AboutDr. Bruce Forciea Expertise I can handle most questions regarding sports injuries, conditioning, jumps, spins, and basic skating.
Experience Professional skating coach for 15 years. Former PSA Senior rated coach and ice show performer. Now a chiropractor and full-time college instructor in anatomy and physiology.
Organizations Human Anatomy and Physiology Society
Wisconsin Chiropractic Association
Publications Wisconsin Technical College System course in General and Advanced anatomy and physiology.
Author of Unlocking the Healing Code, a book on healing scheduled for release in December, 2007.
Education/Credentials Doctor of Chiropractic from Parker College.
B.A. Psychology Eckerd College
Awards and Honors Midwestern Novice and Junior Pairs Champion and National competitor.
Question I have a 10 year old daughter who has been skating since she was 5. SAhe is currently working on her double salchow and is landing it about 50% of the time. I guess I have a number of questions should she at some point take a break? How much skating at her age is too much? What are the chances she can compete at the senior level? I am 6'1 and her mother is 5' 10. my daughter is going to grow is a tall skater bad?
Need advice on how to deal with my young skaters highs and lows.
Answer HI John:
This is an excellent question and I wish I had an hour or so to talk to you about it. First of all let's look at the physical demands of skating (and falling) on a 10 year old body. The answer to the question about how much is too much depends on the child and what they can handle. What you can do is look for signs of overtraining. These would be a lack of interest in skating, an increase in soreness or stiffness, wanting to sleep more, general tiredness, and losing skills that were relatively solid. If your daughter exhibits signs of overtraining I would recommend taking some time off or cutting back.
It takes a long time to get to the senior levels. I have seen countless skaters pushed too hard by coaches and parents in order to place or win in events like preliminary or juvenile only to burn out and leave the sport before they even make to juniors. One of the real artful aspects of coaching is to know when to push and when to back off and take a break. Your coach should be an expert in this sort of thing.
I have seen extremely promising skaters drop out due to the pressure as well as "average" skaters peaking in their teens and making it to nationals. The goal (in my opinion) should be to enjoy the positive aspects of the sport as long as possible. If you are doing well then great, if not then take a break and go do something fun for awhile. It is just a point in time and in the big picture won't make any difference if a skater does poorly in an event. In fact, it can be a great learning experience.
The point is to keep a healthy perspective and this depends on the skater, the coach and of course the parents.
Good luck with your daughter...
Bruce
PS Your question on being tall. That again depends (basically how tall). Some skaters are at a biomechanical disadvantage because of their height. This is in singles skating. However taller dancers can have great lines. You will just have to wait and see on this one.
