Expert: Pat Palmer - 11/4/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi
my name is torri. i am 10 years old and love to skate. i have old skates from my grandmas and just LOVE to skate. so i was just wondering if you could give me a few tips and easy routines. for me to do.

ANSWER: Hi Torri
  I'm glad you love to skate but before I can answer your question I need you to answer a couple questions for me.

  1)  Do you skate indoors or outdoors
  2)  How long have you skated?
  3)  How well do you skate?  
  4)  Can you cross your feet on the corner?  
  5)  Can you turn and skate backward?
  6)  Can you do a spin or a jump?
  7)  What kind of routine are you looking for?  One with jump and spins or jam skating or ?

Once I know these things then I can maybe help you a little better.

Write back when you get time

Thanks
Pat

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thank you for e-mailing me back, now for the answers to your questions.
1)I skate in my dads concrete garage or sometimes in my aunts basement.
2)I am not for sure all I know is a long time.
3)I skate pretty well, I go faster than all my friends.
4)I am not sure what you mean by that.
5)I am learning to skate backwards with the help of my mom.
6)I can do a twirl and jump a little bit.
7)I would like a chalenging routine and would love for it to have a few turns but no jumps. and remember I have roller skates not ice skates.
e-mail back
         Torri

Answer
Hi Torri,
   Thank you for answering the questions.  I think my best advice to you would be to keep working on different skills like skating backward, turning backward smoothly, learning to cross your right foot over your left and left foot over your right foot.  You can go to youtube.com and search for roller skating videos to get ideas of different skills to work on.

  It would be hard for me to make up a routine for you since I've never seen you skate but it's very easy to make up your own.  Just put your favorite music on and skate as if you have a crowd of people watching. Listen to the music, feel the music and move to the music and a routine will develop all by itself.  

  If you like your new routine, write it down so you don't forget.  When you want to make up another routine, use different music and another routine will develop all by itself.

  Have fun and enjoy what you're doing.  Skating is a wonderful sport and the perfect way of expressing yourself.

Take care
Pat