I just watched a video of a kid I used to skate with years ago who everyone (mostly herself) touted as a future Olympic champion.
Not that the kid can’t skate, but after not seeing her skate in three years I’d think she’d be closer to making that Olympic team. She’s not. She’s not even as good as when I last saw her.
I don’t really care about her skating career but I’m kinda pissed at myself for ever getting out of her way. Like many times I stood by the boards while she ran her programs over and over and over again.
Why do we adult skaters do that? Younger skaters don’t do that for other skaters. It’s probably because we know we’re not going to the Olympics and we don’t want to stand in the way (literally) of these kids having a shot but how many of them really make it? How many of them even stay in skating past age 13?
I don’t want to be a roadblock in anyone’s training but I paid the same $5 for that ice that their mom did and if they want it that bad they’ll find a way to afford private ice.
I totally agree with you!! We use to have these girls that when they did their program and someone got in their way they would yell Excuse Me really loud. And their mother was their coach.
We had a girl we nicknamed “The Excuse Me Girl!” She’s still skating and doing at least getting better.
During the winter, I skate with an exceptional group of teens who know to get out of the way of anyone ( including me) when it is their solo. My rule for newcomers is, I’ll get out of your way when you are on a lesson or solo but if you don’t return the same courtesy to me then all deals are off! The ones who give me attitude are the ones who tent to be the big fishes in small club ponds. My attitude towards them is: I’m old enough to be your mother so don’t give me none of your ‘tude! Sometimes the coaches are just as bad, I actually went up to one ad told her to move, she was standing in the middle of the ice doing a group lesson, most of her kids were just standing around talking while she was teaching.