Figure Skating Social Help Needed

Question

Ok at the rink, I've noticed that the skaters seem to have their own friends and cliques to go with. How do I go about making fellow skating friends without embarrassing myself? Also, there are quite a number of elite skaters training at the same time, and they are friends with skaters around my level and age, so how do I go about socializing at the skating rink?? Thank you :)

Answer 1

well, after you spend lots of time with them on the ice, usually something just clicks. sometimes when you have so much in common with someone, like figure skating.

dont talk on the ice because thats not constructive.

but maybe taking your skates of you can compliment them or their clothes/skates. i know, it sounds dorky. but the humbleness will take down their competition guard to get to know them better

Answer 2

Introduce yourself to one skater that you think would be friendly and try to strike up a friendship.  The more you are there with them, the easier it will be.  We just changed rinks this summer and my daughter has had to work on the same thing.  She has spent a lot of time at the rink during public session, too, when it is more social.

Answer 3

Man, skaters can be the snobbiest people in the world. Trust me, I've seen it. I have a lot of friends at the rink, but only 3 close friends. I made one of them through synchro. You can try that! I also made a friend asking for help and just saying my name afterwards. You can even start sitting with them during ice cleanup or while you're waiting for class. the best friends to make are ones in a level or two lower or in your same level. Most people in higher levels seem to be a little on the rude side, though all my friends are in a level ahead except for like two.

Try it!

Answer 4

If you see them do a cool trick, tell them that it looks really cool. if you can't do it, ask them how they do it, and they can help you with it. Eventually, you'll make a new friend and learn some cool tricks. It's really fun to do it. And if somebody asks you for help, you can help them and ask them questions about themselves when the time is right.

Answer 5

It's kind of sad, but in this sport, all rinks are like that.  Skaters can make it pretty hard for new skaters to feel accepted and it happens at all levels.  For some reason, even practice ice can feel like a competition!  I've always thought it was more fun to skate with your friends than to skate with a bunch of nasty, dirty look-giving people!  So why do skaters make it that way?  You may find that some skaters you will easily become friends with and some will make it pretty hard to "break the ice."  :)  

After many years of this game, I have found that the best way to get other skaters to warm up to you is to smile at them.  When you get on the ice, even if you don't know them, smile and give a 'hi' to whomever you make eye contact with first.  It might take some time, but it works.  If you smile at them every time you see them, they'll know you're friendly and open for introductions.  Usually, you share the ice with a majority of the same skaters frequently, so this shouldn't be too hard.  The first few times, they'll probably just give a half-smile back and keep skating.  After you've done the smile thing a few times, maybe come up with a good question to ask.  When one of them is standing near the boards, say, "Hi, I'm sorry to bother you, but can you tell me who you recommend for sharpening?  The guy I'm going to just isn't cutting it.  Oh and by the way, my name is ______."  Or something like that.  Hopefully that will open the gate to an introduction, an answer to your question and maybe a little conversation.  If you're new to the area or new to skating in general, you can probably come up with lots of questions....

...I'm in the market for a new coach.  Who do you skate with and do you like them?

...I just wanted to tell you, you have one of the most beatiful layback spins I've ever seen.

...Can you tell me where I can get a copy of the ice schedule?

Etc.....If you're new to the rink or skating, you can kind of 'play dumb' and use your questions to get a conversation going.  Add a smile when you're done and a 'thank you.'  If you're not new, you might have to be a little more creative with your topics...I need a new dress maker and I'm asking around for who everyone uses.  I wouldn't go from one skater to the next in one session, but focus maybe on one skater a month, which if you get one to warm up to you, you might get her friends too.  Even though I'm an adult skater now and could kind of care less what the younger types really think, I try to think of myself as a "free agent."  I'm nice to everyone, smile and am pleasant to most and am nice to the coaches.  I may be one coach's skater, but that doesn't mean I only talk to other skaters of that coach...I talk to everyone.  Ever have your coach stop and talk to another coach for a second in a lesson?  Use that opportunity to smile, make eye contact with them and their skater.  Also, once a few warm up to you, let your personality shine.  Be silly.  Be fun.  Favorite song playing on a freestyle?  Break out into a little dance.  Make people laugh.  Good luck!  :)

Answer 6

I think that skating can defintiely be a bit cliquey, but sometimes I find that some ppl appear unapproachable when really they're very nice, but they're trying to focus on skating, and they don't want to talk on the ice/or they want to talk to ppl, but they have crazy rink parents who feel they may not be working hard enough if they socialize too much.

My best advice similar to some of the other answers it to be friendly, smile, follow right of way on the ice (excuse me, watching out, etc), and find common ground with maybe one person...tell them you liked a spin/jump, like their dress, etc.  Just be sincere and nice, and it'll come...