CALLING ALL TEST SKATERS!!!..How you were Introduced to the Freestyle environment?

[FSWer]

Ok,my Rink has a Program that actually introduces Skaters who have passed the Basics,to the Freestyle Session Environment,and it gave me the idea for this thread. What I want to know from all our Freestyle Skaters here today is...How were YOU YOURSELF Introduced to the Freestyle Session environment?...Were you introduced through a Program at your Rink? Were you introduced through your coach,etc. Please include how you felt when you were FIRST introduced to the Freestyle Evironment as a Full-Fledged Freestyler.

[overedge]

I'm not quite sure what you are asking.

I took learn-to-skate lessons, and then my coach for learn-to-skate lessons started giving me private lessons, which we had to do on a public skate session because the local skating club wouldn't let an adult go on the junior freeskating sessions. So I took up ice dance instead because adults were allowed to do that. And then I ended up switching clubs and going onto freeskating sessions too.

But honestly, other than learning to watch out for skaters doing their programs, I found freeskating sessions pretty similar to learn-to-skate sessions. Everyone is working on their own thing on different parts of the ice, and you work on whatever it is you are learning at the time.

[TheGirlCanSkate]

Her coach took her out and explained what was going on and how dd should skate (jumping corners, not to stop on the ice, etc). After about a year, dd felt comfortable enough to go on her own to a freestyle session without a coach. Our freestyles have high level skaters, high level ice dancers and high level pair skaters so they can be intimidating.

We didn't start freestyles until dd was I think, FS1 with ISI.

[treesprite]

Last time I went to a freestyle session was, um, about 33 years ago. I just ended up going to it so I would have something to do between the time public ice ended and the time patch (figures) ice time started.

[AndyWarhol]

after a year of aussie skate i started having private lessons instead of group classes, which took place at a freestyle session. i never really thought about it...

[Skittl1321]

My first freestyle session was when regionals was at a nearby rink. The session was packed with high level skaters. My coach kept me pretty much at the wall the whole time. way too fast paced for a first timer!

[FSWer]

after a year of aussie skate i started having private lessons instead of group classes, which took place at a freestyle session. i never really thought about it...

Private Lessons on the same Ice as a Freestyle Session? Was it coned off? As I am surprised that is even allowed.

[gkelly]

Most skaters have their private lessons during a freestyle session.

"Private" lesson means the coach is teaching one skater at a time.

There might be up to 30 skaters allowed on the ice at a time on a freestyle session. Some of them are just practicing, and some of them are taking lessons. So there may also be coaches on the ice.

[FSWer]

Oh,I thought you ment a coach just giving private lessons in genual to just a Skater. Not nesacerally a Freestyler. So you mean that even Freestylers get private lessons as part of trainning?

[Clarice]

Yes, all skaters get lessons from their coaches. Sometimes they get them on public sessions, and an area might be coned off so that regular public skaters don't get in the way of the lesson. On a freestyle session, they don't cone anything off. There might be more than one coach on the session, and each coach will be giving a lesson to a different skater. There might be other skaters on the ice, too, who are just practicing and not taking a lesson right then. The lessons and the practicing all happen at the same time, and the skaters weave in and out around each other. They have to watch out to make sure that nobody crashes into anybody else.

[FSWer]

FSWer, I would be interested in hearing what you think the difference is between a freestyle skater and "just a skater".

LOL,ok you've got me Clarice LOL. I thought you ment when someone just learning to skate gets private lessons. Like they sometimes do at a Public Skate.

[Clarice]

I just edited what I said before to try to explain it a little better. A skater getting a private lesson might be a beginner just learning to skate, and they might be a more advanced skater learning harder things. Most of the time the advanced skaters have their lessons on a freestyle session.

[FSWer]

I just edited what I said before to try to explain it a little better. A skater getting a private lesson might be a beginner just learning to skate, and they might be a more advanced skater learning harder things. Most of the time the advanced skaters have their lessons on a freestyle session.

So basicly when your in Learn To Skate,once you become advanced enough,you get to share the ice-Time with Full-Fledged Freestylers (LOL,if you can use it that way), right?

[Clarice]

Yes, that's pretty much right. Skaters generally start using freestyle sessions when they get a program, because you usually can't play your music on public sessions.

[AndyWarhol]

Oh,I thought you ment a coach just giving private lessons in genual to just a Skater. Not nesacerally a Freestyler. So you mean that even Freestylers get private lessons as part of trainning?

Im so confused.

When you say "freestyler" you mean a figure skater right? as in someone who jumps and spins, but not a pair skater? a solo figure skater. Figure skaters take private lessons during freestyle sessions, most rink will only allow lessons to take place at freestyle sessions, as it is dangerous for people to be doing double/triple jumps with the general public plodding around.