How to Be an Olympic Skating Coach

For many, the Olympic dream is to stand on the podium and receive a gold medal, but for a select few, it's about standing behind the person standing on the podium. Becoming an Olympic skating coach isn't easy. The trick to getting there is experience, patience and a little bit of knowledge about the politics of professional sports.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Live and breathe skating. It's well known that Olympic athletes devote years of their lives to making it to the Games, but it's just as important that the coach be equally or even more committed to the task at hand. If you expect your pupils to train 10 hours a day, you should devote 12 hours yourself.
2. Have experience. Some of the best Olympic skating coaches were former Olympic skaters. They understand the emotional and physical toll that training takes and know the industry better than anyone else. Deciding to become an Olympic skating coach is a good way to stay in the field once you become injured or are too old to compete professionally.
3. Keep on top of the trends. The sport changes every year, and if you want to be a skating coach, you have to stay on top of the field. When someone creates a new spin or jump, it's imperative that you know how to do it and how to teach your students to perfect it. You don't want to be caught off-guard at the Olympics.
4. Be patient. It doesn't matter whether you're coaching 10-year-olds or 16-year-olds, the key to being a successful Olympic skating coach is patience. You have to be willing to handle anything and keep trying until something is perfected. Be supportive of your students, and be strong when they need help keeping motivated.