Engaging a Figure Skating Coach
When you begin working with a primary coach like myself, you are retaining a professional service. To do what I do, you have to maintain a several certifications, constantly be learning about the updates to skating and maintain extensive knowledge of the International Judging System on top of knowing how to work with athletes, developing all aspects of their skating, working with families, running a business and working with other coaches and officials in our industry. There are also ethical and Safesport guidelines that I follow as well. A primary coach also has the additional responsibility to oversee and make sure all parts of the athletes’ skating are working together to move forward.
When you work with a primary coach, you are saying that you are taking skating seriously enough that you want to achieve something in this sport and that you are willing to engage professional services for this to happen. You are working with me to listen to my advice, follow the system I have in place and to have professional working relationship with me for the best interest of the athlete.
You are oftentimes engaging a professional figure skating because there is a result or a goal that skaters want to achieve. All Tier 1 and 2 skaters working with me must minimum be working towards a gold test. I help skaters achieve this goal however, I cannot guarantee performance success or the achievement of one’s goals since the outcome of the work depends largely on your willingness to engage in this process. Your needs and abilities are unique, and thus progress and results will vary from skater to skater.
Specifics of the Primary Coach
-Primary coaches are often the lead in the coaching team who makes sure all aspects of the skater’s development is happening.
-They are also the coaches who communicate with families.
-A lot of what a primary coach does is to put the right pieces in place at the right times in a skater’s development and to plan ahead with the skater’s development.
-They are also the coach that sets the plan so any other coaches involved know what need they have to fulfill on a skating team.
Coaching & Coaching Teams
-Obviously I am coaching everyone. My additional responsibilities are that of the primary coach.
-Part of me being a coach is being effective to get a certain result. This cannot be defined. Depending upon the season or the goal the skater has, I may be more of a teacher, more of a technician or more of a trainer. Depending upon what the skater is bringing to the table that day that also determines how I coach them that day. Some kids need to be pushed; some kids can’t take it that day. Some kids need to be drilled; some may need more emotional or psychological support that day. I am working with children most of the time who are growing, developing their maturity, have emotions and hormones while teaching and training them in what of the most difficult and intricate sports that exist. How I work with each skater is different because I need to work with them in a manner that fits the skater themselves, their goals and where we are in the season.
-I love coaching. I try to coach as much as possible. My hours that I coach are set under the “Schedule” button of this website. However, I do need to be gone at competitions, coaching seminars or simply need time off.
-Part of being an effective coach is also knowing when to bring in other coaches. For some kids, it’s just not always appropriate for me to coach them 24/7. Some kids need to hear things from someone else, some kids need a break from me, and with how much everyone needs to skate, there are times that skaters’ coaching times are going to overlap. I also simply just can’t coach everyone, especially during high-demand times such as after school. In those situations, another coach or two is needed. By working with me, I find these coaches. I know the strengths of other coaches, who can potentially fit well with certain skaters for certain goals or if that coach will be effective with the skater or not.
-Because I hire on the coaches, they know I’m in charge. They know that they have to come to me with questions, meet my expectations and do the job to the level I expect, or they are let go. In the traditional US coaching model, technically the parents are in charge (since parents hire on each individual coach) which is why skating gets crazy. There is no one overseeing and ensuring that everything is working together for the betterment of the athlete because parents don’t know.
-It is also for business reasons. If coaches are paid through my LLC, it is more legitimate. It is easier for coaches to report who they work for, which means it’s easier to buy a house or car. Then coaches just receive one payment too from me. In a traditional US coaching business, each coach would be sending families invoices and then each coach has to track down and collect on the invoices, and it is very messy.
-That is also part of tuitions. Parents pay one fee for coaching, and they are done with it. I just use a percentage of the tuitions to pay coaches.
-Also, sometimes when parents have to pay multiple coaches, they don’t. When other coaches are not paid, it damages my relationships with them. They think that my skaters are trying to get away with something, they want me to force the family to pay, etc. If I pay the coaches, I know they are paid, and it keeps my relationships with coaches good.
-Am I trying to shirk my duties as a coach by bringing on other coaches? No, I am being an effective coach.
-Do I not care about skaters I have working with other coaches sometimes? No, I am trying to get the best results possible out of the skaters, and sometimes the relationship I have with the skater is more important to preserve that me coaching them every second of everyday. Sometimes working with someone else makes the skaters realize how they do enjoy working with me, and then they listen to me better when I coach them. Sometimes another coach gets a result or behavior out of skater that the skater and I can then spring board from.
-Should Melissa tell parents every time another coach is working with their skater? Honestly, it just depends, and this where when you work with me, you are going to have to trust me and trust that I am doing what is right for your skater. Sometimes I don’t know if a skater is going to work with another coach. Sometimes I don’t plan on it, but a skater is being difficult with me so then I send them to another coach to work on something else to re-set until I can take them back that day. Sometimes I lay out all sorts of plans for the day, but skaters and parents cancel lessons or coaches can’t come in. Ideally, we would run a more structured business so that some of this could be more clarified but as of 1/1/2025, we aren’t there yet.
-If and when it may be appropriate for your skater to have a formal coaching “team” then the family will be contacted by myself, and once discussed, the team will be defined on your Tenzinga account.