Etiquette for conflicting advice from coach

[Rachelsk8s]

Not all coaches are boot experts, and what used to be true of certain brands and models of boots--or the fitters who fit them--may not remain true over the years. 

I couldn't agree more!!!

[FigureSpins]

Many coaches tend to recommend the skates they used that worked well for them.  Parents who skated do the same thing.  I wear custom Klingbeils, so I would never suggest my skates to a low-level skater who's still growing unless they have a physical issue.  (such as uneven leg lengths)

As a coach, I try to understand skates and fitting/blade mounting.  I keep up with trends.  I talk to fitters and sharpeners, check out the new vendor offerings and discuss new skates with recent buyers/sellers so that I can ask pertinent questions and raise any issues. 

However, I only have a dozen students.  I can't have/retain the knowledge and experience of a skate fitter who guides and works with that many different skaters each week. 

The fitter can look at a kid's foot and choose the brand that will work best, accounting for their skill level and size/weight.
Plus, the fitter has to stand behind what s/he sells, so they have a vested interest in getting it right the first time.

That's why I don't charge for accompanying a skater to a fitting nor do I insist on a particular brand/model.  I will suggest what fit a similar student well, but defer to the fitter's opinion and how the skate feels to the skater.  Once they're have the skates, I can see blade issues, width problems, imperfections/defects and my favorite: the room-to-grow size that looks like clown shoes.  If there's a problem, I send them back to the pro shop.

[jjane45]

That's why I don't charge for accompanying a skater to a fitting..

I've always wanted to comment that accompanying skaters to a fitting trip is very, very nice of you!

[FigureSpins]

I've always wanted to comment that accompanying skaters to a fitting trip is very, very nice of you!

There's a bit of self-interest too: When a student doesn't get the right skates for their feet, lessons are frustrating and tedious since we're basically waiting for their feet to grow into the skates.  Plus, parents can't always answer the fitter's questions or make an informed choice if they don't understand the options.

We only have one pro shop in the area now, which is at the rink, so I don't mind spending a few minutes since I'm at the rink for lessons anyway.

[jjane45]

We only have one pro shop in the area now, which is at the rink...

Oh oh oh lucky!!!

[sarahspins]

Oh oh oh lucky!!!

I don't know that it's always the case.. I should snap a picture of our "pro shop" sometime soon... it's so focused on hockey that you'd have NO CLUE they sold anything figure related at all.  They sell a modest assortment of tights and soakers, but that's basically all you can "see" in the shop (they do carry a fairly extensive stock of riedell boots though, but those are all held in the stock room upstairs).

Just to see the only sharpener trusted locally with figure skates (not an employee of the rink, but he does use the rink's incredible edger) you have to walk through the shop like you own the place, go past two "employees only" signs, and then up the stairs.  If you didn't know to do that, or know when he's supposed to be there.. you'd never have a clue that you actually could go up there or that there was anyone there to see.

[FigureSpins]

I don't know that it's always the case.. I should snap a picture of our "pro shop" sometime soon... it's so focused on hockey that you'd have NO CLUE they sold anything figure related at all.  They sell a modest assortment of tights and soakers, but that's basically all you can "see" in the shop (they do carry a fairly extensive stock of riedell boots though, but those are all held in the stock room upstairs).

One of the other rinks about 45 mins away just changed over to all-hockey items.  It's a pretty big space.  They had an unused "ticket office" at the front door that the rink is turning into a figure skating shop.  It's teeny-tiny, but maybe it'll be okay once they unpack the boxes and stock the shelves/walls.  Not sure what the reason was for the switch; they didn't have that much FS stuff in the first place.

We used to have a really nice store about a half-hour away (opp. direction) that sold dance, gymnastics and figure skating goods.  I loved that store and the owners/staff were great to work with.  Alas, they closed up shop due to the recession.

[Doubletoe]

Great resource, doubletoe - thanks for the posting the info.

The OP's current Gam Horizons have a PVC upper and sole, so I don't think any shop will do a rebuild on these particular skates. 
However, if she buys all-leather skates, it's definitely an option for the future.

I've had skates rebuilt in the past and found that they "take a little off the top" of the boot to open the inner/outer layers.
If you have leather skates that are already low-cut, such as dance boots, you may not like the feel of the rebuilt skates.

When I skated, skates could only be rebuilt twice - C&L wouldn't do a third rebuild.  To be honest, after the second rebuild, they always felt like different skates and it never seemed to last as long as the original skates, I guess because it doesn't stiffen the inner/outer layers of leather or because it made them more low-cut so I had less ankle support.  Typically, second rebuild skates would become patch boots because of the lack of support, even after a rebuild.

Good point about boots that aren't leather.  I've personally never had a boot rebuilt more than once.  I figure if it's already been rebuilt once and it's starting to feel loose in the ankle, it's probably time for a new pair (plus, there's bound to be a little sole rot by that point, which I can tell by my screws getting loose more easily).

[Janie]

There's a bit of self-interest too: When a student doesn't get the right skates for their feet, lessons are frustrating and tedious since we're basically waiting for their feet to grow into the skates.  Plus, parents can't always answer the fitter's questions or make an informed choice if they don't understand the options.

We only have one pro shop in the area now, which is at the rink, so I don't mind spending a few minutes since I'm at the rink for lessons anyway.

I still find that extremely nice of you! I wouldn't expect/ask my coach to do the same though, especially if I'm going to drive 1.5 hours away to the pro shop.

I don't know that it's always the case.. I should snap a picture of our "pro shop" sometime soon... it's so focused on hockey that you'd have NO CLUE they sold anything figure related at all.  They sell a modest assortment of tights and soakers, but that's basically all you can "see" in the shop (they do carry a fairly extensive stock of riedell boots though, but those are all held in the stock room upstairs).

Our rink pro shop has figure skating stuff, but it's tiny! I guess I'm spoiled, because I got my current skates in Canada, and the shop was enormous! I went to USA Skates expecting something similar, but I think the Canadian shop was 3 times the size of it...

Good point about boots that aren't leather.  I've personally never had a boot rebuilt more than once.  I figure if it's already been rebuilt once and it's starting to feel loose in the ankle, it's probably time for a new pair (plus, there's bound to be a little sole rot by that point, which I can tell by my screws getting loose more easily).

Don't worry, I have no intention of rebuilding the GAM Horizons


Thanks everyone, you've all been very helpful!

[turnip]

Very nice coach to go with your skaters, even if it is partially self interst  Especially since you don't insist on what they end up with.

One coach at my rink will only ever put her skaters in Jackson skaters. I've seriously never seen her teach a kid in anything else! She has a bit of a close thing with the guy in the shop who surprise surprise only sells Jackson and a few beginner models of other brands.

My coach reccomends WIFA to her skaters, but was perfectly happy for me to have Jackson Premiers (which I love btw).

It makes me cross when I see parents saying "oh yes, little miffy's feet are very wide/very long/have seven toes, and it was ever so hard to get used to these skaters, but that's what coach said she should have". I was chatting to one parent who was cramming her daughters very wide feet into jacksons, I did mention that different brands are different shapes and she could try Edea or something else next time, "but coach said to get these ones".

A coach can recomend by all means, they've been skating for many years and seen many skaters with many types of feet and many different skates. But at the end of the day, they don't have your feet and they don't wear your skates, so you have to make your own decisions in the end.