Is it talent? Flexibility? Skill? Practice? Coaching? Work ethic?
I'm not sure what the answer is, but I know that there are alot of skaters who are "good" skaters that aren't olympic level or elite in the least, and I also know some high level skaters that I do not respect nor do I consider "good" for the sport in general. It's hard to draw a firm line, but there are some definite characteristics that make a skater "good" in my book.
1. Dedication to the sport. A good skater is dedicated to skating. To me this means that they skate numerous times in a week and consistently show up to practice. They are also dedicated to the sport overall and cheer on their country's teams and know about all aspects of the sport, not just the things they are personally interested in.
2. Skill. Yes, a certain amount of skill is necessary to be a "good" skater. But, for the most part, skill can be taught and learned. You can learn HOW to do the motions and while certain skills take longer to learn (axel), it's something that can be learned. However the degree to which those skills are practiced and executed is what separates a skater from a "good" skater and a "good" skater from a "great" one.
3. Natural abilty/grace/etc. There is an element of the sport that cannot be taught. Some skaters "have it" some don't. For some skaters, the skills come easily, for others they have to work much harder just to get the things that other skaters do instinctively. No amount of practice, teaching, and work will create a natural ability that just isn't there to begin with.
Is that all? I dont' know...but I do know these 3 elements are necessary for a skater to be a "good" skater by my defininition.
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