It takes hard work, dedication and stamina to rise from the novice to championship level in speedskating. A coach is important to help an athlete set goals and design a training program, but the athlete must have commitment to reach the highest levels of the sport. Outside stresses in life should be recognized and avoided, especially when an athlete is close to reaching long term goals. Eight potential problems that should be avoided and why they are a problem for an athlete in serious training are:

1. Too many family obligations....an athlete needs a lot of time to train.
2. Stress in the family....diverts energy from training and does not allow the athlete to focus completely.
3. Stress in love relationships....diverts energy from training and does not allow the athlete to focus completely.
4. Disappointment in school or work....causes poor attitude toward training and diverts focus.
5. Overload of studies or outside activities....an athlete needs a lot of time to train and rest.
6. Problems or jealousy with colleagues....diverts focus and energy from training.
7. Too many outside influences or obligations that don't relate to goals... diverts focus from an athlete's training cycle.
8. Health problem... causes weakness and requires extended time from training.

Thanks to Coach Ken for providing these guidelines from U.S. Speed Skating.