what do coaches look at to assess skaters potential ?

[Aussie Willy]

For a coach is the result actually the only motivation's criteria for them ?

No.

Ever skater needs to be treated with respect as they pay their hard earned money to the coach. However many skaters are not doing it for competition but just to learn a new skill or do something they enjoy.

But sometimes it isn't even about skating.

If you have been with a coach for many years, they can become more of a friend than a coach. Sometimes when people are going through rough periods in their life, they look to the lesson to help them work their personal issues and the coach is someone they can talk to.

My coach has always been great for that. She had one student who was going through a really stressful time in his life. The lesson ended up being more a therapy session for him than an actual lesson. But because she has known him for many many years she was quite happy take him for the lesson with it probably being about a 1/4 of the time actual skating.

He still paid for her time, but she understood that is what he needed to help him with his problems. And maybe the result was he got that ear who listened to him when he had no-one else to talk to.

On the other hand, I would probably be concerned with getting a student who from the get go is using the lesson for reasons other than skating and I would feel uncomfortable with that. She had another student who was trying to use skating as a match making service, to the point of asking my coach really personal questions. And then asking her for other people's phone numbers (including myself). It was really creepy.

[Aussie Willy]

double post - sorry

[Teresadee]

I'm not sure what a coach "looks" for but I most likely don't have it! I do try, so maybe this counts for something.

I think the kids who are fearless and hard workers seem to move along quick. This is an adult skater observation.

Teresa

[jjane45]

No.
She had another student who was trying to use skating as a match making service....

I thought the student was trying to solicit a pairs / dance partner when I first read it, LOL.

Guess experienced could generally tell if a skater will be big, the hard part is how big? World champion big or sectionals big?

[Aussie Willy]

I thought the student was trying to solicit a pairs / dance partner when I first read it, LOL.

Guess experienced could generally tell if a skater will be big, the hard part is how big? World champion big or sectionals big?

Well when I first met the guy he bragged about how he could do all these senior dances. And then when he got on the ice he could barely skate.

[Artifice]

Guess experienced could generally tell if a skater will be big, the hard part is how big? World champion big or sectionals big?

It's a point, because yes, a potential is an interesting concept but a potential for what ? Very few skaters will reach a level that will bring glory to a coach. The rest of his students will not bring anything in term of fame or international recognition, so, I do believe that for the daily work, it is more important to have good training conditions, serious students than said "potentials", hard to deal with, who will anyway never reach the top level.

And by the way, high "potentials" are just raw material. This is what a coach/skater do with it that is interesting. And often I got to see less talented people succeed more than so called "potentials".

I still wonder why some coaches seem to focus only their attention on "potentials" rather than motivated, hard worker skaters. Since results may come more from hard workers than "potentials" who don't work well.

[gkelly]

Guess experienced could generally tell if a skater will be big, the hard part is how big? World champion big or sectionals big?

Well, sometimes that ends up being a matter of luck and perseverance as much as talent.

Getting to sectionals at junior or senior level generally means being to land some triples and having decent skating skills and presentation.

Winning Worlds would require being able to land most or all of the triples (and maybe a quad for men) and doing it when it counts, along with good, very good, or excellent basics and presentation.

The potential to master all the triples or to achieve very good skating skills is a matter of talent, but it's not always obvious at beginner or even juvenile levels who actually has that talent. And some who do have the physical capability won't achieve it because of injuries or laziness or quitting because they lose interest or can't afford the training.

So at the lower levels, a coach may be able to see that the better skaters probably have the ability to achieve sectional-level success and maybe better if everything works out right for them, but until they actually get to the point of landing double axels and getting close on triples, it's hard to say whether they actually will get what it takes to achieve that much, let alone more.

I'm not a coach, but what gets my attention at lower levels as skaters who might have the potential to succeed at the higher levels would be
-ability to generate power/speed with ease -- even better if it looks effortless
-secure edges
-agility to turn both directions and to transition among steps, turns, and jumps at speed
-enough height in jumps to complete the rotations in the air -- if they have clean doubles with room to spare at juvenile level or below, or big clean singles at the lowest levels, then there's a decent chance they'll get enough height for triples as they get bigger and stronger
-efficient and controlled jump mechanics

If the skater shows those talents at lower levels, then I think they have the potential to make it to the elite levels. Presentation can be learned if the basics and the motivation are there.

[FigureSpins]

If you were a coach with two competitive skaters and six recreational ones, the rec skaters would be left behind everytime you needed to go out of town for a competition, which means a loss of revenue. Some coaches charge their competitive skaters for that lost income. The travel expenses would only be split between the two competitive skaters, so it makes it more expensive for them to compete.

That's why coaches choose to focus on competitive skaters and would be looking for talented skaters to join their roster.

I prefer skaters who aren't *that* competitive because I really want to limit my travel and focus on good, recreational skating. My students all do very well in school and have other interests in addition to skating, so they really can't commit the time to train year-round.

I love the fact that my current parents and skaters all get along and support each other; an unexpected bonus is that they carpool, so I have very few cancelled lessons due to other committments.

[Purple Sparkles]

As a coach, I will take any new student that is interested and fits into my schedule because I am trying to build a business and get experience. If I were able to be picky, I would look for skaters that truly enjoy skating and have fun with it. I love skating and I want to share my passion.

As for what skaters that may have potential to be elite skaters: a good sense of body awareness and fearlessness.

[misskarne]

This thread is making me curious...gives me a little insight as to why my coach so readily took me on and was so ready to push me...certainly not complaining though!

[Artifice]

This thread is making me curious...gives me a little insight as to why my coach so readily took me on and was so ready to push me...certainly not complaining though!

There can be many reasons for that.

[vesperholly]

I only teach classes and semi-private lessons right now, but I find the best students have a lot of the same qualities: a willingness and eagerness to learn, try new things, and practice independently. Skaters with talent/potential will pick up new skills extremely quickly, they try things on their own and can often "teach themselves" to a degree. And of course, a natural balance helps immensely.

I taught one student the very basics of a salchow, turned around to help another student, and the first girl came up and said "Is this it?" and did a really good salchow. Uh, YES! This student had previously not passed one of her badges and was very upset by it, but she came back fighting, and has been kicking butt ever since. Great quality.