parents

Club Parents

Competitive figure skating can be a way of challenging oneself to perform at increasingly more difficult levels, be part of a community of those who share a common interest and passion, improve one's fitness, engage in a creative activity, learn and grow. We parents want our children to grow into confident, competent, caring adults, able to find their passion in life and contribute to their community. Participating in competitive activities can contribute to healthy development and is an important aspect of development.

We hope the information on this page will be a resource to parents as we support our children in their participation in competitive figure skating!

If you have a child looking to engage in or who is already engaged in competitive figure skating, the following provides information on some basic health considerations for parents. Some of these articles are written for skaters and coaches, but they also provide information that can be helpful for parents as your child engages as an athlete in competitive figure skating. (All files are PDFs.)

A Healthy Perspective on Skating

• Making Your Skater a Champion for Life, by Pam Dawson, SKATING, January 2007
• Building Good Character Should Be Top Priority, by Pam Dawson, SKATING, November 2007
• What I Want My Daughter to Get Out of Sports, by Michael Josephson, SKATING, November 2007
• Staying Healthy, by Ellen Geminiani, SKATING, December 1999
• Keeping Score: Rest and Recovery Vital to Enhance Training, by Wm A. Sands, SKATING, December 2006
• High Marks: Collegiate Skating Options Worth the Investment, by Pam Dawson and Kelly Hodge, SKATING, October 2006

Nutrition

• Opitmal Dietary Intake…the basics from U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA, PDF)
• When Diets Become Disordered: Recognizing and Understanding Eating Disorders in Sports, by Renee M. Parker, SKATING, August 1995
• Reducing Body Fat Without Jeopardizing Health, by Amy Schaefer Fisher, SKATING, December 1995
• Eating Quickly: Eating On the Go Doesn't Mean Eating Unhealthily, by Amy Schaefer Fisher, SKATING, June/July 1998

Injuries

• Developing an injury prevention strategy (PDF)
• A Lot Still to be Learned about Skating Injuries, by Christine Lawless, SKATING, June/July 2006
• Providing Effective First Aid Response to Skating Injuries, by Claire McCarthy, SKATING, April 1995
• No Time to Warm Up? Think Again, by Lisa Ralston-Mizer, SKATING, February 2000
• Boot Problems and Boot Solutions, by Linda Tremain, SKATING, May 2004
• Ankle Sprains Prevention and Treatment, by Lisa Ralston-Mizer, SKATING, May 2000
• Don't Let Skating Become a Pain in the Back, by Clay Sniteman, SKATING, April 2005
• Warm-Up Strategies, by Carl Poe, Skating, January 2005
• Protect Your Knees, Please!, by Dan McGovern and Stephanie Van Ness, SKATING, December 2004

Internet Safety

Balance

• Skating and Education Go Hand in Hand, by Edna Chang-Grant, SKATING, October 2003
• Power Sleep and Peak Performance, by James Maas, Oriel Feldman Hall and Kate Boyles, SKATING, March 2003
• Relaxation & Stress Management for Success, by Sandra Stroope Dupcak, SKATING, May 2002

Strength and Conditioning

• S.T.A.R.S. (Standardized Testing of Athleticism to Recognize Skaters)
• Functional Strength: How Much Strength is Enough?, By Donna Flowers, SKATING, April 2007
• Crossing Over: Cycling, Yoga, Kung Fu, Great Ways to Enhance Training, by Rhian Jenks, SKATING, October 2006
• Core Exercises: Strengthening and Stretching Routine, by Kat Arbour, SKATING, January 2003
• Periodization Concepts for the "In-Season": Interval Training Drills for Improving Stamina, by Kat Arbour, SKATING, October 2002
• Special Off-Ice Exercises Can Be Difference-Makers, by Kat Arbour, SKATING, February 2006
• Pilates: How to Get the Most Out of This Core Strength Workout, by Linda Tremain, SKATING, November 2003
• The Athlete Warrior: 10 Principles for Becoming a Champion, by Alison Arnold, SKATING, January 2004
• Cardiovascular Fitness and Conditioning, by Michelle Provost-Craig, SKATING, April 1997
• Strength Training Vital for Optimal Performance by Kat Arbour, SKATING, November 2006

If you have a child looking to engage in or who is already engaged in competitive figure skating, the following provide information on some basic considerations about your child's athletic participation in the sport of figure skating. Some of these articles are written for skaters and coaches, but they also provide information that can be helpful for parents as your child engages as an athlete in competitive figure skating:

Preparing Your Child for Competition

• Preparing Young Skaters for Competition by Susi Wehrli
• Preparation and Successful Goal-Setting, by Pam Dawson, SKATING, May 2009
• The Five Rings of Mental Toughness: Creating an Unshakable Mind, by Alison Arnold, SKATING, November 2008
• Nervousness - How Can You Help, by Elaine Theisen, SKATING, June/July 2004
• Planning for Success, by Grayce Balian Lombard, SKATING, March 1995
• Get Psyched by Alison Arnold, SKATING, Vol. 80, 8
• Using Focus Points for Peak Performance, by Mary Jenness Raine, SKATING, April 2003
• The Mental Making of a Champion, by Edward Klein, SKATING, October 2004
• The Psychology of Skating: A Look at Sport Psychology, by Ellen Radin, SKATING, February 1996
• The Focus of a Champion, by Choeleen Loundagin, SKATING, August/September 2005
• Making the Connection: Ballet Classes Enhance Skating Technique in Many Ways, by Jacquelene Boucard, Anne Marini, Debbie Pitsos and Jerod Swallow, SKATING, March 2005
• A Sports Psychology-Performance Enhancement Program, by Martin Friedman, SKATING, May 2005

Travel

• Plan Before You Travel, by Rina Bloch, SKATING, August/September 2003

Competition Clothing

• Designing Woman, SKATING, November 1999

Competition Etiquette and Sportsmanship

• Why Sportsmanship?, by Craig Clifford and Susan Ward, SKATING, January 2005

Selecting Competitions

• What Does It Cost to Skate Competitively?, by Doris Bodmer, SKATING, October 2004
• Summer's Here: Use Coming Months to Optimize Your Child's Fall Performance, by Ann Morton Neale, SKATING, May 1997

Music

• Music Matters, by Elizabeth Leamy, SKATING, February 1998

General Resources

• Understanding the IJS
• The Competitive Pipeline

Finding the right coach for your child and working with that coach is an important consideration for parents. The following provide helpful information about engaging and working with a coach:

Finding the Right Coach

• Finding the Right Coach: What Every Parent Should Know, by Juliet Newcomer
• Criteria for Coaching by Heidi Thibert, SKATING, June/July 2009
• Coaches Education Requirements Information; Coaching Requirements for Qualifying Competitions
• Coaches Registration Process
• Coaching Requirements Checklist

Changing Coaches

• Changing Coaches
• Before Changing Coaches, Think Things Out, by Kathy Casey, SKATING, September 2007

U.S. Figure Skating and its member clubs rely on volunteers to support skaters and coaches as they participate in the recreational and competitive sport of figure skating. The following provide information about how you might contribute to U.S. Figure Skating and its member clubs:

1. Volunteer opportunities in local clubs
2. Volunteer opportunities in U.S. Figure Skating