Sunday, August 23, 2009

Where’s Waldo? The challenges of finding reliable information in the information age.


A good friend just passed along a great Mommy Blog from a new skating parent. http://icemom.blogspot.com/ . Read it; especially if you are a new skating parent. This mom, who apparently is an editor by vocation, offers some wonderful links and insights into where to find information and resources.

I wish someone had done this for us twenty years ago. Instead, we had to rely on books (gasp), young coaches, well-meaning but not always informed club officers and, occasionally, on information and comments written on the doors of bathroom stalls. Well, that is a bit of an exaggeration, but not too far from the truth.

What interested me was that things have essentially not changed. Even in the era of easy access to news and information, there is still a dearth of qualified and trusted sources to answer questions. Of course, there are a lot of questions to be answered. One thing that surprises me, too, is that parents are not aware of sources available within our own federation. The other “Of course” is that finding that information within the pages of usfigureskating.org is not an easy thing.

To assist with contacts on the parents committee for a region, here is the link. Yes, I had to search it out, but I had an idea of where to look. It still took me several minutes.
http://www.usfigureskating.org/Story.asp?cat=7&id=949

Some words of caution on all sources, including ours: Make sure you are clear about what you need to know; don’t listen to other parents (including us) and expect that their experiences will align with your specific needs. When it comes to useful information, it’s still is a game of “Where’s Waldo” out there, folks. Just make sure you find what you’re looking for; make sure it comes from a reliable source. If it concerns medical or professional issues, check out the governing body website and professional certification (PSA) sites first for links and resources.

The most important thing to remember: Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Believe us, you’re not alone.

1 comment:

  1. Thank you very much for the kind words about my little blog project! I wish you success with yours!

    ReplyDelete