Adults on Ice

Allow me to make some generalizations about Adult figure skaters.

Adults who figure skate tend to be interesting people outside of the rink—you have to be a special kind of person to take up this frustrating and challenging sport. Most are incredibly smart, witty, and kind. A great many have graduate degrees or post-grad professional training. This helps since skating is all about deferred gratification. Some come from other sports backgrounds and they know what it really takes to learn and master new skills.

A number of us have functional OCD, another great attribute that helps in the ten thousand repetitions (does that not sound like OCD?) it takes to learn ONE simple skill.

If adults last a few years, you can bet that you’re dealing with some pretty fierce characters. We haven’t been intimidated off the ice and we know how to survive the tough times.

Adult figure skaters know that they suck, but we keep skating. We’re self-reliant, self-motivated, and resilient.

(Yes, you snotty Novice-level girl, I’m talking to you. It was NOT nice to try to skate me into the boards…)

Best of all, adults have a prime directive to support other adults. Most genuinely buoy up and help their fellow skaters. I haven’t been to USFS Adult Nationals, but I’ve heard the stories about the amazing camaraderie the participants exhibit.

Before you cynically dismiss my observations by noting that adults also are competitive with one another, gossip, back bite, and act like children (even when not drunk), just let me point out that a little competition is good for you; and all the other bad behavior is evident at work or school or whatever. The rink is no different.

Upon occasion you may run into an adult figure skater who (wrongly) thinks he or she is Hot Poop, or is pretentious (um, that may be me), or is an idiot.  Just remember, they have the right to be on the ice too. Just don’t invite them to your parties.