Skaters who have become Skaters by accident.

[FSWer]

Ok everyome. I'm not really sure if this should be here...or in the Trash. Bu anyway. I'm reading the Book "Ice- Princess" based on the Movie....and it encouraged me to start this Thread. So anyone who has seen the Movie or read the Book should know wer were going with this (and how to start) this thread. What I want to ask today is...do we know of any real-life famous Skaters who became Skaters quite be accident in about a kind of simular way that fictional Skater Casey becam one in that Movie?...OR if you YOURSELF hapened to become a Skater in any such kind of way..let's please hear about it.

[overedge]

I don't understand this question.
I remember that Casey in the movie decided to skate so she could try out some of the physics ideas she had learned in school, but I'm not sure how that is becoming a skater "by accident".

[Aussie Willy]

Some of the male world champions over the years got into figure skating to help them improve their ice hockey. Todd Eldredge and Kurt Browning are a couple who I read did figure skating for that reason.

[Johnny_Fever]

Yup, that's the story us guys stick to. Its not like we can admit that we chose figure skating from the outset.

[FSWer]

I don't understand this question.
I remember that Casey in the movie decided to skate so she could try out some of the physics ideas she had learned in school, but I'm not sure how that is becoming a skater "by accident".

Remember Casey origanally JUST want to use Skating for her project? She had no intention of becoming a Skater. Until she figured she needed to be on the ice herself to understand more for her project....and it lead to her wanting to actually BE a Skater?

[hanca]

Remember Casey origanally JUST want to use Skating for her project? She had no intention of becoming a Skater. Until she figured she needed to be on the ice herself to understand more for her project....and it lead to her wanting to actually BE a Skater?

Isn't that a fairy tale though? In reality, you don't become a skater by accident. You don't just do single, pull in just a tiny bit more and ... 'ups, I have landed a double'. To be able to land a double and triple, you have to be very determined and work really hard, so there is no accident. you must know what you want and go for it.

[zaphyre14]

You may START skating by "accident" for a reason other than simply wanting to learn to skate - but you don't "become a skater" by accident. It takes work and practise and dedication to be good at it.

Keep in mind that those stories and movie plots are FICTION; they're not real, or they stretch the truth and make it look easier - and faster - than it really is. It makes a nice to story to have someone put on a pair of skates and become a champion in a few months, but that's not reality.

[Aussie Willy]

Same as the Cutting Edge with turning a hockey player into being able to double axels within 6 months.

Blades of Glory was a lot more realistic.

[Skittl1321]

Remember Casey origanally JUST want to use Skating for her project? She had no intention of becoming a Skater. Until she figured she needed to be on the ice herself to understand more for her project....and it lead to her wanting to actually BE a Skater?

She was already skating before the project though- she owned her own skates and skating on a pond by her house. She just wasn't a trained skater.


But it's also fiction...


I think a lot of skaters became skaters because their sibling skated, and they got dragged along to the rink, and in the end they stuck with it and the sibling didn't. That's kind of by accident.

[Skittl1321]

You don't just do single, pull in just a tiny bit more and ... 'ups, I have landed a double'.

I'm trying to convert a half-flip to a single (yeah, not quite the same thing, but impossible for me) and I got told to "just do it, don't land, keep rotating".

I mean- if I just apply that to all my other jumps, I'll be doing quads in no time- right? Don't land, just keep rotating.

[AxelAnnie]

You may START skating by "accident" for a reason other than simply wanting to learn to skate - but you don't "become a skater" by accident. It takes work and practise and dedication to be good at it.

Keep in mind that those stories and movie plots are FICTION; they're not real, or they stretch the truth and make it look easier - and faster - than it really is. It makes a nice to story to have someone put on a pair of skates and become a champion in a few months, but that's not reality.

IIRC - Kristi Yamaguchi began skating because her mother thought it would help strengthen one of her legs (which was slightly clubfooted)

And, Scott Hamilton began to skate, (I believe because his sister did) and discovered it helped his health.

[RonC]

I'm trying to convert a half-flip to a single (yeah, not quite the same thing, but impossible for me) and I got told to "just do it, don't land, keep rotating".

I mean- if I just apply that to all my other jumps, I'll be doing quads in no time- right? Don't land, just keep rotating.

And, Scott Hamilton began to skate, (I believe because his sister did) and discovered it helped his health.

I did see a video of Scott Hamilton saying he took up skating by accident. He had a brain tumor that limited his growth. He didn't think he would have been as good as he was if not for the tumor.

It was a "I am second" video I saw on utube.

[Johnny_Fever]

Now that I think about it, Elaine Zayak got into it as therapy after her foot accident.

[Aussie Willy]

I know quite a few adult skaters who got into because their kids took it up. Kids give up but the parents continue.

[julieann]

IIRC - Kristi Yamaguchi began skating because her mother thought it would help strengthen one of her legs (which was slightly clubfooted)

And, Scott Hamilton began to skate, (I believe because his sister did) and discovered it helped his health.

That is a common story about taking up skating to improve the child's heath.

[Aussie Willy]

I have heard that a few of the Russians took up skating to improve their health.

[NarumiAyane]

Mirai Nagasu started to skate because she couldn't golf on a rainy day

[misskarne]

Apparently the story behind Plushenko's beginning goes something like this:

Plushenko and his mama are at the store and the girl down the road and her mama are there too. They're arguing because the girl doesn't want to skate anymore and her mother is trying to persuade her to continue. She sees little Plushy standing there and says, in a desperate move: "Fine, if you don't want to continue, I'll give your skates to him!" and hangs the laced-together skates around little Plushy's neck.

So little Plushy had his first skates - girls white skates two or three sizes too big for him. They stuffed newspaper in the toes.

He was already taking ballet for his stamina - weak chest.

[pp55]

I personally know a Polish figure skater who as a little child had some form of polio (Heine-Medin disease). One leg was a bit shorter and weaker. The doctors recommended some sport activity. It happened that there was a skating club and the parents singed her for skating lessons. She liked it, got involved more and more.
At the end she competed internationally, even at the Olympics.

[aliceanne]

I read that Natalia Mishketunok (Olympic pairs gold/silver medalist) and her hockey player husband tried pairs skating together.

Rick Inglesi (Rudy Galindo's coach and show skater) was a champion roller skater as well as ice skater. Tara Lipinski was an accomplished roller skater before she committed to ice.

Tenley Albright (Olypmpic Gold Medalist) took up skating to strengthen her legs weakened by polio. I think I remember Ann-Margaret Frei (1960's) had a similar story.

A lot of brothers over the years have been highjacked from hockey to be dance or pairs partners for their sisters. Paul Duchesnay may have been one.