Does anyone here start skating at a late age still think they could make the olympics?

Question

it just depends on how dedicated you are. i think i can make the olympics.

Answer 1

Triple Bunny Hop, that's awesome!  That's very inspiring.

Johnny Weir started at age 12.  It's definitely possible, but all the stars have to be in alignment.  You have to be able to put in the massive amounts of training time, have great coaches, and have the funds to support that much skating - not to mention, you have to be a great skater!  Not many people have all those bases covered.

Answer 2

you let us know how that works out for you. you didnt mention what late age you were talking about, or what branch of skating you were entering but if you are learning to figure skate after puberty, not gonna happen, if perhaps you are learning speed skating, then maybe.

whatever you are doing, i admire your determination. good luck

Answer 3

I highly doubt it...even though you have a positive attitude (it really helps!!!) it still depends on what you can do, as someone else mentioned, the olympics only happen every four years. For someone to really make it big in the olympics, you have to be landing doubles or triples by your age...Keep trying though!

Answer 4

Johnny Weir started at age 12. But for all accounts he was not only a natural, he was a prodigy. He's also male. So, theoretically, it can be done.

Practically?

I wouldn't hold out great hopes unless you really are a prodigy. There's much standing in the way of success besides your age: funding, puberty, other opportunities... Success in singles skating seems to come to those who start younger than 13--many girls who are successful in singles have a number of triples at 13. Your chances, given history, are not good. That says nothing about YOU and your work ethic or talent. It just says that I can't think of anyone else who has really done it--certainly not anyone who was actually competitive or a medalist.

But, I don't think all is lost. There are disciplines where youth is not so much of an advantage, where if you don't have all your triples by puberty, it's a done deal. Ice dancers take years to mature, and you can do it a lot longer, into your thirties. You have more years to become great. There's less competition at the lower levels.

And on the third hand, if you can't dream when you're young, if you can't strive for impossible goals when you're 14 or 15, WHEN CAN YOU? There's plenty of time, years and years, to lower your sights and try to do what can be done instead of dreaming the impossible dream. So while part of me would like to break your heart now, to protect you from greater heartbreak later, another part of me says, you're only young once. Middle age is plenty of time to lay away your faded dreams of glory.

You're young. You have time.

Answer 5

possible but not likly you would have to work all the time

Answer 6

I think it's cool that your that determined but think about it, the olympics only happen once every four years with only a couple people making it each time. So no matter what age you start skating, it is still very unlikely for people to make the olympics

Answer 7

Well... It depends, what level are you skating at and how old are you. If you have only been skating for a short amount of time and are already at a high level, then sure, it is possible if you REALLY go for it.

I am 13, and started skating when I was ten, I am already landing 4 double jumps, working on a 5th, and am homing to be in inermidiate level by the end of this year. It is pretty much all up tp you. If it is what you want, and you are determined and will not let anything stop you, you cna make it, but if you feel you cannot do it, and will never make it, you never will.

You just need to believe in yourself!!

Answer 8

i started skating about a yr ago, im working on my axel and even though thats really fast, im not hoping to make it to the olympics, that dream just isnt gonna happen, do i wish it would, yeah, but isit gonna happen, highly unlikely, i think u shud go with realist goals, not things that are not going to happen. u wold just ending getting hurt out of over training, or not make it and feel bad...

Answer 9

yes but you have to work really hard like everymonth and every week... umm not when you are like that your jumps, spin and everything of your programms have to be good!

Answer 10

I started skating nearly double your age . . . realistically, the Olympics are not in the cards for me, which I knew all along.  

BUT - with dedication, as you mentioned - I made it to Adult Gold level, did Adult Nationals, and have the opportunity to enter Adult international competitions should I one day go back to train again.  Olympics cannot be my goal, but I can sure aim to skate as the best skater that "I" can be . . . and enjoy every moment of it!  That's "my" Olympics.  I surpassed well beyond my original "goals" in skating - and I am quite happy with that.      

You relate many of your questions to making it to the Olympics . . . well, best of luck on your journey there!  Hope your dedication takes you a long way - wink!  :)

**ETA - Thanks Skatin'!

Answer 11

Just a question: Where are you at now?

A lot of people are really fast learners. I think its totally possible.

I think you can do it.

Heck i think i can do it! Started at age 12, am now 13. I can land some doubles consistently, and only in a year or two. I know i can...

GOOD LUCK!! Go for it is basically what i say.

Answer 12

13 is not a bad age to start in my opinion. Maybe it's my upgrowing in med school, but I'm personally against seeing 7 year olds cranking 20 double Axels everyday.

You'd still be barely starting puberty and yet your bones are now hard enough to resist doubles and up without shattering to pieces. See how tall your parents are and consider whether staying in singles is your long-term goal. The US urgently needs more males in Ice Dancing and Pairs but both sports need men that are 5'7 at the shortest (unless you can find a d**n short female partner in Pairs if you end up at 5'5 or something).

One advice I would give you is to take steps seriously. It's useless to be able to pull off a single Axel just because as a man you have the musclepower to do it easier than a woman but you have no edge technique.

If possible and you can get good enough (when you do singles cleanly and can do the easiest back spins for a few revolutions), consider asking your coach to push you into learning chocktaws and higher level steps when you're at a low level to have a lot of time to develop them. Being able to switch directions with a clear and crisp killian chocktaw at full speed instead of doing the easy 3-turn in a routine is strategic.

I'd also suggest you to learn the system to start developing figures that get bonus points. As a man in singles you only need spirals to pass tests and learn the position for camel spins, but you need Spirals in competition as a Pairs skater.

Doing left-handed spins (if you're right-handed) for just 2 revolutions gives you a relatively easy +1 level in a combo spin. It's best to be good at the right-handed spin, but learning a lefty one early isn't a bad idea. Maybe by the time you're at a good level the new system will start giving bonus points to jumps done in the opposite direction. Being able to do great left-handed Lutz jumps would give you a powerful points advantage when you do combo jumps because Lutz jumps are worth more than Toe Loops and Loops which are (and the Walleys that have no point value sadly) the only jumps you can do as the second jumps of a combo.

Don't be shy about never learning how to do a Layback because "it's a girly figure". It's one of the toughest spins in the sport and there's positions men can do that can make the spin less girly looking. Doing sideways laybacks is one of them.

Listen to music. It isn't a sin to play it safe and skate to The Mission because t's a great piece of music and everyone knows it, but try to find skateable music that fits your own style. In that sense I respect Brain Joubert for skating to rock music and actually making Metallica skatable, it's different and the music suits his skating style. Listen to a lot of classical music from many artists to find what suits you, don't let the choreographer do everything.

Good luck!

Answer 13

ya, go for it

I mean I've been skating for nearly all my life, I'm 12 and landing triples, but my  figure skating partner in 18 ( started when he was 14) and went to the Junior national  this year  ( Canada ) and has tested  the free skate test after  novice- hes starting his quads !

Anything is possible as long as you want it. Do a lot of thing like jumps and exersise off ice.

Good luck