My bff T and I have been talking about getting my niece (who I call Squirt), into skating lessons. For anyone paying even the tiniest bit of attention, this is all me pushing her into lessons. This child will learn how to skate, she will stay active, and if she ends up hating it after a couple of lessons, she can quit. Well...she can quit provided she knows enough to skate on her own around the rink. Then she can quit.
Growing up in my house, we all had to learn how to skate. ALL of us. Mom and Dad both skated, my sisters and I all skated, it was just something my family did. We all then stayed pretty heavily involved in skating. We all competed together and we all travelled together, my mom club president and now still a member, me a exec member, and knee deep involved with skating competitions. You get the picture.
Skating has given me so much. Growing up with skating, I learned to be responsible in organizing my time between school and skating, learning to time manage. I learned how to fight for something I wanted, learned passion and determination to follow by goals. I learned interpersonal skills and how to deal with just about anyone, even more importantly I learned to network with people.
I met people, made friends and formed a new family that I still today know I can call on to help me out, and they would do it, just like I would do for them. Skating has given me all this and so much much more. Not only that but when I went skating as a kid, I always stayed up on the ice and could do circles around the other kids. Always fun.
This is why I want Squirt to skate. I want her to have that same thing. I want her to incorporate sports into her life so that she will always be healthy and fit, and learn the importance of getting out there in the world. Being able to have goals and strive for things, to show drive and passion for something is so important to me that I want it so desperately for her. So I'm the one pushing the skating because its all I know. If I was a better swimmer I would encourage her to swim, but my idea of swimming is sitting my butt on a tube with a tasty beverage. I know whats available out there in the skating world for her. So I want her to skate. I want her to love it like I love it. I want her to get something more than just better health out of it, and be able to use it to relate to her life.
BUT I am not stupid. If she hates it, she's allowed to quit (as I said after she can skate on her own...still good to know how to skate in case of class trips). I won't be heart broken if it doesn't work out. But that doesn't mean she's allowed to sit on her butt. If skating isn't her thing, then maybe she will swim! Maybe she'll play soccer! Maybe gymnastics! Maybe Rugby! Maybe baseball! Rock climbing! Snowboarding! Track and field! Volleyball! Basketball! Field Hockey! Hockey (cringe......but it would be fine)!
There are so many options and I know its crazy to think that she'll want to skate, but thats where we'll start. That ALL being said it leads me to my current predicament. If I want Squirt to skate I had to do the research. Fine no sweat! This should be easy! I am on an executive she will join my club and that will just be that. Well, turns out that my skating club doesn't actually offer a Canskate time that either of us could get her to. And there are a couple of times when I know that we can't get her the rink for lessons. SO I didn't really want to pay the huge money to put her in a club where the timing sucks and its super pricey. Also I don't have any desire to teach skating for my skating club anymore. I have been kicked by kids in skates one too many times thank you very much. Squirt doesn't kick me because she knows better....and if she did I could discipline her (but to this day she has never even tried it so as I said no problemo).
SO I caved and started looking into Recreation Center Programs. WAY CHEAPER. Like HOLY CRAP. For 40$ I get 7 30 minute sessions of instruction where I can go on the ice with Squirt, play with all sorts of toys etc, and then leave without having to fundraise or volunteer for the club, and no one is going to ask me to join yet another executive. THIS IS BRILLIANT!!!!!!!
This way if she doesn't want to keep skating, no problemo! If she does I put her into more lessons till she can go into Juniors or Canskate Advanced etc. Awesome sign us up!
The perdicament? Well I am 25 years old. I have been skating since I was about 2ish/3yrs old. Thats 22 years of skating experience. I have been skating long enough to be a person who drinks in all countries of the world. I have reached the highest levels of tests in almost all aspects of the sport, know how the judging system works and know how to run marks. In other words, not to too my own freaking horn but there isn't much about this sport that I don't know.
When I called a bunch of different rec centers today to inquire about lessons, they all said the same thing. Both tot AND PARENT must wear a helmet. I have to wear a HELMET. I have 22 years of skating experience and I have to wear a helmet. For the first time in 20 years I have to wear a helmet on the ice. I don't even own a helmet. And I have to wear one to get Squirt on the ice. Fail.
Tomorrow I have to go buy a helmet. Well..I need to buy one before Saturday. Bob Saget.
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