Should I feel guilty switching from a really good coach?

[Query]

I haven't taken lessons for a while, and wish to take some.

The thing is, my last coach was very, very good. I'm hard to teach, and her teaching style meshed well with my learning style. She had very impressive test and competitive credentials. I got used to her dance tracking style too, which varies a lot from coach to coach, and is a major pain to switch.

But time and money matter.

She charged $34/half hour. But with ice time (including warm-up and after-lesson practice, all on freestyle/dance session ice), and commute costs, it comes to $69-$109 / lesson, depending on rink. Traffic is awful to either rink. I can drive one direction in 45-60 minutes, but the other way overlaps rush hour and often takes 5-7 hours. The subway rink commute is more predictable; if I run between trains, I can get there and back in 3 hours. I'm not sure if DC subway security allows ice skates.

My new coach to be is less experienced. I can only guess how she will match my learning style. She charges $26/half hour, on the low side around here. She teaches at the the rink I belong to during [usually] uncrowded daytime public sessions, so I've already paid for the ice, commute cost is $3-$5, and it takes 20-40 minutes each way to get there.

Is it bad to take time and money into account, when the old coach was so good, and most of the difference wasn't her fault?

[fsk8r]

Time and money are important factors when you're considering your skating and your paying the bills.
And as my coach is so fond of saying to me, it's your leisure activity so whatever suits you best is the right decision.

I can understand that it's a difficult decision to make when you really get on with your old coach and feel that her coaching style suits you, but the new coach as you say is unknown. While she may be cheaper, it doesn't mean that she's necessarily any worse for you. And if the overall cost of seeing her is a way of keeping you skating regularly (and hopefully therefore happier) rather than the old more expensive coach (and overall cost does need to be considered not just lesson time, it's ice and gas prices).

[jumpingbeansmom]

I haven't taken lessons for a while, and wish to take some.

The thing is, my last coach was very, very good. I'm hard to teach, and her teaching style meshed well with my learning style. She had very impressive test and competitive credentials. I got used to her dance tracking style too, which varies a lot from coach to coach, and is a major pain to switch.

But time and money matter.

She charged $34/half hour. But with ice time (including warm-up and after-lesson practice, all on freestyle/dance session ice), and commute costs, it comes to $69-$109 / lesson, depending on rink. Traffic is awful to either rink. I can drive one direction in 45-60 minutes, but the other way overlaps rush hour and often takes 5-7 hours. The subway rink commute is more predictable; if I run between trains, I can get there and back in 3 hours. I'm not sure if DC subway security allows ice skates.

My new coach to be is less experienced. I can only guess how she will match my learning style. She charges $26/half hour, on the low side around here. She teaches at the the rink I belong to during [usually] uncrowded daytime public sessions, so I've already paid for the ice, commute cost is $3-$5, and it takes 20-40 minutes each way to get there.

Is it bad to take time and money into account, when the old coach was so good, and most of the difference wasn't her fault?

I was going to say talk to your old coach and see if you can get her to take a little less per lesson for you to keep coming, but it sounds like perhaps it is also the time and cost of the rink as well?

[jjane45]

5-7 HOURS one way?! And you sustained for how long? Tell her your difficulties and she should be proud that you managed to see her.

How many lessons have you had with your new coach? I suggest trying her out first and keep your options open. Good luck!

[AgnesNitt]

I'm not sure if DC subway security allows ice skates.

Yes it does. And they should be in a bag anyway so who can say what's in there? (Unless Metro added Xray scanners since the last time I took my skates on there in Nov.)

[Sk8Dreams]

There's no reason to feel guilty.  I agree with jjane45, that you should let your old coach know why you need to try someone else.  Then, give the new coach a try - meaning exactly that.  If her teaching style doesn't work well for you, then it isn't worth the difference in time and money.  Let the new coach know that you want a few trial lessons to see if the two of you work well together.  You can put it on yourself and say you are very picky.

[Isk8NYC]

Just make the change and don't worry about it.  People understand about budgeting issues.

Set up a few trial lessons and take it from there. 

[jjane45]

How's the new coach, Query?

[Query]

So far so good.