Figure Skating/Figure Skates

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Question
My daughter has shown appreciable interest in learning to skate. I am a skater, and have used hockey skates since the 1970s. She thinks she is interested in figure skates, and we have rented them for her and skated on several occasions. Yesterday we bought her a pair of skates (Reidell 112). She skated in them for a few minutes before insisting on the rental skates. She had problems with the teeth, and I was considering having the bottom one ground off to make them comparable to the rentals. I would love an experts opinion on this. Should I just tell her to get used to it? Thanks in advance for any info.
Jim.

Answer
Hi,
That would be terrible!  A skater must learn to use the toe picks properly.  If she is running into them she is not skating correctly.  I hope she gets instruction on proper basics soon.  enroll her in a class or find a coach to do a few privates.  Then she will know if she likes it!
Good luck,
Dianne

Figure Skating

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Dianne DeLeeuw

Expertise

I can answer questions about figure skating, choreography, ISI or USFSA. Also questions about competing (my Olympic experience or your own competition). I`m a National referre for ISI. Recently I also have been appointed a National Technical Specialist for US Figure Skating. But remember I am not your substitute for a coach! They can see what you are doing! To correct or instruct you on manuevers is really not what I want to do.

Experience

Experience: World Champion and Olympic Silver Medalist, coaching all levels of skaters at in California. I coach all levels and ages of skating from tiny tots to adults, first timers to International competitors. I also do choreography, music editing, teach specialty classes and give seminars.

Organizations: USFSA, ISI, PSA, Los Angeles Figure Skating Club

Publications: Recreational Ice Skater, The Edge

Awards: 1976 Olympic Silver Medalist, 1975 World Champion, 1976 European Champion, 6 time National Champion, US and Canadian Double Gold Medalist, 1999 ISI Great Skate Award, 2002 Woman of the Year

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