Ice Charades Speaks Up

I want to add one comment to the dialogue that came up in Tai Babalonia's interview (part 6 specifically) with Jenny Kirk. (I have it linked in the post below if you want to hear it.) This isn't easy for me to write, but it just may be worth mentioning.

The subject of the interview in that section is eating disorders for skaters and the hope the the USFS will be more proactive in helping to combat a common problem in the sport. I, too, wish that were done going forward.

But in my own experience and my own battle with eating disorders, it wasn't skating that caused the problem nor made it worse. That is to say that it was a part of my personality and my warped way of dealing with stress and anxiety of life in your late teens and early twenties. It didn't matter on the ice or off the ice. While having "weigh-ins" and fines as a part of life in an ice show is not great for a fragile mind dealing with body issues, I would argue it was often worse for me when I was in college. I felt more out of my comfort zone in the world of academia and more stress and/or boredom.

Hey kids, don't underestimate boredom and the destruction it can do.

So, I would hope that when/if the USFS is going to tackle the subject for young skaters, they remember the root of the problem may have as much or more to do with the personality type than the factors that skating may play.

What do you think?