Where are the men?

[black]

I looked at the entries for a recent competition and noticed the distinct lack of men. I know there has been a skewed ratio, but it seemed more noticeable. Different sports can attract different people, and that's cool. However the disciplines of ice dance and pairs requires a man and a women; sure you can do solo ice dance at the lower levels.

NISA/BIS: "goal is to serve our membership and do all we can to promote the sport of Ice Skating within the UK"

Can you recall seeing anything promoting the participation of men in figure skating?

Since a lot drop out at the Skate UK stage, perhaps it's something coaches could ask/inform that there is both Skate Star Pairs & Dance training programmes afterwards?

[WednesdayMarch]

I looked at the entries for a recent competition and noticed the distinct lack of men. I know there has been a skewed ratio, but it seemed more noticeable. Different sports can attract different people, and that's cool. However the disciplines of ice dance and pairs requires a man and a women; sure you can do solo ice dance at the lower levels.

NISA/BIS: "goal is to serve our membership and do all we can to promote the sport of Ice Skating within the UK"

Can you recall seeing anything promoting the participation of men in figure skating?

Since a lot drop out at the Skate UK stage, perhaps it's something coaches could ask/inform that there is both Skate Star Pairs & Dance training programmes afterwards?

Nope. Although, to be fair, I see very little promoting the participation of anyone in figure skating in the UK! Especially from NISA/BIS! We used to be one of the foremost figure skating nations but now we have no elites, other than Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson, and they train in Canada.

[transmissionoftheflame]

Yes the decline has been marked.  Lilah is part American.  A lot of the better kids at the rinks I skate at were/are foreign born and bred.  Got nothing against foreigners, just emphasising how it has dropped out of our culture.


There's still a big hangup about boys figure skating, in my experience.  Talented, athletic boys are more likely to go into less artistic sports because of it.

[black]

We used to be one of the foremost figure skating nations

Yeah, so practically speaking Great Britain is probably only known for making figure blades nowadays.
What's that saying; "When's the best time to plant a tree? 20 years ago. When's the 2nd best time? Now."

There's still a big hangup about boys figure skating, in my experience.  Talented, athletic boys are more likely to go into less artistic sports because of it.

Yeah, look at places like Russia, & Japan (for example) the attitude is quite different. It's a shame since the second you step onto the ice, you realise just how much skill is involved; loads!


I did have a look at the licensed coaches list (for 2019) and it showed (guesstimate based on names) a ratio of 26% men, to 74% women coaches. (not sure what the situation is like now)
As an adult I'm more interested in the content of the coaching, but for younger skaters they may look to coaches more as inspirational figures, and respond better to those of a similar nature?

Medals aside, ice skating is a great sport, and could be viewed as a basic life skill (like riding a bicycle, learning to swim) and perhaps the NGBs should focus more on simply increasing participation in general; promoting the more recreational / social side? (RIDL as an example)

BIS members are members of the NISA company; some regular companies do an exit interview, to find out why people are leaving; as well as attracting people to join, they need to look at the reasons for turnover.

[WednesdayMarch]

Couldn't agree more.

One thing I have noticed about boys feeling that ice skating is a bit "girly" is that once they are persuaded to actually get on the ice, they mostly enjoy it. I see many groups of pre-teen and teenage boys from local special schools and homes that are taken to the rink. Once they start skating, they often get the bug. This is made more likely by positive interaction with more experienced skaters. I'm often asked by the teacher/adult in charge if I'll give them a few pointers, or show them a few "tricks" and without fail, every one of those previously sullen lads has come out of his shell and actively tried to skate properly. Or even spin!

It takes a village to raise a child.

[transmissionoftheflame]

All good points.  I tend to think that grassroots and raising participation is much better than too close a focus on the elite.  Simply the law of averages dictates that if you broaden participation you'll get more talent at the high level as a result.


Culturally somehow other countries have fewer hangups about males doing this kind of stuff - changing this will take time.  I agree that boys like to skate once they have mastered the basics, but most of them that I have seen tend to either take up hockey or just do rink rat skating on hockey skates, often trying jumps and turns but in a more "street" way.  The extra rigidity of figure skating, the tests, the costumes, having to have a coach, just isn't seen as cool.

[WednesdayMarch]

Agreed. BIS are shockingly short-sighted.

And much as I dislike the programme, Dancing On Ice plays its part in attracting new skaters. Our current most successful male skater, Lewis Gibson, was inspired that way.

[transmissionoftheflame]

I didn't know that about Lewis.  I used to do a fitness class with him and Lilah and their coach and John Hamer and a few other AP skaters.  He seemed like a lovely chap.


Getting good at skating requires humility and discipline, something not all young men have - maybe it's easier to foster and demand those things in a group/team environment than one to one.

[VisuallyImpairedOnIce]

Our little rink has quite a few men, but they’re still massively outnumbered.


Interestingly there are lots of men and boys competing through the Inclusive Skating system (where a pair or dance couple just needs to be 2 athletes - hurrah for modern thinking!) but, our NGB cares even less about skaters with a disability than they do about adults so it won’t make a bit of difference in the mainstream world…

[transmissionoftheflame]

In my experience, partly personal through family, people with disabilities usually have fewer hangups than those without and take people as they find them, and worry less about looking cool or what others think.

[bikerwally]

Figure skating is mainly a girl's sport, this I have seen worldwide.
For many boys it's not cool nor macho enough.
I am now skating in France and 90% of the figure skaters who are practicing during public sessions, are girls/women.