https://www.facebook.com/groups/adultsskatetoo/permalink/2050449785858342
I have faced endless crap surrounding the practice of figures, and it’s mostly from figure skaters (and their coaches and parents):
1. Run out of town by two USFSA clubs, both which banned my practice of figures during their sessions. One also made up stories, tried to get me arrested and accused me of using a scribe when I wasn’t (more on that later).
2. Rink manager who remained deeply suspicious of me practicing figures on his public sessions. He banned the use of all markers, including bingo markers (which he had previously said were OK). He accused me of making lines on the ice that were actually from a hockey coach (and the head of one of the above FS clubs supported this, even knowing I had not created them). He would reprimand me whenever I talked with any non-figure skater for any reason. He repeatedly said he thought figures should only be practiced on private ice. Over months he watched me like a hawk to figure out reasons to ban me, and eventually he did.
4. I was new in a town with only a few figure skaters, no more than maybe 5 ever on freestyle sessions at once. Nevertheless, two teenagers who thought they owned the ice and were not actually that good took it upon themselves to show me zero respect. Skate over my figure instead of around when getting on/off the ice. Intentionally jump all over my figure. Tell me I am not following figure skating etiquette (from kids who have no clue). The local government, which manages the rink, had to get involved.
5. Coach stopped me during a PUBLIC session, explaining that *her student was about to be practicing backwards spirals. To which my response was: “this is a public session not freestyle, anyone can skate anywhere they want.” She kept at it (on her student’s lesson time), standing on my figure, explaining she’d been coaching for 40 years, and in general being nasty. Eventually she went back to her student, who did spirals, and miracle of mircales we managed to not collide. A snarky answer would have been “do you mean you have your student is practicing backwards spirals before she has the stability and control to look where she’s going?”
All this in just 2 years. Oh yes, did I mention that I am the two-time winner of World Figure Sport Figure & Fancy Skating International Open? Not thanks to any of these clowns. But I can report on even more positive figure-related experiences. People are amazed when they see me doing them. One rink manager is super supportive, and proud to be hosting a champion; sometime I leave him fancy designs in the hockey box as he resurfaces. In the last 2 years I have learned to have a thick skin, focus on my work, and stay out of the drama.
As for scribes, there are alternatives. Consider this article. Also get a paint scraper from Home Depot ($8) to remove lines before you leave the ice without dulling your blades: https://www.citibeth.net/2024/12/09/equipment-update-measuring-and-marking-on-ice/