For Parents of Skaters
Primary Coach - Every Figure Skater Needs a Main Coach
One coach should take charge of a skater's training.
10 Commandments for Figure Skaters
The 10 Commandments for Figure Skaters is a list of behavior guidelines for ice skaters.
Teaching Skating Classes Is a Bit Like Going Fishing!
Coaches must teach classes in order to build a private lesson clientele. In a sense, learn-to-skate classes are equivalent to fishponds.
How to Guide a Young Child Towards Becoming a Figure Skating Champion
This article outlines what parents of young figure skaters must do if they wish to see their child become a figure skating champion. Olympic figure skating coach, Tom Zakrajsek, gives his advice.
Concussions In Figure Skating
Figure skating is a dangerous sport. When a skater hits his or her head while skating, there is a possibility of a concussion. Parents, coaches, and skaters should be aware of the dangers of a concussion.
Should a Skater Leave a Figure Skating Coach For Something That May Be "Better?"
Parents of young figure skaters may wonder when it is time to make a coaching change. Is it better to be a "big fish," that is, the "star skater" of an unknown or up and coming figure skating coach who is based at an obscure ice rink or club, or to move on to a coach and training facility, rink, or club that already produced top skaters?
A Family of Competitive Figure Skaters
If done well, a television reality show about a figure skating family could teach the public much about the ice skating world.
About Sophia North: A Young Figure Skater
This article shows how Sophia North, a young figure skater, takes skating seriously. The article is meant to provide guidance for parents of other young skaters.
Facebook, Social Networking, and Figure Skating Ethics
Figure skating coaches are not permitted to solicit skating students, who are already working with another coach. This means that using Facebook or other social networking sites to solicit skaters who are already taking lessons from another figure skating coach is a violation of the PSA Professional Skaters Association Code of Ethics.
Train Like an Olympic Figure Skater
All figure skaters can train like Olympians. Here's how!
Make Your Child the Best Figure Skater Possible - Be a Figure Skating Champion
This article outlines what parents of young figure skaters must do if they wish to guide their child into becoming the best figure skater possible. This article is for those with Olympic figure skating dreams.
Figure Skating Parents Can Be Similar To "Dance Moms"
This article compares the mothers shown on the reality television show "Dance Moms" with competitive figure skating parents.
Little Children Can Learn to Ice Skate
This article gives advice on how and when a parent should get a child started at figure skating. Also, what to expect from tot group ice skating lessons is outlined and discussed.
Skating and Cults Have Some Common Characteristics
The competitive figure skating world may make no sense to those who look in from the outside.
Should Figure Skating Parents Yell At Their Children At the Rink?
If you saw a parent yelling at a figure skater at an ice rink, would you do anything about it?
Figure Skating Parents Should Keep a Good Relationship With Former Coaches
Parents of figure skaters need to know that saying bad things about a former coach is just not appropriate.
National Championship for Juvenile and Intermediate Figure Skaters
Beginning in 2013, Juvenile and Intermediate figure skaters who qualify compete at a competition scheduled in conjunction with the United States National Figure Skating Championships.
Behavior Guidelines for Figure Skaters
This article gives some general guidelines on how figure skaters should behave and also live their lives.
Is Your Ice Rink Safe?
It has been publicized that carbon monoxide poisoning can occur in ice rinks. Rinks that use ice resurfacing machines that are fuel powered, not electric, can give off dangerous fumes. Only a few states have set up safety standards for ice rinks.
Figure Skating Parent Competition Behavior Guildelines
This article gives parents an idea on how to behave at figure skating competitions. Certain guidelines should be followed.
Team Teaching In Figure Skating May Create Champions
Team teaching is when more than one person has a say in a figure skater's development and training. A "team of coaches" work together.
Skates on Our Feet - Chapter One
Skates on Our Feet is a fictional account, based on fact, geared for young readers, of one family's figure skating story. On a regular basis, About.com's Figure Skating Guide, Jo Ann Schneider Farris, will add another chapter to this story. Through this story, those interested in figure skating will learn about the sacrifices and commitment...
Education Alternatives for Figure Skaters
This article lists some of the alternative forms of education that are popular among figure skaters.
What Skating Mothers Do
This article explains the message of the figure skating photo collage "Skate Moms" that appeared on Facebook and the internet in February of 2012.
Figure Skating Injuries - Should a Coach Force a Figure Skater to Compete...
Should a coach force a figure skater to compete and warm up after being injured in a competition warm-up? Share your thoughts and experiences.
Figure Skating Rinks - Is Your Ice Arena a Good Rink for Figure Skating?
Some ice rinks may be only for recreational skating or for ice hockey. Other rinks may be geared especially for figure skating and will have coaches on staff who are able to take an ice skater all the way from the beginning stages to the elite level. Is your ice arena a good facility for figure skating? Share information about your rink and...
Ice Skating Games - Fun Games Figure Skaters Can Play At the Skating Rink
Ice skating games make figure skating fun for skaters, their family, and friends. Can you add some more skating games to this list?
Shattuck-St. Mary’s School - A Boarding School for Figure Skaters
Shattuck-St. Mary’s School is a boarding school that offers a full-time figure skating program. Top coaches and training are provided for students. The program is college preparatory. Shattuck-St. Mary’s School is the first private boarding school in the United States to offer figure skating training.
Camps and Summer Skating Programs for Figure Skaters
Figure skaters can go to camp during the summer. Many week-long, overnight, and day camps for ice skaters are available at figure skating training centers throughout the United States.
Bullying In the Figure Skating World - Bullying Among Ice Skaters
What can be done to stop bullying in the figure skating world?
Photos of Evan Lysacek's Family At the 2010 Olympics In Vancouver
On February 18, 2010, Evan Lysacek became the 2010 Olympic Figure Skating Champion. His family was in Vancouver to help him celebrate his gold medal victory.
Sharon, Mark, and Ethan Crowe - A Figure Skating Family
Sharon, Mark, and Ethan Crowe are an ice skating family. Sharon is an adult figure skater, Mark is an adult who enjoys skating with his family, and young Ethan is an aspiring young figure skater.
Get Started Figure Skating
This article gives step by step instructions on how to begin figure skating.
Review of "Training Figure Skaters" - A Book by Jack Curtis
"Training Figure Skaters" by Jack Curtis is a manual for ice skating parents and skaters.
Figure Skating and School - Can Figure Skaters Attend School?
Is it possible for a competitive figure skater to attend school full-time?
Little Children Can Learn to Ice Skate
Some parents get their children started with ice skating as soon as they can walk. Others wait just a bit longer. What was it like when your child first tried ice skating? Share your stories and thoughts about when a child can begin to ice skate.
How to Switch Figure Skating Coaches
Parents and skaters need to be aware that there are some guidelines all skating coaches follow when a skater switches coaches.
Share Your Thoughts on Social Networking, and Figure Skating Ethics
Experienced figure skating coaches know that it's okay to be friendly to other skaters, but being overly friendly, is not a good idea. For this reason, figure skating coaches, parents, and skaters should be cautious on how they use Facebook and social networking sites when interacting with skaters. What are your thoughts on this issue?
Buying the Right Figure Skates for Your Child
I wrote this article for U.S. Figure Skating's Basic Skills Parents Page. This article will assist you in purchasing figure skates.
Suggested Meal Plan for Figure Skaters
Figure skaters of all ages must eat a healthy and balanced diet. Eating right should begin when ice skaters are young. This article includes a suggested meal plan figure skaters.
Finding A Coach -- What Every Parent Should Know
This is an excellent article that appears on the U.S. Figure Skating website.
Building Confidence and Self-Esteem in a Skater
I wrote this article for U.S. Figure Skating's Parents Page. It gives suggestions on how a parent can be supportive to a figure skater.
As the Blade Turns - A Figure Skating Soap Opera
Our story is centered at a figure skating facility located in the mountains. Figure skaters from all over the world come to the facility since some of the best ice skating coaches in the U.S. are teaching there. Drama and jealously goes on each day at this particular ice arena. Although the stories included in "As the Blade Turns" may be true, the names have been changed to protect the innocent.
Ask Skating Moms
This is a site put together by some parents of figure skaters. It gives advice on costumes, volunteering, choosing a skating coach, what to expect at competitions, and many other topics.
The Colorado Springs World Arena Ice Hall
Figure skaters from all over the the world come to Colorado Springs to train at the Colorado Springs World Arena. The facility is also the home of the Broadmoor Skating Club.
Amateur Figure Skating -- A Non-Geographic Community
This is an article by Edith K. Schneider, a parent and grandparent of serious competitive figure skaters, coaches, and officials, that describes the figure skating world.
Skating Ahead of the Curve
Figure skating coach Cheryl Richardson has developed this site. It is devoted to exploring questions surrounding training of figure skaters.