1. Adequate and consistent attendance
2. Punctuality
3. Appropriate grooming
4. Respect for the ice surface, the training space, their equipment, others, the rules and for themselves.
5. Effort
6. Readiness
7. Self-control
Parents can help their children to develop good training habits by following guidelines of their own. Parents should:
1. Provide an adequate amount of practice and lesson time.
2. Have their skater attend regularly.
3. Be punctual (10-15 minutes before the session).
4. Provide appropriate equipment in good condition and proper skating attire.
5. Be supportive.
6. Ensure their child is receiving adequate rest and nutrition.
7. Bring their questions, complaints and compliments directly their coach.
Parents should not:
1. Prescribe supplementary exercises for skaters to practice at home without checking with the coach
first. Skating movements done on the floor, without professional supervision, can be particularly
detrimental to the acquisition of good technique.
2. Offer technical corrections.
3. Blame others or 'The System'.
4. Compare their child’s progress to that of others. There are too many variables to make comparisons
meaningful.
5. Focus on winning or passing tests or badges to the exclusion of building a solid foundation. Early
success is not a good predictor of future success.
6. Gossip. Since parents do not have access to or an understanding of other children’s training plans it
would not be wise for them to offer their comments and/or criticisms of them. Gossip is hurtful and has
the potential to undermine coach-parent-skater relationships. If a parent has a question about his
child’s skating he should bring it to his coach. If he has an opinion about someone else’s skating he
should keep it to himself.
