Let s start figure skating!

Let s start figure skating!

INTRODUCTION Dear Figure Skating Parents, We are happy that your family has found its way to the fascinating world of figure skating. As a hobby, figure skating is a very versatile sport that combines physical ability, self-expression and music in an exceptional manner. In the early stages of the hobby the main thing is to learn to stay on one s feet and control one s body when gliding on the narrow blade and slippery ice. At first it may feel quite hard. However, surprisingly soon the skate, ice and child begin to understand each other. At the same time, doors to endless opportunities for self-expression open up. Finding one s own limits and learning new things are the concrete measures in our sport that make many skaters lose their heart to figure skating, often for good. Figure skating has always attracted children but also adults, for whom an increasing number of figure skating clubs offer skating opportunities both alone and in a group. This Finnish Figure Skating Association guide includes some important things that are usually in the minds of every new skater. Read the guide through carefully. Your own coach or skating club representative will be happy to answer any further questions. Wishing you enjoyable skating moments, Finnish Figure Skating Association

Start by learning to know the ice In Finland, learning figure skating begins in the skating schools of specialized clubs. Children enrolling in a skating school are often very young, under the Finnish school age. The child can start the skating school even if it is his or her first time on skates. The child s own will to learn to skate and start a hobby is more important than skating skills. In figure skating clubs, the early teaching is designed to allow every child to feel as safe as possible. The trained skating school instructors are usually supported by a large group of assistant instructors or more experienced skaters. The first lessons in the skating school focus on learning to know the ice and skates. The goal of the skating school is to teach children basic skating technique, and the actual figure skating practice begins later. Therefore any kind of skates can be used to start the skating school, as long as they are in good condition, they fit and the blades are sharp. The first skating school lessons are short on purpose. Often they only last just over half an hour. The first lessons aim at inspiring the children to learn new things, not to exhaust them. As the skills increase, the length and tempo of the skating school lessons increase. The practice includes skating forwards, gliding, the first footwork, stopping. Learning mostly takes place through play. Playing tag, relays and skills tracks are part of the routine of every skating school pupil. Spins Many figure skaters think that spinning at a dazzling speed is the greatest thing about skating. Spins have three basic positions: upright, sit and camel. Innovative figure skaters have come up with and given names to a huge number of their variations. One of the most difficult spins is the famous Biellmann, named after the Swiss Denise Biellmann. Even if actual spin practice only begins after skating skills develop, skating school pupils also practise the basics of spins, standing on two feet at the beginning. Read more: The Internet, bookshops and libraries provide basic information about starting figure skating. Check, for example, the following sources in Finnish: www.stll.fi/luistelijalle/harrasteluistelu/ and www.stll.fi/luistelijalle/luistelukoulu/ Lasten taitoluistelukoulu, Karisto 2005 (English original: Ice Skating School, Dorling Kindersley 2004) Taitoluistelu (Official magazine of the Finnish Figure Skating Association)

Footwork and steps As with spins, practising steps begins early on. Skating school pupils talk about lemons or swizzles, whereas more advanced skaters practise step sequences that include steps, turns, edges and glides that already require quite a lot of skill. Some figure skating steps, such as the chassé, are also familiar from the dance floors. Don t worry if your friend learns faster Finnish figure skating clubs are very responsible in their sport education. From early on, they aim at giving the children the opportunities and groups that correspond to their progress level and motivation. Very often the child s figure skating hobby begins in a skating school together with a friend of the same age. If the friend appears to gain skills faster or is even transferred to another, more quickly advancing group, the child may feel disappointed. Why don t I learn, why can t I move on? It is good that both the skater and the home team remember that learning is always very individual and independent of the calendar age. Sometimes development occurs in spurs: nothing seems to happen for a long time but suddenly all the tricks practised during the season succeed. Transfers from one group to another may be more important to the parents than the children, who will soon learn to know their new friends. For children, the changes in groups may be significant in many ways: I m no longer the oldest and most experienced in my group or the opposite, the smallest and youngest. Group changes of young skaters are not done without hearing the parents. Helping each other When one is young, even the older skaters in one s own club may feel like big stars. Or when one is the parent of a beginner, asking for advice may feel like asking silly questions. In Finnish figure skating clubs, it is considered a point of honour that older ones help the younger ones and the more experienced those with less knowledge. Especially at the start of skating schools, figure skating clubs have people at the rink to give advice, or they organize parents nights. Older skaters in the dressing room can always be asked to help with putting on the skates or with anything else.

Jumps Very soon after the skating skills develop the children start to practise jumping. For a child, taking off from the ice is not scary in the same way as perhaps for the adult watching in the stands. The first jump exercises in the skating school are done with both feet together, followed by small hops such as the children s favourite bunny hop. The bunny hoppers then move on to the waltz jump, which is probably familiar to us all. The actual figure skating jumps are divided into edge and toe jumps. Salchow, Axel and Loop are edge jumps. Toe jumps include Toe-Loop, Flip and Lutz. Read and learn more: Figure skating jumps are presented in books and on the Internet. For synchronized skating elements, go to www.stll.fi/luistelijalle/lajit/muodostelmaluistelu/elementtivideot/ Practice makes perfect One can only learn skating by skating. The more one wants to learn, the more one needs to practise from an early age. This is a simplified answer to one of the most common questions about figure skating: How come figure skaters have so many practices? Figure skating does offer even a young skater several ice hours per week if the child is keen on the sport and so wishes. Competing skaters are generally on ice on as many as 5 to 6 days a week. For top-level skaters, the total practice hours can be close to 20 hours per week. There are solid reasons for figure skating practice being more intense than in many other sports already at primary school age. The sensitive period for learning the important qualities needed in skilled sports, such as agility, balance, skill and coordination, is approximately from the age of 6 to 12. And what s more: learning figure skating requires repetition, repetition and again repetition. There is no need in the homes of little skaters to get worried about the intensity of the training of older, competing skaters. Every child and every family make their own decisions. It is possible to keep on skating until an older age even if one only wants to practise once or twice a week. The child s own figure skating coach is always the first and best partner for discussing the training and its content and amount.

Encourage independence At first, when the child is very young and only learning to skate, parents or other assistants are needed to help especially in lacing up the boots. However, children learn quickly, and it is good that the parents notice and encourage the child s efforts to cope independently. The aim is that at least at school age (6 or 7 in Finland) the child is able to lace up the boots and look after one s equipment independently. The child must also be allowed to fully concentrate on learning in the practices, and parents should therefore learn to watch practice from the stands or the cafeteria. Clothing for the rink When the family s little one starts skating school, one of the parents first questions is often: What to wear? For as long as the little skater is mostly just getting used to wearing skates and standing on the ice, the clothing needs to be warm enough, for example a light winter overall or jacket and trousers with adequate layers of insulating clothing underneath. But as soon as the child begins to move on the ice, remember to check the ice wear. The most common mistakes are to either dress the child in too warm clothes it is seldom below zero in Finnish ice rinks! or in too thick and stiff outer wear that make even bending difficult, let alone moves such as the little man dip eagerly practised in the skating school. A fitting shell suit or tracksuit with adequate layers of clothing underneath is a good choice for the skating school practice. Pay special attention to the clothing next to the skin: it must keep warmth and let moisture out. Children s underwear designed for sports and outdoor activities are great as a base layer. The child s skating socks are one of the most important items to check. The socks in the boots must be of the right size and fit very well, and keep warmth and let moisture out. A bad sock gets crumpled up in the boot. With a blister on one s foot it is difficult to enjoy skating. Many figure skating clubs recommend that the little skaters get used to wearing gloves during on-ice lessons. Fitting gloves are better than mittens for example for games with picking things from the ice. Especially at the beginning, it is a good idea to bring a few pairs of gloves to the skating lesson it is not nice to skate with wet hands.

Finally, a well-fitting and warm hat or balaclava on the head and off you go! A helmet is a good protection As in any other sport, the older ones are easily looked at as a model in figure skating. The little skating school pupil mostly starts practising on ice wearing a bicycle or light ice hockey helmet but after seeing older skaters begins to insist on not wearing one. Instructions on wearing a helmet vary in figure skating clubs and their groups. Before giving in to the pressure from the child, parents should check the helmet practice either from the child s group instructor or in the parents night. Glamour is far from daily life When a young girl starts figure skating, grannies and mummies and all others sometimes get carried away with shopping. Cute skating costumes, hair bands, frills and glitter are wrapped in gift packages. All these wonders most probably make the little skater happy but the gift giver should know that this kind of glamour is far away from the daily life of a figure skater. All kinds of detachable decorations as well as competition costumes with sequence and rhinestones that can easily come off are forbidden in practices due to safety reasons. It is also often the tradition that the skater earns the glitter on the costume only after the competition career has properly started. More than charming finery, the skater consumes a considerable amount of well-fitting ankle socks and gloves, leggings and tights. Also the small towels needed for drying the blades and boots often mysteriously disappear in the gear bags and dressing rooms. Skates are the figure skater s most important piece of equipment The impression that figure skating is always and absolutely an expensive hobby, is one of the most common false beliefs of our sport. Figure skating does cost if the young person is or aims at becoming a competing skater but in that case the hobby involves quite many weekly training hours and equipment needed for competing. The term fees for a skating school pupil or a skater practising once or twice a week for fun are reasonable, and the equipment can mostly be found without that much cost. The most important acquisition is a proper pair of figure skates, appropriate for the level and intensity of the skating. Regardless of the type of skates the child learned the basics of skating with, the time to buy skates comes at the latest when the hobby becomes regular. In Finland, figure skates are mostly sold in specialist shops located in different parts of the country.

Your local club can give you information about the figure skating shop closest to you. The shop owners also visit all kinds of events or maybe even your home rink. A beginner s new figure skates cost about one hundred euros but special offers may be cheaper. In a beginner s model, the blades are attached to the boot, whereas more advanced skaters buy the boot and blade separately. The price is not that high considering that real figure skates keep their value very well when they are looked after in the right manner. When the foot grows, the skates can be given in exchange to the shop or sold directly on to smaller skaters. Figure skating shops also sell used figure skates especially for younger skaters. The most important piece of advice to little skaters and their parents on their way to buy figure skates is: Do not buy too big skates. No room is to be left for growth and three pairs of socks are not stuffed in the boot. The correct size for a figure skate is usually the same as the child s normal shoe size. Too big skates do not support the foot and skating practice becomes difficult. In Finland, a wide range of figure skates are available from several manufacturers and in different widths. It pays to spend time to choose one s skates. Personnel in the specialist shops can help you. Specialist figure skating shops usually know very well what kind of skates beginners need. Before going to the shop, you can also ask advice from your instructor or the person in charge of the skating school in the club. When the skating advances, the assisting role of the coach in choosing the skates often increases. Remember to take care of your skates Figure skates are a special piece of equipment for the sport, and the main responsibility for taking good care of them belongs to the skater from early on. Skates with dull blades are useless. Specialized professionals can sharpen them properly. Your home club gives you information about sharpeners. To keep the blades in good condition, every figure skater learns to protect them right from the beginning. Plastic skate guards are worn whenever walking off the ice because dirt and grit quickly damage the blades. The blades are dried carefully in the dressing room; otherwise they go rusty. It is also strongly recommended to get moisture absorbing textile blade covers that keep the blades protected until the next use.

To transport their skates figure skaters usually have a separate bag or soft skate bags. It is not wise to keep your skates in them all the time remember to take your skates out to dry every now and then. Read more: Both figure skating clubs and expert shops give you advice about getting appropriate skates. Information and links are also available on the Finnish Figure Skating Association s website www.stll.fi Lace your boots correctly Even good skates feel uncomfortable with wrong lacing. Therefore it is useful to learn to lace up the boot correctly from early on. Before you begin to lace up the boot, loosen the laces well until the end. Space is needed at the toe end, so lace up more loosely there. Tighten towards the ankle, with the firmest lacing around the ankle. To keep the tightness by the ankle, you can tie a knot before continuing to lace up the top part. In the top part, make a criss-cross pattern with the laces. Lace around the hooks, first over and then under the hook. Be careful not to make the top too tight so that it is easier for the child to bend the knees. Watch out not to tighten too much especially at the last hook. A finger must easily fit between the top of the skate and the leg. Tie a bow at the top and secure it with a another knot. Never wrap extra laces around the top of the boot. Cut too long laces or rather buy shorter ones. Competing as a prize When the figure skating hobby progresses, most children begin to ask: When am I allowed to compete? There is a lot of truth in the child s approach; competing is not a value in itself but a prize, a reward for practising well and making progress. Competing is about other things too. Children s competitions as such are a natural part of figure skating training. At the same time they prepare for a possible future career as a competing athlete. In children s competitions everyone is a winner: I can, I dare.

The first competitions of little skaters are usually small internal club competitions or invitational interclub ones. After that competing continues in regional competitions among the clubs in the local area. Competing only in the local region emphasizes the practice nature of competing. It also aims at avoiding long travels to competition sites. In general, the first national competitions are organized only from the age of 12 onwards. Finnish Championships start from the novice age category. Many categories have been introduced in the 2000s especially for the club and regional level for children and the young. These categories aim at providing each child willing to compete a suitable category in terms of level and challenge, corresponding with their amount of practice, skills level and motivation. At first many single skaters compete in so-called joint programme competitions where all skaters perform the same programme. Getting one s first own programme is an important milestone for the young skater. Competition requirements and feedback When one s own child begins to compete, the parents often begin to eagerly study the competition rules and assessment of figure skating. Competition requirements and rules (if you are really interested to study them) can be found in the Finnish Figure Skating Association s rule book, also available online. In Finland, two systems are used for judging: the so-called star evaluation, domestically developed especially for children and the young, as well as the official international judging, referred to as the ISU judging system. Although they may appear different at first glance, both of them follow the same basic logic. The skaters get wide-ranging feedback and praise on various aspects of their skating. Support from your own coach Figure skating coaches in Finland are well-educated and skilled and coaching is mostly their main job. They look after their skaters ever since they are young and when it is time to try competing, they will be there to support you. Coaches take care of practising for the competition, give advice and help in preparing for the competition and are with you throughout the event. They also check on the child s assessment if needed and based on that consider future work.

The Mums and Dads can fully concentrate on feeling nervous and enjoying the event in the stands. Read more: Rule book of the Finnish Figure Skating Association. Its printed version can be ordered from the VALO Sporttikauppa at sporttikauppa@valo.fi. The Finnish rule book can also be read as a pdf file on the Association s website www.stll.fi/materiaalit. The same site contains a lot of useful information about competing. Show at the end of the season When one s own child is on all fours on the ice at the start of the skating school, it is difficult to believe that he or she will soon become a great show star. One of the most enjoyable traditions among Finnish figure skating clubs is that almost every club organizes a big show at least once a year. Its stars are all the club skaters who want to perform, sometimes supported by well-known guest skaters. The ice show, which may at its best present hundreds of skaters of different ages, are most often organized to end the season in the spring. Finnish clubs favour fairy tales on ice especially aimed at young spectators. The exhibitions also offer a great opportunity for performing for those figure skaters who do not want to compete. For many Finnish clubs, organizing the show is the biggest annual fundraising effort. In addition to the skaters, dozens of hard-working people are needed in various duties in the arrangements. For the young skater s parents, being involved in organizing the show is an excellent way to learn to know both the adults and skaters in the club. Stars on ice A figure skater learns by doing but it is also important to watch other, more skilled skaters. Every Finnish club organizes competitions. Watching them is an important part of growing to become a figure skater. A number of high-class national and international events where one can see genuine star skaters live are organized in Finland every season. Read more: Calendar of events (Kilpailukalenteri) of the Finnish Figure Skating Association on the website www.stll.fi. If you are interested in the history of Finnish figure skating: Anu Puromies, Tähtiä jäällä tarinoita taitoluistelusta. Suomen Taitoluisteluliitto and WSOY, 2008. The book can be ordered from sporttikauppa@valo.fi Also read Taitoluistelun lumo by Leena Lehtolainen and Kaisa Viitanen, Kustannusosakeyhtiö Paasilinna 2010.

Practising on and off ice Figure skating practice is not limited to on-ice training. From early on figure skaters also practice off-ice at gyms and, weather permitting, also outdoors. Off-ice practice has several goals. Off-ice practice partly focuses on ice tricks, such as jumps. Synchro skaters may also go through their programmes on the floor in training shoes. Another, even more important aspect is that off-ice practice adds important versatility to the training of figure skating youngsters. Figure skating clubs give information about off-ice practice for each group. Single, pair, couple or team? Figure skating is a wonderful sport also in the respect that you can find several different disciplines to choose from for yourself. Finnish figure skating clubs offer a wide range of wellestablished hobby opportunities and/or coaching in single and synchronized skating, and also in ice dance in some clubs. Only for pair skating permanent coaching is not available at present but it is also possible to try that. After the skating school, nearly all figure skaters first move on to single skating hobby and development groups. It is sensible because good basic skills are also needed in synchronized skating, and in ice dance the basic skills have to be at a very good level. Many young skaters in Finland choose synchro at quite a young age or after trying single skating first. No wonder, because Finland also offers excellent opportunities for practising synchronized skating, with teams even at the top of the world. Whether you choose single or synchronized skating, a variety of levels are available. After a few years break, ice dance has luckily returned among the disciplines in which coaching is available in Finland. The skaters often develop and move over to ice dance much later than to singles and synchro, generally as teenagers or even later. Some clubs, however, provide ice dance tryouts at an earlier age. At the moment, the competing ice dancers in Finland are mainly grouped in one club, Helsingin Luistelijat.

Licence and insurance Every athlete, even a little one, needs proper accident insurance coverage. Competing skaters need a Finnish Figure Skating Association licence and an accident insurance covering competitive sports. This is referred to as a licence. Parents of skaters should always check their insurance coverage and keep the child s coverage up-to-date. More information is available for example at the club. Don t believe in stories Figure skating is a well-known and admired sport. The knowledge of outside figure skating fans may, however, be limited. For example, many people in Finland imagine that figure skating is a girls sport because more girls than boys are involved in it for the time being. Many other funny misconceptions exist. Don t believe in stories. Correct false beliefs for your part. We can all increase figure skating knowledge in Finland. Read more: The Finnish Figure Skating Association website gives extensive information about different licence and insurance types. See www.stll.fi