What do you have to do to be a figure skating coach?

i really wanna be a figure skating coach for little kids because i love the sport and really wanna teach other kids. what do i need to do? how do i do it?|||There's a big difference between being a skater and being a skating coach/instructor. Some of the best coaches I know for young beginners never reached the highest levels of testing. They're just great teachers; many of them are school teachers, so they bring a different skill set to the table which is awesome. I've met elite skaters-turned-coaches who were really bad at coaching. They resort to yelling at students and can't explain how to perform a move properly.





So, how high you test in your own skating has nothing to do with how well you'll coach.


You do need to pass either ISI or USFSA tests, but you don't have to go all the way or be a major competitor.





You should think about gaining experience working with children, especially in group settings. Being a summer Counselor in Training (CIT) at any summer camp is one way, volunteering to help with Church bible school, or another youth group is a great way to learn how to manage little kids.





A background in education or sports medicine/coaching is vital, so those are majors to consider when choosing a college.





The Professional Skaters' Association administers an apprenticeship program for skaters who want to become coaches. There's are membership and apprenticeship fees involved.


http://www.skatepsa.com/Apprentice-Progr鈥?/a>





US Figure Skating offers one-day workshops around the country that help give coaches just starting out information, support and knowledge about how to coach and new techniques in coaching.


http://www.usfigureskating.org/Programs.鈥?/a>





Getting your foot in the door at a rink is tricky. If no one knows you at the rink, you have to keep an eye out for the very-rare classified advertisements or go door-to-door, asking if the skating director has any openings. Many directors hire people they already know, so unless you already have experience and a good reputation, it's hard to get your foot in the door as a stranger.





If you're already a skater at the rink, you can volunteer to help out with the toddler classes. That gives you some exposure with the skating director and if you're old enough, you can become a teaching assistant, working alongside an experienced group instructor. When you've shown you can handle a class on your own, you can then be assigned to teach groups on your own.





For private lessons, it's more complicated. Coaches spend hundreds of dollars every June, renewing the various memberships and insurance. All private coaches have to carry coaching memberships to the USFSA, ISI and PSA, plus a required $40 "USFSA Coaches' Membership" which includes a rulebook and mandatory background check.





Coaches also have to take out a liability insurance policy every year, which costs around $70-90, depending on the coverage.





In addition, we have to earn certifications and attend paid continuing education classes to keep up with the current rules, regulations and techniques of coaching figure skating. If a coach attends the annual PSA or ISI conference, that's an additional $1000-3000 per year, more if they test to earn higher PSA Ratings levels.





Most rinks take a percentage of the coaches' private lesson income as a commission for using the facility. That ranges from 5% to 30%, depending on the rink and area. Guest coaches, those who are not on the rink's staff, pay a higher commission rate. However, if you want to be part of the staff, bringing private students to the rink and teaching him/her well can help get you an invitation to join the "faculty."|||I think "Just Me" has cover just about everything! Just a few things to add. Have you yourself ever competed? It helps when the coach has been through what the skater is experiencing. You don't have to go and try to compete at a high level, just maybe once or twice even in a lower level if you never have. It will give you another view of how the pre-nerves feel and how to help your skater feel relaxed and excited to compete. It know it helps me at competitions because my coach went to Nationals and knows the feeling of nerves and pressure and helps me relax and stuff.


Like "Just Me" said, a degree in physical education/therapy helps. It's not necessary, but some parents look for that in a coach.


Often times, it doesn't matter if you're the most brilliant technical coach out there, if you have no connection to your skaters, you won't get any new students. Make sure your student is having fun. I don't mean goofing off the whole time, but being a harsh coach will not ensure you new students, especially in younger kids. Make sure to praise them on what they ARE doing well. And make sure you're open to new ideas. The way you learned something is not the only way to do it. Try changing the placement of the jump/spin, trying a new entrance, etc.


One last thing that is extremely important. If you end up coaching a student who has a program, even a basic skills program, when it comes time to run the program, introduce it as something fun. NOT as, "Oh, guess what? Now you have to go run your program." You could try one run-through where you tell them to not worry so much about jumps or spins and to concentrate on preforming and enjoying running the program. I believe this is so important because when I was little, my coach introduced the program as something hard and challenging and it was like, "Oh great. Now I have to go run my program." That has stayed with me for years and now I'm kicking myself for it. I still don't like running programs. So if you want build a good base for your skater to go and compete at higher levels, please make the program seem fun.


I'm a skater and drawing on my own experiences and am telling you what I wanted and needed when I was little. Good luck with your coaching!|||First of all, you need to have passed all the levels.


If you want to teach at the rink you go to, talk to some of the workers there.