Adult Skating Student
I’m so excited to discuss the topic of Age as it relates to the sport of figure skating. This is a subject near and dear to my heart. Especially since so many people tend to think of figure skating as a sport for little girls and boys trotting around the ice rink, learning their swizzles and bunny hops for the first time. However, there’s so much more to this sport than the little ones you may find stumbling onto the ice for the first time with expressions of excitement as they skate into their beginner classes.
I’m actually proud to say that figure skating is one of the few sports where you will find students as young as two years of age to as old as eighty two years of age. Yes, that is correct because it is not uncommon to see the ages of figure skating students range from young adult to elderly. Sometimes, a student will start lessons as a child and for many different personal reasons they may have to stop those lessons only to return years later as an adult skater.
This is especially true for myself, since I started skating at the age of twelve, which is really considered “late” in terms of beginning figure skating lessons. However, as a little girl I loved the sport so much that I worked very hard. So much so that I was able to get advanced through the beginning levels and quickly found myself in Freestyle 1 and then eventually Freestyle 3. Needless to say, I was extremely excited and felt that I had accomplished something great. However, soon after Freestyle 3 my lessons stopped fairly abruptly.
So today I am excited to say that I am a figure skating Mom, who also has the pleasure of being an adult skater. I not only get to enjoy watching my Daughter skate but I also enjoy skating with her. We even have micro mini competitions to see who has the better two foot spin. Naturally, she wins every time but I always get an A for effort.
Due to my commitment in supporting my Daughter’s figure skating I have not thought much about coming back to the sport on a competitive level. However, I’m sure that many of you reading this blog are adult skaters that have bravely taken on the challenge of competing. What you should also be commended for is the fact that your age does not slow or prevent you from doing very well as an adult skater or skating competitively.
Everyone’s story is both unique and different so when I see an adult student working hard to master their elements regardless of their level, I am always encouraged by their commitment and ability to keep trying.
If you’re an adult skater who has a unique story or just an uplifting word to share, then I encourage you to submit your comments or thoughts on this wonderful topic of figure skating as the ageless sport.
Thank you so much for stopping by the Pinkskate blog, the place where you can feel free to join our forum and submit your input. As always, I’d also like to leave you with the encouraging words to love yourself and love your sport.
Love,
Pinkskate