Parents Page
The skating world can be scary for new parents. This page is meant to help parents find answers to common questions. Remember you can always contact board members or coaches for more information. The link to United States Figure Skating's (USFS) Parent page can be found below, which offers some excellent information for parents.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What Should My Child Wear to Lessons?
The skater should wear clothing that they can move in. Restricting clothes such as jeans will make it more difficult for the students to perform their elements. It is also important to remember clothing that will keep the child warm. Layering is important. Additionally, gloves and hats are important for students to keep warm.
Click here to see what the USFS suggests skaters wear!
What Skates Do I Buy?
When skaters are just starting out, high quality skates are not necessary. Quality becomes important once students begin jumping and spinning. You can find used skates at pro-shops or purchase them from other skaters. I would not suggest buying online unless you are absolutely certain that the skates are going to fit and are going to be appropriate. The best advice I can give is to talk to a coach or an experienced skating parent to find where to get skates for your child. Also, it is important to remember that the skates do not make the skater, but they do make the skater able to skate. They are important and something to choose carefully.
Some important aspects of skates:
- Fit- Skates are not like shoes where there can be "room to grow into", they should "fit like a glove" in order to not allow a lot of movement within the skate.
- Stiffness of the Boot- The boot should be supportive. If you can grip the boot at the top and bend it in either direction easily, the skate will not be supportive to the skater. Skates must be able to hold up to the elements your skater will be doing.
- Blades- Blades will primarily come attached to the boot for beginning skates. The most common issue with blades is not sharpening them enough or not taking care of them properly. The blades need to be thoroughly dried after every use and then have soakers or other towels covering the blades. If you put guards back on them, the moisture left in the guards will cause rust to occur on the blades. This rust will make skating very difficult and will have to be sharpened off. Blades should be sharpened approximately every six weeks to eight weeks depending on how often skaters skate.