Is it too late for me to begin figure skating?

[camilleon]

Hello, I am 16 and will be turning 17 in several months, and I am wondering if it would be possible for me to make it in the figure skating field. I know that most skaters start when their age is in the single digits, but I have recently discovered an interest in the sport and would like to begin training. I am a quick learner and have experience in dance and a little bit in roller skating.

I am willing to dedicate lots of time and money to the art, and have a passion for dance, but will this be enough? I understand that people have spent nearly a decade training by the time they are my age and also retire young as well. I don't plan on competing in the Olympics, but wonder if it would be possible for me to make it to worldwide ranked stages like elite skaters.

Is it possible for me to attain this goal as a late starter? Is it possible for me to ever compete on a level like the skaters on TV, or should I give up before starting?

Thank you for reading and any input that you may have!

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Hello, I am 16 and will be turning 17 in several months, and I am wondering if it would be possible for me to make it in the figure skating field. I know that most skaters start when their age is in the single digits, but I have recently discovered an interest in the sport and would like to begin training. I am a quick learner and have experience in dance and a little bit in roller skating.

I am willing to dedicate lots of time and money to the art, and have a passion for dance, but will this be enough? I understand that people have spent nearly a decade training by the time they are my age and also retire young as well. I don't plan on competing in the Olympics, but wonder if it would be possible for me to make it to worldwide ranked stages like elite skaters.

Is it possible for me to attain this goal as a late starter? Is it possible for me to ever compete on a level like the skaters on TV, or should I give up before starting?

Thank you for reading and any input that you may have!

Hi and welcome! You can always learn to skate, and don't focus on being an elite/getting to Worlds. That's a very rare occurrence for someone starting at your age. Even with experience in dance (which skating you are going to be spinning and so on more than likely in the complete opposite direction), and roller skating (which if quad skates, they feel and act very differently than skating on a very thin blade with edges).
I'm not here to discourage you from the sport, but I am going to be honest as someone that got to the level that you are wishing to. I started around age 3 on the ice and was competing at your goal level by your current age.
So hear me out: Please try the sport and see if you do like it and feel like it is something that you could be good at (many see the sport on tv and think it's easier than it is. It is not an easy sport, there are many minuscule details in movements and precision that are required to advance and it takes time). It is also more than on ice for training. There is off-ice training, work in the gym, etc that go along with the level you wish to be. You also need the proper equipment (skates and blade are expensive and you need proper expert fitting and someone that knows what they are doing sharpening figure skate blades so they don't mess them up).

So my advice in summary is: Try the sport and see if you like it, advance with time needed and know that even if you don't get to that level, as an adult there are competitions and so on that you can still do. It's a wonderful sport and there's a place for everyone no matter what level!

Good luck!

 

[gorgonzola]

I started ~6 years after your current age. Assuming you're in the US, if you do decide to put in the time and effort, you can go to competition. There are levels from pre-bronze to championship-masters. The Mens winner for the highest level had a double loop, double axel, double axel sequence and several triples in their program. He's 40. I don't know when he started skating. I mention this to say adults can skate at what I'd consider impressive levels, but they seem to be very rare.

If you look through older threads, you'll find many other people asking if it's too late to start skating. As a previous poster said, you should try the sport out and see what skating is like for **you**. Once you've tried it, see what you can accomplish with your time. Build from there. We don't know your plans: maybe you'll go to college, maybe you'll go study abroad, maybe you'll start working 9-5 and have to balance your skating schedule with all of your other life priorities.

That said, try it. The biggest regrets I hear people have come from giving up before starting. This applies to everything in life, not just skating. Who knows, maybe we'll see you at nationals one day. But most importantly, try to have fun.

 

[WednesdayMarch]

Get on the ice and see if it gets into your blood. Elite level is unlikely from your age at starting, but there are still so many opportunities for competition and performance, at every age and level. Figure skating is an addiction. Many, many people just do it because it's one of the closest things humans can get to flying and they love the challenge of mastering new elements. It doesn't matter if that new element is a triple jump or simply a good outside edge; the exhilaration is the same.