Is it worth it to return to skating?

[Alaska_1128]

Hey! I've been spending a lot of time recently wondering if I should return to figure skating. For background, I skated previously for about 3 years a couple of competitions and shows. This was probably stupid, but I made it my whole personality and even started a YouTube channel. I don't want this to be too long so I won't go into the circumstances that lead me to quit but to make it short: my coaches got fired,when to a new rink,I went with them, I was skating more making friends, doing new classes and progressing much faster. Everything was great until my parents (understandably) Decided they didn't want to drive two hours to the rink twice a week.But anyway I really miss skating but idk if I should go back. I would have to find a new coach which scares me. But the main reason is because I'm not sure it's worth it. I can only skates one or two times a week because that's all my parents are willing to commit to. I want to land my axel and doubles and be able to do cool spins,and I don't think twice a week is enough. And although money isn't really and issue,its a lot of money to spend if I'm just going to end up being unhappy.At the end of the day I love skating and miss a lot but I don't want to waste time and money and not see progress. I just don't really know what to do and could use some advice from anyone whose been in a similar situation

 

[Diana Delafield]

Hey! I've been spending a lot of time recently wondering if I should return to figure skating. For background, I skated previously for about 3 years a couple of competitions and shows. This was probably stupid, but I made it my whole personality and even started a YouTube channel. I don't want this to be too long so I won't go into the circumstances that lead me to quit but to make it short: my coaches got fired,when to a new rink,I went with them, I was skating more making friends, doing new classes and progressing much faster. Everything was great until my parents (understandably) Decided they didn't want to drive two hours to the rink twice a week.But anyway I really miss skating but idk if I should go back. I would have to find a new coach which scares me. But the main reason is because I'm not sure it's worth it. I can only skates one or two times a week because that's all my parents are willing to commit to. I want to land my axel and doubles and be able to do cool spins,and I don't think twice a week is enough. And although money isn't really and issue,its a lot of money to spend if I'm just going to end up being unhappy.At the end of the day I love skating and miss a lot but I don't want to waste time and money and not see progress. I just don't really know what to do and could use some advice from anyone whose been in a similar situation

Not in the same situation myself, just an adult who has skated all her life and can't imagine ever giving it up, but I can see your dilemma. Is it safe to assume you're still in high school? Do you think you have the patience to skate twice a week as the situation is now, to maintain your skill level even if you don't progress much? And then when you're finished school and either working, so you can pay your own skating expenses and provide your own transportation, you can increase your ice time at this new rink you enjoy. Or perhaps your studies or job might take you to a new city where there's a rink closer to wherever you'd be living, with new coaches already available there.

As a young adult with the basics already in place, you could then still acquire the skills you mention, quite easily. Adults older than you would be by that point, some of them complete beginners to skating, are able to learn the jumps, spins, spirals you dream of, and loving it the way you want to. You'd be starting from a higher skill level and could progress farther and faster. If you enjoyed competitions before, there are adult competitions now that can be at quite a high level, depending on the tests you've passed. What you want is do-able, it's just a question of how much patience and determination you possess.

Of course, if I've read you wrong and you're not a teenager, then I apologize. That's what I read between the lines. But if I'm right, then go for it -- but go for the long view, if you're able to be that motivated. If your parents see your patience and determination under the current conditions, they might be willing to extend their support, if they can, to encourage you. The dream life you want is there, just not dropped immediately in your lap. Go for it!

 

[LolaSkatesInJapan]

This is such a personal matter and decision and no matter how many different opinions you hear, they are quite honestly irrelevant, since the owners of these opinions are not you, don't have your circumstances, don't have your exact personality and feelings, goals, ambitions and dreams.

You're correct, given your goals, twice a week is not enough, but twice a week is better than not skating at all for you? Conduct a risk assessment on your current situation, be realistic while analyzing the pros and cons of going back to skating.

However if you really, REALLY love figure skating as in, you wake up and it's the first thing you think of, and not a day passes by that you don't think of it several times a day ... then skating twice a week is definitely better than not skating at all. You don't give enough details, but the fact that *currently* you can only do it twice a week doesn't mean that the situation can't change.
Again, if you really love it and can't see yourself not skating, just start doing it twice a week for now, and strategize as your situation changes.

But this is a decision that is up to you to analyze and make.

 

[icewhite]

Not in your situation. Just my two cents.
As I got older I have learnt you regret the things you don't do, not the things you do.
Do you have other projects to spend that time or money on? Otherwise, I'd say give it another try.
If after half a year you realize it only makes you unhappy, then you know and can stop without regrets. If you don't do it - and you have nothing else to consume you in that time - you will probably be like "what if, why didn't I" for longer.
It's life, it does not have to be perfect. You just try to figure it all out while it happens.
You can do a lot of off ice I think, to help you make the most of it.
And don't be scared to look for a new coach - same piece of advice, there's no way to find out unless you try. Spoken by someone who regrets not taking more risks earlier.

Or you go and look for something else that could give you the same pleasure but is more managable in praxis.

 

[Mathman]

I want to land my axel and doubles and be able to do cool spins...

I think that this point is the key. If your motivation is to acquire cool skills while having fun, this will outweigh any frustrations that you might be experiencing from not getting instruction and practice as frequently as you might wish for.

I am not a skater myself, but I would make the same observation about any activity that interests you.

 

[WednesdayMarch]

I'm only able to skate once a week for two hours (it's a 7 hour plus round trip to the rink for me) but if that's all I can manage, then I'm doing it. Skating is what I do. Two hours once a week is far from ideal and it is frustrating not to be able to do more but... I'm still doing it.

 

[sk8dreamzzzz]

Did I understand you right that there are 2 rinks?

Rink A is near you, but there is no one there to coach you. The rink still exists.

Rink B is 2 hours away and you used to be able to go 2x a week to train with your coaches and skate with friends, now that is too much.

If that's right, I wonder if you can get a coaching 1x a week at Rink B and do your practicing 2-3 times a week on your own at rink A? You will make friends there in time and maybe your skate friends from Rink B will join you there once in a while. That gives your parents a little break from the drive and assumes they would be ok with driving to rink B once a week.

 

[tstop4me]

But the main reason is because I'm not sure it's worth it. I can only skates one or two times a week because that's all my parents are willing to commit to. I want to land my axel and doubles and be able to do cool spins,and I don't think twice a week is enough. And although money isn't really and issue,its a lot of money to spend if I'm just going to end up being unhappy.At the end of the day I love skating and miss a lot but I don't want to waste time and money and not see progress.

* Perspective 1. My dream goal is to land my axel and doubles and be able to do cool spins within X months. Unfortunately, I'm constrained to skating only once or twice a week. I'm well aware that the probability of achieving my dream goal is low. If I don't achieve my dream goal, however, I'll be fine with it. I'll still love skating; and I'll maintain my current skills, rather than letting them deteriorate. I'll be ready to let rip once I'm able to skate more often!

* Perspective 2. My dream goal is to land my axel and doubles and be able to do cool spins within X months. Unfortunately, I'm constrained to skating only once or twice a week. I'm well aware that the probability of achieving my dream goal is low. If I don't achieve my dream goal, I will have wasted X months of my life. I'll be devastated.

Neither perspective is right or wrong. And it doesn't matter which perspective other skaters would adopt. It only matters which perspective you adopt. If you adopt Perspective 1, then go for it. If you adopt Perspective 2, you should probably find some other activity.

 

[k8a]

Personally, I think doing something you love is never a waste of time. Of course, it might feel frustrating if you are not able to acquire the skills you would like as quickly as you would like, but if you go into it with the goal of having fun, making new friends and doing something you love, then I believe you will still get enjoyment out of skating.