Figure skaters suck

[analog999 0]

I was at a 30 and over public skating session today with my wife at our 45 minute away rink at noon. We go at this time becuase there are less people to deal with and we just want to practice our skating. We wear full gear but we don't bring out or sticks or pucks or anything.

Today was our third time coming out to this skate. It is filled with a lot of gals who like to skate around and dream that they are 15 year old olympic figure skaters. Some are taking lessons. The past two times we have come out, we would skate at the end of the rink or around, but usually not in the middle. We practice our edges and I practice hard turns and stops as well.

Today I wanted to practice my cross-overs, so I went to the middle where no one was at the time I started skating there. I used the center circle to practice my pivots, turns, backward and forward crossovers and stops. All was fine for the first twenty minutes until one of the coaches had a figure skater try to do her little routine that was in my way. I watched out for her, but I didn't leave the area, as I felt I was there first. I kept going about my normal business. Not hitting anyone or even coming close to hitting anyone, just practicing my skating. If anything these gals would come close to hitting me. I could tell they were talking about me when they would stop on the side and chat with the 85 year old Skating Attendant. After a little while longer, he skated out to me, but didn't say anything just watched what I was doing. Soon, one of the figure skating coaches skated into my path and we both had to slam on the breaks to keep from hitting one another. We weren't going to hit, we were at least 5 feet away from each other but he goes "Oh sh*t". Right after that the 85 year old skate attendent stopped me and told me that I was scaring the figure skaters and I needed to stop what I was doing. I told him I wasn't doing anything other than practicing my skating, just like I had done previous times and just like the other people were doing around me. He told me that I was going too fast with my crossovers. I argued a bit more with him and said "fine, I'll try to go slower" ... which I did.

After a bit, I decided to practice my hard turns while on the circle so that I could practice various game type turns. I was cutting deep ruts into the ice with my turns, but again, nothing I had not done at previous sessions. After about 5 minutes or so Mr. 85 came back to me and said I couldn't cut ruts in the ice. I looked at him and asked him what I was doing wrong. I said that I'm just skating and practicing my turns. He said I shouldn't be out here skating and that I should skate at other times if I wanted to practice my hockey skating. I told him there weren't any public skates for hockey and he said "there are sunday nights." I told him that sunday nights are game nights, not public sessions for skating or individual work. We argued for about a minute and I finally gave up. My wife said she wanted to leave, I could tell she was just trying to diffuse the situation, plus I wanted to keep skating. I had paid my money just like everyone else out there. So I started skating around and was talking with this guy who said one of the coaches told Mr. 85 to come tell me not to skate around the center circle.

Then, an old gal who must have been about 60 came up to me and said "how old are you?" I told her I was 30 and she said "you don't act like it." I didn't respond to that - I didn't know what to say. I hadn't sworn at Mr. 85 or anyone. I hadn't skated into anyone. I hadn't been disrespectful of anyone's space, in fact, it was just the opposite. I talked with her more and tried to explain my side but she just flat out told me I shouldn't be skating at the same time with them. She also said that because I'm wearing pads that she was afraid because if I went down, no big deal but if she went down she would be hurting. Why is that my fault? I asked her why she didn't wear pads and she told me she had an ass protector and she wore a bike helmet. She said she didn't like wearing hockey type pads because they were unattractive. Anyway, I just skated off, but even to her I wasn't rude or mean, I was just being honest and skating how I have skated the last two times I came there.

What it really all boiled down to was that I was in the center where the coaches and the old gals wanted to skate, but obviously they feel that they have the right to skate there since they have probably been coming for 30 years or more...

I am not planning on going to any more of these sessions, as they are starting up a new stick and puck in the evenings on Tuesdays that I requested. I'm afraid, however, that it won't last very long as attendance probably will not be very high since no one will know about it.

So anyway, what do you guys recommend I do?

[Quintin 16]

Wow, talk about being rude. They need to check the dictionary and look up "Public".

But kinda odd that you only practise it in the center circle.

This is what I did during public skate sessions when figure skaters were on. If they were in the middle, I'd let them skate there and just practise in one of the corners. I was doing laps, I'd skate around at a general speed, like the speed I skate in during hockey game warmups. A figure skater teacher came up to me and told me to stop skating so fast. I told him to stop spinning cos (here's the part I LOVE the most - I point to a random bunch of kids or learner skaters and tell him that he's intimidating then cos he's showing off and they've been complaining to me throughout the session). He then skates off and I keep skating happily in my corner. Then people come to me and ask "How'd you do that!!?". Then I wave my hand to the skater with a grin on my face.

[OkSt. 0]

I quit going to public skates for much the same reason. I'm to the point now where if I can't skate with a puck I don't go, so its pick-up and stick and pucks only for me now, besides games of course.

[PH_Hockey2 4]

Screw those figure skaters, I would keep going to public skate and not let them detour me, plus I would go to keep making them mad :D

[jjtt99 0]

I feel your pain, but if you want to do that type of stuff you really need to go to a stick and puck session.

Reality sucks.

[analog999 0]

There isn't stick and puck, at least not yet. I agree, I wouldn't bother going to a public skate if there was stick and puck, believe me.

[ctaz 0]

That's crazy. I applaud you for putting up with as much of that as you did. I know after about the 3rd time of trying to be polite and having to put up with that guy. I mean figure skaters here are sitting here in the middle spinning with their skates blades out a few inches from where those just skating laps are, that's more dangerous than you skating in a small section of ice behind the goalline while paying attention to others. I would have gone and given the manager of the rink an earful at about the point where your wife suggested leaving. At the very least demanding the right to use the ice with the same consideration as the figure skaters. You weren't asking much of anyone else who was using the ice. If the manager felt he couldn't allow you that consideration then he could give you a refund since you had paid to use the ice and you were not being allowed to use it.

[analog999 0]

I did ask to see the manager and he is on vacation apparently. I talk to him often, so I will have a word with him when he gets back.

[Edge 0]

oh man i know what you mean. I'm not trying to stereotype but it seems that the skaters that have been around figure skating for a while seem quite arrogant.

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

Every rink I worked at, spins and jumps were not allowed in public sessions.

[Chadd 916]

If there are more of them, they will win. Figure skaters generally spend more time on the ice than recreational hockey players.

[Keith 0]

In all honestly, the middle is for the figure skaters.. Even in public.

[analog999 0]

What is that some kind of rule? No one owns the ice. My rink is a public facility.

[Tricky4L 0]

At all the rinks I've ever been to, the center area has always been a figure skater area. Its more or less just an unspoken rule at least in my experience. At the rink I worked at we always reserved the center area for figure skaters to do any spins or jumps and were not allowed to do them in any other area. Might vary from rink to rink but your situation is one of the main reasons I will VERY rarely go to public sessions anymore.

[analog999 0]

I'm sorry but I have every right to do my skating exercises anywhere on the ice. I specifically went into the middle so I would not bother people who choose to skate in the outside lane and they would not bother me. If the figure skaters don't like it, tough sh*t.

[Duder84 0]

there ARE four other circles in the rink you could skate around....

[Chadd 916]

I'm sorry but I have every right to do my skating exercises anywhere on the ice. I specifically went into the middle so I would not bother people who choose to skate in the outside lane and they would not bother me. If the figure skaters don't like it, tough sh*t.

By your same logic, they should be able to do whatever they want anywhere on the ice. The reality is it's common practice to have them in the middle where they stay out of everyone's way for safety. Sometimes you just have to share. Just deal with it and as mentioned pick one of the other circles on the ice.

[Finlay82uk 0]

I used to skate at my local ice rink now + again during public sessions+ no matter how busy the rink was there was always some figure skaters throwing there legs around+ what not with no disregard for anyone else.

But if anyone complained, the person who complained ended up in the wrong, its as if the figure skaters own the rink at times

[jcp2 2]

Did you go to a public session or open skate session? The rink near me has both types, with the open skate being mostly figure skaters and the public skate being full of people on rentals (although both are open to the public). The expectations and etiquette are different for each.

[Edge 0]

If they'd like that area to be for figure skaters only, they should put out cones to separate them. If not then he has every right to skate there.

[Eazy_b97 1]

My experiences with figure skaters have been roughly the same at public skates. Next time use your own, and your wifes gloves to make your own circle. Try and be creative to come up with ways around it because they'll usually take the figure skaters side in an argument. Likely because they rent the ice in smaller amounts, and I believe pay a higher fee (no league discounts).

[analog999 0]

I doubt they are renting the ice at other times. They pay $4 for an hour of ice time at the time I am going. I will pay $9 for 1.5 hours for my stick and puck sessions that will start in April. Fortunately there will be even fewer people at the stick and puck...

As far as open skate vs public etc... this is just a session for adults, essentially it is the same as a normal public session. You just don't find the coaches teaching or these older gals because there are too many people out there during the normal sessions.

Chadd: I did not tell them not to skate there. Often they would skate through and I would just watch out for them. I didn't give them dirty looks or anything. They gave ME dirty looks because they felt that I was in their way.

[Duder84 0]

maybe its the fact that you're wearing full gear? it could be pretty intimidating for older to see younger people skating around in full gear while these older folks aren't

[Jason Harris 31]

I think you were fighting the tide, but it didn't look that way because you happened to arrive before they did.

Generally, figure skaters take to the middle of the ice because it's safer for everybody that they limit their style of skating to the inner part of the ice. Conversely, most of the remaining skaters are just that -- "skaters." They're not necessarily practicing hockey style skating as much as a family teaching their kids, boyfriend/girlfriend, etc. Consequently, going around in circles around the outside is no big deal for them, while the figure skaters do twirls in the middle. You should be able to find room between the circles and the blue line to practice your agility.

However, where I think the figure skaters and their coach did you a disservice is none of them had the courtesy to skate up to you and say, "Hi, we usually practice this time in the center ice to keep a safe distance from everyone. Would is be possible if you could....."

[Keith 0]

What is that some kind of rule? No one owns the ice. My rink is a public facility.

Yes, exactly..... It is an unwritten rule in some rinks and a clearly spelled out rule in others. The rinks generally cone it off so those ppl can do their spins without being some horrible hazard to others. You are confusing gen skating with sticks and pucks... Besides, if you want to practice your starting, stopping and crossovers, avoiding the hacks who are skating around in the main circle should be more than enough practice.