Finding A Figure Skating Coach:
What Every Parent Should Know

By Juliet Newcomer, Manager of Coaching Programs for U.S. Figure Skating
Finding a skating coach can be an overwhelming and intimidating experience, especially for parents who are new to the sport. A coach will spend hours training and interacting with your child, helping to shape his or her attitude about skating and competition for years to come. Truth be told, hiring a coach can be a daunting task for even the most experienced skating parents. The key to overcoming the fear associated with hiring the “right” coach for your child is to approach it with research and patience.

Some Important Things To Keep In Mind
U.S. Figure Skating has requirements for coaches who want to participate in sanctioned activities, which include teaching lessons on club ice and serving as a coach at test sessions, competitions, ice shows and other performance activities. Coaches must be a registered coach of U.S. Figure Skating and pass a background check and provide proof of insurance. Registration also provides the coach with a current U.S. Figure Skating rulebook to stay updated on the rules.

If a coach wants to serve as a coach at qualifying competitions (regionals, sectionals, U.S. Championships, etc.), the coach will need to be a current member of U.S. Figure Skating and the Professional Skaters Association (PSA), in addition to being a registered coach with U.S. Figure Skating. Furthermore, beginning in July 2010, coaches will need to fulfill continuing education requirements based on the activities in which the coach wants to participate.

Determine Your Needs & Wants
Before you can find a great coach for your child, you have to determine what makes your child tick. While a coach might have performed miracles with other skaters, your child might not respond to his or her coaching style. Think about the types of people who work well with your child and the ways in which your child is best motivated. Does the child have any favorite teachers? If so, why is that teacher a favorite? Are there certain adult family members with whom the child interacts particularly well? Does he or she feel more comfortable with older or younger adults, and with males or females?

Not all athletes respond the same to all types of coaches. Some need disciplinarians, while others might respond better to coaches who are very reserved. Determining your child’s unique predispositions will go a long way toward choosing a coach who is a good fit. Once you have identified what type of coach would work best with your child, spend time watching a variety of coaches working with other students. Are the coaches positive, encouraging, professional and punctual, and do they come to their lessons prepared?

Compare Options & Research
Before long, you will have developed a list of coaches whom you feel are worth closer inspection. At this point, you should begin setting up meetings so that you can ask important questions and find out how you and your child interact with the prospective coaches. Come prepared with some issues you would like to discuss. For a list of suggested questions for coaches, click here.

Subjects that are unfamiliar to you may arise during a meeting. The intricacies of the sport can be overwhelming, and it takes time to develop a complete grasp of every type of rating, competition, level, etc. If, during your meeting, unfamiliar subjects are raised, do some research afterward. For example, if you don’t know the different figure skating levels or competitions, you can learn more on the “About Us” page at www.usfigureskating.org. PSA rankings and ratings can be researched on the PSA website at www.skatepsa.com. If you want to verify a prospective coach’s claims, you can contact the U.S. Figure Skating and PSA offices.

Follow Up
By now you have determined your child’s needs, interviewed coaches and selected one you believe will take your child to the next level. You have verified all of the coach’s credentials and worked out a payment plan. But you’re still not quite finished. After you have selected a coach, you should observe some of the lessons to make sure that the coach-skater relationship you have invested in is what you want it to be.

If you have questions or concerns, set up a follow-up meeting with the coach. A respectful and open dialogue can prevent problems down the road. If you have a situation that you feel warrants attention, take it privately to the club’s board of directors or rink’s managers and allow them to handle it appropriately. Never bad-mouth a coach to other parents or skaters.

Figure skating is a wonderful sport that can breed self-confidence, self-reliance, self-discipline, good health, lifelong friendships and a lot of fun. A skater’s coach plays a large role in all of this, so take the time to find the coach that is right for your child.