Can hockey players do figures?

[Neverdull44]

Our rink has a figure class.  We have about 10 skaters who show up each Saturday morning.    To fill the rink, I was going to suggest that they consider opening it to hockey players.   They could wear their gear & hockey skates.  I thought it would be good for them to learn their edges better.  Any thoughts?

[riley876]

I suspect they can.  I've seen so many "impossible" things done on (inline and ice) hockey skates that I'd be surprised if it's not possible ( e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyWnOyIHFkI or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77lexHwCDEs ) .   Though I do recall when I switched from hockeys to figure blades I was pleasantly surprised how much better I could hold an edge on them.   So it's not going to be easy for them (but then again, figures never are anyway).

What's the format of the class?   Everyone given a patch and teacher goes around fixing people's stuff?  Or more sort of teacher demonstrates and then everyone goes from the side of rink to the other doing edges along a line?   The latter is probably closer to what hockey players are familiar with.

I suspect the younger kids aren't going to be interested in patch sessions.  Too uncool, and not high enough energy.  The older higher level players could well be though (if they have enough brain cells left after all those concussions to realise just how helpful it could be) .

Another possible issue is that hockey skates/players are notorious for messing up the ice.   This may not go down well with your existing clientele.

[Neverdull44]

Everyone gets a patch, and the coach goes around telling everyone what to do.  She also has a microphone to direct the class with an occasional skate back for a demonstration.  Most are doing forward and backwards eights, waltz eight, and the three turn patterns.   Even if a few adult/olderkid hockey skaters tried it.  I don't think the young kids would like it.  We have a 'pay as you go' $12/half hour or sigh up for a class series and get a discount.

[Doubletoe]

Seeing as skaters used to shave off their bottom toepick for practicing figures, I'd say they are something that could be done in hockey skates.  I highly doubt that many hockey players would be interested, but hey, never say never.

[AgnesNitt]

I don't think hockey players can do a 3 turn very well. But practicing mohawks might help.

[CaraSkates]

I don't think hockey players can do a 3 turn very well. But practicing mohawks might help.

One of my coaches also teaches hockey power skating - he can do junior moves in his hockey skates. Excluding the toe turns obviously. He swears the rockers are easier in his hockey skates. He also can do axels in hockey skates....

There is an ice dance coach near me who partners students through dance tests in hockey skates and bootcovers (solid black). I've seen him take students through PreGold tests.

[icedancer]

One of my coaches also teaches hockey power skating - he can do junior moves in his hockey skates. Excluding the toe turns obviously. He swears the rockers are easier in his hockey skates. He also can do axels in hockey skates....

There is an ice dance coach near me who partners students through dance tests in hockey skates and bootcovers (solid black). I've seen him take students through PreGold tests.

Just proving there is a difference between a figure skater wearing hockey skates and a hockey player who has never done any figures moves - I have seen good figure skaters wearing hockey skates for dance - did a Starlight Waltz with one of those guys and I would not have known he was wearing hockey skates...

Very cool.

[Bill_S]

I made a video of one of our former coaches doing a one-foot spin on hockey skates. He was a former pairs competitor, so obviously had some previous experience. Since he was a guy, they gave him the hockey kids to coach so he switched back and forth between skate types.

[Neverdull44]

When I've talked to a few of the hockey guys, they said, "Figure skaters have great edge control"   So, that might be a way to sell it.  I don't care if we get  a full house, but a few more on the ice will keep it going.

[Query]

As far as figure skating in general, could Max Aaron be considered a figure skater?

Similarly, there have been several top ranked hockey players who used to figure skate - but that's unfair, because the top hockey players are selected from such a large group of athletes that they can't be considered typical of your rink's hockey players.

As early as the late 19th century, complex figures were performed in skates that looked somewhat like hockey skates.

E.g., see

https://books.google.com/books?id=-bgCAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=figure+skating&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj4sZSRjfTMAhXGbz4KHb7gAOsQ6AEILzAD#v=onepage&q=figure%20skating&f=false

I think it was fairly common for skaters to write their script names on the ice using skates.

I particularly like the "combined figures", performed by groups of people.

There was an athletic and pretty teen age girl at the rink where I've worked as a rink guard who gleefully did figure skating tricks in her hockey skates whenever we told the hockey players the center area was for figure skating tricks. (She seemed to live on the ice. Not sure she ever went home. ) I've no doubt she could have done figures if she felt like it. But the large group of male teen age hockey players who followed her around like infatuated puppy dogs mostly couldn't do what she did.

Realistically, aside from a few moves like the "Drunken Sailor", I've rarely seen hockey players practicing making clean lines on the ice. There are a fair number of skaters who practice or coach both, and maybe speed and in-line too - but you don't need to look among the hockey players to find them.

You might do better by recruiting figure skaters from other nearby rinks. E.g., it's quite common for ice dancers to practice figure moves.

[Meli]

When I tested PB MIF, I shared the ice with a boy testing pre-pre MIF in hockey skates. (His brother did the same at the test session.)  From the coach's discussion with the parents afterward, it appeared she planned to take them all the way through Senior MIF in hockey skates.

[davincisop]

What rink is this at, Neverdull? If I recall, you're not far from me and I would love to take a figures class since my rink is still not doing one (despite me suggesting it multiple times haha).

[Neverdull44]

I am at Germain in Estero, Florida.  On Saturday morning, we have a great line up of classes.  Figures are from 9:45-10:15.  There is also high power, low power, spins, jumps, (I think Dance) and sychro.   Many times, there is a freestyle from 8-9.  Then, throughout the week at the 10:3ish-11:3ish hour, there is choreography, spins, jumps, power, sparkle, skating moves.   All levels of figure skaters.

[AgnesNitt]

I am at Germain in Estero, Florida.  On Saturday morning, we have a great line up of classes.  Figures are from 9:45-10:15.  There is also high power, low power, spins, jumps, (I think Dance) and sychro.   Many times, there is a freestyle from 8-9.  Then, throughout the week at the 10:3ish-11:3ish hour, there is choreography, spins, jumps, power, sparkle, skating moves.   All levels of figure skaters.

"Sparkle" ?

Cause I don't care what that is, I want to take that class.

[davincisop]

Me, too, Agnes.

ROAD TRIP TO ESTERO!

[riley876]

"Sparkle" ?

Cause I don't care what that is, I want to take that class.

Hmmm.  Cold and sparkling.

I know what you are.

Say it. Out loud. Say it.

Figure skater.

Are you afraid?

Yes.

[Neverdull44]

I'd love to have you all down here!   

Sparkle is all those tricks that add sparkle.   Spread eagles, spirals, catch foot spirals, change of edge spirals, wally, really good mazurkas, split jumps, etc.   Makes one concentrate 1/2 hour on doing stuff that normally gets overlooked or played with at the end of a session.

[Bill_S]

Great idea!

[tstop4me]

There was an athletic and pretty teen age girl at the rink where I've worked as a rink guard who gleefully did figure skating tricks in her hockey skates whenever we told the hockey players the center area was for figure skating tricks. (She seemed to live on the ice. Not sure she ever went home. ) I've no doubt she could have done figures if she felt like it.

There's a young woman at my rink who's an advanced freestyle skater.  On occasion, she shows up on hockey skates.  When she zips by practicing her edges and moves, I can't tell what skates she's wearing unless I specifically look at her skates.

[lutefisk]

One of our coaches alternates between figure and hockey skates, depending on which student she's teaching--she teaches both hockey skills and free style skills.  I have trouble switching back and forth between my new and old figure skates (and both pairs are the same brand and model of boot; both pairs have similar blades)!  I'd be dead in a minute if I attempted skating on hockey blades.

[alan]

I've seen many young people on Hockey Skates do amazing acrobatics including jumps, spins and fancy foot moves.