"I see you here all the time," she said. "And you're so fit."
I spread my hands wide. "Figure Skating keeps me that way. Not bad for 68.'
"You know," she confided, "When I started, people said I was too old."
Me, "And you're what? 21?"
"Yes."
This is not an anomaly. I read it online often, in boards and forums and Facebook. "I'm 12 (or 13 or 17 or 20 or 23 ) and someone told me I'm too old to skate. " (I've never seen it on skatingforums.com, or on the Facebook adult skating groups I follow. )
They make me so angry
I don't know who they are. But, they like to spoil everyone's good time.
Basically, they're bullies.
It's unlikely a person who learns to skate after their late teens is going to make it to the Olympics, mostly because it's going to take years to pass the required tests and competitions. But that has nothing to do with them being "too old" for the sport or even to try to get in the Olympics. They could still have fun in recreational skating or competitions or having a lifetime participation in a demanding but delightful family sport.
You need to have a reply to those "you're too old" comments. Hmm, what could it be?
I don't recommend
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| PEOPLE ARE SO SENSITIVE |
I LIKE
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| This works even when you're IRL, I've used it several times. |
And if they persist in telling you that
you're too old and keep yammering on?
How about "I'm younger than YOU." Or "I didn't ask you". Or my personal favorite, "Mind your business!"
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately adults who want to start this sport are not very common where I am from. So it's not possible to join any groups (a very few exceptions). They tell you it's for children only, which is just another way of saying "you are to old".
ReplyDeleteYou certainly can hire a private teacher for money, that's not an issue, if you can pay for it, they don't care who old you are.
It's a passion and passion doesn't care about age! ;-)