Professional Courtesy

Professional Courtesy  

Originally published Jan/Feb 2018 PS Magazine


I received an email from a highly experienced coach following this past season’s regional championships. In a closely contested qualifying round, skater “A” edged out skater “B” by less than one tenth of a point. Skater “A” qualified for the final round by being the last of the “next four highest scores.” 


The problem, however, was that skater “A” went home. She went home and neither the coach nor skater formally withdrew from the competition. As each skater received a congratulatory email with the primary coach and secondary coach being copied, it can be assumed that they knew that they had qualified. This is where the coach of skater “B” makes a very valid point.

Skaters train all year long for the opportunity to participate in Regionals. No practice can replicate the intensity of competing at the Regional level and the growth opportunity this provides a skater. Many skaters goal is to become a Regional finalist. It awards the skater's hard work and discipline and family's efforts to support the skater, it builds skater's self-esteem so much needed among youth, it carries credence to how schools comply with requests for more favorable school schedules and PE waivers, it justifies parental financial commitment to support their child's sport and passion, it is often a motivating factor to continue in the pursuit of the highest U.S. Figure Skating testing levels, it encourages to be active U.S. Figure Skating members, and improves the longevity of the family with U.S. Figure Skating, it boosts the coaching community in a positive way. [The coaches] failure to properly inform officials that [skater “A”] had withdrawn is, in my view, a breach of her responsibility to her skater and to the integrity of the competition. Had she properly performed her duties as a coaching professional, [skater “B”] would have been able to compete and 20 skaters would compete in the final round.

Back in my day, this happened and on occasion it could be construed that a coach would not withdraw a skater because of a poor relationship with a coach or skater who would have benefited from an early withdraw. Sometimes this would be a trip to sectionals or nationals.

After exchanging a few emails with both coaches, I talked to the coach of skater “A”. The reality was that skater “A” had travelled to regionals with her grandparents and was in sixth place after her group ended. She had never made a final round before and at the end of her group, jumped in a car for the six hour ride to her home. Her coach also left later that evening, flying home and received notice that her skater had made the final round when she landed. There were no flights back that would land before the start of the final round and an overnight drive back would have been dangerous. While it is easy to understand that no malicious intent was intended, the coach still had a duty to scratch her skater- perhaps an email to the chief referee at the very least. 


Really, this should be obvious. If and when a decision is made to not compete, the coach (preferably) or skater should communicate directly with the chief referee that the athlete has withdrawn. While skaters do get injured or sick on the warmup in many cases, a withdrawing athlete will generally allow an alternate to participate. As coaches and PSA members, we must be mindful of our professional duties.