WAG Anyone involved in figure skating?

[CoachRita]

One of my girls on team wants to quit gym due to various reasons. She wanted to quit many times already but now I think time has come. She wants to transition into another sport. I suggested track or climbing but she wants something "elegant". She considered dancing but would like figure skating much more!

She is 14 and a L8 btw.

She has been on ice only like 5 times in her life so she is pretty much starting from scratch. She is super worried because she has no idea how hard it is, how long it will take etc.

Does anyone have any tips on that? How hard is it for a gymnast? Can she still learn something cool?

I watched some videos and I do think it looks pretty tough. Like the jumping twists and the layback stuff must be hard. But skating in a needle, turning in a scorpion etc should be doable with training, shouldn't it?

I would really appreciate any info!

Thank You all and Merry Christmas!

 

[Deleted member 18037]

The bigger question is what does she want do with it.

14 is a very late start. But really you are never to old to learn. However, you can be to old to get to a point where you can compete reasonably well.

For fun and the joy, its never too late.

 

[gatormom]

Gymnasts can transition nicely to synchronized swimming if they are comfortable in the water. I have had two girls heavily involved for years, as well as my gymnast son. Let me know if I can give you more info.

 

[Jolette]

With the skills she has from gym, especially her flexibility and strength she should learn quickly. Hopefully she can find a club with a good beginner/intermediate type program that has older kids. My skating club has many teenagers at all different levels.

 

[ascarter1]

We have had several go into diving and one go into pole vaulting (go a d1 college scholarship for it).

 

[gymisforeveryone]

I have "lost" many gymnast to figure ice skating. I currently have two gymnasts who do both. It seems like that sport is one of the few other sports besides gymnastics that actually gives the kids big challenges after challenges and makes them want more and more. BUT they practice very much, even more than gymnasts so gymnasts who do both have to eventually choose their main sport.

Pole vaulting is one of the sports that seems to be easy to succeed if you are an ex-gymnast. I know many success stories.

 

[B.Gold]

It really depends on what her goals are. It's never too late to try something new and have fun, but to be competitive, depending on her commitment, it may be too late.

Skating takes a bigger financial commitment than gym. My skater is at the rink one third the time as my gymnast but we spend twice to three times as much money to allow her to skate. Ice is hard to come by and you're at the mercy of when it's available... Which may mean early mornings, or long drives to another rink.

It's a culture of private lessons at $30 a half hour. You have the free-style skating as you described above with the spins and jumps. But then she would also learn "moves in the field" which is the intricate foot work that gets the skater from here-to-there. It is just as difficult, possibly more, but not nearly as fun. These are separate lessons, and possibly coaches, for each.

And finally, just like gymnastics, it's one of the few sports that require a participant to start quite young.

Her strength, flexibility and work ethic learned at the gym would serve her well. And bless her heart of she wants to give it a go. But I'd encourage her in another direction. I wouldnt guide my gymnast to skating should she quit gym.

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

In our club, it seems the majority of gymnasts (of similar age/level when quitting) who transition into other sports have gone into diving, pole vaulting or powerlifting. A couple into track (hurdle!!) and dance.

 

[CoachRita]

It really depends on what her goals are. It's never too late to try something new and have fun, but to be competitive, depending on her commitment, it may be too late.

Skating takes a bigger financial commitment than gym. My skater is at the rink one third the time as my gymnast but we spend twice to three times as much money to allow her to skate. Ice is hard to come by and you're at the mercy of when it's available... Which may mean early mornings, or long drives to another rink.

It's a culture of private lessons at $30 a half hour. You have the free-style skating as you described above with the spins and jumps. But then she would also learn "moves in the field" which is the intricate foot work that gets the skater from here-to-there. It is just as difficult, possibly more, but not nearly as fun. These are separate lessons, and possibly coaches, for each.

And finally, just like gymnastics, it's one of the few sports that require a participant to start quite young.

Her strength, flexibility and work ethic learned at the gym would serve her well. And bless her heart of she wants to give it a go. But I'd encourage her in another direction. I wouldnt guide my gymnast to skating should she quit gym.

Oh thank you so much!!! That helped tremendously.

 

[CoachRita]

THANKS TO ALL FOR THE REPLIES!!! Helped so much

 

[Sk8ermaiden]

I picked up figure skating as a teen. Yes, you can learn a lot in a few years, especially if you're athletic and used to practicing!

The great thing about skating is that the adult competition scene is a lot larger than adult gymnastics. She can do it for as long as she wants.

 

[CoachRita]

I picked up figure skating as a teen. Yes, you can learn a lot in a few years, especially if you're athletic and used to practicing!

The great thing about skating is that the adult competition scene is a lot larger than adult gymnastics. She can do it for as long as she wants.

Ohh, thank you very much!!!!

 

[OrangeKangaroo]

One nice thing about skating is it is a life long skill- there's always public skate later on and then skating with your own children later in life. It can become a family activity after the competition stage is over.

 

[B.Gold]

^^ what a great perspective!!

 

[dani4]

If you live near a ski area I have heard about gymnasts becoming ski jumpers and competing at a high level when they start in their teens or even older. There's an article about that Brazilian gymnast/ski jumper, of course her story doesn't end very well. There's also an American national team ski jumper who was a gymnast. Maybe that's not graceful enough though . Certainly thrilling!