What do you do AFTER Figure Skating?

This could be the age-old question.

I don't know about the popularity of figure skating in the rest of the world, but I think there's a pretty good following in the cooler countries. You know, the ones above the equator and with ice and stuff.

It's pretty popular in Canada. People enjoy watching it on TV, and people enjoy participating in it. That's a good combination. People should enjoy recreation and sport and hobbies.

However, that's not really what this post is about. This is more about the people who make it to the top. The problem? That's all they do. No other skills. No other training. Another problem? They're pretty young. So... once you're at the top, where do you go?

Perhaps this would be a bigger "problem" if figure skating didn't launch itself into the second most popular sport in the United States. Yes. The second next to football. So now these top athletes are treated like celebrities and the world becomes their figurative oyster once they, you know, "retire."

It had something to do with a bunch of American skaters winning big Olympic and World titles, it had much to do with a "scandal" of sorts to do with a certain "incident" with a "pipe" and a "knee." (OK fine here's the link)

But mostly I bet it had something to do with a figure skating scandal taking place at the Salt Lake City Olympics.
Now that figure skating is a "thing" the more popular figure skaters don't really have to worry about what to do after skating because they're immediate celebrities. Some of them go to university (to have a "normal" life?) but I don't really know what they study. Some of them write books. A lot of them put their name behind ice rinks and endorse products, but I'd have to say the majority seem to get into some aspect of skating. Either coaching (which I use as an umbrella term) or performing in professional shows. That's probably where the money is.

Actually, amateur skaters now win money from competing so there's no real reason to quit competing is there. Hmm... I am starting to wonder if this post is going anywhere...

OH!

I forgot to mention the point slash inspiration for this post. Sonja Henjie.

She was an old-school figure skater, in the early 1900s. She won the Olympics three times in ladies singles skating and then retired. The thing is, she was, like, 23. Retired. What's a girl to do?

Become a movie star.

Although apparently the movies didn't do well because of her acting. More to do with her looks and her skating abilities. But hey, no one's perfect.

Source: http://arbynblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/what-do-you-do-after-figure-skating.html

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