Patrick Chan started skating in 1996. He originally wanted to learn to skate in order to play hockey, but soon became interested in figure skating. His coach, Osborne Colson, made him spend 30 minutes a day on basic stroking, edge work, cross-cutting and balance drills. Chan said, "I tell people I owe the flow in my knees and the flow I generate from my edges to Mr. Colson. He knew he had to pull everything apart and start from the ground up on the basics of skating."