$40 or more per hour for a private coach, times 3 hours a week, + ice time + club membership + $500 skates + outfit for competition...What makes figure skating so expensive?
The cost to run an ice rink is HUGE. Especially recently as electricity bills have gone up. It costs so much that management have to increase the prices of hiring ice, so that when the coaches hire the private ice to teach on, they have to pay more, and they get their money from us, unfortunately.
As you get to a higher level there are so many more lessons you need to do, which means more ice time, and there will be off ice, competitions, which are DARN expensive, travel, boots, blades, clothing etc. It all adds up.
it can cost $109 for an 11 week class, $25 dollars for private lessons, and it is currently costing me $800 dollars for new skates. Also, the synchro team at my rink charges $1300+ to join the team. $1300 for the team fee, $225 for the dress and tights, and 75 for the practice dress. Also custom dresses cost a lot of money, and good dresses have a lot of rhinestones, which are exteremely pricey. And practice ice can range from $6 to $27. Competitions and club memberships are a whole nother expensive story. And annual maintaining of the skates(polishing, sharpening, getting them re-built) is also pricey. It takes years to get to where the Olympians are, so u would need lots of dedication and money to get there in a short amount of time.
Ice Skating Dress- $200 + for a nice one
Figure Skates- $1000 + if you want to be competitive
Lessons- $40 + and thats just one. usually you have 3-6 a week
Tights, Gloves, Jacket- $50 +
Figure Skating is a very expensive sport. But, you can do it more for fun, than competitive and it wouldn't be that expensive.
First off, skates themselves are pretty darn pricey. For a beginner, skates are still around $100, but the more advanced you get, when boots and blades are sold seperately, skate costs go waaaaay up....into the thousands of dollars. Ice time isn't cheap. You might save a few bucks of you contract ice ahead of time, but when 45 minutes costs you $8 or more bucks, use your time wisely! Lessons can be anywhere from $15 on up for just a half hour, depending on the calibur of the coach. On top of that, add club dues (at least $100 a year), testing fees (anywhere from $50 a test on up), competition fees (depends on how many events you enter, but even low levels can be at least $100 for one event), dresses/costumes ($50 into the thousands), off-ice training, transportation (gas, airline tickets, rooms, etc.) and more quickly become very expensive.....and that's for just your average singles skater. Elite skaters get sponsors to try to defray costs.
A good pair of ice skates would be around $200, and if their feet are still growing, then you would have to spend more and more each time. Plus the ice time, coach (you need quite a few), equipment (boot covers, blade covers, cloth covers, skating bag, tights, clothes), and if you're REALLY dedicated (like olympics, nationals, etc.. ) tutor, etc.. There are a lot of awesome figure skaters who could have gone into the olympics, but the cost is really high, and they don't have enough money.
its really expensive because you have to pay for coaches fees, practice ice, skate sharpenings and other fixes, competition fees, outfits, gas to get to your lessons, if your on a synchro team you have to pay the monthly bill, and over time it can really add up. also depending on your level skates can cost a lot. my skates themselves were 800 and the blades were about 200.
people have to be paid right?
do you think that a nice pair of perfect leather boots that boot makers slaved over are gonna cost $20? no.
and sewing stretch fabric to and designing outfits?
and the people who own the rink have to keep the rink cool and still pay all of their employees. so your session times will cost money.
and your coaches are coaching people all day. so they need money to live off of.
and during competitions...judges have to sit and score skating all day. dont ya think they need to get paid? that's why there is an admission fee.
this is why it is so expensive.
mainly things such as lessons and skates. also my bill always racked up every-time i had a performance i had to get new outfits. usually good skaters have them custom made %26lt;i did%26gt; so the cost alot, plus keeping your blades sharpened and new skates when your feet grow. oh yeah and the traveling prices for competitions.
For a 5 week class, it is costing me $100. Each session is only 1 hour long and it is once a week.
On top of that, just one of my dresses was almost $200. Tights are also about $15 per pair.
Skates can run into the $1,000s, and when you grow out of them, obviously you have to pay that price all over again.
Sharpening the skate blades is $12 each time.
Not to mention competition prices, gas just to drive to the ice den, etc... the list goes on!
Well, like everyone said, skates are not cheap at all. Besides buying the skates, they gotta be sharpened, like, twice a month, depending on how much u skate. My coach charges $48.00/hr. Public sessions cost $7.00 for 2 hrs.... but it's crowded, so if ur really serious about skating, u gotta get private ice time, which costs $180/hr. Skating skirts, tights, jackets aren't cheap either. I have to say that figure skaters like me who love figure skating, it's an addicting sport. I spend a lot of money on it. I am 23 yrs old, and have been skating for 4 months only. I go to the ice rink 5 times/week at least. And I try to go to the gym as much as I can. Plus I am addicted at buying figure skating apparel. I love buying practice skirts, dresses, soakers of different colors, skate guards, etc. I haven't started competing yet, but I have already bought some dresses that were on sale. Honestly, I think I spend about $500/month on figure skating stuff, including private lessons twice/week for 1/2 hr each, ice rink 5 times/week, gym membership, skating club membership, tights, skate sharpening, etc etc etc. I am advancing and I want to buy new skates.... boots plus blades are gunna cost me like, $600.00. It's an expensive sport, but it's only because it's so addictive and I friggin' love it to death!!!!!!!!
ice time, coaches, choreographing, off-ice training, skates, blades, outfits, competitions, travelling (a lot of gas),... theres just so much commitment.
well, good skates cost money, especially custom fits, and blades come seperatley at higher levels, plus skating costums, private ice, and lessons
greedy b4st4rds
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