What is the life of a Freestyle Test Skater like?

[FSWer]

Ok. I hope I'm not being too personal here. But I've always wondered about this. I was wondering if you guys would be willing to please tell me in your own words... what IS the life of a Freestyle Test Skater like? If you feel safe in doing so....you may include (as optional) what your own life and day as a Freestyle Test Skater is like.

[overedge]

It's actually a very small part of my day. I go to work, do my job, and then go to the rink 2X/week if I don't have to work late. If I'm getting ready for a test or competition, I will go a few more times a week, and also go to the gym more often.

In contrast, the young skaters at my rink who skate in the "regular" competitive system (one of them went to junior worlds last year) skate probably 6 days a week fore more than 2 hrs./day, do off-ice training 3x/4x week, and also have to schedule in other things (e.g. sessions with choreographer, etc.) Amazingly, some of them also attend regular high school. I honestly don't know how they do it, but I admire them for it.

[Clarice]

FSWer, I wonder what YOU think such a skater's life is like? How do you think it would be different from anybody else's?

[FSWer]

FSWer, I wonder what YOU think such a skater's life is like? How do you think it would be different from anybody else's?

LOL,good question Clarice. It's 1 reason I posted this. As I can really only guess. I know they practice a lot and all. But what exactly is it like to be in their place? Say do we have anyone here who's life is actually almost all skating? I'd love to hear from a Skater like that if we have one here.

[jjane45]

Well, I imagine for elite skaters it's comparable to a full-time job. Some people separate work and personal life completely, some let work extend over a little bit, and some are workaholics

As for non-elite and recreational skaters, really it's a hobby, quite costly and risky one too.

[FSWer]

What about for the young competitors who are in there teens,etc.?

[Clarice]

For most of the kids I know, their lives are pretty much like any other teenager's. They go to school, they do homework, they practice at the rink while other kids are going to basketball practice or practicing the violin or whatever. Some of them have jobs helping in the learn to skate program, whereas other kids might have jobs at the mall or McDonald's or something. Many of them belong to other clubs at school, or play in the band, or play other sports in addition to skating. It's really not that much different. Skating is just one part of their lives.

The more elite a skater is, the more time they spend on skating, and the more different their life would be from a typical teen's. They might be homeschooled so they can skate during the day when the ice is less busy, and they wouldn't have as much time for other activities. That would be true for any teenager who is elite at anything, though. Serious piano students spend as much time practicing as a skater would, for instance.

[zaphyre14]

Test skaters generally aren't "elite" skaters (although all the elite skaters took tests in the past). Test skaters are generally just kids who like to skate and use the tests as goals to work on. So they skate to learn new things and take the tests to show that they've learned them well enough to pass.

The thing is there really isn't a typical test skater. Every one is different. Some skate every day and focus on passing tests as quickly as they can. Others take may take a test once a year or every other year or whenever they feel ready. If they can only skate a couple of times a week, then it takes them longer to get ready.