Teaching Adult Skaters (Charlie Tickner)

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Figure skating jump specialist Charlie Tickner discusses his approach to working with adult skaters.  He acknowledges that adults may feel fear and many may admit to it, but he reminds everyone that young skaters also have fear (and coaches are sometimes even afraid for their skaters!).  Figure skating is a difficult sport.  But Charlie differs from many coaches in that he believes adult skaters are capable of doing the same things that young skaters can do.  He believes for example that most adult skaters are physically capable of doing an axel.

Charlie likes to push his adults.  He says, “I don’t take it that easy on my adults” but to address common fears and limiting beliefs, he focuses on doing everything correctly.  By building proper fundamental skills and focusing on proper technique, adult skaters can accomplish many things they may not realize.  (In the discussion, Charlie mentions 1972 Olympic champion Trixi Schuba who was a master at edges and school figures.)  He says this to coaches, “If you approach your adults like that, and they approach it like that, they can do a lot more out here than they think they can.”  He encourages coaches to “push” their adult skaters and he says, “They want to be pushed.  They really do.”


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10 responses to “Teaching Adult Skaters (Charlie Tickner)”

  1. AMB

    Thanks for the validation, Charlie! I am 44, and only began this sport 9 years ago casually. Yet, like some want to run a long distance marathon, I want to jump and spin. Having a coach who believes in me is everything.

  2. diana

    thank you Charlie— i’ve loved working with you in the past… am away in London right now– miss you and your great teaching!

  3. Jennifer

    Dear Charlie,
    Thank you for inspiring us! I’m almost 48 and want to learn more and more. I definitely want to be pushed. Pushed very hard! Thank you for helping to promote that adults do want to jump and spin!!

  4. Stephanie

    Thank you! As a childhood skater who has returned as an adult and also find myself coaching adults, it is wonderful to hear someone of your expertise saying this. I feel no different on the ice than I did at 13, and sometimes find it hard to convince others that I want the same challenge. I find the adults I coach often feel “less” than the younger skaters on the ice, and I try to encourage them to see the skills they have mastered as accomplishments.

  5. Monica

    Hi! Thank you for this video! I am an adult skater, I have recently learnt double toe and double loop. I just want to say – I love your attitude, if there were more coaches with that approach it would be so much nicer environment for all those adult skaters out there. Before I learnt the single axel nobody took me seriously, and I absolutely hated it when I was paying a coach and during session the coach said after watching me practising something: yeah, ok, good enough for an adult. Like the bar was lower for me than the kids. But I have always wanted to and believed I can do what the kids do at the same quality, I wish I had a coach who would “push” and believe in me from the beginning five years ago.

  6. donna Brochu

    Hi Charlie, What a great video of you skating, magnificent! Thanks for all the axel tips. I like the idea of looking up and all the detailed information you provided. Invaluable!

  7. Pauline Wharton

    Hi Charlie, Absolutely agree. I started skating when I was 27 and was told by a Judge after completing my first figures test that I was too old to ever get an Axel. That held me back for a long time until I finally decided my life was not going to be ruled by someone else’s opinions. It still took me a while to get the Axel but yes, I did get it and all my double jumps. I have competed at our National Championships 9 times against kids 25 years my junior and not been embarrassed by my results. We did not have any Adult divisions so had to compete against 13-19 year olds.
    About 6 years ago I took up ice dance and am now working on my senior level dances. Although my free skate has been put aside over the last 12 months, my intention is to get back to the free skate in 2017 and re-affirm my double jumps and Axel. I am now 65 years young – I always encourage adult skaters to allow themselves the freedom to achieve – don’t ever let someone else dictate your future.
    Go for it!!

  8. DianeRudnick

    Charlie – would love to see a video of you working with an adult on learning an Axel (having not ever had one as a child skater)

    I wish I lived where you coach! Enjoy seeing you at the adult competitions. Maybe High Sierra is in the cards for me in 2018!

  9. Bonnie JEdwards

    Thanks so much for this video. I’ve heard coaches in group lessons share many limiting comments about what adults can’t do. When I originally asked about perhaps learning MIF, I was told I really didn’t need to do it. Eventually, I found a coach who pushes me and expects me to master skills even though I am an older adult. As a result, she now has me demonstrating MIF for her younger skaters. By the way, I’m old enough to remember who Trixi Schuba is!

  10. ErikaDeCarlo

    Bonnie, keep pushing yourself. I am landing my axel at age 45. Good for you, finding a compatible coach and blowing past stereotypes.

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