good skater's bios/autobios?

[phoenix]

I have an 8 year old student who is beginning to work on doubles. Everything has come fairly easily for her so far, but of course, doubles are a whole 'nuther kettle of fish!

She will try something once or twice, and then when she can't do it, sulks & cries. It's becoming so difficult for parents/coaches because she can't seem to understand that she will have to try and fall about 8,000 more times before that jump is landed & clean. Lessons become less than productive, to say the least. She also gets VERY upset if she doesn't land her axel every.single.time. (even though she does land about 5 out of 6!)

I'm wondering if there are any good biographies out there that show an elite skater's struggles in getting/keeping elements. Don't know if such a thing is out there, but thought it would be worth asking! Thanks for any help you may have to offer!

[Clarice]

The only thing I can think of offhand is in Joy Goodwin's "The Second Mark" where she tells about Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao learning the quad throw.  The book tells about how Xue fell repeatedly on her hip, to the point that some of the coaches couldn't bear to watch their practices.  She finally landed one on the 44th try.  This certainly isn't a kid's book, but this one story is pretty inspiring.

[Sk8tmum]

PJ Kwong is publishing a new book (she's probably more familiar to Canadians) - it looks like a history of Canadian figure skating, and it appears to have quite a few biographies in it  I've ordered an advance copy ... once I get it, I'll try to post up a review that makes sense. 

[Sk8tmum]

I wonder also ... my kid has been a quiet shoulder to thump on/cry on/mentor whatever, for quite a few younger skaters.  He has offered support and encouragement to the on-again/off again jumpers and skaters, because he's been there himself quite a bit over the years. As he's now one of the senior competitive skaters at our rink, he's got a certain amount of credibility with the kids who are frustrated, and when they hear that his axel came and went and came and went ... and so on ... they listen and are encouraged.  Similarly, a parent who has "been there" is a good resource for the frustrated parents (my shoulder seems to have a bit of a permanent dent/damp spot from being used that way, and happy to do it, too, of course).

Is there someone at your rink that could do the mentor role, either skater or parent?  Seeing a live "end product" can be quite reassuring and convincing.

[Tiggerwoos]

Sasha Cohen's "Fire on Ice" is a good one.

[isakswings]

I have an 8 year old student who is beginning to work on doubles. Everything has come fairly easily for her so far, but of course, doubles are a whole 'nuther kettle of fish!

She will try something once or twice, and then when she can't do it, sulks & cries. It's becoming so difficult for parents/coaches because she can't seem to understand that she will have to try and fall about 8,000 more times before that jump is landed & clean. Lessons become less than productive, to say the least. She also gets VERY upset if she doesn't land her axel every.single.time. (even though she does land about 5 out of 6!)

I'm wondering if there are any good biographies out there that show an elite skater's struggles in getting/keeping elements. Don't know if such a thing is out there, but thought it would be worth asking! Thanks for any help you may have to offer!

She sounds like my daughter's friend. She is not used to falling and it has been an interesting adventure for her(her coach and her parents!). She has had to learn to fall... and is still learning! My daughter falls all the time, so falling is not an issue for us. Right now, our issue is dd "ditching" her axels after she sets up for one! That's for an entirely different post all together. HEE! Good luck with your skater. Theonly skating book my daughter has read so far, has been Michelle Kwan's book.

[jumpingbeansmom]

I have an 8 year old student who is beginning to work on doubles. Everything has come fairly easily for her so far, but of course, doubles are a whole 'nuther kettle of fish!

She will try something once or twice, and then when she can't do it, sulks & cries. It's becoming so difficult for parents/coaches because she can't seem to understand that she will have to try and fall about 8,000 more times before that jump is landed & clean. Lessons become less than productive, to say the least. She also gets VERY upset if she doesn't land her axel every.single.time. (even though she does land about 5 out of 6!)

I'm wondering if there are any good biographies out there that show an elite skater's struggles in getting/keeping elements. Don't know if such a thing is out there, but thought it would be worth asking! Thanks for any help you may have to offer!

Wow, that is tough because not only do you start landing them after zillions of tries, I find that my dd's coaches (she is 9) keep tweaking them - you know better position, not cheated, more speed into them etc and fall and fall they do. 

[twokidsskatemom]

I know I read an article in the USFS mag that is took Ashley Wagner 4 years to get her D/A. Have her watch skaters on Tv too, she can see that they all fall !