What are your skater's goals?

[hopskipjump]

I asked dd what her skating goals were and she said "Not the Olympics" but didn't have any other ideas.  She knows she wants to do the next set of jumps but thought of why she skates, not with anything specific.  So how did your skater decide on short goals, 6 month goals, long term goals.  Where do they see themselves in 5 years?  Do they think about it?

[Sk8tmum]

Set as part of the annual planning meeting with the coach; reviewed through the year, revised as necessary.

[davincisop]

I know for me personally it's focusing on what I'm working on right now. For example, I'm finally feeling at home in my new (now not so new) skates after over 2 months. I'm finally getting around in my loop and my flip. My goal is to have them by the end of August and test my Silver moves and my Bronze Freestyle by the end of the year. But I don't set too high of goals otherwise I'll be disappointed if I don't achieve them.  My new year's goal was to learn my axel this year (actually lean and land) but right now I still have the lutz to conquer, though I'm not too far from at least doing a walk through of it.

But setting small goals is sometimes more worth it because you feel more accomplished than the big ones.

[jumpingbeansmom]

I asked dd what her skating goals were and she said "Not the Olympics" but didn't have any other ideas.  She knows she wants to do the next set of jumps but thought of why she skates, not with anything specific.  So how did your skater decide on short goals, 6 month goals, long term goals.  Where do they see themselves in 5 years?  Do they think about it?

Right now, clean double double combinations-- here is some of today's practice



And clean double axel. 

I think she'd like to make sectionals/nationals next year at Juvenile level.   

[hopskipjump]

So at about what age does a parent go from "I think she would like..." or my skater's coach would like..." to saying "My skater told me she wants to achieve...."

[jumpingbeansmom]

So at about what age does a parent go from "I think she would like..." or my skater's coach would like..." to saying "My skater told me she wants to achieve...."

My skater is 10, skates juvenile level and is up to working on double axel-- she has landed a couple.   She has been setting her own goals with her coach for about a year.

[Sk8tmum]

So at about what age does a parent go from "I think she would like..." or my skater's coach would like..." to saying "My skater told me she wants to achieve...."

Age 5.  At least in my house. Granted, it was a small goal - a good 3-turn- but, it was the goal set by the skater and the coach (at age 5, a month is a long time!)  Sanity survival mode for us: coaches we trust absolutely, so we don't have to worry about having to set goals etc in a sport that isn't our area of expertise, or that aren't really capable of being set by us (or our role)   A good coach helps skaters set good goals and work toward them. I might think that a triple loop is a "NO WAY" but the coach knows it's achievable; I might think that a L4 spin should be achievable, but, it's not a goal this year because that's not part of the overal arc of the training plan.

and, of course, skating is like other sports - a goal that was a NO WAY at the start of the year may become achievable 3 months in; a goal that was reasonable like, say, a double lutz being done with steps into the jump may become "being able to do my double lutz at all" as a growth spurt, an injury, or something else changes everything ... I just worry when I hear little girls and boys (and not so little) declaiming that they will have their (insert jump or spin here) or go to (insert competition or level here) - and know that they are setting goals that haven't been fully thought out by a good coach and intelligent discussion with the skater ... lots of them quit because they feel like failures.

[isakswings]

I asked dd what her skating goals were and she said "Not the Olympics" but didn't have any other ideas.  She knows she wants to do the next set of jumps but thought of why she skates, not with anything specific.  So how did your skater decide on short goals, 6 month goals, long term goals.  Where do they see themselves in 5 years?  Do they think about it?

Honestly, we set short-term goals with the intention of reaching a larger goal. One goal might be to skate a clean(or near clean!) program. One might be to gain more core strength and currently, the goal is to work on her single jumps so her doubles will look great when she starts landing them consistantly. We take baby steps. Some of my daughter's goals are coach implemented. IE: moves test. Pre-juv moves are next and she has been working on them, BUT she is also working learning Juv moves since those take awhile to nail down. She knows all of her pre-juv moves, but is working on perfecting them now. Moves are more of a goal her coach pushes. Like most skaters, they aren't always dd's favorite! Hee hee.

Oh and I am not sure where dd would see herself in 5 years. She talks about coaching, we'll see.

[hopskipjump]

Thank you! 

[skatingpasty]

I think my short term goals at the minute would be to get a decent sit spin - i.e. a low spinning sitspin, i barely get down at all  and a decent backspin

I'm hoping my goal for the end of the year is to be able to land an axel, i'm working on lutz at the moment after just continually landing my flip after a week of learning it (after many falls and bruises too) I'm hoping i'll be able to land a good axel by christmas, I can do it off ice but haven't yet attempted it on ice yet, my coach said maybe soon we'll start working on it

I think my goal for the next 5 years would be to be able to land all my double jumps (i'll give axel an exception) as I'm determined to get that far. I don't think i'll reach triples but you never know anythings possible

[skatingmum2]

Re goals:

DD - 12 - clean double doubles and more consistent double lutz, better landings (weakest part of her jumps), better flexibility (although not working at this the way she should) and some specific spirals. flying sit spin, bielman spin. Lots and lots of tests in free and dance. To pass all moves in field tests before next summer (almost ready for second last ones). She had twenty other goals and coach made her reduce her list somewhat. She wouldn't mind finding a pairs and dance partner either although that seemed a particularly non-sensible goal to have so I suggested she remove that one from her list as well....

DS - 8 - axel (his goal), second moves in field test (not a priority until recently when even he announced he was sick of what he's been practicing for months and months and is planning to try harder at these), double loop. Camel-sit spin.

My goal - to get enough sleep despite kids skating schedules/desires and to maintain a sense of humour and a reasonable bank balance!

[dak_rbb]

I asked dd what her skating goals were and she said "Not the Olympics" but didn't have any other ideas.  She knows she wants to do the next set of jumps but thought of why she skates, not with anything specific.  So how did your skater decide on short goals, 6 month goals, long term goals.  Where do they see themselves in 5 years?  Do they think about it?

I asked my daughter about her goals.  Currently, her immediate goals are to improve the quality and consistency of all her double-double combinations and to get her double Axel to the point where she can compete with it next season when she moves to juvenile.  She will have specific objectives for each competition as well.  She and her coach discuss these during lessons.  I know she also has longer term goals (or maybe "dreams" is a better word).  She would like to get to nationals (who wouldn't) and she probably has dreams beyond that, though she doesn't talk about them.  As to where she sees herself in 5 years--I think it's crazy to think too much about that at this point as so much can change. 

[Sierra]

Lol, I think about it all the time. I obsess over it. My initial goal was coaching, which is what formed my other goals- to pass Senior MIF and Free, because it ties in with the coaching. And the Senior tests are a good benchmark to aim for.

My short term goals tend to depend on what comp/test I'm doing next. My current short term goals is landing my axel and getting my program and Pre-juv moves to a good standard.

In five years, I will be nearly twenty years old. Provided that I am able to upkeep practice, I can see myself being close to finished with moves by then- working on Junior or re-taking Novice, maybe? Some, or most, of my doubles should be consistent in five years. I will be aged out of Intermediate competition, so depending on how my jumps are, I will either be done competing or I will have a go at Novice. I would hopefully be an established junior coach as well.