| As an Olympic favorite, figure skating should be 100% | | | | skating instruction if one has been coaching the same |
| cutting edge on techniques and theory. Unfortunately, | | | | way for 20 years. |
| many coaches are not keeping up with the times and | | | | When you go to the arena and watch a coach, most |
| learning the newest figure skating mechanics to the | | | | often they will not be using the newly developed jump |
| detriment of their students One of the most difficult of | | | | mechanics developed by elite coaches for their |
| the skating routines are the jumps. There is a lot of off | | | | skaters. The sad thing is, that some of these |
| ice and on ice preparation to complete a perfect jump. | | | | techniques are really not even that new, some of |
| Unfortunately, it is often difficult to get a coach who | | | | these mechanics have actually been used for |
| really knows how to coach jumping properly. As a | | | | decades. The elite coaches only now are allowing |
| matter of fact, many coaches totally disagree on the | | | | these techniques to become public, and so they are |
| fundamental mechanics of skating jumps. | | | | now becoming available for all figure skating coaches |
| A lot of figure skating coaching is passed on from | | | | to learn from, if they so choose. Often they do not |
| older coach to younger coach and the to the skater. | | | | choose. Instead, the same old routines that they used |
| There is not very much written about jumping, and the | | | | as a child will be brought out and used again and again. |
| books that are out there often disagree with each | | | | It is really a shame that this continues to happen. The |
| other! There is a problem getting the written word into | | | | worst thing is, that it will continue to happen again and |
| a physical form also. So we know that most coaches | | | | again until something is done about it. |
| teach very much the same methods and techniques | | | | Many coaches are thinking that without a common |
| that their coach had taught them when they were | | | | fundamental starting point, the confusion and lack of |
| growing up and first learning. Unfortunately, in today's | | | | focus within figure skating will continue. What is needed |
| uber-elite-athletic world, figure skating seems to be | | | | is to get the coaches to agree what the basics are, or |
| caught up in the past and does not seem to be going | | | | at least that would be a good start. In most other |
| forward in North America. New knowledge and | | | | sports, there is a consistently improvement in teaching |
| techniques are out there, but still, old outdated | | | | methods, but not so in figure skating. There is no |
| teachings are still the norm at the regular skating arena. | | | | consistent teaching of techniques in our sport. Coupled |
| The problem is not only the coaches fault though, it is | | | | with the fact that the actual rules of Ice skating are so |
| the rules themselves that are confusing. They are out | | | | confusing, it is no wonder that coaches continue to do |
| dated and vague, and more a hindrance than a help in | | | | the same thing that they have done for years. What is |
| most cases. Most coaches agree with this, but often it | | | | needed is a starting point for all coaches to agree to |
| is too felt too hard to break the past history of figure | | | | and go forward from there. |