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When your coach says one more time, he/she doesn’t really mean it.
One more time quickly turns into one more time and, soon enough, you have done that specific jump or spin about 10 more times.
2. Sorry, I have skating.
This phrase becomes your catch phrase. Whenever you get asked to go somewhere, 99% of the time your answer is “sorry, I have skating.” If your friends what want to go out one night or there is a massive party, chances are you can’t go as you have to be at the rink early the next morning.
3. You have a love/hate relationship with early morning practices.
Early practices are great…in theory. It tends not to be as busy, it wakes you up, it gets your adrenaline and metabolism going for the day, your program is better because you aren’t tired yet, and the wind as you fly across the ice feels fantastic. However, early morning practices means getting up extra early to go to the rink before classes.
4. You aren’t bothered by the cold.
You are just like Elsa as you heroically pull off your jacket. You are probably about 15 minutes into the session and it’s already getting warm in the arena. You work hard and, by the end of practice, all you want to do is lie down on the ice. How is it even possible to sweat on the ice?
5. Your coaches and rink mates are like family.
You’ve grown up with these people in your life. They have become such an important part of your life that you can’t imagine life without them. You have been through so many ups and downs together and so many wins and losses.
6. Nothing feels longer than when you are holding your starting position.
Whether it is during practice or competition, nothing is more agonizing than waiting for your music to start while holding your starting position. Your adrenaline has started pumping and you just want to start moving. Plus, starting positions are usually awkward and hard to hold longer than 3 seconds without falling over.
7. You forget that toe picks exist.
You have skated with toe picks ever since you can remember; however, many times you forget that they exist when you aren’t jumping. Needless to say, the end result is you falling flat on your face after tripping over your toe picks or getting them stuck in the ice.
8. When people ask if you can do that “spinny thing”.
First, there are many “spinny things”. There are spins which involve rotation in a stationary position, jumps which spin in the air, and twizzles which rotate while traveling in a forward or backward motion on the ice. Within each of these categories, there are a number of different positions and movements. And, yes, I can do all the “spinny things.”
9. When you step on the ice with your guards on.
The majority of figure skaters have done this at some point in their career. It is really easy to forget that you still have your guards on…until you step on the ice and immediately go down. Guards on equals instant fall and potentially hitting your head off the boards.
10. That feeling when your blades are freshly sharpened.
This can be the best feeling in the world. Your edges feel great. Everything is landed much cleaner. Life is good…until you have to stop. The problem? You can’t stop easily (or at all). That’s when you realize maybe your blades are a little too sharp.
No matter how annoying some of these things are or how many falls you take, in the end, you wouldn’t trade your figure skating experience for anything.