Hi! Young adult returning to the ice!

Girlbird · Feb 1, 2018

Hi everyone!

I'm a 26 year old actor, singer, dancer, performer type! I skated for a few years as a preteen and I loved it but couldn't pursue it to the level I wanted to in my tiny little hometown, and I got involved in theater and left the ice for 13 years. But I've always missed skating. I currently perform in regional theater in Minnesota. This month I decided to go skating on a whim and realized that I could still skate if I wanted to, to whatever level of commitment I wanted. I looked into adult figure skating & competitions and know there is a place for me in this sport, and I can skate for myself! It's nice to have something to do that isn't directly related to my pursuit of an acting career, where there is a lot of pressure, but still fulfills a creative and athletic and spiritual need I have to always be working on something, plus I get my exercise doing something I enjoy!

I've been going to local rinks for both freestyle ice and public skate. Freestyle ice is a little intimidating and I try to find times to go when there aren't a lot of preteen girls working on triples and really fast junior ladies working on their r ! (I'm still trying to figure out how to get my forward scratch spin back and can crank out a waltz jump and a tentative sal, and while I look great just stroking around the rink and doing crossovers I can't do much more than that when it comes to moves in the field.). As I'm not a part of a club as of yet, I can't go on level-appropriate contract ice, or adult ice, so it's sort of a toss-up if I'll show up to the rink and the ice will feel empty enough that I can go about my business without feeling self-conscious! Luckily I live in a very cold part of the world and there are lots of free outdoor rinks around at this time of year that I can at least go skate around and practice spins and basic skills. But I know I need a coach to progress and regular FS ice time! I'm a clockwise jump too so I get frowned at if I try to sneak around clockwise for a jump at public skate and I know it's against the rules.

I am not sure how financially I will be able to afford much ice time, let alone a coach and skates and club fees and competition fees and all the other expenses related to this crazy hobby). But I'd really like to try and make a go of this! Looking forward to meeting other adult skaters around this forum and would love some advice on finding a coach/choosing a rink & a club!

singerskates · Feb 1, 2018

Girlbird said:
Hi everyone!

I'm a 26 year old actor, singer, dancer, performer type! I skated for a few years as a preteen and I loved it but couldn't pursue it to the level I wanted to in my tiny little hometown, and I got involved in theater and left the ice for 13 years. But I've always missed skating. I currently perform in regional theater in Minnesota. This month I decided to go skating on a whim and realized that I could still skate if I wanted to, to whatever level of commitment I wanted. I looked into adult figure skating & competitions and know there is a place for me in this sport, and I can skate for myself! It's nice to have something to do that isn't directly related to my pursuit of an acting career, where there is a lot of pressure, but still fulfills a creative and athletic and spiritual need I have to always be working on something, plus I get my exercise doing something I enjoy!

I've been going to local rinks for both freestyle ice and public skate. Freestyle ice is a little intimidating and I try to find times to go when there aren't a lot of preteen girls working on triples and really fast junior ladies working on their r ! (I'm still trying to figure out how to get my forward scratch spin back and can crank out a waltz jump and a tentative sal, and while I look great just stroking around the rink and doing crossovers I can't do much more than that when it comes to moves in the field.). As I'm not a part of a club as of yet, I can't go on level-appropriate contract ice, or adult ice, so it's sort of a toss-up if I'll show up to the rink and the ice will feel empty enough that I can go about my business without feeling self-conscious! Luckily I live in a very cold part of the world and there are lots of free outdoor rinks around at this time of year that I can at least go skate around and practice spins and basic skills. But I know I need a coach to progress and regular FS ice time! I'm a clockwise jump too so I get frowned at if I try to sneak around clockwise for a jump at public skate and I know it's against the rules.

I am not sure how financially I will be able to afford much ice time, let alone a coach and skates and club fees and competition fees and all the other expenses related to this crazy hobby). But I'd really like to try and make a go of this! Looking forward to meeting other adult skaters around this forum and would love some advice on finding a coach/choosing a rink & a club!

Have you checked with the ISI (Ice Skating Institute) or the USFSA to look for a club? You might want to check out US CAS (US Competitive Adult Skaters) Facebook page. I am part of it even though I am Canadian because I sometimes compete in the USA. I run the groups called CAS and The Skate Ontario Adult Invitational.

Girlbird · Feb 1, 2018

I’ve found lots of clubs it’s just a matter of choosing the right one, you know? There are a ton where I live and all have their own strengths and i just don’t know how to choose!

singerskates · Feb 2, 2018

Girlbird said:
I’ve found lots of clubs it’s just a matter of choosing the right one, you know? There are a ton where I live and all have their own strengths and i just don’t know how to choose!

That's why it would be good to join the US CAS Facebook Group.

jf12 · Feb 2, 2018

Welcome! If money is an issue, I’d start by taking as many group classes as you can at the start. Some might offer adult freestyle classes, but if not, take it with the kids, and don’t feel self conscious! By doing this you’ll get a good sense of the coaches, what rinks you like, and what club you would want to join.

mskater93 · Feb 2, 2018

Girlbird said:
I’ve found lots of clubs it’s just a matter of choosing the right one, you know? There are a ton where I live and all have their own strengths and i just don’t know how to choose!

PM me. I know a lot of adult skaters in MN and can provide you names for Facebook

stevenlee · Feb 7, 2018

Not in your area, pretty far from it actually, and don't have the experience you've had previously, but I'm pretty much looking into the same thing. I'm really wanting to pursue it seriously, and I've felt extremely silly about it, because all I see is the word "impossible", but the more I see it, the more I'm determined to prove people wrong? And I'm just happy to finally be so passionate and have so much drive for the first time in my life.

I'm 24, and took ballet as a kid, and always wanted to take dance. I did fire performing for a while with my family, and as much as I get nervous I'm just born to be a performer. It's inside and needs to come out, and I had no idea how much I was going to love skating. I'd only been a couple of times in my life and it was always disastrous, but I'm doing everything I can on and off the ice to try to progress quickly to see if maybe it is something I can do, or if it's only going to cause heart break pursuing it. I'm really beating myself up, even if I can't really help it, to finding a passion that has such a small margin of being successful, not to mention the window at which most people can become, and can stay competitive. We'll see.

Either way, I'm super happy for you getting back into it, even if you ended up not getting into competition, it's still just a nice, fun, healthy thing to do. You can't go wrong with it. (And I should take my own advice on that one.)

gkelly · Feb 7, 2018

stevenlee said:
Not in your area, pretty far from it actually, and don't have the experience you've had previously, but I'm pretty much looking into the same thing. I'm really wanting to pursue it seriously, and I've felt extremely silly about it, because all I see is the word "impossible", but the more I see it, the more I'm determined to prove people wrong?

As long as you have access to ice, learning how to skate is very possible.

How good you will get depends on a lot more factors. Get start and see how it goes.

I did fire performing for a while with my family,

Fire as a kid, Ice as an adult? Makes a good narrative.

Girlbird · Feb 7, 2018

Steven, I hope you also stay on the ice - and also you could look into adult dance classes! I know plenty of dancers who started in college or as young adults, and some of them even dance professionally. I definitely get that desire you have to perform - I mean, I make part of my living as an actor/singer/dancer so I have that same drive. It's hard not to get caught up in the future and worry about competing/performing opportunities - I get ahead of myself! - but the joy of doing it is also in the daily practice and act of skating itself (or dancing, or singing, whatever it is)! I feel great on the ice (most days) and I always feel awesome after I'm done because of the endorphins and the release!

I've been making an effort to talk to other adults I see at public skate who are clearly figure skaters and not ice tourists, as well as talking to some adults at FS ice, and everyone I've met so far has been really nice and willing to share their knowledge of the local scene, and I've gotten a couple recommendations for coaches!

Thanks everyone for the welcome & advice!

Ic3Rabbit · Feb 7, 2018

stevenlee said:
Not in your area, pretty far from it actually, and don't have the experience you've had previously, but I'm pretty much looking into the same thing. I'm really wanting to pursue it seriously, and I've felt extremely silly about it, because all I see is the word "impossible", but the more I see it, the more I'm determined to prove people wrong? And I'm just happy to finally be so passionate and have so much drive for the first time in my life.

I'm 24, and took ballet as a kid, and always wanted to take dance. I did fire performing for a while with my family, and as much as I get nervous I'm just born to be a performer. It's inside and needs to come out, and I had no idea how much I was going to love skating. I'd only been a couple of times in my life and it was always disastrous, but I'm doing everything I can on and off the ice to try to progress quickly to see if maybe it is something I can do, or if it's only going to cause heart break pursuing it. I'm really beating myself up, even if I can't really help it, to finding a passion that has such a small margin of being successful, not to mention the window at which most people can become, and can stay competitive. We'll see.

Either way, I'm super happy for you getting back into it, even if you ended up not getting into competition, it's still just a nice, fun, healthy thing to do. You can't go wrong with it. (And I should take my own advice on that one.)

Fire performing? Have you ever heard or or seen Ashley Clark skate? She combines the best of both worlds. https://youtu.be/EKoV3C0A7sM?t=80

Girlbird · Feb 7, 2018

Ic3Rabbit said:
Fire performing? Have you ever heard or or seen Ashley Clark skate? She combines the best of both worlds. https://youtu.be/EKoV3C0A7sM?t=80

UNREAL! She skates THROUGH the flames. Also how do you get that approved at a competition? doesn't it melt the ice?

Girlbird · Feb 7, 2018

I realize she probably most does ice shows but this video is from a competition?

Ic3Rabbit · Feb 7, 2018

Girlbird said:
I realize she probably most does ice shows but this video is from a competition?

Correct on both accounts.

treesprite · Feb 8, 2018

A coach who was at the rink where I skated as a kid, used to do back flips through flames. She would practice without the actual flames at the rink on private ice time, so I watched her. She ended up being a Holiday on Ice principal skater, then became a body builder. Hard to believe she took her preliminaries the same day I did, after she was already coaching for a while and doing those stunts (guidelines for coaching were different back then). This woman did not even ice skate until adulthood; she was a roller skater though, before taking to the ice.

Mussique · Feb 8, 2018

Ic3Rabbit said:
Fire performing? Have you ever heard or or seen Ashley Clark skate? She combines the best of both worlds. https://youtu.be/EKoV3C0A7sM?t=80

A-M-A-Z-I-N-G :eeking:
Thanks for the link! :love:

stevenlee · Feb 8, 2018

gkelly said:
As long as you have access to ice, learning how to skate is very possible.

How good you will get depends on a lot more factors. Get start and see how it goes.

Fire as a kid, Ice as an adult? Makes a good narrative.

Haha! It really does, doesn't it? The title of my autobiography if skating doesn't kill me!

Girlbird said:
Steven, I hope you also stay on the ice - and also you could look into adult dance classes! I know plenty of dancers who started in college or as young adults, and some of them even dance professionally. I definitely get that desire you have to perform - I mean, I make part of my living as an actor/singer/dancer so I have that same drive. It's hard not to get caught up in the future and worry about competing/performing opportunities - I get ahead of myself! - but the joy of doing it is also in the daily practice and act of skating itself (or dancing, or singing, whatever it is)! I feel great on the ice (most days) and I always feel awesome after I'm done because of the endorphins and the release!

I've been making an effort to talk to other adults I see at public skate who are clearly figure skaters and not ice tourists, as well as talking to some adults at FS ice, and everyone I've met so far has been really nice and willing to share their knowledge of the local scene, and I've gotten a couple recommendations for coaches!

Thanks everyone for the welcome & advice!

I'm so awkward that trying to approach other people will be really hard for me, but I'm definitely going to try it. I'm hoping some of the people in my group lessons are friendly, and not awkward. I've also started following a lot skaters on Instagram, beginners and experienced just for the variety. Watching a lot of instructional videos, and I've even been practicing what little bit I can off the ice, just trying to get a feel for stuff.
I told my mom that it's crazy, because I'm not a driven person, but there is just this intense passion I can't shake, and that even if nothing comes of it and I never get to compete, I still had the drive to learn something that doesn't come easy to most people, at an age that most people are hitting the peak of their competitive time frame, so...yeah.

Thank you for the advice! I'm excited to hear any updates you may post!!

Ic3Rabbit said:
Fire performing? Have you ever heard or or seen Ashley Clark skate? She combines the best of both worlds. https://youtu.be/EKoV3C0A7sM?t=80

Buuuu...Why have I not seen this??? I thought I would be the first. :tantrum:

In all seriousness though. Wow!!!! :love:

Girlbird · Feb 8, 2018

stevenlee said:
I'm so awkward that trying to approach other people will be really hard for me, but I'm definitely going to try it. I'm hoping some of the people in my group lessons are friendly, and not awkward. I've also started following a lot skaters on Instagram, beginners and experienced just for the variety. Watching a lot of instructional videos, and I've even been practicing what little bit I can off the ice, just trying to get a feel for stuff.
I told my mom that it's crazy, because I'm not a driven person, but there is just this intense passion I can't shake, and that even if nothing comes of it and I never get to compete, I still had the drive to learn something that doesn't come easy to most people, at an age that most people are hitting the peak of their competitive time frame, so...yeah.

Thank you for the advice! I'm excited to hear any updates you may post!!

:

I think that skating is a wonder drug! I feel the same way, I have this newfound passion to skate no matter what else is going on in my life.

Hi! Young adult returning to the ice!

Girlbird

singerskates

Girlbird

singerskates

jf12

mskater93

stevenlee

gkelly

Girlbird

Ic3Rabbit

Former Elite, now Pro. ⛸️

Girlbird

Girlbird

Ic3Rabbit

Former Elite, now Pro. ⛸️

treesprite

Mussique

stevenlee

Girlbird

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