Losing a Figure Skating Student Is Painful:

One of the hardest things anyone who coaches figure skating goes through is "losing a student."

Most figure skating coaches care a great deal about their private lesson students. Some skaters grow up with a certain coach and leaving that special teacher and/or mentor can be traumatic for both parties involved.

• Losing a Figure Skating Student - Ouch! It Hurts...

• What It's Like to Lose a Skating Student

Remember Teaching Figure Skating Is a Business:

When it comes down to it, coaching figure skating is a business. Although many figure skating coaches put in long hours and go above and beyond for their students, figure skaters have the right to make coaching changes.

Accept That It May Be Time For a Skater To Move On:

When a skater and his or her parent informs a figure skating coach that he or she is going to move on to a different coach or training environment, it is recommended that the coach accepts the news graciously. Expressing anger or resentment is not recommended. Wishing the family and the skater the best for the future is the way to react.

Express Joy When You Hear About a Skater's Successes and/or Achievements:

Your former student may go on to do great things in skating or in life. Rejoice with the skater and his or her parents when a former student does well. Express to the family and skater that you are proud that you played a part in the figure skater's career.

If possible, take the time to praise a skater and a family when success in skating comes.

Remember, it is rare for most figure skaters to stay with one coach for an entire skating career.

Allow Your Students To Stay Connected To You and Your Students If Possible:

Some skating coaches use the internet, Yahoo Groups, Google Groups, or Facebook to bring groups of skaters together.

If a skater leaves you, cutting your student off from the group by blocking the student's access to the group on Facebook or Yahoo can really hurt.

Consider allowing the skater and the skater's parents to stay loosely linked to a group. Consider keeping them on the email mailing list or in the Facebook group even if a coaching change has been made (for a short while at least). Just because the student no longer takes lessons from you, doesn't mean that every connection to you has to end abruptly.

Advice From Figure Skating Coach Janet Champion:

Janet Champion, a Professional Skaters Association Master Rated Coach, national and international figure skating coach, mentor to young ice skating coaches, and recipient of the PSA Lifetime Achievement award, says the following about handling losing a student:

• "The first thing I do when I lose a student, is I evaluate myself. Could I have done anything differently? Is there anything I can do to improve my teaching techniques? Is there anything I should have done on a personal level to improve the coach-student-parent relationship?
  I'm a firm believer that no matter how hurt you feel after a student and/or parent tells you he or she is making a coaching change, that neither party involved should spread negative talk or gossip with others about the situation. If things were not all that great when you coached the student, keep those memories and thoughts to yourself.
  
  If possible, avoid awkward situations where with former students and their families. For example, try to be friendly with the kids and parents if you see them at the rink. This is not always possible.
  
  Your former student may be still be friends with your other students. Don't exclude a former skating student from socializing with the skating friends that are still part of your clientele.
  
  Also, even if you and the parent of a skater have issues, don't take anything out on that parent's child or children. The child may really love you or have loved you as a coach. Let that child continue to love you. Shield children from any disagreements or arguments with parents.
  
  Remember, if Michelle Kwan can leave someone with credentials like Frank Carroll, then every figure skating coach should accept the fact that we all will lose figure skating students and should use Frank Carroll's example on how to behave. We live in a free country. The student and family may truly believe that the grass may be greener somewhere else. Skaters can take lessons from whomever they wish.
  
  Take the high road. "