What about boys who want to figure skate?

This is a bit of an unusual question that we've been asked and I don't know if it was a child or parent that asked. I'm not sure where it was going, but here's my response.

Our club is a larger club and we have quite a few boys of different ages. No, there aren't a lot of them and they could all have at least 5 dance partners if they wanted to stop freeskating and switch to pairs or dance, but there are more than at some clubs. We have several male coaches which probably helps set the tone that it's ok for boys to figure skate.

The boys at the club are quite a mix and defy the stereotype of male figure skaters. As a sample, one also plays football in junior high-school. One is competitive gymnast and soccer player. Another is a ballet dancer. One of the older ones is in med school studying to be a doctor. They are a great and diverse group of kids and each brings their own style to the ice.

Despite the enlightenment of much of the population, there are still a lot of people who don't think boys should figure skate. If you asked most of the boys at our club, they'd admit that they've had to put up with more teasing than they'd like but they seem to have risen above it. If you love to skate, and you've got a thick skin, there is plenty of room for boys on figure skating ice. And when you get to be a teenager, any boy who teased you about figure skating will be ridiculously jealous of the number of beautiful girls you spend hours training with at the rink.

Comments   

 
# Bill Roberts 2016-05-03 18:16
My son started skating at age 7 and is now 17. As a homeschooled child, his friends were young girls to adults from the rink and his scouting buddies! Birthday parties were atypical as he mostly had girls attending! We are always encouraging any boys we see skating to continue in the sport.