Would You Recommend Figure Skating to Your Friends?

My advice to friend-at-work would be to get her daughter to try several different activities so that she can find her own passion once she’s older. At this point she has no idea what her daughter will like or be good at. And I would let her know that figure skating is a great sport, but it can get very expensive, especially the equipment and the private coaching. As far as the time and travel commitment, any sport that a child becomes passionate about is going to involve that. I’m happy my oldest is going into high school next year where all his practices and games will be at the school after school, and he’ll be bussed to all his away meets and all I have to do is pick him up at the school once they get home. Unfortunately our high school doesn’t have a figure skating team for when my skater gets there! Of course by then older brother will be driving.

My skater has tried several different sports, and with the exception of basketball, has enjoyed them all. But when the time commitment has increased per activity and something has to be dropped, he always chooses something else to drop (of course with much agonizing). Would I do it again? In a heartbeat. In a previous post I mentioned that as a kid I was horse crazy, still am as a matter of fact. I often wonder where I could have taken that passion had I had the support of my parents. So I’m going to make sure my son has the support he needs to take his passion to whatever level he can. He’s learning many great life lessons like persistence, time management, how to be a good sport and he’s amazingly fit. Plus he’s almost always happy when he’s on the ice, and it’s great to see his exhilaration when he finally masters a new jump or spin.

I wrote up a whole comment basically agreeing with Ice Mom, and decided right before hitting post to change it completely. I think the answer should be no – don’t start skating. With the following caveat: be able to objectively look a bit into the future. You should understand what it would look like a year from now – and then 3-4 years from now. If Friend-At-Work is close enough to you where you would feel comfortable talking real numbers with them, then lay it out. It isn’t being pompous to say to them – “Hey, I am spending $10k a year on my kid to skate – so you have to decide if you think that is worth it”. If you aren’t that close – I would suggest pointing them in a direction of someone that could spell it out for them.

There are so many activities these days for kids to try that don’t cost anywhere near what skating costs. If money is going to be an object in the near future – why place that stress on both the parents and the kid? My wife and I decided early on that we made enough money to afford this for at least the foreseeable future – even if that means sacrificing on some other things. But that was a conscience decision – not one made out of guilt 2 years into it when parents are forced to start privates or try out for synchro teams.

Maybe the best thing to say to Friend-At-Work is “How detailed of a discussion do you want?” Maybe they want to be blissfully ignorant of the upcoming costs – maybe not. That should be their decision.

I would too…I have seen such greatness in my kid. Some things cannot be measured by money alone.

Hi, Guest. I think you’re right. People need to see the path 3-4 years ahead, not just the LtS years. I think holding $1200 worth of boot and blade would have taken my breath away, if I were Friend-at-Work.

Over the years I have spoken with many parents and from what I’ve heard there are two sports that rival the cost of figure skating and in most cases actually cost more; hockey and horseback riding. I’m sure there are others too, don’t you think???

For a parent of a 3 year old, my advice would be to sign the chlld up for 6 to 12 weeks of classes (or a season) in many different sports or activities.

By the time my daughter was 7 she had tried creative movement (dance), baby gymnastics (balance and tumbling), playball (throwing, kicking, and catching), had played a couple of seasons of church soccer, she knew how to swim, she had been snow skiing, and was up to Basic skills 3 in figure skating.

The child’s abilities and interests will sort themselves out.

Yes, I have a horseback rider, but as with skating there are varying levels of participation (and cost)– and I explain that to people when they ask…my 15 yo owns and shows her horse, much much more costly than leasing one or trail riding or going only to 4-H level shows for example. It doesn’t HAVE to be uber expensive (not cheap of course) and skating is the same– my middle daughter skates more recreationally and it doesn’t cost nearly the same as my younger competitive skater.

I was that mom with the 1 year old (first child) who couldn’t wait to put DD in something. At 18months we started parent & me gymnastics, by 2 she was able to do the class alone. Strange to say but at 2.5 she didn’t really love it but went, wasn’t really engaged. We were also in swim classes, again didn’t love it, but for us, swim is a necessity, not just a fun little class to go to (live in CA, everyone has a pool.) At 2.5 we started learn to skate. The kid lit up. She loves it, we dropped gymnastics. I have practically begged her to do dance and she has zero desire. I tried to bribe her with a fancy skirt. nope.. tried soccer.. picked the grass for 4 weeks. Mind you she is only 4.5 at this point, and we expose her to new activites, but so far skating is the only thing that has stuck. She has expressed interest in horseback riding, can’t do that until 6. Maybe she was switched at birth? maybe she was born to a rich family and she got stuck with us. I have heard riding is expensive also. Son starts skating in 2 weeks (2.5 years), he thinks he wants to play hockey.. we will see about that. haha!

wow, yes, I live in your world…We put our daughter (now almost 7) on the ice at 2.5…we had to as we couldn’t keep her off! Our son was on for group lessons (to learn how to skate, no aspirations beyond that!) and Litttle miss couldn’t keep her body away from the rink. One of the coaches said, “find some skates and put her on. See what she does!” Well, for the first 6 weeks, she cried…when it was time to get off!…Now, four years later, we are steadily progressing towards the Axel (myself a former skater, I “feel” every crash landing as I sit in the stands and watch). She has such determination, and a “no-quit” attitude. She has not yet decided that skating is “It” tho’, as we still dance and play t-ball. If I could go back and do it over again, I don’t think I would change a thing. She is fit and outgoing and has made some great friends, and she has passion.

I agree with what others have said – I always recommend that people let their kids try out a little bit of everything. My daughter has done: ballet, tap, acrobatics, piano lessons, soccer, gymnastics, horseback riding, & swimming. Skating was the only thing she ever kept up a strong interest in. My 12 yr old son has done: swimming, t-ball, soccer, karate, ice skating, fencing, roller skating, gymnastics, & Boy Scouts. He now has settled on skateboarding. I think the child will choose what interests them the most & I also think that almost every sport gets very expensive if they get into the higher levels, competing, etc. A friend of mine, her daughters used to be really into dance, they were going out of town for dance team competitions ONCE A MONTH! She was spending more than I do at that time! I think every family just has to balance the kids love for the sport with what they can afford. Don’t go overboard, there was a mom at our rink who started putting the skating on a credit card for a few years, then at 16 her daughter was injured, quit skating, the Mom was still paying off the skating a few years later! Every parent wants to think that their kid is the one in a million who will make it to the Olympics, and maybe they are, but I would advise caution in over-spending too much. Most of the time these high level skaters end up injured and burnt out, best case senario they may end up making decent money as a coach. I do think skating is a good sport though because you can get involved at the level that you can afford. You don’t have to skate 5 days a week if you don’t want to, don’t have to do every ice show, or every competition. Skating allows kids/parents to go “gung ho” if they want to/can afford to, but it also allows recreational skating too with lesser time/money commitments. I usually do encourage my friends to at least sign up for a group class to see how their child likes it! I have a policy of not signing my kids up for too much unless the kid is really begging me – that’s out you figure out what really interests them – whatever they are begging you for/bugging you about! :~)

Yes.

You make me smile, Xan!

I think this post is as much about having a passion for skating as it is about recommending this sport to others. A common theme I continue to read in many comments and in various blog posts is that many parents simply find that ice skating is one sport where kids stick to it, have drive, determination, motivation and positive results in their life both on and off the ice. With this in mind, I would recommend ice skating to Anyone who is even remotely interested. Never skated? Get on the ice and see what you think. Been away from skating for a while? Welcome back! – Don’t like it? Well, at least you tried. Ohh, You do like it?, Thought you would!
Any sport or activity can be as expensive as you want it to be. I recently was window shopping at a local sports store and was looking at snow skiing equipment. $3K to $4K (yes, thousand) for all the equipment you would ever need, and that just to get started. No lessons, no trip money, plane fair, hotel, etc. Just equipment.
You don’t need $1200 boots/blades for learn to skate lessons! If your child has been skating for a few years and is working on complex jumps (axels) or whatever, sure you will need better (and more expensive equipment). But like others have stated, for learn to skate, beginner, public skate sessions, it’s not that bad at all cost wise. Please don’t let a limited budget keep you from what may be your or your child’s greatest passion. How can any of us put a price or let price alone be the lone factor in deciding all that this one single activity gives us in life, both on and off the ice.
I am an adult skater and I work during the day, 8, 9, 10 hours. I have a long drive to work and back home. When I get home I am tired, I mean Tired, spent, frazzled, exhausted. What do I look forward to all day long? the Rink, the Ice, Skating, working on my limited skills (ISI Gamma). Some days I have to drag myself to the rink for an hour of public skate. (Freestyle session in the evening??, Hah!, that will be the day) But I’m here to tell you after I skate for that hour or so, I feel great, rejuvenated, relieved, relaxed, energized. It is also about having time to visit with friends I have made at the rink. I believe it is as much about the social aspect of being with and making new friends, as it is about the ice and the skating.

Recommend this to a friend?? – Yes !

I love your post and I agree with all the comments.

However, even when I knew what it all cost and how I could never afford it, there was a part of me that said, “Meh…but that won’t be me. I’ll never let it get that far. I honestly *can’t* let it get that far.” And we took LTS lazily for a few years, added on a 15 minute lesson here and there, went to one or two little competitions….

Yeah. Skating is like being a frog in a frying pan. You always think you’ll be the one to have enough sense to jump out when it gets too hot.

And yeah, although skating is crazy pricey, I’ve heard some figures and schedules from parents of elite level soccer players or dance teams that travel and violin lessons at $80 a pop three times a week, and you know…I don’t feel as crazy as comparing skating to those things as when comparing skating to…I don’t know…Bowling? Fly fishing? Marbles?

Is it a luxury and not a necessity? Yes. Would I do it again? Yes. My daughter’s skating gives her such joy, gives other members of our family such joy to watch. It’s a lifelong sport and skill that she can take with her well into old age. If she passes all her tests, she basically has a “degree” that can put some cold hard cash in her pocket if need be. She has a resume line for college both in showing her work ethic as well as her volunteerism through the club.

On a more personal note, I had a kid who was crawling up walls, falling out of her chair in school ten times a minute, and who couldn’t sleep a full night’s sleep. I’ll never be sure whether or to what extent the amount of skating she does is fending off those bugaboos. And I’m sure I’m rationalizing our little luxury to some extent. But I do think that the combination of gross motor physical activity plus the somewhat tough concentration demands of getting your whole body to perform tricky and intricate fine motor skills – the dance, the artistry, the athleticism, the necessary levels of concentration needed to not smack your nose on the ice – I think it’s been a particularly good thing for my skater. That’s a more personal reason, but something to be considered in me giving my “yes”.

Also, I do hear people say the opposite: “Oh, I’d NEVER put my kid in skating! I know how expensive it can be! The competitions, the early morning practices…and what? What if she never get to the OLYMPICS?”

I like to tell them that there’s more to skating than just trying to get to the Olympics.

After all…our family could NEVER afford the Olympics.

Xan, lol!

Short, sweet, to the point.

lol–I have a hockey player & a figure skater. The skating makes hockey look like a cheap sport! My son played on 2 hockey teams last season and his costs for both together were about what my daughter’s synchro team alone cost was over the same period. My hockey parent friends are used to having the expensive sport label thrown at them and are always shocked when I tell them what I spend on skating. I spend approximately $1000 per month on her individual skating, while I spend about $2000 per season on my son’s team (including travel, tournaments, etc).

Having said all of that, I would probably still do it again and have encouraged others to start the sport (after all, misery loves company, right?). All kidding aside, my daughter is not one to put herself into a spot light situation. My husband and I are still amazed that she is so eager and confident when she takes the ice. Her love for the sport hasn’t diminished in the 4 years since she began & when she competes, she shines. That is what makes it all worthwhile.

I agree Jozet, jumpingbean was a beast before she started skating….it was definitely a positive thing for her.

Hi, Jozet! I love this:

Yeah. Skating is like being a frog in a frying pan. You always think you’ll be the one to have enough sense to jump out when it gets too hot.

It’s very Texan! In my area of Texas people would say, “You sure bumped his pot.” That referrs, of course, to frogs in a boiling kettle.

Anway, I agree. My daughter’s success and passion is like a drug to me. I can’t get enough of it. I see her engaged and successful and all I want to do is to keep that going.

Olympics? Please. It’s wonderful for those who achieve that, but I’m happy just seeing her achieve.

You know, when someone brings up the Olympics question, I always think, “Well is your flag football player going to the NFL?” And we all know that being an NFL player is way easier than being one of the two or three people our country sends to the Olympics every four years!

This

“Olympics? Please. It’s wonderful for those who achieve that, but I’m happy just seeing her achieve.”

Yes, yes, and yes.

THAT is such a good point Ice Mom- almost any professional sport has more opportunity than an Olympic figure skater, so why do people thing there is no other goal?

I think that the Olympics is the only event that the non-skating public sees. They think that’s it for figure skaters. For school-sponsored sports, like football and volleyball, the public can go to the games and cheer the athletes on at State. It’s something tangible.

Anyway, I don’t want to diminish the efforts of those athletes (and their parents) who make the Olympic team. It’s truly wonderful and they do a lot for the sport.

For my friends that ask about it, I try to be honest – start with learn to skate but only if you are prepared to live the skating life. My girls are young and LOVE skating. But, before skating we did gymnastics, soccer, swim, and dance. The only thing they’ve really stuck with is skating. We continue to do dance, more to support skating (and for the fance costumes) than to become long term dancers. I’ve also told new parents who ask “what’s next?” to stay in basic skills/group lessons as long as humanly possible! I’m very up front with anyone who asks about the cost. I tell them the hourly rate of private coaching, the cost of ice, skates, tights, dresses, and competition fees. They usually head straight to the soccer field after hearing that!

And that’s the other part of this…the kids who stand up straight and do say, “Yeah, I DO want to try to go all the way in this sport.” Now granted, there is a lot of money, time, sacrifice, and a bit of luck, genetics, and more luck in getting there.

But some skaters to get there – to nationals, to worlds, to the Olympics. And yes, thank heavens…those athletes who do make the news and television (although later and later at night, it seems) keep skating on the “to try” list of parents and kids everywhere. Maybe it is “I want to be an Olympic skater” that gets them on the ice, but the fun, the local competition, the exercise, the theater on ice, the challenge of testing that keeps them there.

I’m an adult skater not a parent, but that just means I fund the cost myself. Not always easy on a very modest salary, but i give up other things and I unfortunately can’t skate as much as I’d like to. But I still do it because I just LOVE it! Nothing else makes me feel as good as skating does, and the friends I’ve made through skating are the best friends I have. I love the challenges and the achievements and the feeling of being on the ice. I love having goals and continually pushing myself through them and on up to new goals.

I went horse riding weekly for four years as a kid,and i enjoyed it, but i never had the DRIVE that skating has given me. I want to skate skate skate!!!

Isn’t it great to find your passion? I’m just glad horseback riding wasn’t Ice Girl’s passion. Man, the only thing more expensive than skating is horseback riding!

Great discussion. So many points of view! From age 3 my now 10yo daughter tried gymnastics, cheering, gymnastics, skating, horseriding, skating… and is now beginning in her 5th year skating. About to test pre-preliminary moves and preparing for a solo in this year’s show. We have a wonderful LTS program in our town rink that runs Sept-April for $280. There is a lovely ice show every Spring. I forced her to keep at it the second year because I thought she needed a winter sport. By the end of the year, she loved it. She loves the social aspect of the group lessons. Last year, she asked for private lessons, which she does once per week year round. We do not spend more than $200 on boots/blades. I often ask myself.. should I encourage more hours at the rink? will she one day wish she had done more earlier? or should I let her figure it out and be happy I’m saving the money? I’m going with the latter. As a family, we love ice and spray the backyard every winter. 10 yo son and dad play hockey. DD works hard but does not have the drive to race to the top. So we are taking each season and enjoying it. If there comes that she wants more, I agree with ice mom’s rationale. I’d even take an extra job to pay for it. But I admit I’m glad she’s not asking for more. Much less stressful this way.

Bills have just escalated big time. Lots of extra coaching time recently due to early in the year injuries. I have gone back to work just to earn money to help pay for skating. Yikes! Would I do it again?…yes, for all the reasons you stated in your blog and more.

Like many who commented, my IceBoy is passionate about this sport. IceCoach says that for some kids it’s just in the blood. I know that he is speaking from his own experience. When he said this, I could hear, see and feel it coming from his heart. How many chances are there for a parent to truly see their child fulfilled?

Skating: Cost: way expensive–Benefit: priceless.

What do I say when people ask me about getting their child into skating? I tell them that when people told me it was an expensive sport I said that I knew it was…but just like when people tell you that children grow up so fast…you just don’t know the truth of it until it happens.