local rink coach vs Olympic athlete coach | Golden Skate

local rink coach vs Olympic athlete coach

dssguy99

Spectator
Joined
Jan 11, 2018
My 6 year old has been taking lessons at a local rink for a year where she has been working with a nice older lady who has been taking her through basic skills (we hired her after a few sessions of learn to skate last yr). She is about a basic 6 now and is almost ready for her pre preliminary test. I have the opportunity to have my daughter to skate and be coached at another rink with a 26 yr old girl who was an alternate in the 2014 Olympics. I think this is a great opportunity for her. Besides the Olympic girl who coaches, HER coach is also involved but works out of another rink. Does anyone have any experience to share from switching from a mid level coach to a very high level coach/skater? My daughter loves skating and I think this may be great way for her to improve. My main concern is that her current coach really has no track record of taking kids past non-qualifying competitions in all her years of coaching. I somewhat feel like she is more of a 'recreational' coach and I do not want to get stuck in this rut.
 

Spirals for Miles

Anna Shcherbakova is my World Champion
Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 25, 2017
I don't have any experience in this, but I'd go with the Olympic-alternate coach, after considering the following?
What are her students like? Are they driven, motivated, relatively healthy, and supported? Are they successful or experiencing a high level of learning and growing? If so, then this is probably a good fit

Does your child like this Olympic-alternate coach? Have they met, and, if so, do they click? Does she have values that you support? Is she known to expect a lot of her students but give them a lot in return? If so, then this is probably a good fit

I'd talk to your child first. She might not understand the opportunity that is being presented, but if she likes the other coach, and you do as well, I'd switch.
 

concorde

Medalist
Joined
Jul 29, 2013
Depends.

Most important - do you think the personalities will mesh?

Second, just because a person is really good at their "art" does not mean they can teach their "art" well. In most instances, the mediocre instructors are the best teachers because what they lack in natural talent they have made up for by figuring out the mechanics of making something work.

Also, how convenient is the location / times and what is the difference in pay rates? All that needs to be factored in.

My guess is if you decide to "pass" for now, you will get the opportunity to add this same coach at a later point in time. No student stays with one coach forever so a new slot will eventually open. Also remember, if a coach sees talent, most will make room in their schedule for the talented student.
 

AndreaRu

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 9, 2014
I don't think this is something that can/should be answered just based on the information we have. The only thing we know is that one coach doesn't have any high level students and the other is a high level skater herself. Does the younger coach have experience coaching kids to higher levels? My guess is that if she was still skating 4 years ago, she probably also doesn't have much coaching experience outside of LTS.

Some coaches didn't skate to super high levels themselves, but they have many years of experience working with students. Some skated to high levels, but don't have a lot of coaching experience. Where your younger coach might have an edge is in connections with other coaches, choreographers, etc. Also, they will understand what's required at higher levels better than someone who has never taken a student there.

However, the younger coach could just as easily not be experienced enough with *coaching* (as opposed to skating) to produce great results. I think that at age 6, what really matters is whether the student is happy and progressing and whether the coach and student mesh personality-wise. Remember that not every coach wants the responsibility of taking kids to high levels -- it's a lot of work and committment. It's not necessarily a lack of skill but could be a choice or just the luck of the draw getting students who didn't go all the way.
 

VegMom

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 25, 2017
I agree that the most important thing is about rapport - how do they interact together?
After that, it's about safety and quality of instruction IMO.
 

loopy

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
Arre you willing to pay 2000+ a month on skating? If so, go for the coach with the most students who compete on a national level.

If not, just make sure your skater is having fun, safe and learning. I have known a lot of coaches - those who don't coach juv and up will not hold back a talented student, they will talk to those coaches who do and help you find a good match when your skater has outgrown their comfort zone for time and energy. At my local rinks, they all have a solid relationship in the coaching staff.

Another option: keep both - one for moves in the field/ISI and one for fre
eskate. The high level coach might have one opening at 4:30 am and you'll need more lessons. Having 2 coaches can help you wait out that hnext lessons time slot.
 

AndreaRu

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 9, 2014
Arre you willing to pay 2000+ a month on skating? If so, go for the coach with the most students who compete on a national level.

Ahh, yes, I did forget the possible cost differences. At age 6/basic skills, I'm not sure you'd get enough out of lessons with an olympic coach to justify the cost. That is, if your current coach doesn't charge as much as the new one would. I don't know her rates, obviously, but my daughter worked with olympic coaches for a week this summer. The cost was pretty much in line with the $2,000 estimate.
 

dssguy99

Spectator
Joined
Jan 11, 2018
Thank you for all your responses! The olympic coach works with a team of coaches that consists of her, and the lady who coached her to the olymipcs (she is actually the head coach) and a choreographer. This girl works with the babies and then the head coach is only slightly until the pre pre test is passed. This year they took 5 kids to regionals and a few to sectionals. The head coach worked with in the past (not directly this year) many kids who went to nationals this year. They also don't take on that many kids, so I think the ratio is rather good. The money will be no different than what we pay now, so we will try this out for a few weeks and see how it goes. For now we are keeping 1 lesson with her current coach and will add 1 lesson with the new coach and see how she reacts. Ill follow up on this thread once we have a few lessons!
 

jf12

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 8, 2016
Thank you for all your responses! The olympic coach works with a team of coaches that consists of her, and the lady who coached her to the olymipcs (she is actually the head coach) and a choreographer. This girl works with the babies and then the head coach is only slightly until the pre pre test is passed. This year they took 5 kids to regionals and a few to sectionals. The head coach worked with in the past (not directly this year) many kids who went to nationals this year. They also don't take on that many kids, so I think the ratio is rather good. The money will be no different than what we pay now, so we will try this out for a few weeks and see how it goes. For now we are keeping 1 lesson with her current coach and will add 1 lesson with the new coach and see how she reacts. Ill follow up on this thread once we have a few lessons!

This sounds like a good setup, as long as personalities mesh! One thing to remember if you move your child to a more competitive coaching environment, know that they'll probably want you to commit to skating a certain amount, depending on age, that might be a lot more than you're skating now. I'm not sure what's normal for a 6 year old, but 8-10 year olds doing regionals and sectionals usually train 6 days a week, and twice a day sometimes, before and after school.
 
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