Figure skaters suck

[analog999 0]

Keith: There are no rules regarding the center being for figure skaters posted at my rink that I have seen. Unspoken/unwritten rules are not rules. This is not a stick and puck and I was not using a stick or a puck, I simply wore pads so if I fell I would not injure myself. I was practicing my skating, same as them.

Salming: yes, I agree, if someone had politely asked if I could move or do it somewhere else, I would have been happy to oblige.

Duder: yes, I told you that the old gal felt intimidated, but why is that my fault?

[chippa13 1844]

Not for nothing, but honestly, who goes to public skating in full gear?

[Chopper C. 0]

Sounds to me like they need to come up with a "figure skater practice" time, much like the skate and shoots are for hockey players. I typically don't go to open skates for this reason, however, I have the skate and shoot option.

Unwritten rules aside, if a public skate is just that, a public skate, then there should not be any hockey skating OR figure skating allowed. Extreme? Perhaps, but it should be fair across the board.

My two cents.

[analog999 0]

chopper, I agree with you..

[hockechamp14 0]

analog, it's not written anywhere that you have to drive on the right side of the road... so I guess it's not a rule.

[donkey87 0]

analog, it's not written anywhere that you have to drive on the right side of the road... so I guess it's not a rule.

Actually, it is written. It's called a traffic law. :lol:

[dix0r 0]

you should have broken mr 85's hip and slapped that lady at least twice.

i'm very easy-going, and it takes a lot to get me mad, but i'm pretty sure i would have gone off there...i commend you for your patience.

[dix0r 0]

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....."

exactly :]

[biff44 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

I agree, you probably scared the pooh out of them!

My kid was taking ice skating instruction from a figure skater a few years ago. The ice situation is definately set up for "Figure Skaters Only". At one rink where the ice was rented by the local figure skating club, he did some lessons, but they stayed off in a corner working on edges, and still caught some grief for it. At another rink where it was open public skating time, but mostly dominated by figure skaters, there was less grief but you still knew you were breaking some sort of unwritten code. It was simply a case of intimidation, some 100 pound figure skater does not like to see a 6'2 210 pound skater tooling around the rink at a faster speed than they can skate! It is a combination of being afraid for their lives and being in awe at someone that big skating with similar precision to them.

Next time, leave the gear at home!

[hockeyherb 1]

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.

This is the part that bothers me - the double standard. They KNOW the figure skaters are a hazard but still accomodate them with the inner circle deal. However, even if they KNOW a hockey skater will be a hazard there are no exceptions or unspoken rules that they can have their own little spot that people stay away from.

I think if it's a public skate then they should just make everyone go around and do their laps and not give preference to any group. That's why they create special skating sessions to satisfy the different types. Figure skaters and hockey skaters probably all scare the crap out of the average Joe that might want to just take his kids out for a little whirl around the ice.

Analog, next time do a couple of spins in the middle every so often and then you can say you're working on your figure skating too. :D

[hockechamp14 0]

analog, it's not written anywhere that you have to drive on the right side of the road... so I guess it's not a rule.

Actually, it is written. It's called a traffic law. :lol:

my point still stands. I understand you didn't know at the time, but there's no reason to get worked up and frustrated about it now.

[technophile 0]

I think if it's a public skate then they should just make everyone go around and do their laps and not give preference to any group. That's why they create special skating sessions to satisfy the different types. Figure skaters and hockey skaters probably all scare the crap out of the average Joe that might want to just take his kids out for a little whirl around the ice.

That they do. The first time I went ice skating was a date with my (then) girlfriend (now wife), and we were nearly decapitated by a figure skater as we were skating around the boards.

I'm sure we would have been similarly freaked out if some guy (or girl) in full hockey gear had been flying around throwing up snow. (Actually, if I were at a public skate now, I'd probably feel the same way, even though I play myself; there's no guarantee just because a person is in gear that they won't lose an edge and crash into someone else.)

Public skates should be for skating only, not practice of any kind. Failing that, the rules should be clear and fair (i.e. dangerous skaters in the middle, whether hockey players or figure skaters; the hockey players at least have gear on to protect themselves from the figure skaters).

[technophile 0]

analog, it's not written anywhere that you have to drive on the right side of the road... so I guess it's not a rule.

Actually, it is written. It's called a traffic law. :lol:

my point still stands. I understand you didn't know at the time, but there's no reason to get worked up and frustrated about it now.

A better example would be tipping at a restaurant. There's no written rule that you have to tip (the sole exception being the notes on many menus that they automatically add a gratuity for large groups), but that doesn't make it any less a rule. You can get away with not doing it, but I wouldn't go back to that restaurant if you don't tip, because you're likely to be remembered.

[All Torhs Team 0]

i like figure skaters, theyre always at the rink and theyre females...well most of them.

whats not to like about the female ones when theyre off the rink....

[analog999 0]

analog, it's not written anywhere that you have to drive on the right side of the road... so I guess it's not a rule.

Actually, it is written. It's called a traffic law. :lol:

my point still stands. I understand you didn't know at the time, but there's no reason to get worked up and frustrated about it now.

A better example would be tipping at a restaurant. There's no written rule that you have to tip (the sole exception being the notes on many menus that they automatically add a gratuity for large groups), but that doesn't make it any less a rule. You can get away with not doing it, but I wouldn't go back to that restaurant if you don't tip, because you're likely to be remembered.

If it were a rule, you would have to tip. There are resteraunts that have a tipping rule, most do when you have parties of 6 or more.

[Chadd 916]

I believe his point was that there are just some things we do that aren't mandated by law. These things just help keep the peace and make life easier for most people. I don't want everything I can or can't do mandated by written rules, so I play along with conventions for the most part. At this point, you're just starting to sound like a crank who wants everyone to cater to your whims.

[Tricky4L 0]

There are no rules regarding the center being for figure skaters posted at my rink that I have seen. Unspoken/unwritten rules are not rules.

Ok so I'm getting the impression you are somewhat of a newbie to the hockey scene, first of all.... welcome. Secondly... THE SPORT OF HOCKEY IS FILLED WITH UNWRITTEN RULES!!! Seems like you've already gotten a crash course in the subject of rink politics and how horrible they are, just be aware that there is gonna be a lot more of the same and it will most likley never change. Taking a stubborn approach to this will get you nothing except a lot of glaring looks and a lot more people calling you an ass behind your back and I know you probably don't care about that but I think most of us have all seen some instance of people getting "unwritten" boots from certain rinks or ice times. Just ease up and realize that in the world of ice, the only battles you can ususally win are in games.

[analog999 0]

I believe his point was that there are just some things we do that aren't mandated by law. These things just help keep the peace and make life easier for most people. I don't want everything I can or can't do mandated by written rules, so I play along with conventions for the most part. At this point, you're just starting to sound like a crank who wants everyone to cater to your whims.

This is so far from the truth. You guys weren't there, so I just don't think you completely understand the situation. When I started working in the middle, no figure skaters were even close to being around there - everyone was skating in the outside lane. I was trying to making life easy for everyone by skating in the middle instead of the outside circles.

Like I said, if one of them had politely come and asked me if they could use the space, I would have been happy to oblige.

If you didn't want this as a written down rule Chadd, then that means that every once in a while you would want to be able to skate in the middle too, right?

[hockechamp14 0]

I believe his point was that there are just some things we do that aren't mandated by law. These things just help keep the peace and make life easier for most people. I don't want everything I can or can't do mandated by written rules, so I play along with conventions for the most part. At this point, you're just starting to sound like a crank who wants everyone to cater to your whims.

This is so far from the truth. You guys weren't there, so I just don't think you completely understand the situation. When I started working in the middle, no figure skaters were even close to being around there - everyone was skating in the outside lane. I was trying to making life easy for everyone by skating in the middle instead of the outside circles.

Like I said, if one of them had politely come and asked me if they could use the space, I would have been happy to oblige.

If you didn't want this as a written down rule Chadd, then that means that every once in a while you would want to be able to skate in the middle too, right?

I realize your point, and someone should have said something, but there's a point where you say "oh well" and move on, because there are better things to think about in life and it is better to be positive than negative. I'm glad you shared how you felt about what happened, but now you know, so maybe it will be better next time. :D

[ctaz 0]

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

okay maybe I went a tad overboard, but there are definitely figure skaters spinning in the middle during the public skates. At my local rinks figure skaters have free skates which is almost solely for them, I don't think I've ever seen anyone other than them out there during those times.

I think analogs biggest problem was that no matter how polite or nice he tried to be no matter where he was skating it seemed like he was being viewed as a problem or starting to create trouble. I could be wrong. I'm sure he's been to public skates before and noticed that figure skaters will often use the center ice area at those times; however, I understand his logic in going there to get out of the way of the fun skaters.

I don't even go to the extreme of wearing full gear to public skates. Normally, I just stick to sweatpants and a t-shirt. I just go try to find some open ice where there is little traffic where I can work on my edges, starts and stops, etc. If I want to work on my crossovers, I do so going the same way as the fun skaters while looking backwards so that I can watch out for them. It's not as easily productive, but it's the only way to get enough space to work on them.

At any fully public event like a public skate there has to be compromise, which from what analog has said didn't seem to be occuring.

[jeffw 1]

This season our Monday night practice followed figure skating practice. We would spend the first 10 minutes of practice filling in gouges in the ice that went clear down to the concrete.

Why do they like to land their jumps in the goal crease?!?

[Chadd 916]

If you didn't want this as a written down rule Chadd, then that means that every once in a while you would want to be able to skate in the middle too, right?

Not really, I just dislike rules. I rarely get on the ice unless I'm playing hockey, either a game or a private ice rental. I don't go to public sessions so I don;t have to deal with wanna-be figure skaters, kids falling down and teenagers playing tag in and around the other 150 people on the ice. Public sessions are for recreational skating, not hockey or workouts.

[technophile 0]

If you didn't want this as a written down rule Chadd, then that means that every once in a while you would want to be able to skate in the middle too, right?

Not really, I just dislike rules. I rarely get on the ice unless I'm playing hockey, either a game or a private ice rental. I don't go to public sessions so I don;t have to deal with wanna-be figure skaters, kids falling down and teenagers playing tag in and around the other 150 people on the ice. Public sessions are for recreational skating, not hockey or workouts.

Yeah, that's pretty much how I feel.

The only time I go to rec sessions is when I'm just skating with my wife (as a rec skater) rather than practicing/playing. If you want to work on skills, you probably ought to go to either a stick/puck or a hockey class; it's just easier (not to mention getting the benefit of a coach at the class).

[heritage 0]

I go to the public sessions to work on edges, stops, conditioning, to skate with my 5 year old, and because let's face it even skating in bad conditions is skating and maybe it's just me but I usually seem to always find a way to enjoy it. Yeah, I agree there is this unspoken rule that the center is for the figure skaters regardless of who gets there first (but if you're really being honest there are enough unspoken rules that we all live by and we would get ticked off about if someone else violated them ) but I'll skate in there for a few minutes if I want to practice cross overs in the opposite direction from the flow of the main rink or working on something with my daughter (she plays hockey). Then I/we get out and do something else and come back in latter. I've never had a problem with this. 20 minutes is a long time to capitalize on any part of the ice, though. But you were definetly not treated with any respect. The thing that does really get me with some of the figure skaters though, is when they practice their spins out on the open ice without regard for others. That blade is the height of my kids head and alot of the little recreational skaters that come out. But, I can skate a public session all day for $3 where a stick and puck will cost me $15 for an hour, and I think it makes me skate a litttle more heads up. So, I'll put up with the the downside of public sessions. Plus, often times you can be a good ambassador for your game. I'm always looking out for the little ones and picking them up after a good fall. Not that they are all bad but I can't say that I've ever seen a figure skater do that.

[Orange&Black 1]

At my local rink weekday public skates are pretty empty and there are rarely any figure skaters there, when they are they never do any spins or jumps (I guess it's a rule).

When I was first learning to skate I'd go utilize the public skates just to get some ice time and improve my basic skating skills. During one of these skates I got a trip to the Emergency Room, a guy was practicing his backwards hockey skating and zigged right into my path full speed. Being a beginner there wasn't much I could do about it, ended up trying to cut right, lost my edge and down I went. Out cold, eyebrow split wide open...not pretty. Six people on the ice and I get knocked the f*ck out...go figure.

I guess you could call that the other side of the story. I generally try to stay away from everybody at those skates now, I view them all as a threat to my well-being.

However; your rink seems to have a problem w/ the pot calling the kettle black, the figure skaters can do what they please, but you can't take the center when they're clearly not using it. Then when they do decide that they want it they go crying to the RA like little bitches, instead of skating up to you and discussing it. I think the rink should either accomodate everyone or no one in this situation. If the figure skaters can do spins at a Public Skate then why shouldn't a hockey player be able to practice his/her skills as well? If not then let everyone skate counter-clockwise for an hour & a half, problem solved...