete. I hope you continue to love skating! Good luck!

 

[Pink Ice]

I am not sure how other people see this, but I have noticed that at our rink, people who start skating in their mid teens to early twenties kind of fall into this misty middle ground of not quite knowing where they belong. Competition wise, they are within an age range where it is still pretty serious competitively, and the majority of people skating in their age group are at a much higher level because they have been skating longer. And they are often either too young (under 18) or even just feel to young to be skating with the older skaters. The older adults (like me) who learned to skate much later in life are typically welcomed by the adult skaters and competitors, and their level of proficiency varies widely, as does the commitment to compete. It is just an easier crowd to fit into.

My point is, if you want to compete in the lower levels now, you will need to go ahead and join the appropriate club for your age group, don't worry about the others, your skating journey is not theirs. As a 16 year old you will probably progress pretty quickly compared to an older adult skater, but when you turn 18 or 21 or whatever the age cut off is, you can join an adult skating group and they will probably be a bit more welcoming. You can continue competing in adult competitions at that point.

 

[concorde]

If you want to join your kocal club, I think you should go of it! Each is different so check out any potential clubs, see what they offer, match what they offer to your needs, and then join accrdingly.

Having said that, mine would not be a good match at all. To the best of my knowledge, mine only has 2 socials throughout the year. It has some weekly freestyle sessions but because of price, those typically attract only the super seroius skaters. It also offers test sessions but you won't need to take one of their tests to pass the LTS progtam.

 

[jf12]

Joining a skating club doesn't have to be scary. In fact, you don't even have to know anyone to sign up. I first signed up for my skating club because it was the only one in the area, and it was cheaper to get the USFSA membership for testing that way than signing up as an individual. Later I got to know people as I went along, but I still don't really go out of my way to do the social events that they have. And that's fine as well, to be as social or not social as you want. Do not worry about the younger kids - being older than them, you're automatically cooler than they are!!

 

[concorde]

Following up on my ealier comment, I think you should primarily look at local skating clubs that cover 1 maybe 2 rinks. I think those can provide more of a social atmosphere.

We belong to a huge one and as such, don't know the majority of members. The ones we know we have met through testing and various competitions.

 

[gkelly]

I'm mainly familiar with USFS clubs within the US. If you're in a different country or if your rink has an active ISI club, the details may be different.

As long as you're still taking group lessons and have access to ice time through the lessons and on public sessions open to anyone, there is no need to join a club. You would need to become a member of the organization that sponsors the learn-to-skate program, which is usually a lot less expensive than joining a figure skating club.

The main purpose of figure skating clubs is to provide resources to local figure skaters:

*Access to ice time appropriate for practicing figure skating. In some areas the rinks offer plenty of freestyle sessions and sometimes dance sessions where skaters can pay the rink directly. In other places, the only figure skating ice time is purchased through the club, so you would need to join that club to be able to skate on that ice, when you reach a skill level where public sessions are no longer appropriate for your needs. Some places have both club ice and rink-controlled ice available, so you would have a choice.

*Membership in US Figure Skating (or ISI, which I'm less familiar with). If you want to test (pre-preliminary and above) or compete through USFS, you will need to become a USFS member. It is usually more cost-effective to join through a club rather than as an individual member.

*Holding test sessions and often local competitions and/or shows. The club offers these activities locally to be of service to their members. When you're ready to take advantage of them,

*Sponsoring synchronized skating or Theatre on Ice teams. Synchro teams have age and test requirements, so chances are even if your local club does have one or more synchro teams they won't be a fit for you. TOI teams are somewhat more flexible about mixing skill levels.

*Social events and camaraderie among the members. This is not the purpose of a skating club. It does often happen among members who have enough in common. The main thing that skating clubs have in common is love of skating. It is true that kids tend to socialize with others close to their age and adults tend to socialize with adults, and also that competitors have more skating-related common interests with other competitors than with recreational skaters. But sometimes love of skating brings together people who otherwise would not have much in common.

Usually there's just one club at each rink, and clubs are not divided by age or skill level, although some specific club activities might be.

There's no need to join a USFS club until 1) you're practicing moves in the field patterns or compulsory dance patterns or a program with music and your rink doesn't directly offer freestyle or dance sessions -- you're only allowed to do those things on club ice; 2) you want to sign up for a USFS competition at the "Introductory" levels (beginner, high beginner, no-test) -- and when you get to competition those groups will usually be divided by age; or 3) you want to start testing standard Moves in the Field and Freestyle tests beginning with Pre-Preliminary and later compete at those levels.

When you do start skating on freestyle sessions, even before you join a club or start taking tests, you'll probably find that there are some other recreationally focused teen skaters on the same sessions. Times that work with your school schedule will probably work for others in a similar situation.

The biggest question is: Does your rink offer freestyle sessions, not as part of a club? And what level of LTS classes do you need to have passed to be eligible to skate on them?

If/when you meet the minimum skill level to skate on freestyle sessions, check them out. You'll probably be able to meet skating club members of various ages and skill levels there.

 

[RoaringMice]

You don't need to join a club just yet, unless you want to. And if the reason why you want to is social, then it might be best to shop a few local clubs first. Talk to members to find out what the club actually does, if it's 100% young kids or if there are other older skaters/adults in the club, maybe purchase an hour of club ice to see what skating with the club is like, etc. See if the club is actually at all social.

 

[jf12]

SO first of all, I find this story to be exactly like mine, although I started quite a bit later (age 22ish). And my name is also Kathryn.

But on a serious note, you should go for it. Talk to the board of the clubs you might like to join, and they SHOULD be willing to accommodate you and point you in the right direction in terms of classes, coaches, and competition. If they don't, you have two options: 1) Contact USFSA. There are many rules in place that should prevent age-based discrimination or non-inclusion, and if your local clubs aren't complying with these rules, someone will let them know. 2) Skate with ISI. If any rinks near you have ISI coaches, that is a much more relaxed environment to learn in, and it's a very uplifting community. You can still do competitions with ISI, but they are more for fun, as opposed to USFSA's qualifying competitions.

I also hope that you don't get discouraged about being the oldest one in your skill level. It will take some extra mental strength on your part, but trust me, when you start reaching your goals and learning new skills, all of that won't matter. It's so worth it to skate, no matter what age you start at.

Ok, I don't really agree with this at all. It could be because I'm a member of a big club that has a lot of members and a lot going on. But the attitude of interviewing and speaking to board members for special accommodation, where everyone is a volunteer, and you pay 100$ a year or whatever it is for your USFS membership, and then complaining to USFS if they don't roll out the red carpet is the wrong attitude. In general skating clubs like this do not employ coaches, they do not typically set up classes, they won't be able to recommend competitions to you, besides the ones that are set up by the club. What most clubs do are set up test sessions, set up local competitions sponsored by the club, and rent ice to be used by members at local rinks. Of course you will be able to participate in test sessions and club ice regardless of age. Every club is different, but what fullmetalflamingo said is not typical. I know my club is always looking for volunteers. That's a good way to get to know people once you join one, rather than just rolling up and asking for services they don't offer.

On the other hand, there are a few skating clubs that own their rinks, like Ardmore and sc of Boston, where membership is private and you pay something like 1800$ a season for unlimited ice. Those clubs are more 'full service' and will do all of the things fullmetalflamingo says. However I'm not sure this is the case because if someone was mocking you like you mentioned they could get kicked out for sure - rules are pretty strict.