Coaches part in skating dresses?

[rinkrat]

I'm 17 and have been skating for about a year. I am in ISI Freestyle 1. I will be competing in a local basic skills competition in January. I have a private coach and I was wondering does the coach typically help a basic skills student find a skating dress or is that completely up to me?

[Skittl1321]

I have had 3 coaches and none have ever done anything with my costuming.  It likely depends on the coach. If you want help, ask.

[hopskipjump]

I would let the coach know you are looking.  At our rink we have coaches with phone trees and we moms REALLY appreciate it.  You tell them you are looking and they email their skater's parents.  It really nice for me - I don't keep old dresses and I LOVE getting a deal.  Some dresses hit 4-6 girls easily.

[fsk8r]

If you want advice on what to be thinking about, talk to your coach. Some have ideas on dress styles and colours that you might not think about. You can always find a few pictures of dresses you are considering and discuss these with your coach.
But I've always chosen my dresses although now I've got a few in the wardrobe, I will give my coach the choice of which dress to wear for a new program.

[jjane45]

It would be nice ask the coach for dos and don'ts. Different coaches have very different ideas about their roles in the skater's choices.

[hopskipjump]

I will say.....I have very definite ideas of what I want for dd's dresses if I have one made for her so I am more apt to NOT ask a coach's opinion.  But I study dresses at local comps, online, videos, etc so I'm confident she/he would like what I select.  I am less confident when what I select is very different from the crowd (pants on a girl for example).

[sarahspins]

I think if you don't have any idea where to start then asking your coach is a good idea, otherwise my experience is that most coaches are hands-off about dress choices.. it's just up to the skater/parents to choose. 

I wouldn't hesitate to ask my coach for her advice/opinion, but I would also feel in no way obligated to follow that if I didn't like or agree with it - I'm the one that has to wear it after all!

[jjane45]

From what I see, some coaches are more controlling than others, and may feel left out if not consulted.

[AgnesNitt]

My russian male ice dance coach insists on approval of my test dresses. There's even a tryout session to make sure it 'doesn't ride up'.

No, I don't know what insane world he lives in inside his head.

[VAsk8r]

Any coach with beginning skaters or skaters competing for the first time should expect to be asked a lot of questions, and I don't think asking her for advice about where to buy a dress, how much to spend and how much decor or bling it should have is at all unreasonable. She may know of local places or skaters looking to sell gently used dresses cheaply.

If you end up looking for something online, narrow it down to 2-3 options and you can ask her through email or by showing her on your phone.

Just make sure if you're planning to order online, you do it several weeks before the competition, particularly if the dress is made to order. It's good that you're thinking about this now.

[Sk8tmum]

ALL of our dresses and costumes are designed or purchased with specific input from the choreographer and coach; they approve the design, and the material.  We are fine with this, as that is part of the expertise we pay them for. Also, we figure that we are representing them on the ice when our skaters skate. They also have never guided us into an incorrect decision.

They have always respected out budget, and worked with us within it.  Yes, we always have practice run thrus with all dresses before test or comps - which is good, as what works on the hanger may not work on the ice or under the lights.  Gives time for adjustments.  And yes, butt checks sure do happen ... always.

I would say of the 25 coaches at our rink ... 90% of them do the same thing with costumes. All of the competitive track skaters that I have ever encountered have had their coaches/choreos do their costuming. 

With my DD now being on the judging panel, we have had confirmed what we have always known in terms of the effect that costuming has on the "impression" that the skater makes. No, there is not a mark for costuming in specific, but, it does affect the overall package that the skater puts on the ice.

[jjane45]

My russian male ice dance coach insists on approval of my test dresses. There's even a tryout session to make sure it 'doesn't ride up'.

Several of us in the dance group lesson took our very first dance tests this summer, and Dance Coach made sure to "suggest" what to wear. All of us ended up in pure black IIRC, including the test partners.

[AgnesNitt]

Several of us in the dance group lesson took our very first dance tests this summer, and Dance Coach made sure to "suggest" what to wear. All of us ended up in pure black IIRC, including the test partners.

ice Dance: The Wall of Black----The movie

[isakswings]

I'm 17 and have been skating for about a year. I am in ISI Freestyle 1. I will be competing in a local basic skills competition in January. I have a private coach and I was wondering does the coach typically help a basic skills student find a skating dress or is that completely up to me?

I haven't read any of the responses but we have always consulted our daughter's coach about our daughter's dress. Ultimately, it is our choice but her coaches imput is valued. I had no idea what to look for when my daughter started skating... Her coaches imput was quite helpful.