Have Freestyle Skaters given you tips at Public Skate?

[FSWer]

Say,I just wanted to post this because I know that Freestyle Skaters have given ME tips at a Public Skate at my Rink. What about everyone else here?

[overedge]

Yes. And usually the suggestions have been very wrong, so I thank the skater politely and keep doing what I was doing.

[Clarice]

Usually I'm the one giving the suggestion, and it's usually "things would go a lot easier for you if your skates were tied tighter".

[AndyWarhol]

I would never give anyone advise unless they asked for it. I always think that perhaps they have a coach, and i wouldn't want to undermine what they have already learned.

I remember the owner of the first rink i skated at said that if a figure skater wont help you in a public session is you ask for help, then they have forgotten where they came from, so, i always apply that.

I was always to scared to ask for help when i was learning, i preferred to try and bumble along on my own haha.

[Synchkat]

Our public sessions are different here, i.e. No figure skating allowed, but I usually get asked for some advice or to teach someone something. Like Andy Warhol said I only help if asked first. Unless I see something really wrong and then I would step in with advice.

[TheGirlCanSkate]

My daughter gets asked, but she responds with a smile and a "Sorry, I'm not a coach." But she is so busy on the ice someone would have to jump in front of her and pretty much make her stop.

She does loan gloves, say hi to the littles, and is a nice kid. But rinks want coaches to coach.

She is there to practice, not teach.

[Skittl1321]

The most advice I'll give public skaters is "have your little one practice walking out on the mats, lifting his knees and marching before you go out on the ice" (if you can't walk on the mats, your chances on the ice are slim) or "make sure you use the hooks on the skates too!" (to people who have wrapped the giant laces around their ankles and tied a bow, not lacing up a single hook).

I'll sometimes tell giving up public skaters in hockey skates that figure skates are easier to balance in, and they should try them before they quit for good, and then switch back to the desired hockey skates once they get better.

Pretty much all of my talking to public skaters happens while I am taking my skates off. I don't like to skate public sessions. I'm too scared.

[FSWer]

I would never give anyone advise unless they asked for it. I always think that perhaps they have a coach, and i wouldn't want to undermine what they have already learned.

I remember the owner of the first rink i skated at said that if a figure skater wont help you in a public session is you ask for help, then they have forgotten where they came from, so, i always apply that.

I was always to scared to ask for help when i was learning, i preferred to try and bumble along on my own haha.

Are you saying that the Owner told you to ask a Freestyler for help? In response to Overedge....is it safe to say that more muture Freestyle Skaters are more then likely right on there advice?

[overedge]

In response to Overedge....is it safe to say that more muture Freestyle Skaters are more then likely right on there advice?

I don't know if you mean "mature" in age or in ability, but the worst advice I have received is from skaters who are older in age.

But regardless of age, someone who doesn't know you well as a skater and is only seeing you at a public skate session (unlike your coach, who sees you regularly), and/or who isn't a trained instructor, is probably not going to be able to give you really good advice. Unless it's something basic like Clarice's advice about tying skates properly.

[AndyWarhol]

Are you saying that the Owner told you to ask a Freestyler for help? In response to Overedge....is it safe to say that more muture Freestyle Skaters are more then likely right on there advice?

No, he was telling me this after I was a more experienced skater, saying that if anyone asks for some basic help, you should help them (if you can).

[treesprite]

Usually I'm the one giving the suggestion, and it's usually "things would go a lot easier for you if your skates were tied tighter".

Yep!

[FSWer]

No, he was telling me this after I was a more experienced skater, saying that if anyone asks for some basic help, you should help them (if you can).

Oh,so he was saying that as a more experienced Skater,you should feel proud to give help. I myself no matte who they are,just see it as knowing that a Freestyle Skater (even if I'm not %100 sure on what they offer me,should at least know what ther talking about.

[Skittl1321]

(even if I'm not %100 sure on what they offer me,should at least know what ther talking about.

I wouldn't assume they know what they are talking about.

I had a "helpful" freestyle skater suggest that I rotate on my toe-pick to get more height in my toe loop. She then went on to demonstrate a common mistake that skaters call a "toe waltz jump"- because it is a very bad toe loop. But it DID have more height than my jump did. But terrible technique.

You can try things that another skater suggests, but I wouldn't assume that they are doing it right either. Since you skate just for fun, it doesn't hurt to try things.

[TheGirlCanSkate]

I myself no matte who they are,just see it as knowing that a Freestyle Skater (even if I'm not %100 sure on what they offer me,should at least know what ther talking about.

No. They are not a coach.

[zaphyre14]

Keep in mind that sometimes helpful people think they know more than they really do.

[gingercat]

How many "good or qualified" Freestyle Skaters do you see on a public session?

[Skittl1321]

How many "good or qualified" Freestyle Skaters do you see on a public session?

We don't have any national senior level skaters around here, but I've seen skaters with their senior tests practicing triples on public sessions. They are low attendance sessions, and it is cheap plentiful ice.

To a public skater, a bronze level adult can look like a star, and a pre-juv kid (sometimes even lower, if they have composure and aren't too young) look amazing.

[Aussie Willy]

Keep in mind that sometimes helpful people think they know more than they really do.

I have watched these kinds of people for years. There is one person who I see from time to time at my rink who I cringe everytime I see them trying to help someone. This is a person who once told my ice dance coach that my coach didn't know the Dutch Waltz.

It is also something I warn other less experienced skaters about as well.

[AndyWarhol]

I dont know why people would go up to someone else and offer them help.. when i go to skate, i want to skate.... but each to their own i guess.

I used to teach Aussie skate, so, I can help if anyone just wants some tips on basic things. I can't imagine anyone would ask me for jump technique help haha.

[AusTechSpec]

I wouldn't assume they know what they are talking about.

I had a "helpful" freestyle skater suggest that I rotate on my toe-pick to get more height in my toe loop. She then went on to demonstrate a common mistake that skaters call a "toe waltz jump"- because it is a very bad toe loop. But it DID have more height than my jump did. But terrible technique.

You can try things that another skater suggests, but I wouldn't assume that they are doing it right either. Since you skate just for fun, it doesn't hurt to try things.

Exactly, the thing to remember is that there isn't one solid way to do something.
There are thousands of different techniques and some will suit you and your body better than others... Might as well try it and see...