This is a question I've been pondering this season. Our year has just wrapped up, so now I get to think.
The reasons I skate have to do with the physicality of the sport and the mental space it puts me in, when I'm left to my own devices and have a coach with whom I connect. I love the feeling of hitting a good edge, of holding a position, of the minute control I can sometimes have over my body. The sound of an active edge, the resulting increase in speed. A centered spin, a perfect three, clean tracings....I love the interaction of my brain talking to my body in a way that it just doesn't in "street" life. Its something I've done my whole life, so while I'm not amazing, I'm decent and just doing something familiar, while still pushing the boundaries of my body is thrilling.
But it's as much about the community, isn't it? I love being a part of my synchro team, and the surrogate family that creates. Plus the synergy of everyone's skating coming together to create something that bigger than all of us. The thrill of a good skate.....and being able to share in that thrill with the rest of the group. The friends I've made, the joshing in the locker room- going out and getting to know these wonderful people I share the ice with.
So what do you do when things start falling apart? And there's no other ice rink, so no plan B... Here in France, coaches are hired by the club, so you don't get to choose who you work with. We have a head coach who is a former world level dancer. Her priority is the kids in elite training program, and in the eyes of the club management, she can do no wrong. The rest of us are just there to pay the bills. Her managing style, and attitude are causing some coaches to quit, which I fear will ultimately result in her having to coach my synchro team again. As a coach, she is denigrating, brutish, and downright nasty. She is a bully, and takes a lot of the joy out of skating.
I don't know that I have the heart to continue synchro if she comes back (there are other factors at play as well, but coaching is the biggest). Fortunately, she refuses to work weekends, so there's little risk of her coaching the adult solo skaters. I can focus completely on solo.....but I'm a synchro skater- it's always been my forte and love (after figures).
So I find myself in limbo. Given the reduction in coaching staff, there are going to have to be changes- I'm waiting to see what those are before I make my final decision, but I've already come to terms that I'll be quitting synchro next season.
I need a fresh perspective on how to deal with this? I don't want to quit, but it's been miserable and only looks to get worse..... Any advice? Wise, perspective changing words?