What classes should your rink offer?

[Query]

Just for fun - what classes would you like your rink to offer?

On or off ice, serious or whimsical...

[jjane45]

1. Off ice jumps clinic (complete with strength / fitness evaluation)

2. Program critique (with regular presentation seminar)

3. Weekly or biweekly "program ice" (to simulate competition) at accessible times. Some skaters are just stuck with busy ice for practice and have to worry too much during program run through.

4. For higher level skaters, spin / step level analysis, personalized back up plans for jumps (cheatsheet, Nobunari Oda style)

[hopskipjump]

I would just love if we had ballet for skaters.  We have a nice compromise right now (the ballet teacher at the dance studio is familiar and has lots of skaters so she makes adjustments for them), but it would be nice if it were at the rink and it was just for skaters.

[rosereedy]

Off ice jump classes, fitness classes, flexibility classes and maybe power classes.

[techskater]

Ballet, choreography class, off ice fitness/jumps/training

[Sk8tmum]

1. Sports psychology
2. On ice edges and turns and stroking
3. Ballet for figure skaters, as opposed to ballet for ballerinas
4. Musical interpretation/expression for skaters

[hopskipjump]

A figures class. I think it would help dd to focus just on the ice - do fast footwork, no jumping, no spinning - just concentration and ice.

[Query]

Interesting ideas! Of course the people who need to see your ideas are your figure skating directors. Couldn't hurt to get a few other interested skaters first.

Almost all of the suggestions you folks made have been done here by one rink or another, or by one club or another. I think coaches put a lot more work into creating specialized classes than just offering the standard fare, yet most of the rinks and clubs have no advertising budget, and no easy way to reach the general skating community.

Here are some more ideas:

  Ice Dance Partnering (organized by their coaches, so gender ratio is about 1:1).

  Ice Dance for Hockey Players.

  Hockey Skills for Figure Skaters.

  Injury prevention.

[jjane45]

Interesting ideas! Of course the people who need to see your ideas are your figure skating directors. Couldn't hurt to get a few other interested skaters first.

Almost all of the suggestions you folks made have been done here by one rink or another, or by one club or another. I think coaches put a lot more work into creating specialized classes than just offering the standard fare, yet most of the rinks and clubs have no advertising budget, and no easy way to reach the general skating community.

Here are some more ideas:

  Ice Dance Partnering (organized by their coaches, so gender ratio is about 1:1).

  Ice Dance for Hockey Players.

  Hockey Skills for Figure Skaters.

  Injury prevention.

Get some used black figure skates for them to try on, too!

[turnip]

One rink I skate at does group field moves (MiF) lessons, which is good as it's cheaper than private and is a good way of practicing them with everyone doing the same patterns (no jumps, spins or dance in the way!) Obviously need to be complemented with private lessons to teach in the first place and then to perfect for test, but a good supervised practice!

Dance lessons in SMALL groups! My club tries to do this, but with 50+ skaters of widely differing abilities on the ice at the same time, it doesn't work

[AgnesNitt]

Advanced edges and turns (brackets, choctaws, counters rockers, etc, basic 8's 3's to center)

I think the "Ice Dance for Hockey Players' class above should be advertised as "How to meet Chicks." to the guys and "Learn to ice dance with men" to the women.

[Query]

Dance lessons in SMALL groups! My club tries to do this, but with 50+ skaters of widely differing abilities on the ice at the same time, it doesn't work

Sounds interesting. Which club, where? All doing the same dance at once?

[Sk8tmum]

Seminars on:

• Blade sharpening
  Skate care
  Blade choices - differences, benefits, costs
  Boot choices and what to look for
  Preparing for competitions
  Preparing for test days
  Dealing with growth spurts and puberty (for parents)
  Nutrition
  Injury prevention
  Understanding the USFA or ISI system (I find it baffling as a Canadian; and it looks like a lot of parents here have questions)
  Recognizing jumps and spins (for parents)

[jjane45]

Sounds interesting. Which club, where? All doing the same dance at once?

My dance group lesson this session happens to have all beginners, same dance at once. Loving it so far.

[turnip]

My club is in the UK

Last time there were three groups, the top group did a harder dance, the other two did basic dances (novice foxtrot and canasta tango), but one did them with speed and flow, the other went through the steps slowly for people who hadn't done them before. Each group had 10-15 skaters in it. At the each end of the rink, we kept crashing throguh one of the other groups waiting to start their dance, and even in the group kept getting ineach others way. Which is why I wish they'd do it in small groups.