HOW LONG SHOULD A CHILD WAIT UNTIL THEY COMPETE?

[jenniturtle]

MY DD SKATES AT A SMALL RINK WHERE THE COACHES MOSTLY WORK WITH OLDER GIRLS. I HAVE ALOT QUESTIONS BUT DON'T KNOW WHO TO ASK.
HOW LONG SHOULD A SKATER TAKE BEFORE THEY START COMPETING? MY DD 10 AND HAS BEEN TAKING GROUP LESSONS FOR A YEAR. SHE IS CURRENTLY ENDING FREESKATE 1.
WHAT ARE YOUR OPINIONS? PLEASE HELP AS I AM CLUELESS!

[Isk8NYC]

Welcome to skatingforums!

There's no hard-and-fast time frame for IF and when a skater has to start competing.  She's definitely at a level where she can start taking private lessons. 

I have a student around your DD's level that I actually DON'T want in competitions.  S/he's been passed up through the levels too easily, without real strength or mastery of the elements.  S/he's painfully shy and afraid of attention, so to combine that with weak skills at a crowded competition would be a recipe for failure.  I'd rather spend the lesson time improving his/her basic skating, honestly.  I think it's a better investment for the parents - I don't spend my skating parents' money pointlessly.

When a skater starts working on a program for a competition or a skating show, in either a group or private lesson, new skills aren't introduced.  The coach will use the highest skills the skater has completed to make the program, so they'll get a workout, but no new skills will really be gained.  When I used to coach the show groups, I made that clear to the parents.  Our entire lesson would be spent learning choreography and using existing skills with maybe one cute spin position or a simple jump, but nothing that would help them move up a skill level.  I always suggested adding a second group lesson so that the skater was still working on skills, otherwise they would plateau until after the show was over.  Just a word to the wise.

However, there are kids who love the limelight and a show or competition program is perfect.  It lets them grow as a performer and have a lot of fun. 

Most Basic Skills competitions require the skater to compete at their highest level completed as of a certain deadline date, usually a month before the event.  Check the registration form.  I would suggest that your daughter compete at Basic 8 since that's the last level she completely passed.  However, let your new coach determine what level she should compete at because the standards for competitions will always be more demanding than the group lesson program evaluations.  They're really just to organize the next round of classes.

Our rink has early-morning and late-afternoon freestyle sessions.  Most of the skaters taking lessons in the mornings are older and the younger skaters come in the afternoons.  It's because of school and lifestyle schedules, mostly.  So while you may have been at the rink for group lessons on one day, that doesn't mean that the coaches don't have any younger private students.  Some coaches specialize in different skater groups, but it's usually based on skating level, not age.  There are some coaches who prefer adult students, or serious competitors.  They'll tell you honestly and refer you to someone else.

My personal opinion is that Basic 6 or so is a good jumping-off point to start privates because the higher Basic levels are real foundation skills that are best learned properly.  One-on-one attention will always be better than a group setting, especially if the skater is a little shy or gets overlooked easily. 

Talk to your daughter about the group lesson instructor she's liked in the past year.  The rink can give you their contact information.  Ask if they're accepting new students at your DD's level, find out what time slots they have available, their rates for lessons AND what is needed for the competition.  You probably would want to be clear that you're going to use the competition as a "trial" basis or that you'll think about continuing lessons after the event, but you weren't able to commit at this time.  That's fine and honest in making it clear that your daughter wants to try this competition, but you weren't planning on taking privates forever. 

Ask the coach if there's enough time to properly prepare for the competition.  If the deadline's next week, you're pushing it - more time beforehand would be better.  I usually suggest two months of lessons before the competition, to ensure that the skater has enough time to prepare and practice.  That cuts down on the nerves and stress.

If your DD ASKED about the competition, you should probably try to make it happen before that interest wanes.

[jumpingbeansmom]

Welcome!  (Did you know that all caps is like shouting??-- just an FYI).

My dd is 10, and she started skating at 6 but was definitely in competition with kids of various ages by Basic 8 or so....she started with Basic skills competition...as others have said, she also started private lessons around then.

[Sk8tmum]

There is no right "age" or "time". Many kids go their entire skating lives without competing, and they are very happy with that. Some kids start at age 3, some at age 13, some at age 33.  It has nothing to do with whether they are good skaters, advanced skaters, are privately coached, etc.  It all depends on when they want to; and they may want to for a bit, then, quit and just test.

Ask your skater if she wants to or not; then ask what kind of competition she wants to do (fun? competitive? Local? at a distance so nobody from the home town can see  ). Then, research if the coach does competitions; if so, what ones, and how much will it cost? Does the coach think it is a good step, or not?

In the same way there is no "rule" about when someone should have passed, say, preliminary dances, there is no rule about competing.  My littlest has been skating for years, does the occasional comp for fun - and that's it - at the same age, my other two were seasoned competitors. Everyone has to find their niche in the sport.


the nice thing about hte kids who doan't want to compete ... they cost you a lot less ... and they get to work steadily on tests without taking competition breaks ...

[jenniturtle]

SORRY ABOUT ALL CAPS I'M AT WORK AND THATS HOW WE ENTER THINGS!

THE RINK IS HAVING A LOCAL COMPETITION AND WE HAVE STARTED PRIVATE LESSONS WITH HER FAVORITE COACH IN PREPERATION. SHE DOES COACH OTHER YOUNG GIRLS HOWEVER IT SEEMS SHE FOCUSES MORE ON THE OLDER GIRLS.
MY DD LOVES SKATING AND WOULD BE AT THE RINK ALL DAY IF I WOULD LET HER. SHE HAS BEEN BUMPED UP SEVERAL LEVELS AND SEEMED TO BREEZE THROUGH TESTING. SHE HAS FOUND FREE SKATE TO BE A CHALLENGE, IT SURE HASN'T BEEN EASY FOR HER. HER GROUP LESSON HAS BEEN MORE LIKE A PRIVATE LESSON AS SHE IS THE ONLY PERSON IN HER GROUP. SHE LOVES PRIVATE LESSONS AND HER COACH SAYS SHE ACTUALLY DID BETTER THAN IN GROUP- GO FIGURE!!

[Isk8NYC]

It takes more than just lessons.  Skaters have to commit to 2-3 hours of practice on their own for every 30 minutes of lessons.  Something to keep in mind when you make up a schedule.  Be sure to build in practice time.  At her level, a public session is fine.  I expect that the coach only teaches on the more-expensive Freestyle sessions.

Back to jenniturtle's question, I think it depends heavily on
1) whether she currently has sufficient ice time to work on skills learned from lessons
2) financial resources
3) how badly she wants to compete

not so much about skill level since competitions are available at all levels. Good luck!!

To the OP, since there are competitions at *all* levels, she can start competing whenever she wants to (as others have said). But local, in-house competitions are sufficient. Don't go driving all over the state for Basic Skills competitions. I see kids here that have ridiculously OTT dresses and expensive coaches and get driven up to 3-4 hours away.. for Basic 4 events.. (these are the ones that sandbag, too). Maybe if your kid just loves competing, maybe take her to one out-of-house competition a year..

I totally agree about keeping Basic Skills competitions simple, local and fun.  Plan on going out for ice cream afterwards with her still wearing her dress, so she can show off.  Basic Skills competitions are participatory, so she will get a ribbon or medal, even if she doesn't place at the top of the podium.  Be prepared to highlight what went RIGHT and don't make a big deal about the standings.  Parents have to set the tone for sportsmanship by not complaining about judging, unfairness, or bad ice.  My girls are always complimented on how they interact with others at competitions - keep it friendly and positive.  Two moms have said that watching my girls wish others good luck and say they liked this or that, congratulating them even if they didn't win sets a great example for the younger skaters.

Just be aware that there are often evil vendors selling things at the competitions that will make your DD's eyes sparkle with desire, lol.

Mod note: Thread split  Group Lesson Progression Thoughts
http://skatingforums.com/index.php/topic,1198.0.html

[hopskipjump]

Even tots can compete!  My daughter said she likes to compete because as she wrote for school "it gives me a chance to show what I know".  Lessons are a lot of work and involve lots of time.  There is always something she is working on that is challenging.  Her first comp was an in house and it was great because it was in a familiar place and she was competing with friends and knew most of the judges (ISI so they are also coaches).  She does about 1-2 comps a year.  Limiting them gives her time to work through new skills and tests.  It has been interesting watching her and old videos where she looks a little nervous to the most recent where she just looks happy.  I'm glad there are recreational skating competitions, it's a good experience.

[twirly~girls~mom]

I think if she is showing an interest in competing, it's probably time. With Basic Skills and ISI competitions all over the place, it's not too hard to find an event that would be a good fit for skaters of all ages and abilities (one thing I love about skating!) I would leave it up to your daughter but I say if she wants to do it, go ahead!