LET’S TALK: REALITIES OF FIGURE SKATING & THE NEED FOR CHANGE
TW: Eating Disorders, Body Image Challenges in Competitive Athletes (Figure Skaters)
L E T ’ S T A L K… about a darker reality of figure skating that has recently been brought to light by members of the skating community: the startlingly high percentage of figure skaters that struggle with eating disorders and/ or body image issues as a result of their experience in the sport.
While I have not personally experienced this struggle, I’d like to start by providing background about my own time spent in skating. I figure skated competitively for 10+ years, and am thankful to have had supportive parents and coaches and an overall positive experience with the sport. I competed for the last time almost four years ago, when I was a junior in high school. I made the decision to adjust my priorities and work towards my academic and career aspirations. Through high school and college I have continued to skate, completing USFSA tests and enjoying the sport in a more leisurely way. The difficult decision to no longer compete was definitely a profound transition in my life… I had always been “the figure skater” from the time when I began the sport at age six. But overall, despite the pressure that I faced during my years in the sport, I am happy and thankful for the experiences I had. The sport shaped me into who I am today; my determination, resilience, and work ethic are all outcomes of being a competitive skater.
Though it’s been a few months since I’ve been on the ice and years since it’s been one of my top priorities, skating has been on my mind a lot lately. I was recently featured in an article for Bentley University about my college and career experience thus far… and the story’s focus actually became about the lessons I learned through skating that enable me to succeed academically and professionally. However, recent events on social media within the skating community have made me realize just how special— even rare— it is that I can look back on my time skating in a positive light.
Providing context for-non skaters:
Figure skating, like other activities that require extreme athleticism while simultaneously placing high value on the aesthetic of its athletes (i.e. gymnastics, ballet), intrinsically has the tendency to lead to issues with body image. In the past, elite skaters have opened up about struggles they have faced as a result of the pressure brought on by their training. A few Olympian- level skaters that have shared their challenges with disordered eating include Gracie Gold (US), Adam Rippon (US), Nancy Kerrigan (US), Yulia Lipnitskaya (RUS), Gabrielle Daleman (CAN), and Akiko Suzuki (JAP), among others. Each of these skaters are extremely brave to have shared such personal stories, and it seems that they have initiated a very important conversation throughout all levels of the sport.
Over the last couple of weeks, the Instagram page @thefsedproject began posting information to help raise awareness about disordered eating in figure skating. The founder of the page (Grace Soroko) has created a petition asking the United States Figure Skating Association and SafeSport to “provide accessible mental health care and nutritional aid for figure skaters in need”. This initiative has become a catalyst for sparking a very necessary conversation within the sport as skaters at all levels have begun courageously sharing their personal stories regarding eating disorders. On this Instagram page, Grace is bringing awareness to startling statistics including that “62% of competitive figure skaters have reported symptoms of an eating disorder” (and many cases within the sport are not reported).
I personally have never had an eating disorder, but this statistic reiterates how widely the problem exists across the sport and I want to help contribute to the discussion in support of other skaters. I experienced the dynamic of going through puberty while training alongside girls who are four or more years younger than me. I witnessed and overheard things that, put in overly-simple terms, had potential to be detrimental to the physical or mental health of any figure skater… of any child… of any person, really. I support Grace’s petition and think that it is an amazing idea to communicate with USFSA and SafeSport about legislatively adding more forms of support for skaters. This is a very necessary aspect of moving in the right direction, but the skating community cannot stop there. This is fundamentally a cultural issue.
There are many dynamics within the competitive figure skating lifestyle that can contribute to negative mindsets in skaters if parents, coaches, and other skaters aren’t cognizant of their own destructive attitudes and behaviors. In addition to the extreme athletic demands of the sport, so many skaters are taught that they should be working towards perfection in several aspects. As a skater, you aren’t only competing against other skaters, you are competing against yourself. Your jumps could always be higher, spins could be faster, footwork more intricate… and you are always trying to beat your personal best IJS score. Unfortunately, I know through what I have witnessed that this leads many coaches and parents to add unhealthy levels of pressure to skaters (in addition to what they already add themselves) in hopes that they become the best competitor at their rink, in their region, in their country… or even in the world. Additionally, many figure skaters are already very aspirational and self-motivated without needing influence from external forces. When I grew up playing soccer, there weren’t many young players who talked about their dream of competing at the World Cup. But ask any skater- at some point, they wanted to not only be at the Olympics, but to WIN them.
The issue of unhealthy behaviors in the sport has gone far beyond “normalization”; these notions that are detrimental to a skater’s physical, mental and emotional health are encouraged within the sport by some (but far too many) parents and coaches. After recently reading the stories of some skaters and talking with others, I feel these are a few points that need to be underscored:
No one should be told that there is only one “figure skater body”. No one should have to overhear other skaters, parents, or coaches mock them for something so surface-level as their appearance. No young female should be told to deprive herself of food and nutrients to “delay puberty” by adults that they think they can trust (see: hypothalamic amenorrhea). No one should be shamed for their body’s natural and inevitable biological processes of growth and development. No one should be told that their success depends on having enough “self-control” or “willpower” to restrict themselves of something so essential for life.
Another common narrative in the sport goes something like “due to physics and gravitational laws, lighter is better”…. but this is an over-simplified and highly contradictory statement that should not be thrown around. If you were to speak with a Registered Dietitian or anyone licensed to educate about human biology, you’ll remember that food is a vital (as in, the only substantial) source of energy. Additionally, muscle— i.e. the muscle that develops in the legs of skaters from working them every day— is what allows the body to create movements powerful enough to jump high and spin fast. You’ll also learn that it is generally not recommended for athletes to cut out entire food groups, but rather focus on eating nutrient rich, balanced meals to ensure that necessary bodily processes can occur correctly and efficiently.
Comparison, control, competitiveness, aesthetics, isolation, injuries, and coaches/ parents who enable (and often) create these issues amongst young skaters are some of the many aspects of the sport that lead so many young athletes down dangerous paths.
And that is why I am writing this. My purpose here is two-fold: to potentially educate non- skaters on the issue and increase awareness … and to ask that parents and coaches who push things too far to please, please, please re-evaluate their approach. It is hard to even quantify with words how thankful I am that my parents and coaches did not turn my skating experience into something negative. To the “skating moms” and “skating dads”— though you might look at your child and see a high achieving athlete, don’t lose sight of the fact that they are still a child. Remember that they are developing and growing, and you should be in no place to control how they evolve, physically. However, you can impact the way they develop mentally. That is why it is so important to understand that saying or doing one wrong thing can stay with someone for years… so make sure you are filling your athletes with encouragement and inspiration, not destructive criticism and dangerous habits.
Looking back on my experience, I realize that I might be in the minority group of competitive skaters who are able to look back, a few years later, and be truly thankful for all of those years spent at the rink. I hope that by having these conversations, the skating community can change so that many more skaters can have an experience similar to my own.
Thank you to my parents and coaches for pushing me to be my best, but not at the cost of my health. Thank you for allowing me to grow in a sport that has made me who I am today, while not forcing me to continue beyond the point that it was no longer enjoyable. Thank you for supporting me both as a skater, and as a young woman who has closed that chapter of her life and has excitedly moved on to the next.
To the next generation of skaters:
This sport is magical, and amazing, and it can empower you and bring you joy. You will learn invaluable lessons and grow into a determined, passionate, resilient, and strong man or woman. You can achieve success and fulfillment from the sport, while maintaining balance in your life. Though the narrative of skating might show you a different story, you DO have the ability to shape your experience into a positive one. Don’t let the sport become your entire life. Despite an intense training schedule, try your best to have some other friends, hobbies, and interests outside of the sport.
Remember that like most things in life, moderation is key. Setting goals so very important, but remember that NOTHING – no new element, no competition, no sport, and no person- is worth putting your mental or physical health at risk.
To any skater who has faced an internal struggle as the byproduct of their passion:
Know that you are not at fault. Try to seek out ways to improve your situation- change coaches, talk to a trusted adult, take a step back from skating, or seek help from a professional if needed. I support you, and I believe in your ability to come out on the other side even stronger.
ANAD (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa & Related Disorders) Helpline : (630) 577-1330 (9am and 5pm CST)
NEDA (National Eating Disorder Association) Helpline : (800) 931-2237
Resources for Anorexia, Bulimia and Binge Eating Disorder : eatingdisorderhope.com