Competition Day Advice for Parents & Skaters

On the morning of the competition wake up with enough time to take your time getting ready so as not to feel rushed.

Eat a healthy breakfast and pack a healthy snack in case you get hungry at the competition.

Look at your competition check list and make sure you have everything on the list before you leave the house.

Show up to the rink at least an hour and a half before your first event.

Show up to the rink completely ready for your first event. Competition outfit on, hair and make-up done, with accessories on.

Do not eat with your competition outfit on, change out of it to eat or completely cover yourself with something if you’re unable to take it off.

Hair should be off the face with no fly-aways, pulled into a bun or a ponytail. Gel/hairspray are your friend.

Undergarments should not show through your outfit. If you are wearing underwear, please make sure they are nude or you may opt to not wear them under competition attire. Pasties, petals, silicone covers and body tape can be purchased to provide coverage and modesty. The idea is not to have anything that detracts or distracts from your performance.

Once you’re finished with awards, promptly change out of your competition attire and place it in a garment bag with all of your accessories to keep everything organized and preserved for the entire competition season.

One hour before your first event, separate yourself from your friends, find a secluded space and warm up. Stretch, do off ice jumps and run through your program on foot. Bring your earbuds and listen to your program music and your happy/calming music. This is your time to get focused and mentally prepare for the competition.

Thirty minutes before your scheduled warm-up, get your skates on.

Fifteen minutes before your scheduled warm-up, be at the doors ready to enter the rink so no one has to go searching for you. This is when parents leave your skaters with their coach.Bring the following items to your on-ice warm up: guards, water bottle and zip-up jacket. (No pull overs so you don’t mess up your hair and make-up.) You’re welcome to bring your kiss and cry bag with those items in it if you have one.

Make sure you follow the warm up your coach has prepared for you in advance.

Go out there and skate your best. You’re always competing against yourself, if you can make it the best skate you’ve ever had that is a WIN!

After your event, make sure you show up promptly for the awards ceremony so they don’t have to send someone to find you.

No matter what placement you receive, you are expected to handle this with grace. Whether you are first or last, you smile, stand up straight and shake hands with your fellow competitors. It is natural to have strong emotions about placement, and we encourage you to take a walk or have a conversation in the car so that we never take away from anyone else’s achievements. Good sportsmanship is an absolute requirement.

When standing for pictures, the position is: feet in a t stop position, stand up straight, shoulders back, hands behind your back and smile.

A Note to Parents…

Competition can be a stressful time for skaters. We respectfully encourage you to remove as many stressors for them as possible before they skate. Waking up and getting ready with plenty of time really helps cut back on the stress that rushing can cause. Any small disagreements that can be avoided before they skate is highly recommended so they can be mentally strong for the competition. Mental preparation is just as important as the physical preparation going into a competition. A good night’s sleep and the healthiest food you can have your child eat is a great way to jump start competition day. (We know kids can be picky eaters, its definitely not the day to have the fight over food, but some good protein will help feed their brain and heavier, greasy foods may make them feel weighed down.)

Please encourage good sportsmanship. We want everyone’s achievements to be celebrated. If your child is angry, upset or tearful, please remove them to a private place to handle their emotions. Always let your skater know that competing is an accomplishment!

Please pay close attention to your skater(s) schedule and be mindful if the competition starts to run early/late. Your coach is managing a large schedule with many skaters, your help getting your skaters ready and where they need to be at the right time is essential to a successful competition.

Thank you for all you do! This amazing sport and competitions couldn’t be what it is without the parents who do so much to make all of this possible.