This Is the Insane Amount of Money It Takes to Become an Olympic Figure Skater

[Skittl1321]

People, she specifically stated that they fly to Edmonton for “an afternoon of coaching.” (As in more than once) You can try to spin it anyway you want, but it certainly doesn’t sound like they did it once to try out a coach, and while they may have also gone for longer periods, this was an afternoon of coaching for an eleven year old for pitty sake! They may have the money to do, they may enjoy airports and customs, who knows. But from a strictly guiding you child through an already crazy sport this is probably not the best plan longterm for the child. I hope I am wrong.

Agree! Maybe the article could be "the insane amount of money you CAN spend in figure skating". It certainly isn't what it takes.
I feel like articles like this make light of the actual insane amount of money it takes to be a figure skater.

 

[Winnipeg]

This all sounds crazy to me

 

[Willin]

Yeah, we have a skater at my rink who almost made Nationals in a very competitive division this year. I think she skates 20-25 hours a week (some free ice time since she teaches classes, but probably around $7000/year worth of ice time), wears beaded stock dresses from a major dress maker (usually $600-1000), has limited lessons with her coach each week, and is a member of a club that gives out quite a bit of funding. I doubt she's paying more than $20k a year and yet is extremely competitive.

 

[barbk]

I wonder if part of that large cost comes from making sure the dress is bullet proof?

American skaters and non-American skaters who compete in America have to go to tournaments in cities like Milwaukee and Detroit and Chicago where people get shot in public all the time. They need to put safety first! No one wants to get a bullet lodged in to them while they're on the way to the rink from their hotel! It's a scary awful world out there.

Then there's Vancouver, where someone was knifed right outside the official hotel at Worlds 2001. Or Germany, where a topless guy advertising gambling made it out onto competition ice at Worlds while Kwan was waiting to start her program.

 

[mag]

AH mazing you missed the part where they downsized their home, went down to one car with dad working two jobs.

I don't know how far they fly onto Canada,but the 400+ miles between SF and LA can be yours fir as low as $29.00 with planning ahead for tickets. Oh and mom works from the rink.

It is over 1300 miles to Edmonton. It is an international flight with all the usual taxes, fees, and customs hassles. There is no comparison to flying from SF to LA.

Colorado Springs to Edmonton is not a “quick, two hour flight.” It is almost 5 hours with a connection through Denver and a quick google search puts the cost around $700 per person (that probably doesn’t include taxes and fees.)

 

[soogar]

Duhamel thinks the costs in the article are exaggerated. Maybe Mrs. Freezer can chat with her about economizing?

I bet Mrs. Freezer is very wealthy because rich people love to brag about how much they spend on their little darlings. I live in Manhattan and some of the figures I've heard for tutoring and lessons are ridiculous but millionaires wouldn't spend less on their children.

Most regular skaters with talent will economize the why Duhamel suggests (choreography and costumes) and also really good skaters actually know how to practice on their own and don't need a ton of private lessons to improve. There are some kids (rich ones) who need to have a coach supervise most of their ice sessions. It's a money maker for a coach but not necessary to really improve.

 

[StasiyaGalustyanLove]

Then there's Vancouver, where someone was knifed right outside the official hotel at Worlds 2001. Or Germany, where a topless guy advertising gambling made it out onto competition ice at Worlds while Kwan was waiting to start her program.

Scary scary scary! During my time in the navy, I was used to seeing topless men but gambling and knives are not acceptable. At least they are not as bad as guns, though.

My wife and I are lucky to live in a secluded part of New Mexico. It sounds like big cities in the USA and Canada like Miami and Vancouver and especially Winnipeg are terrifying. And Germany too! No wonder they do not have skating events in countries like Africa where there are barely any laws that people follow to begin with!

 

[Skittl1321]

No wonder they do not have skating events in countries like Africa where there are barely any laws that people follow to begin with!

Man, this is like Troll level 1,000.

Impressive! I like how you threw in that Africa was a country.

 

[AxelAnnie]

I bet Mrs. Freezer is very wealthy because rich people love to brag about how much they spend on their little darlings. I live in Manhattan and some of the figures I've heard for tutoring and lessons are ridiculous but millionaires wouldn't spend less on their children.

Most regular skaters with talent will economize the why Duhamel suggests (choreography and costumes) and also really good skaters actually know how to practice on their own and don't need a ton of private lessons to improve. There are some kids (rich ones) who need to have a coach supervise most of their ice sessions. It's a money maker for a coach but not necessary to really improve.

Who speed in your cheerios?

 

[Inessence]

Great post.

Maybe pouring money into the big name coach with political connections, the catwalk fashion designer, make-up tutorials, and god help me, smiling lessons, is just a North American mindset for making your mark and getting ahead in the sport.

It worked for Nancy Kerrigan.

 

[scooter]

Jesus Christ, where'd you buy those? Even here in overpriced Australia you can get the Ice Fly for $550-$600.



Ha, I was going to come into this thread and mention motorsport when it came to expensive sports for your kids. You can see it in F1 now too: a handful of drivers are there on talent. Probably around half the grid are those whose daddies have deep pockets.

Skaters Landing in CT, the registered Edea dealer. They are the same price here when buying at the bigger comps from Edea direct such as Lake Placid or Liberty.

 

[skatingguy]

It is over 1300 miles to Edmonton. It is an international flight with all the usual taxes, fees, and customs hassles. There is no comparison to flying from SF to LA.

Colorado Springs to Edmonton is not a “quick, two hour flight.” It is almost 5 hours with a connection through Denver and a quick google search puts the cost around $700 per person (that probably doesn’t include taxes and fees.)

Private charter flight?

 

[mag]

Private charter flight?

Why of course! Don’t all Skating parents have a private jet at their disposal?

 

[skatingguy]

Why of course! Don’t all Skating parents have a private jet at their disposal?

Well if you're going to go to Edmonton for two hours (does that mean lessons with Ravi Walia?) every once in a while, do you really want to be flying commercial?

 

[mag]

Well if you're going to go to Edmonton for two hours (does that mean lessons with Ravi Walia?) every once in a while, do you really want to be flying commercial?

Commercial is for commoners! I prefer to drive directly up to the aircraft (actually, I have my driver do that - parking is such a chore) and then take off as soon as I am onboard. Dealing with the common people in the airport is just too much trouble

 

[Tavi]

I bet Mrs. Freezer is very wealthy because rich people love to brag about how much they spend on their little darlings. I live in Manhattan and some of the figures I've heard for tutoring and lessons are ridiculous but millionaires wouldn't spend less on their children.

Most regular skaters with talent will economize the why Duhamel suggests (choreography and costumes) and also really good skaters actually know how to practice on their own and don't need a ton of private lessons to improve. There are some kids (rich ones) who need to have a coach supervise most of their ice sessions. It's a money maker for a coach but not necessary to really improve.

You know, I don’t know anything about this family, but if I recall, Elise once found this forum and read some of the stuff posted about her. And I think her mom posted here after that.

 

[mag]

You know, I don’t know anything about this family, but if I recall, Elise once found this forum and read some of the stuff posted about her. And I think her mom posted here after that.

Oh dear, not worried about the mom, she gave the interview I am sure she can hold her own, but an eleven year old should really not be reading here.

 

[Anita18]

Oh dear, not worried about the mom, she gave the interview I am sure she can hold her own, but an eleven year old should really not be reading here.

I told Alf about FSU's nickname for V/M's FD lift this year and even he was like

And why do articles about how expensive "X" is always manage to find interviewees who are the most extreme end of the spectrum?

 

[Willin]

@Tavi Yup. That was last spring I think?

@mag Not to mention there were incredibly "classy" posters making fun of and criticizing an 11-year-old. Who does that?

I have no problem questioning the Mom's statements in the article and other places - spending so much time, $$$, and coaching switches for a skater so young is a bit suspect - even if the skater loves it a ton like Elise seems to. There are plenty of clubs like the one in San Jose (Peninsula), LA (All Year), etc. that have tons of very successful skaters who start and finish their careers there. Plenty more make maybe one or two coaching changes in an entire career. And many don't spend $30,000-50,000 and weekly plane flights to go to Canada for a coach. Heck, most great skaters I know - even accomplished skaters like Karen Chen - won't ramp up to the $10-20k+ range until they're well into the top of the Intermediate/Novice ranks, or more commonly Junior/Senior, and by that time they have some funding.

Now, if Elise loves it as much as she seems to and her family has the money to help out, why not? But I worry all that travelling will burn her out, especially as she starts to see other girls have normal middle/high school lives with prom and such. And she can certainly have both - Polina, Rachel Flatt, Mirai, and a number of other top skaters had both - but she can't have that if she keeps moving around and being home schooled for skating.

 

[Tavi]

Oh dear, not worried about the mom, she gave the interview I am sure she can hold her own, but an eleven year old should really not be reading here.

Agree! I think her mom stopped her from reading here, but not sure.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

It worked for Nancy Kerrigan.

Back when there was gold in them thar hills!

 

[Skittl1321]

Jesus Christ, where'd you buy those? Even here in overpriced Australia you can get the Ice Fly for $550-$600.

I can't find them for less than $750 online at a US store. Brick and mortar where they do a fitting would cost more.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

If Elise & The Freezers are serious about her potential, to match the Russians at their game, now is the time to start learning how to back load programs and work on rotating the bigger triples, triple combinations, and quadruple jumps.

Trusova was barely 13 when she started attempting quad salchows in competition.

 

[ZilphaK]

Not sure if this is best place to put this, but I feel all kinds of sad hearing that our 2008 National Champion was working as an NHL "ice girl" to pay her skating bills.

https://sports.yahoo.com/skating-star-mirai-nagasu-used-work-nhl-025057924.html

Although, she looks like she was having fun.

 

[soogar]

You know, I don’t know anything about this family, but if I recall, Elise once found this forum and read some of the stuff posted about her. And I think her mom posted here after that.

Well no one is saying anything negative about her daughter. Personally I find stories of extreme financial sacrifice to be off putting. I think it precludes a lot of parents from getting their kids involved in the very beginning stages of "learn to skate" programs because they don't want their children to fall in love with the sport. It would be kind of nice to hear about what top skaters spend on their way up. I heard Johnny Weir say in an interview that his ice time was free. I'd like to know what Bradie Tennell really spends on her skating because somehow her dresses and choreography aren't screaming top of the line expensive yet she is good enough to have made the Olympics. In Brennan's book, she wrote that the Scotvolds found sponsors for Nancy Kerrigan and that Vera Wang donated the costumes her. Scott Hamilton also wrote about having a benefactor in his book. So top skaters receive help. It's not to say that they don't spend money and make sacrifices but they don't carry that burden on their own.

 

[soogar]

Not sure if this is best place to put this, but I feel all kinds of sad hearing that our 2008 National Champion was working as an NHL "ice girl" to pay her skating bills.
https://sports.yahoo.com/skating-star-mirai-nagasu-used-work-nhl-025057924.html
https://sports.yahoo.com/skating-star-mirai-nagasu-used-work-nhl-025057924.html

Although, she looks like she was having fun.

Good for her that she's paying her way. Caroline Zhang and Grant Hochstein also work [as coaches] to pay their skating. I think many of the pair skaters are coaches on the side because there's a point that you need to start making a living- can't be at home at 30 years old being supported by your parents.

 

[edwina]

At least in skating you find out pretty early if you have enough talent or not to continue, if you don't learn triple jumps by a certain age you'll never going to. Well I guess that applies to other sports as well, money helps but everyone's just not genetically talented to be a top athlete no matter how much you train.

 

[ZilphaK]

Good for her that she's paying her way. Caroline Zhang and Grant Hochstein also work [as coaches] to pay their skating. I think many of the pair skaters are coaches on the side because there's a point that you need to start making a living- can't be at home at 30 years old being supported by your parents.

I'm just not happy with the idea of "ice girls"...maybe when there are scantily clad "ice boys" scooping the ice at the women's hockey games, I'll be ok with fair play. But a different conversation for a different day.

The Colorado Avalanche should be paying her to teach edges and turns to their players. They could have paid her training costs in a couple of clinics.

 

[Rafter]

10K for a dress is excessive

It’s ridiculous. That’s what Vera Wang wedding dresses cost.

 

[ZilphaK]

At least in skating you find out pretty early if you have enough talent or not to continue, if you don't learn triple jumps by a certain age you'll never going to. Well I guess that applies to other sports as well, money helps but everyone's just not genetically talented to be a top athlete no matter how much you train.

I think money is key early on. I think that any coach in any rink just about anywhere can get a kid through single jumps up through double lutz. Those are all fairly easy jumps to "muscle through" without too much technique. I'd say the coaches out there who can teach double axel on up are far fewer, and the coaches who try to teach higher jumps without themselves knowing good technique run the risk of adding to the frustrations, lack of confidence and injuries of skaters who could go further with better, more $$$ coaching. It's why I think USFSA needs to start getting on coaches to get training on teaching jumps -- low level with solid technique, included instead or relearning later -- especially since kids seem to need to have double axel and most triples before about 13-14 years old.