Victory or Defeat - Lesson, Practices, Tests - 8-14 May [Archive]

sceptique

05-08-2006, 07:35 AM

Congrats on passing your elements. Shame you didn't pass your free though. What was the reason for failing you? Never mind, I'm sure you'll get it next time!

Nicki

It actually was a bit of the shock for me, both passing and failing, as I was worried about my elements (and I did mess them up - even managed to fall on toe loop, which is my best jump - yet still passed), but I was pretty sure I would nail my programme - and I skated it clean, almost as good as it gets, and still failed by 0.3 points. The judges remark was "it still needs a little work: I would like to see more speed and flow and a bit higher jumps. And you tend to keep your shoulders up - you look quite tense". I guess, she has a point, but it's still a little sad.... :cry:

NickiT

05-08-2006, 08:22 AM

It actually was a bit of the shock for me, both passing and failing, as I was worried about my elements (and I did mess them up - even managed to fall on toe loop, which is my best jump - yet still passed), but I was pretty sure I would nail my programme - and I skated it clean, almost as good as it gets, and still failed by 0.3 points. The judges remark was "it still needs a little work: I would like to see more speed and flow and a bit higher jumps. And you tend to keep your shoulders up - you look quite tense". I guess, she has a point, but it's still a little sad.... :cry:

I'm sorry you missed it by just 0.3 points. You will get it next time so just keep working on your speed and flow. The jumps will increase in height with the increased speed. If it's any consolation I get very tense when testing or competing and I struggle big time with my shoulders. Practice, practice, practice. That's all we can do really. Also remember you haven't actually been skating very long so passing the elements test is a big achievement in itself!

Nicki

sceptique

05-08-2006, 08:27 AM

Practice, practice, practice. That's all we can do really.

Thanks, Nicki! That's what I'm going to do later today - and I've already filled in an application for a retry. These things only get me more determined to "show 'em all!" :twisted:

NickiT

05-08-2006, 08:59 AM

Thanks, Nicki! That's what I'm going to do later today - and I've already filled in an application for a retry. These things only get me more determined to "show 'em all!" :twisted:

That's the right attitude! You go girl :)

Nicki

Mrs Redboots

05-08-2006, 10:25 AM

In commemoration of the end of World War II - this week's tread is called "Victory or Defeat".

So, in two brief sentenses, as I'm still waiting for everything that happened this morning to sink in:

Victory:

I passed my Level 1 Elements.

Defeat:

I failed my Level 1 Free Skate.Congratulations and commiserations, respectively. I'm sure you'll get your Free next time, though - are you going to compete it this year, at Bracknell, for instance? That would give you a way of comparing yourself to other skaters of your age group & ability level (and there are plenty out there!). And at least you now know what to work on for your Free.

flo

05-08-2006, 10:56 AM

Victory - had the chance to practice with Rob this weekend. We had two good days of skating. The show was fun, and good to get out in front of an audience again. We had a catered party at the rink, and then a nice after party. Thanks to Mika for adding her support!

Defeat - or de-feet. I have blisters from these boots. Going to try and get a pair of foot bungas before I leave.

BatikatII

05-08-2006, 12:28 PM

So, in two brief sentenses, as I'm still waiting for everything that happened this morning to sink in:

Victory:

I passed my Level 1 Elements

Defeat:

I failed my Level 1 Free Skate.

Hey Sceptique - don't be down hearted - sometimes with skate tests it's just that kind of a day. Judges can be picky about different things and a different judge may well have passed you. Obviously in your elements some of them were good enough to compensate for the toe-loop fall (and you'd have got credit for technique going in and rotation).

They do tend to be quite picky about flow and about posture in the free so you should probably concentrate on trying to look more relaxed (even when you don't feel it). Make sure you smile as much as possible, as it does make a difference to how you look and comes across as confidence.

Having seen you skate at Nottingham I am surprised you did not pass the free and I'm absolutely confident you will pass next time.

If it's any consolation, daughter just failed inter-silver field moves. The judges were being particularly hard (I've seen worse things pass, including my son's) and failed several people. Annoyingly while it was her nemesis move she failed on, she had been doing it really well the day before.

That's skating really.

Hope we might see you at Bracknell this year.

Congrats on the elements test anyway. Now you have to skate at level 1 like me - I think you will be in the younger age group though if you compete.

luna_skater

05-08-2006, 01:42 PM

Victory - I have only skated sporadically since March (really busy with school and work), and have just gotten back on the ice recently, so there have been lots of small victories in just getting my feet back! One general victory is that I discovered I have pretty darn good muscle memory. Getting my jumps back has been quite easy. My flips in particular were great today.

Backspins have improved 1000-fold from where they were a few months ago. They improved a lot once I got my new blades in March, and I was worried they'd disappear since I was off the ice for a while. I struggled with them last week, but today they were there. Waltz-backspin is going really well; I'm landing in the backspin almost immediately instead of gliding for a bit before being able to pull in.

Defeat - Nothing specific in terms of moves, but am just feeling sort of lethargic and unmotivated. I think my mood will pick up once my lessons start back at the end of May, and I'm skating in a more energetic environment (right now I'm skating at dead public ice, instead of on free skate ice packed with people like I'm used to).

sceptique

05-08-2006, 05:24 PM

Hope we might see you at Bracknell this year.

Congrats on the elements test anyway. Now you have to skate at level 1 like me - I think you will be in the younger age group though if you compete.

I'm putting my application in the mailbox tomorrow. I will be in "Masters" age group - 30-49. Are you sure you are not in the same one?

BatikatII

05-08-2006, 06:08 PM

I'm putting my application in the mailbox tomorrow. I will be in "Masters" age group - 30-49. Are you sure you are not in the same one?

eeeek! yes it will be the same one. I think the age ranges must have changed as I thought it was 35 - 49 last year and I was sure you'd be younger! I'll have to look to my laurels as I dont even have a programme at present (old coach moved back to Poland - just settling in with new coach and only about 10 seconds into a new programme). Somehow I doubt I'll be retaining the cup this year but you never know and anyway it's not supposed to be about winning but about challenging myself (on the other hand I do like to win - never knew I had a competitive streak til I took up sailing when we lived abroad):D

See you there!

Terri C

05-08-2006, 06:50 PM

Victory:
Got my freeskate dress today and it fits perfectly!!
Had a fairly clean runthrough of program on lesson, including two sitspins when I could not do one alone earlier in lesson!

Defeat:
The ice sucked today and when it's chewed up with little mounds all over the place, it can suck away any enthusiasim you have for practice!

Rusty Blades

05-08-2006, 08:40 PM

Victory ??? I survived?

Unconditional Surrender! My new (Jackson Elite) boots came in Friday. I had them heat molded and my MK pros mounted on Saturday. Tonight was my first chance to skate in them.

Man o’ man do the new boots feel DIFFERENT! They need to be punched out in a few areas but they “handle” altogether different - as if I have to toe-out to skate straight and it feels like I have to roll my ankles out a long way to get an outside edge. I don’t know if it is the “temporary mount” but my left edges seemed really unstable. I will have to sit down tomorrow night and do a REALLY careful comparison of exactly where the blades were mounted on my old boots (Jackson Competition) and compare it to the new ones. I know that he used his mounting jig to mount the blades on my first boots but made some tweaks to the jig position on the new ones - maybe they need to be un-tweaked!

Since I hadn’t taken my old boots with me, I didn’t make it all the way through the session. I did (attempted) some scallops, backward glides, and a lot of forward inside and outside edges to test out the new boots but by then my feet were killing me and decided to call it a night. Can't afford to have such a useless session so late in the season!

aussieskater

05-08-2006, 09:16 PM

Sceptique - congrats on passing you Elements test, and I'm sure you'll nail the Freeskate test next time around!

Victory

Got to lesson yesterday, and dance coach suggested it was about time we start putting together our very first (baby) FD. :) I thought that was *years* away for us yet! So we played around with a couple of supposedly graceful moves, including....

Utter annihilation

...this thing where the man sort of does a 2-foot pivot and supports the lady in a teapot (she's on a FI edge), then up she gets. DH does it with coach, who then says "Right, now it's your turn." My teapots are pretty respectable (at least I thought they were), and I can get up by myself, but DH's first comment was "Wow, you're heavier than [coach]"...he is *so* dead. :twisted:

Coach checked our dance pair edges and commented that (victory) our lines were beautifully matched. This was because (defeat) both free legs were bent, and both toes turned down not out. Further, both bottoms stuck out. :P More work needed here.

Mrs Redboots

05-09-2006, 08:32 AM

Victory: Skating today felt a bit disheartening. Well, for me, anyway. We had moved our lesson 30 minutes earlier, as Husband had to catch the early train. Lesson went okay, and afterwards the coach spent a few minutes on Husband's loop, and absolutely transformed it for him, it was like magic!

Thoroughgoing defeat: Took the camcorder to the rink (it worked beautifully - I bet it was that cassette all along), and recorded his free programme (which I have promised not to put on-line.... but never said a word about not sending it to people via e-mail!), and my Interp (http://mrs-redboots.sk8rland.com/video/Annabelinterp.asf), which looks ghastly, even worse than I thought it did. Mind you, if I had known that the rink would be empty today (most of the coaches at a seminar), I'd have done my dress rehearsal today, not tomorrow. Sigh.

Dance moves were appalling, all scrapy and ghastly and not on edges at all. Did them again paying strict attention to my posture, and they were a lot better, but all the same.

quarkiki2

05-09-2006, 08:53 AM

Victory: Started working more advanced turns -- choctaws and brackets. I like these better than threes, LOL! And on the first time trying them, can do them as well and my threes (which still suck). Still wrking on one-foot scratch. I do better if I convince myself that I'm just practicing the choctaw and happen to pop up into a spin afterwards. I think I need to approach these with more speed so I can get a better push into the spin, but that, of course, is what scares me. Grrr!!!! Landed many awesome 1/2 toes, a couple of weenie 1/2 lutzes, some pretty good but delicate 1/2 flips, and one two footed full toe. I think that once I get the hang of landing backwards, I can re-visit the dreaded waltz jump.

Defeat: Still not doing the scratch spin, clean 3's (any of them except an occasional LFO or RFO or LBI), or landing toe on one foot. Waltz 8 has good rhythm and speed, but I'm still tapping the free foot down after the three for NO APPARENT REASON except that I am. Double GRRRR!!!!

Hubby will help me mount my new blades this weekend, it's my Mother's Day wish to give them a shot on Sunday, yay! We'll see if I survive. I'm not terribly worried about the toepick as I haven't caught a toepick in about two years, but they are way curvier than my cuurent almost-recreational blades, so I'm hoping they will give my turns a boost. We'll see.....

bbowie

05-09-2006, 09:09 AM

Victory : my 2nd lesson after i passed the test. So learned many new stuffs like sit change sit , camel sit , camel change camel ,some preparation for axel.So glad i can learn new stuffs after practicing the same program for months.

Defect : Not a happy session to keep falling on my butts. And the feeling that u cant do anything at all. after i got home and my friend told me he is quitting skating. BAD..:cry:

BatikatII

05-09-2006, 04:03 PM

victory: well I finally have a programme to practice. We had two goes at choreographing it, as coach did a beautiful programme that went great with thd music but then we realised it did not contain a mid-line step sequence which I think I need for competitions. So we had to re-do most of it and it doesn't flow across the ice as well as it did but we've managed to cram in all the jumps, spins and steps it needs.

Defeat (for now) Problem now is remembering it firstly and then getting it to flow. There are several problem areas including a kicky, steppy thing where I keep forgetting which leg to start on and then the fact that I have to land my loop and go straight into a toepick turn. This will look great 8-) if I land my loop but the whole thing goes to pot if I don't.:??

Then there's the flip - now I can do this jump - on occasion I have done it great but the problem is, I only do a great flip when I am supposed to be doing a toe-loop and think that I am doing a toe-loop. As soon as I consciously try to do a Flip it becomes really rubbish. This really does prove to me that skating is all in the mind. It's obvious my body can do a Flip and can do a flip easily and at speed, since twice whilst choreographing my programme my coach called out to do a toe-loop and simply due to which foot I was on, I did a Flip without thinking. I guess 'not thinking' is the way to go!;)

Oh and of course there is the salchow/toe-loop combo from a spiral - though daughter suggested a way to manage that which I will try out tomorrow, since she is a much better skater than me.

victory; was the only one on the ice for the first half hour
defeat: had taken all my nice music cd's out of my bag the day before for some reason so had no music to listen too - just the toepick scratching sound filling the arena!

cassarilda

05-10-2006, 02:17 AM

VICTORY!!!

I did a CHOCTAW!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!

Please keep in mind Ive only been skating for about 3months ;)

YAY!!!

I think I did at least one of the two different choctaws (first one starting inside edge, and then other starting on outside edge)...

I also managed a double choctaw!

YAY!!!! :D

Utter Defeat:

I woke up this morning, moved around a bit, and then realised my knee wasnt feeling too good.. in fact it hurt...

I played it down, because hubby was skipping uni to come skating and I wanted him to skate... got to the ice, warmed up lots, my knee was fine, so I took it easy on the ice...

But afterwards, it really hurt (probably because of the choctaws!! :frus: ), so we shall see how it pulls up.

BUT! I DID A CHOCTAW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D :D

Mrs Redboots

05-10-2006, 06:14 AM

Well done Erinna - was this the Blues choctaw, or the Killian choctaw, or....

Defeat: Both of us really tired today. I was all right until I'd finished skating, then it hit me; Husband said he was really tired by about 08:15.

Victory parade: I had a Dress Rehearsal Day today, and skated in:

My white dress for the wedding. Deffo white tights & white boot-covers with, I think, plus white hair-spray. I shall disappear into the ice, which is all to the good! Must say I think J is a bit daft getting all the women to wear white (and the male free skaters, I think) - the only people who will show up will be the men all dressed in black. Still, it's her wedding....
My red dress, which was going to be for our free dance, but it makes such super Latin dress! Will have to get a new one in a different colour for our free dance, I think (blue, perhaps, if such is to be got? Will have to investigerate). So that will do for the Canadian Cha-cha and the Swing Dance at the Mountain Cup, and for the Fiesta Tango at the British.
The costume, including wig, for my Interp. All went well...... Then I changed back into comfortables for the lesson; apart from one run-through of the Interp, spent a long time on my dance moves, and then even longer on exercises to improve my flow across the ice. Difficulty in pushing into a restart after a long edge, Coach discovered I'm not really pushing with my feet together even if I bring them together after the stroke. I need to learn to bring my feet more into a T position to push off. Worked on that a bit.

cassarilda

05-10-2006, 07:33 AM

Well done Erinna - was this the Blues choctaw, or the Killian choctaw, or....

Blues Choctaw and Double Choctaw (just checked with hubby ;) )

blue111moon

05-10-2006, 07:49 AM

Victory:

My new dress came in yesterday's Fed-Ex to the office and it's bee-you-ti-ful! It also fits and the dumpy old body in it doesn't look half-bad. :lol:

I also made it to the rink last night, which after spending 45 minutes hunting for the dog, who escaped during a rainstorm when the UPS guy left my front gate open, was a major accomplishment. I was late though, and only had time to run through the figures for Mountain Cup a couple times each before the free-skaters swarmed the session.

Defeat:

Pretty much the whole rest of the session. I cannot do the choreography of the freeskate program AT ALL. No matter how hard I try. God knows what it will look like next week but at this point I don't really care. :giveup: It's too frustrating.

And I tripped on the FIRST STEP of the Interp program and fell hard on shoulder and hip. Which blew the rest of that to smithereens. Shortly thereafter I gave up entirely and got off to get my skates sharpened.

Anabel, you sound as if you're going fancy for the white wedding...(I agree on the fading into the ice part - odd choice of color). I'm sticking with pants and a jacket that can be worn over stuff for warmth. And the hair is staying red (If I wanted white hair, I wouldn't spend so much time and money coloring it!).

Since my Interp outfit is the same one we wore for the adult group number in the club show last Saturday, I know it's comfortable and warmer than I expected it to be. I may change capes, though. We'll see.

Tonight is packing night for the Grand European Tour. I leave Friday evening. It seems as if we've been planning this excursion for so long; it will a relief to finally get it underway.

LoopLoop

05-10-2006, 09:10 AM

Victory
Coach #1 fixed my flying sit (AGAIN) on Monday, and it seems to be working. I'm getting a good snap into the spin and it's almost as fast as my regular sit.
My footwork is smoothing out too, and oddly enough I changed one turn from a 3 to a bracket because it feels more natural; how weird is THAT?

Defeat
Ugh, stupid axel. I should say, stupid axel IN the program. I decided that my goal for competition this weekend (new program going out!) is just to ROTATE it; I don't care which foot I land on (or how many feet).

Funny comment from Coach #2 this morning: There's an interesting dynamic in your skating. Sometimes you have great edges and flow and smoothness, but there are moments of "adultishness" mixed in.

Hannahclear

05-10-2006, 01:43 PM

Victory:

My back camel has been on the fritz since I got my new boots. It's been getting better and today I did a PERFECT back camel/back sit. Very happy. I'd love to have that in the program by next year, with a change foot addition to forward sit.

I'm only going to post that one thing. It was my shining moment. :lol:

jazzpants

05-10-2006, 02:37 PM

RETREAT!!! 8O

Lesson FS session was crowded as hell!!! I had at least 16 people on the ice, including one pair couple, a skating judge (who also skates himself), a couple of kids (one is home schooled, the other is probably college), and a couple of "returning from injuries" skaters. It's almost like just before all the adults go off to AN. 8O

Needless to say, my lesson was a bust... I know I could do much better on my Bronze Moves, but it's hard to keep my form, edges, extension, power, skating pattern *AND* STILL dodge those skaters!!! 8O When I was blocked (yet again) on my forward power 3s, I told my secondary coach "Look! I really am trying hard! I know I'm supposed to be a better skater and just go around people, but it's hard to keep to my pattern while still have power AND dodge all these other skaters..." Luckily for me, secondary coach knows that I'm starting to beat up on myself, which she put a stop to immediately by telling me that she sees some improvements on the power of the move, but she's concerned that compared to the other moves that this one sticks out like a sore thumb b/c I'm skating cautiously on it.

I was frustrated b/c at first I thought that maybe I really didn't improve and I was just going thru a fluke and now I'm regressing again. I was really angry thinking that I was ready for the test and I went out there and looked like a mess (and I know when the rink isn't busy that I could do this test easily.) But now I have to tell myself that "This is not me! It's okay to be freaked out with at least 16 skaters on the ice all moving around quickly or doing something that might be in your moves pattern path. And I can pratice these moves again tomorrow!!!"

Victory

Secondary coach decided to have some fun with WeirFan06 during her lesson by making both of us do a couple of laps around the rink and to go as fast as we both can. It was funny b/c WeirFan06 suggested as we were stroking along together that we both should match up together so that both of us will be neck and neck. So for a while, she was ahead... and then I was ahead and so on. (We did this back and forth.) Of course at the end I had to let WeirFan06 win by a skate... (it's her lesson!) ;)

Secondary coach was pleasantly surprised that I was skating a LOT faster now, since I'm catching up or maintain pace with WeirFan06. (And she reminded me when I first started that WeirFan06 was at least a good half lap ahead of me the first time I did this race.) Don't know how much of it is WeirFan06 slowing down for me and how much of it was really me. I know I definitely put up a good fight on this one though.

Unfortunately for WeirFan06, secondary coach is threatening to push her harder!!! DOH!!! (Sorry, WeirFan06!!! :cry: )

Of course, I better keep at this too... can't have secondary coach dragging me along again!!! 8O

Isk8NYC

05-10-2006, 03:32 PM

Victory: The fact that I actually skated was a victory. I remembered (!) and practiced all of the pro number that we had covered last Thursday, so I'm ready for tomorrow night's practice. (I can only imagine what the two older gentlemen skating on the session thought with my shaking and jumping around like a nut.) Started working on weird position sit spins, in case I need a "solo element" that goes with the music. Practiced the MITF spiral patterns.

Defeat: I only had a half-hour to skate, which is a shame. The little jumpy tap-dance steps for the pro number look terrible, but they're getting easier. Now for some style (and balance!LOL)

I really do need new skates - I have to use the setback hooks all the time now or my foot/ankle move too much. Maybe this summer.:roll:

Skittl1321

05-10-2006, 06:56 PM

Victory: I passed Basic 3 and Basic 4 :) I still need work on my 3 turns and 2 foot spins, but everything else I can do (and I can do those too, but they aren't completely perfect or consistent)

Defeat: Last time skating until Mid June. The 30 minutes made my ankle hurt and tendonitis flare up. And while attempting to do backwards crossovers I managed to both click my blades (eek! didn't fall though, almost did) and swipe my blade over the toe removing a chunk of boot.

This weekend me and a gal from class are going on a road trip to buy skates. Here's hoping some fit :)

Raye

05-10-2006, 07:49 PM

Rusty Blades

05-10-2006, 09:34 PM

Victory! Back into my old boots and everything came back again (after the disaster Monday in my new boots). Was hitting real nice FO and FI edges fairly consistently with good form most of the time - they are feeling really solid now (compared to a few weeks ago) and I am getting fairly maneuverable on a single edge. The backward one-foot glides continue to improve, even with stroking. Eventhough I didn't have a lesson tonight, my coach skated over specifically to tell me how much my backward glides have improved :mrgreen: (I LOVE praise!)

Minor Set-Back I saw my G.P. yesterday about my plugged up ear - it’s infected so I am on antibiotics for 10 days. Feeling a bit rough in general so I just might have to take a day or two "sick time" off work to rest and clear up my infection ***COUGH***COUGH*** (before skating again Saturday) 8O :roll:

Thin-Ice

05-11-2006, 03:47 AM

ONLY VICTORY!!!:D: The new blades feel better. I did a tiny little salchow even before my coach was at the rink, a slightly larger waltz and a couple of almost reasonable toe loops. We worked on Forward 3-turns and ALL the mohawks which felt smooth and mostly easy. Then my coach had me go through waltz jump and toe loop and salchow. I figured we were done for the day.. and she had me try a flip (scary!) but I just told the voice in my head to go away and let my body do what I know it has done for years.. and voila! A FLIP! (OK, it wasn't as big as the ones on the old blades.. but it was a flip!) She had me do 5-6 more.. and they were progressively bigger. Still room for improvement.. but the best part was NO FEAR on the last 3 or 4!!! She also had me do flip/toe.. NO PROBLEM! Now she says next lesson we'll do loops and lutzes again. (I always wonder who the "WE" is she's talking about.. she's not jumping!)

Also worked on spins.. managed a couple of reasonable scratch spins and a couple of sit spins. Lots of room for improvement... but no fear any more! HURRAY! HURRAY! I LOVE the confidence my coach has in me! Almost makes me feel like a real skater! (Uh-oh, she says we'll try camel spins on Friday. That and the back spin were a problem on the old blades that I felt comfortable skating on!)

DEFEAT: NOTHING!!!!!!!

Casey

05-11-2006, 04:38 AM

Victory!:
Skating is going so well! I should post more but I've been so busy skating! Since starting back not quite 2 weeks ago, I've been skating 4-6 hours a day 6 days a week.

It was a bit disheartening at first, because I was really quite rusty at, err..., everything, had no stamina, and some of my muscles apparently jumped ship in my few month break from skating (and no, I didn't actually keep up my gym-going habit I was hopeful about). I'd wake up sore and tired the next day, but I made myself keep going anyways...

And now? Well I'm still getting a bit sore each day, but it's all good because I'm skating better than EVER!! My lousy spins are 17-18 revolutions; my good spins are 20-22, or uncountable because I actually managed to center them properly. :D My jumps feel as big as ever and though they weren't inconsistant before, they just feel more consistant now, so I have more confidence. Even fun combos like loop-loop-loop and flip-toeloop-loop have been coming back quickly. Sooooo happy! :D

Inspired by a skater at my new rink (http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/06/02/26/100loc_b1muhlstein001.cfm) who has absolutely phenomenal footwork, I've been spending more time working on footwork that I could never do before. This week I've been working on back power pulls with an alternating back outside 3 and opposite bracket back to backward, a couple more power pulls and then an alternating back inside 3 and opposite bracket back to backward (does anybody know what these things are called?!?). While the back inside 3 / brackets are a bit difficult, I can manage both combinations most of the time, on either foot. I couldn't even do the back outside / brackets worth a poo before, so this makes me feel really great and accomplished.

That and the spins, did I mention them already? Oh yes it seems that I did. :oops: A question for all the better or more informed skaters out there - how many revolutions can an elite skater generally eek out of a forward scratch spin? I know Lucinda Ruh got over 100 in a backspin, but I've no idea what the record is for a forward spin, or what a good/high number is.

And everyone at the new rink is so friendly! Not a day goes by that somebody new doesn't come up and introduce themselves or offer compliments. And the rink is never crowded, either - today I even got the ice to myself for well over an hour.

Ohnoes! Fallback and regroup!:
My poor feet had gotten used to my not abusing them and had become pretty "normal" and tender again. Even with the bunga pads I can't skate without, I got blisters on my insteps and a couple of my toes are developing callouses on top. But does that keep me from skating the next day anyways? Heck no! The skating gods invented band-aids for a reason!

I haven't managed to make any significant headway on the camel or sit spins, nor have I managed to do a full lutz since the one or two I managed last fall. I need a coach. And my feet are telling me rather loudly that my sucky skates need replacing. It's kind of a chicken and egg sort of problem, though I suspect the wisest thing would be to get new skates before investing in a coach.

P.S. Peanut butter and banana sandwiches on a healthy whole grain bread are the best skater food ever! Lots of energy and protein from the peanut butter and the potassium in the bananas helps a lot with making the muscles not sore the next day. And they're darn tasty too!

Casey

05-11-2006, 04:48 AM

Ugh, stupid axel. I should say, stupid axel IN the program. I decided that my goal for competition this weekend (new program going out!) is just to ROTATE it; I don't care which foot I land on (or how many feet).
Do try to make it less than 4 feet if at all possible, and preferably less than 3. If I were to try to land an axel not only would all 4 "feet" be involved, but a number of other body parts too which would surely not be happy to have been brought into the situation. ;)

Best of luck,

LoopLoop

05-11-2006, 08:39 AM

Do try to make it less than 4 feet if at all possible, and preferably less than 3. If I were to try to land an axel not only would all 4 "feet" be involved, but a number of other body parts too which would surely not be happy to have been brought into the situation. ;)

Best of luck,
Thanks, Casey! I can land it on one foot a good bit of the time, but I have a tendency to land on my right foot, but with my feet still crossed, and then I just put my left foot down for no good reason. So I'm hoping for one foot but will settle for two. Not three or four, preferably.:lol:

flo

05-11-2006, 09:10 AM

Hi Loops, I was doing that with my double sal. With me it was because just after I landed I pitched forward ever so slightly, then the free foot/hip didn't lift up enough on the exit.

Only victory for me is that I'm starting to get ready to leave for France. Still have a cold and opted for ssleep over skating earlier this week.

SDFanatic

05-11-2006, 09:56 AM

Victory:This atcually belongs in last weeks one, but I've been too busy for much of anything! My waltz jump started feeling weird and not right at all, it was as if I wasn't doing anything, but my group coach was euphoric and said they were huge and mostly perfect (silly arms still go above my head!)

Yesterdays practice was great also, went back to doing some spins and could always find the edge I needed although I had some trouble keeping it. But it was great nontheless as I was doing at least four to six rotations, or even more at times, which I was never able to do in my old boots.

Defeat: I really need to skate more, I gained back a bit more pounds and I get a bit mroe tired sooner for the lack of all the physical excercize I did before (I used to do ballet, jazz, dance, pilaties, yoga, weight training, endurance, water arobics, and skate ten to fifteen hours a week)

Skating forty-five minutes a week is not long enough either to break in my new boots and my group coach is going to put some restrictions on me if I don't skate more (I can't say what it is as people in their boxes will get mad and I promised the mods to be tactful)

I also need to get my boot punched a little, I was getting a bit sore on my one foot.

Next week is also the last week of class and then there is a bit of a break, not sure what I'm going to do for ice or lessons yet, time just keeps slipping away.

Steven

flying~camel

05-11-2006, 10:36 AM

Victory -

I think I finally figured out how to get my camel spin consistent - if I raise my chin on the initial step into the spin, I have a better chance of getting more speed and not falling on to the inside edge!

My layback spin has also improved quite a bit lately. During my lesson, my coach commented that I had laid back so far that she wondered if I could see the tops of the boards!

Defeat -

I'm still having problems getting my right knee to come all the way through on my axel attempts and I can't seem to get past whatever mental block is causing me to do that :??

Mrs Redboots

05-11-2006, 01:08 PM

So looking forward to seeing your new dress...... and your new interp... My new interp is not coming together fast enough, so I will probably have to wing it. Not like I haven't had to do THAT before!:roll: Figures are good - Willow is good - Foxtrot is anyone's guess (bad bad evil mohawk:giveup: )Definitely evil Mohawk! Sooner you than me....

Also looking forward to seeing BlueIIIMoon's dress!

Annabel - looks like you are going to clean my clock in the Interpretive this year.... :bow: Doubt it, somehow, but I'll have fun trying! Just hope I skate better than I did in that video....

Our group decided on matching dresses for the wedding, and they are pretty fancy so mine will double as my Interp Dress. Need to pack much lighter than I did last year.
Mine isn't really skateable in, and anyway, I don't suit white, but it'll pass with a shove.... have also bought some white instant hair-dye, the kind that sprays on and washes out afterwards.
Flying outta here Sunday... Can't hardly wait! See you in France :halo: :halo: :halo:Yeah! We leave next Wednesday, hope to arrive in Villard-de-Lans about 3:00 pm on Thursday. As we aren't staying at Le Diamant this year, hope to cadge an invite to the Jacuzzi off you sometime.....

phoenix

05-11-2006, 01:22 PM

Defeat: Am having my most expensive skating week ever! 2 full hours of lessons with coach, to try & get bulk of OD choreography done. Plus 1/2 hour lesson w/ a guy who skates pairs to teach me how to do a pair spin. PLUS extra ice time so I can get in as much practice as possible in between lessons, so I'm prepared for the next one!

Victory: I've got my footwork fairly comfortable. He wants the foot speed faster, but when I do that I don't cover the ice from end to end anymore. & no matter what tempo I do it, it's *never* in time w/ the music, which is crucial!

Huge Victory: If going slow, I can do my twizzle sequence clean about 80% of the time. If going faster, in the middle of the choreography, I can do it clean about 25% of the time. It takes me about twice as long as it's supposed to (again, that darn music!) but that I can do it at all is pretty amazing. I worked on it 1 1/2 hours on Sunday--before that I couldn't even do 1 FO twizzle, & I have to do doubles, on both feet, and in conjunction w/ others as well! (RFI double, switch feet to LFO double, land w/ feet crossed, push to RFO double, switch feet to LFI double)

jazzpants

05-11-2006, 01:35 PM

Yeah! We leave next Wednesday, hope to arrive in Villard-de-Lans about 3:00 pm on Thursday. As we aren't staying at Le Diamant this year, hope to cadge an invite to the Jacuzzi off you sometime.....Play nice and share the jacuzzi, you two (Raye and Mrs Redboots) :twisted: :lol:... and enjoy Mountain Cup!!! :P

Hooray to Thin-Ice on resolving her blade alignment issues!!! You'll be back doing those camel spins in no time!!! :P

BatikatII

05-11-2006, 01:36 PM

Victory: have re-done the step sequence so now I have a complete programme to practice

Defeat; need to add a few seconds of music so I have time for the final spin -and no I can't skate any faster instead!

Quartermasters stores; I have new boots!:D I just hope they will improve my skating and not make it worse. I have GAM 95's with MK Professional blades and hope they will last me a good long time. Ive only just got them so not tried them on the ice - that will be on Tuesday.

flo

05-11-2006, 02:08 PM

Jacuzzi? I haven't even looked into that! Rob and I will be arriving Wednesday.

Raye

05-11-2006, 06:14 PM

have also bought some white instant hair-dye, the kind that sprays on and washes out afterwards.
Yeah! We leave next Wednesday, hope to arrive in Villard-de-Lans about 3:00 pm on Thursday. As we aren't staying at Le Diamant this year, hope to cadge an invite to the Jacuzzi off you sometime.....

Consider yourself invited - and the white hair will be a hoot. See you Thursday aft.... R

Raye

05-11-2006, 06:16 PM

Jacuzzi? I haven't even looked into that! Rob and I will be arriving Wednesday.
There's both a pool and a jacuzzi at the Diamante, and massage and esthetic services can also be arranged.... way cool. See you Wednesday.

Debbie S

05-11-2006, 09:34 PM

Defeat: Due to some events at work today, I got stuck in a meeting until 5, so the consequence was that I was only able to skate 1 FS session tonight instead of 2. May Day this weekend is going to be very interesting.:giveup: Oh well, I'll get one more practice session in on Sat morning before driving down. Still, I know I haven't had the amount of practice I should have had going into a comp.

In run-through, the footwork was shaky and I messed up on a toe loop. 8O I think my right blade might need to be moved a bit to the inside as I'm having a lot of difficulty getting on the outside edge, and that used to be my good side for BO 3's.

(small) Victory: After skating around a munchkin (new on FS sessions) during my run-through, I managed to do a pretty good sit spin that lasted probably 5 revs or so (I can't count when I'm spinning - lol). Gee, maybe that's what I need at May Day - a child blocking my path during my program! :lol:

mikawendy

05-12-2006, 12:06 AM

Inspired by a skater at my new rink (http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/06/02/26/100loc_b1muhlstein001.cfm) who has absolutely phenomenal footwork, I've been spending more time working on footwork that I could never do before. This week I've been working on back power pulls with an alternating back outside 3 and opposite bracket back to backward, a couple more power pulls and then an alternating back inside 3 and opposite bracket back to backward (does anybody know what these things are called?!?). While the back inside 3 / brackets are a bit difficult, I can manage both combinations most of the time, on either foot. I couldn't even do the back outside / brackets worth a poo before, so this makes me feel really great and accomplished.

If you like power pulls embedded in footwork, try this one (just something I made up): forward power pulls, then when you're on the FO edge, continue and do an FO-BO rocker, then do backward power pulls. I can only do that on my "good" foot. I should probably start making myself try it on my "bad" foot. I do that for plain backward power pulls but haven't for the power pull / rocker / power pull thing. I also haven't tried the opposite--backward power pulls / BO-FO rocker / forward power pulls-- as I haven't yet attempted/learned a BO-FO rocker.

Casey

05-12-2006, 12:45 AM

If you like power pulls embedded in footwork, try this one (just something I made up): forward power pulls, then when you're on the FO edge, continue and do an FO-BO rocker, then do backward power pulls. I can only do that on my "good" foot. I should probably start making myself try it on my "bad" foot. I do that for plain backward power pulls but haven't for the power pull / rocker / power pull thing. I also haven't tried the opposite--backward power pulls / BO-FO rocker / forward power pulls-- as I haven't yet attempted/learned a BO-FO rocker.
Just do your FO-BO rocker, and then another set or as many as you can manage...for me I found that starting with the BO was easier because if I start with an FO my torso tends to rotate too much and make it impossible to switch back.

Strangely, I found that my bad foot is actually better for the repetitive ones...probably because I'm not so used to checking on it which screws up the succession. :P

jazzpants

05-12-2006, 01:19 AM

Small Defeats:

Perimeter back crossovers. Primary coach was picking on me for 1) cutting off the corners (I was dodging 4 skaters hanging out at the corner!!! :x ) and 2) foot position on the BI edge. He says on one side it's not even, even though both feet are clearly on the BI edge. This happens occasionally and usually if I concentrate enough that I usually do end up fixing it in the end. But otherwise, he like the move...good speed, good edges, good flow.
5 step mohawks... I made a minor scratchy sound on one of the edges... unfortunately it was right where the judges were standing. He also griped there was no extension on the 5th step on one side. Second run on the 5 step mohawks was much better. He loved the extension on the 5th step on the second run. (He better! I really push that extension!!!)BIGGER DEFEAT:
Forward Power 3's... I usually have to go slower to get the choctaw right. Problem with that is that this is POWER 3's and I have to push for faster speed. The minor consolation is that he doesn't think it's that slow. But I know that secondary coach would have my head if I go THAT slow and I really want to push that speed much harder...b/c now I have to have this move match up with the other moves where I am going significantly faster on. Moves critique coach didn't make comments about that foot thing though, so I don't know. I did noticed that after the end of the lesson and I tried this move again that the move improved a lot... so my guess is that it's that I didn't warmed up enough before the lesson. But definitely I'm worried about this move.

Major Victories:

Forward perimeter crossovers: Loves the speed. Loves the flow and the extension!!! This is probably going to be my "money move."
Both coaches think that my back crossovers to BO edge is my "money move." No corrections! It was nice and smooth!!! No scratch edges. Pretty much like clockwork.Overalll, this is pretty good session! Much better than yesterday's circus with 16 FS skaters PLUS coaches!!! 8O 8O 8O

Thin-Ice

05-12-2006, 03:31 AM

[/LIST]BIGGER DEFEAT:

Forward Power 3's... I usually have to go slower to get the choctaw right. Problem with that is that this is POWER 3's and I have to push for faster speed. The minor consolation is that he doesn't think it's that slow. But I know that secondary coach would have my head if I go THAT slow and I really want to push that speed much harder...b/c now I have to have this move match up with the other moves where I am going significantly faster on.

Hey Jazzpants--

You don't have to go as fast in the power-3s as you do on the other moves. The focus for this move is "continuous flow and strength" -- so just don't lose any speed from the starting speed. If you pick up power, GREAT. And it's good you're planning to over-achieve on all your moves -- but they don't expect the "continuous flow" to be the same for all these moves.. otherwise they'd only have us do one element several times :lol:

Happy skating!
(and thanks for the extra enthusiasm about the new blades. the alignment still is not perfect... but at least I can hold a RO edge and just hear minor chattering. There may be future minor adjustments in the future.. but for now I'm just happy to be skating!

We'll see how the camel goes today.. I know it's asking a lot, but eventually I hope the new blades make the camel easier.. it's SO not my favorite spin (yet). Worked on backspins on the harness so I didn't go right off the end of the blade -- either forward OR backward -- with my secondary coach yesterday. She said no reason not to at least get started back where we were before the blades. I think it was actually pretty funny, although I never did end up doing more than 2 revs.. but THAT'S A START!!!

Mrs Redboots

05-12-2006, 06:39 AM

Victory: This time next week, the Mountain Cup will have started! Can't wait.... Three more lessons/practices between now and then; we've decided that my lesson on Wednesday will be a final "programme run-through" - all four compulsory dances, my Artistic and Husband's Free, if there's time and we can use the music enough. I expect we'll be able to - the elites are nice about letting us before competition.

Today we ran through all 4 compulsories; Husband's knee was "tired" (aka sore!) so he didn't do his programme, but did do some spins. We worked mostly on endings - here in the UK they just turn the music off when you've done the required number of patterns, so we don't normally bother!

After he'd gone, I did a bit (not much!) of work on various exercises, including dance moves. And managed to do a lap of forward stroking with the requisite 4 pushes each side, which pleased me. And one of the inter-Bronze changes-of-edge move that filled the rink, which is the first time I've managed that, but couldn't repeat it. And one of the new Russian Stroking move, can't remember which level it's going to be, but couldn't quite manage to fill the rink on it. Nearly can, but not quite.

Defeat: Blimmin' cross-cuts.... Actually, I did manage 1/2 length of what I think were okay ones, but couldn't continue. They're either great but I mis-step half-way up, or they're awful and I can do a whole lap. Sigh..... cross-rolls not too bad, but not yet great.

Rink a bit full of dancers this morning, mostly elite or wannabes, but also the no 1 Adult couple, which was nice. We did have to dodge an awful lot of people, and it took 3 half-patterns of the Canadian Cha-cha before we could get the ending we wanted.... and then we decided to change it! Oh well....

LoopLoop

05-12-2006, 09:40 AM

A question for all the better or more informed skaters out there - how many revolutions can an elite skater generally eek out of a forward scratch spin? I know Lucinda Ruh got over 100 in a backspin, but I've no idea what the record is for a forward spin, or what a good/high number is.

Casey, at my rink there's a sheet posted on the wall with all of the rink's spin records listed... I checked it this morning and the current numbers are 70 revs for a forward spin (tie between a current nationally-competitive senior man a former nationally-competitive senior lady) and 60 for a backspin (a former novice lady who never had any triples but could spin like a top!).

Casey

05-12-2006, 09:48 AM

Casey, at my rink there's a sheet posted on the wall with all of the rink's spin records listed... I checked it this morning and the current numbers are 70 revs for a forward spin (tie between a current nationally-competitive senior man a former nationally-competitive senior lady) and 60 for a backspin (a former novice lady who never had any triples but could spin like a top!).
Cool, thanks for sharing that! :D I see I have <b>lots</b> of work to do yet!! Heck, if I can add on another 20 revs per year then I'll be caught up in just another two, how about that? Right now my goal is to get the average up to 25 - I got 24 in one yesterday, and am averaging just above 20. For being something so difficult to learn, spinning sure is loads of fun. :D (and it's always fun when there's some little kids who stop to watch and say "wow!" at ones awful spins, too ;) )

Hannah

05-12-2006, 11:48 AM

Victory: Two crossovers in a row, with edges. :D One two-foot spin this morning where I FINALLY got my feet right and kept going around and around.

Defeat: My little toe feels squished, has for several skating days. It is on my smaller foot, too, so I have no idea what's going on there... :??

WhisperSung

05-12-2006, 12:58 PM

Defeat: My darned double lutz and basically anything to prep for it.

My coach has me do sing lutz-double loop, and I always over pull with my left side. Guh.

The double lutz actually isn't so bad anymore, I just need to remember not to reach for the ground on the last half of the rotation.

Victories:

1. Novice Moves are coming along! My coach says we just have small things to tweak (one of which is my confidence, sigh).

2. Double flip is still there and we're working on getting the entrance smoother, which in turn helps the landing become smoother.

3. Spins. My flying sit is a piece of crap (I suppose this should go under defeats, but I just started working on it again yesterday so maybe it doesn't count). I really want to learn it, but it makes me so nervous.

My combination spin is getting better, though. It's a camel-sit-layback-back sit with a torso twist and the left arm reaching out behind the spinning side. It took me a good while to get from the forward sit up to the layback without just tipping over, but I'm quite pleased with myself.

NoVa Sk8r

05-12-2006, 08:19 PM

Victory:
Got my freeskate dress today and it fits perfectly!!
Had a fairly clean runthrough of program on lesson, including two sitspins when I could not do one alone earlier in lesson!And the training came to fruition in the artistic skate today where Terri won the bronze!!! (I missed the event because it took me 4 times as long to get to the rink! 8O STUPID Beltway!!! :x :evil: )

And my coach was there--she didn't know I would be competing tomorrow (where once again, I pulled first draw in my event), but now she does! :halo:

And yowser, there are 8 silver ladies competing FS!

Debbie S

05-12-2006, 10:46 PM

And the training came to fruition in the artistic skate today where Terri won the bronze!!! Congratulations, Terri! Way to go!

See you both tomorrow!

beachbabe

05-12-2006, 11:02 PM

i'm already dreading tomorrow...I'm gonna be starting to learn my double lutz. I predict bruises lol. i really hope i can do it in the harness, I really hate lutzes

victory Had a good practice today, finally feel like I'm used to my new blades and can do everything i could before, and I feel way more stable with an 8' rocker. Still having trouble getting used to spinning in flatter blades, but its improving.

SkatingOnClouds

05-13-2006, 03:37 AM

Defeat: Figure Skating Club has ONE session per week for "serious" skaters to have lessons, practise programs etc. You would think they could at least prepare the ice for that one session. I could whinge about rink management all day, but what is the point? There is only one rink, either we put up with it or give up skating.

Victory: I feel like I am getting better, nothing specific, just feeling like I'm skating okay at the moment. No great gains, but no great deficits at the moment.

I love my coach's approach to coaching. If I am not getting something, she finds another way to approach it without my even realising that it is leading back to that same thing. This tells me she really thinks about coaching and how best to help her skaters.

This morning I made my daughter a unitard with double circle skirt sewn into it. She just loved herself in it. As I expected, she spent more time admiring what her skirt did and showing herself off than thinking about her skating. So glad I decided to make her an outfit now, so she gets used to skating in a skirt before the competition in a few weeks.

samba

05-13-2006, 06:52 AM

SkatingOnCloudsThis morning I made my daughter a unitard with double circle skirt sewn into it. She just loved herself in it. As I expected, she spent more time admiring what her skirt did and showing herself off than thinking about her skating. So glad I decided to make her an outfit now, so she gets used to skating in a skirt before the competition in a few weeks.
But I thought everyone did that when they got a new outfit!! 8O

I even e-mailed a picture of my last dress to Mrs Redboots.

Bless you for going to all that trouble for your daughter, they always remember their first outfit, I guarantee you, she won't forget it and the love you put into it.

Mrs Redboots

05-13-2006, 06:57 AM

I even e-mailed a picture of my last dress to Mrs Redboots.
And very nice it was (and is), too! I bought a new dress yesterday - the sort of cheap dance dress one wouldn't be seen dead in off the ice and absolutely perfect on it! Those of you who are going to the Mountain Cup will see it on Saturday morning, as I shall wear it for the Canadian cha-cha & Swing Dance (so okay, Samba, you'll see it when I wear it for the Fiesta the rest of the year!). And the red cheap dance dress will go back to being worn for our free dance. Oh, the wonders of a flesh-coloured leotard - I can wear dresses I'd have dismissed out of hand last year!

CONGRATULATIONS TERRI C!

samba

05-13-2006, 07:25 AM

Defeat: Started by landing a jump on my back

Victory:Checked my blades and they were so blunt I could run my bare fingers over them, so quickly run the skate-mate over them and hey presto, all jumps landed. New programme coming along fine, stamina much improved and all's well with the world.

Thanks for the compliment Mrs Redboots, you have some lovely outfits yourself, I know what you mean about getting dresses from a standard dress shop, the assistants always give me funny looks when they see me trying on these ultra short skirts, cant wait to see you, hubby and new outfits, gosh we are such girlies!!

Rusty Blades

05-13-2006, 01:58 PM

Victory! I started this morning’s session with some perimeter stroking to warm up and then some alternating forward edges, which were pretty good (off and on), then moved on to one foot backward glides, which were also coming together once my backward balance came back. The backward glides were getting good enough I started working on weight transfer from foot to foot and that started to come together so I was actually doing some backward stroking - WAHOO! Backward skating AT LAST!!!!! Oh sure, I am not totally solid on my backward skating yet but it is actually the first time since my return that I have felt like I CAN SKATE!

I spent the last half hour with my coach, had a chance to show off my backward stroking (which of course wasn’t as good with her watching) and get a few more pointers, then we moved on to alternating edges and a bunch more “body position” coaching and finished up with learning a two-foot turn.

What a GREAT day on the ice!

Defeat There are only 4 more session left in "spring skate school" and then I am off until 4 July :cry: :(

Casey

05-13-2006, 08:20 PM

More victories:

If my stamina was depleted at all due to a few months of no exercise, then it's been regained. If I've skated at all this week, I've logged about 25 hours on ice since Monday, including an exhaustive 8 hours today. If my skating was ever half-decent enough to please me, then it's better than ever now.

If all of this is true, I was so very tired last night that I fell asleep while typing this post and am posting it today when I've woken up instead! I have promised to try to go skating with a friend tonight too, so off I go! :giveup:

Terri C

05-13-2006, 09:02 PM

Victory:
Debued my new freeskate for the first time and had a blast at the competition! Had a quick recovery from the fall on the salchow. Managed to get a Bronze medal out of the deal, with Debbie S taking the silver.

Defeat:
Does it always have to be this difficult putting a new program out?
For whatever reason, I just could not get my feet under me today. Maybe it was the fact that the competition was running ahead of schedule and my coach had me put my skates on in case we were to go out early, I don't know. :roll: :frus:

Debbie S

05-13-2006, 10:33 PM

Managed to get a Bronze medal out of the deal, with Debbie S taking the silver.And you did a great job with the new program! And the loop at the end, too!

As for me, given the amount of time I have devoted to practicing the program (and freestyle elements in general) over the past few weeks, I think the way I skated was probably the best I could hope for. My great sit spin from Thurs run-through disappeared, my backspin was sorta there (I think I got 2 revs but the exit was on 2 feet :frus: ) and my loop was sort of a non-jump. Oh well - for this comp, my goal was to present the program better than at NYI, and I think I succeeded, esp the last part of the program. Oh well, lots of things to work on....on to the Chessie Open, assuming they actually have a Bronze FS comp.

The winner of Pre-Bronze FS did a lutz (WTF?), and a camel-sit that lasted for about 5-6 revs total. As we informed adult skaters know, a lutz is illegal in Pre-Bronze. The question is, did the judges actually know? Even w/o the lutz, I admit that she deserved to win based on the quality of her other elements, but really, if you can do a lutz and a good camel-sit, why are you skating in Pre-Bronze? :roll: Before anyone jumps down my throat, I know there's always the possibility that she and her coach didn't know about the rule change, but IMO, that's no excuse. And even when lutzes were allowed, how many were seen in Pre-Bronze? Is winning a comp at a lower level than where you clearly belong that important to you? Whatever.

Anyway, I had a great time. It was great to see Terri C, Loops, NoVa, and Ellyn, who all skated well, and Sk8pics, who did a great job keeping me calm before I skated and keeping track of my various belongings (why do I always forget to take my watch off until the last minute? :?? ). Loops's footwork in her new program is amazing, and her axel landing did not involve any extra limbs or body parts - lol.

Terri, Sk8pics, and I had a nice dinner at a diner near the rink and then Terri and I headed back to watch some of the evening events. Novice Ladies had just finished (that was about 8 p.m.) and when Terri and I left at 9:30 or so, they were still waiting for results. 8O We saw the Senior Ladies SP (3 skaters, one of which skated to "Rhapsody in Blue" - my program music) and Senior Men's SP, which consisted of Shaun Rogers doing an exhibition. His choreo and spins were great, but he singled or doubled all the jumps.

I've never done this comp before and would definitely consider doing it again. There were a few moments of disorganization, like (as Terri posted) not being able to tell us just how much ahead they were running and when our events would be starting, but overall, I thought the event was well-run. Plus, it's so close, it's hard to pass it up.

jazzpants

05-13-2006, 11:38 PM

CONGRATS to Terri C for getting the Bronze for both her two programs and Debbie S for her Silver in her freeskate!!! Pre-Bronze FS Peanut Gallery rule!!! YAAAAAAAY!!!! :bow: :bow: :bow:

Congrats also to sk8pics for skating well! And Loops for putting out a good effort on that axel landing!!! :D

And my coach was there--she didn't know I would be competing tomorrow (where once again, I pulled first draw in my event), but now she does! :halo:Ummm... Nova... how could your coach NOT know that you're competing at May Day. Or maybe the question I should be asking is "Were you NOT supposed to be competing at May Day???" (In any case, BUSTED!!! :twisted: :P)

Was she (the coach) upset?

The winner of Pre-Bronze FS did a lutz (WTF?), and a camel-sit that lasted for about 5-6 revs total. As we informed adult skaters know, a lutz is illegal in Pre-Bronze. The question is, did the judges actually know? Even w/o the lutz, I admit that she deserved to win based on the quality of her other elements, but really, if you can do a lutz and a good camel-sit, why are you skating in Pre-Bronze? :roll: Before anyone jumps down my throat, I know there's always the possibility that she and her coach didn't know about the rule change, but IMO, that's no excuse. And even when lutzes were allowed, how many were seen in Pre-Bronze? Is winning a comp at a lower level than where you clearly belong that important to you? Whatever.Actually, my very FIRST Pre-Bronze FS competition was with a gal with had a lutz in her program. She two footed the landing but was otherwise vertical. The gal WHUPPED my @$$ real good!!! There was one other comp where a skating friend of mine just turned 25 at the time of the entry for the comp and only managed to pass her Pre-Bronze FS tests at that time (and she easily could compete at Bronze.) She skated Pre-Bronze with everything up to a lutz (her favorite jump... hate her!!! :twisted: :P ) as well as a camel-sit-backsit (which she did during the warmup and everyone yelled "BOOO!!!! SANDBAGGER!!!" and I'm half trying to duck my head quietly away since I'm rooting for her :oops: and half laughing my butt off thinking "You go, girl!!!" (to the "sandbagger friend") :twisted: )

BTW: it's also possible the person who won might not have done what you've just recently done... passed the BRONZE MOVES TEST!!! :twisted:

Do I think it's fair? No! But can you do anything about it? Probably not! The only thing you can possibly do is to do your best and let the chips fall where they may... and you got a Silver out of it!!! Be proud of that Silver medal!!! :)

beachbabe

05-13-2006, 11:47 PM

The winner of Pre-Bronze FS did a lutz (WTF?), and a camel-sit that lasted for about 5-6 revs total. As we informed adult skaters know, a lutz is illegal in Pre-Bronze. The question is, did the judges actually know? Even w/o the lutz, I admit that she deserved to win based on the quality of her other elements, but really, if you can do a lutz and a good camel-sit, why are you skating in Pre-Bronze? :roll: Before anyone jumps down my throat, I know there's always the possibility that she and her coach didn't know about the rule change, but IMO, that's no excuse. And even when lutzes were allowed, how many were seen in Pre-Bronze? Is winning a comp at a lower level than where you clearly belong that important to you? Whatever.

.

How can someone perform an illegal element and still win? Or were the judges not looking or something?

jazzpants

05-14-2006, 01:20 AM

How can someone perform an illegal element and still win? Or were the judges not looking or something?It is possible that even though she had to take a deduction for an illegal element that she still did well enough to win. But w/o seeing the scoring, we'll probably never know.

jazzpants

05-14-2006, 02:22 AM

Victory:

Nice empty session again this weekend... well sorta empty... I did have kids in the way, but towards the end, Mr. Weekend Rink Ice Guard was keeping the kids entertain again by spraying LOTS of ice at them!!! (Poor guy! He can't get a moment's peace from the kids! :twisted: :lol: )Defeat:

My power 3's are still sucky... it's faster, but not fast enough to make it look like power 3's on the LFO3's side still. The RFO3's side's choctaw is still crappy and I really need to get that side down right.
5 step mohawks at times are still a bit "hoppy" and noisy and I'm not happy with that. I've been working on extension, but now I have to go back to working on smooth, quiet and with deep enough edges...
Was too tired towards the time I was working on back crossovers to BO edge to go fast, though they were stable. Plus, at that point, I was busy dodging whatever skaters were left that were NOT targets of our ice guard's "ice shower."I'm worried now. The moves should be pretty much perfect now and it's far from it. I'm tempted to call in my skate sharpener tomorrow to make sure my edges have some amount of grip so I wouldn't fall during the test, but part of me now is thinking maybe I should leave things well enough alone now.

AW1

05-14-2006, 03:04 AM

Victory:
Today finally I managed to do a really good mohawk. So I tried it again, and again and again until I am now confident in doing them - actually 9 out of 10 I was really happy with.

Defeat:
As always, I cannot seem to master the other way. I can go left - right but not right - left. I am still waiting on my new skates and am so annoyed over it but I don't think there is anything else I can do about it now. I so want to go to private lessons again because maybe now I will start to get somewhere.

SkatingOnClouds

05-14-2006, 03:47 AM

More Victories!!! :
This morning's public session was deserted. Me, my daughter, my coach, another figure skater with her mum and brother. My husband came, but only to watch as he hurt his back. The ice was - for once - smooth. And the final miracle, NO music. Just us and the sounds of our blades. Heaven.

I did sit spins! Given that I'm fat, 46, with knee problems, this is something of an achievement. I checked with my coach who was there doing her own practise, and she showed me how low I get, and it is lower than I thought, although nowhere near as low as it needs to be. But it's a good start. Apart from still struggling to land flips and centre spins, it was a great weekend for me.

My daughter had to have her unitard washed and dried so she could wear it again today to show off for her father. This afternoon I made her first competition dress, and it looks really cute. Next weeked I'll get stuck into the hot-fix crystals to jazz it up some more. I have discovered I am good at making skating clothes.

Defeat?: Husband came to watch us. Even though I talk incessantly about skating, and what I'm working on, yesterday it turned out that he had no idea I was doing jumps.
After the session, I asked him if I look graceful or like a baby elephant. His response: You look like a graceful baby elephant. :roll:

Casey

05-14-2006, 04:02 AM

Defeat:
Well it was bound to happen eventually, a crappy skating day! I drove waaaay across town to get to my old rink. The friend I was supposed to be meeting up with didn't show up, so it was just me and the ice. Crappy ice that is, in a too-cold rink, with zillions of little kids pushing white buckets around (who liked to dispose of them randomly into the center of the rink, where their white color made them blend in with the ice).

My skating was horrible, probably more because of my sleeping too much prior to going than the bad ice, and then I somehow managed to run into a little girl. :( She was fine though, at least. I was really frustrated then, so after channeling my frustration into one final loop jump (must admit, it actually seemed to help :P ), I left early.

Debating the idea of skating tomorrow or just taking a day off to rest up. Intending to skate every weekday again this coming week, though I'm interviewing for a job tomorrow which will interfere with my schedule desires. I'm kind of hoping I don't get the job, simply because while the extra money would be handy, having all my daytime hours consumed by it wouldn't be very nice (I've grown spoiled, used to having all of my time open to doing whatever I choose). Then again, extra money would mean things like being able to buy new skates in really short order, and then getting more lessons... :?:

Mrs Redboots

05-14-2006, 06:34 AM

Victory: Husband did the best run-through ever of his programme in his lesson, and actually landed his loop jump! Let's hope he can repeat it on Friday.

We ran through everything, mostly all okay. Mostly.

Defeat: Flocks of dancers.... various friends told us in great and gory detail of No 1 Adult Couple, who apparently had a rather gory accident yesterday, with him dropping her on her head..... Think she's okay, though - coach2 said she thought it was more blood than anything else.

Just realised we didn't run through the Fiesta Tango, which we don't need next week but will in June. Oh well.

Husband says his knee is beginning to feel the jumps, so he didn't work on them too much in his practice.

Casey

05-14-2006, 06:57 AM

Victory: Husband did the best run-through ever of his programme in his lesson, and actually landed his loop jump!
[...]
Husband says his knee is beginning to feel the jumps, so he didn't work on them too much in his practice.
The loop jump was by far the most strenuous on my knee when I was learning it. Part of it is simply that it takes off and lands on the same leg so that leg is doing all the work, but another was simply wrong technique of some sort...I'm not sure exactly what but I know the knee strain went away when I got better at the jump, so I hope the same happens for your husband. :)

sk8pics

05-14-2006, 07:22 AM

Congrats also to sk8pics for skating well!

Actually, um thanks, but I didn't skate! I was the official sweater-holder and gave moral support. It was all fun to watch and Terry, Debbie, and Loops all were great.

As for the person who won pre-bronze, I had the thought watching her that she might be relatively new to pre-bronze, only because she was a little wild on everything. But she really attacked her jumps and had good speed. So, let's not assume she's sandbagging right away. Could be she hasn't had time to test up, or she's getting ready to test, or that there's something holding her back from Bronze.

Anyway, it was a lot of fun to watch. I was very relaxed since I wasn't skating!

Terri C

05-14-2006, 08:24 AM

How can someone perform an illegal element and still win? Or were the judges not looking or something?

Actually, a judge that has very close ties to the hosting club had this skater in third, with Debbie in first and me in second. Hopefully, that judge will tell the coach of that skater about the lutz ban in pre bronze free.
I actually took the time this morning to re-read the announcement ( I had it with me in my bag. It referred to the USFS Rule book for the Adult Singles requirements for the Adult events, so there's actually no excuse there!

Friday night was interesting also for the Artistic programs... many of the competitors in my group came dressed as if it was a Adult Interp event... UGGH! :roll: That makes me cherish that bronze that much better!

LoopLoop

05-14-2006, 08:25 AM

Ummm... Nova... how could your coach NOT know that you're competing at May Day.
Jazz, I only told my primary coach that I'd signed up for May Day about ten days prior to the competition. I mentioned it to my secondary coach this past Wednesday! (three days before the event!) What they don't know won't hurt them...

NoVa Sk8r

05-14-2006, 08:51 AM

Ummm... Nova... how could your coach NOT know that you're competing at May Day. Or maybe the question I should be asking is "Were you NOT supposed to be competing at May Day???" (In any case, BUSTED!!! :twisted: :P)
Was she (the coach) upset?I don't quite get your question. She didn't know because I didn't tell her. (And why would I not be allowed to compete? It's just a local rinky dink competition, so who cares in any event.)

The purpose of this comp was to put out my CoP'ed program for O'dorf, with 3 different spins. The flying camel/catch foot was, well, interesting, It took me a few revs to even find my foot. I probably should not have tried to grab the foot but I was so determined. As I was about to give up, I finally found my free foot!

While some people like having their coach at events, I certainly do not. My coach makes me horribly nervous and I feel horribly pressured. I don't need that. OF course, I probably should not have told her that. :oops:

Isk8NYC

05-14-2006, 09:02 AM

After the session, I asked him if I look graceful or like a baby elephant. His response: You look like a graceful baby elephant. :roll:Don't know if you celebrate Mother's Day in Oz, but methinks someone owes you a big bunch of flowers!

All our show costumes fit (my pants are, as always, too long). Now I have to sew on the buttons and bows (literally) and pick up new tights. Yesterday, I made up a short solo for one of our skaters at the Director's request. When I finished my lessons, she gave me two more to do - my own daughter and one of my brand-new privates! Ah, popularity. Now the trick is to come up with three solos that aren't all the same.

Had a great time skating around, running through the kids' programs.

jazzpants

05-14-2006, 11:54 AM

I don't quite get your question. She didn't know because I didn't tell her. (And why would I not be allowed to compete? It's just a local rinky dink competition, so who cares in any event.)It came off in your post as "you're not supposed to be competing at this event and you're sneaking it in anyway." Of course, I also don't see why your coach doesn't want you to compete. I would think most coaches would want their students to compete as much as possible, but that's just me... :??

While some people like having their coach at events, I certainly do not. My coach makes me horribly nervous and I feel horribly pressured. I don't need that. OF course, I probably should not have told her that. :oops:Yeah, I know of coaches like that. Of course, they're not MY coaches! :halo: :P (One of the major pluses of my primary coach is he makes sure that I'm as focused and relaxed as possible going into the event. See... he know that I beat myself up enough for both him and secondary coach as is! :lol: )

No, you should tell her that!!! She needs to know how you "tick..." It's how she's going to improve as a coach...

Jazz, I only told my primary coach that I'd signed up for May Day about ten days prior to the competition. I mentioned it to my secondary coach this past Wednesday! (three days before the event!) What they don't know won't hurt them...Strange... well, if it makes you comfortable... *shrug*

Of course, the other reasons why I can't really hide from my primary coach from a comp is 1) he usually is the one to approach me about competing. (As you already know, I rarely compete...) and 2) he does my hair for comps now! :twisted:

WeirFan06

05-14-2006, 01:20 PM

While some people like having their coach at events, I certainly do not. My coach makes me horribly nervous and I feel horribly pressured. I don't need that. OF course, I probably should not have told her that. :oops:

... I know what you mean. My primary coach doesn't know that I'm competing on Memorial Day this year. Or maybe she does and isn't interested. I'm not sure. But yeah, last year in a competition I was having trouble with my flip jump during the four minute warm-up and so she says, "If you can't land it, take it out and put something else in. Right now!" I was like, what are you talking about??? I have to skate in two minutes! I can't put in a new jump right now! And she goes "Well than you'd better LAND THE FLIP!" So needless to say I was a basket case.

Anyway, I can understand where someone would be tempted to... hmm... leave out certain information.

Good luck in your competition.

jazzpants

05-14-2006, 01:44 PM

... I know what you mean. My primary coach doesn't know that I'm competing on Memorial Day this year. Or maybe she does and isn't interested. My hunch is... she knows! Especially knowing how your primary coach and secondary coach talk... ;)

I'm not sure. But yeah, last year in a competition I was having trouble with my flip jump during the four minute warm-up and so she says, "If you can't land it, take it out and put something else in. Right now!" I was like, what are you talking about??? I have to skate in two minutes! I can't put in a new jump right now! And she goes "Well than you'd better LAND THE FLIP!" So needless to say I was a basket case. Yeah, I had cases where primary coach is being anal just before a competition. Ask him about wearing my usual gloves at a warm-up for a recent competition! :twisted: :lol:

Anyway, I can understand where someone would be tempted to... hmm... leave out certain information.Trust me! She's a smart woman! She's probably already figured that out and thought your secondary coach would be better at putting you on ice since he's more low-key! ;)

LoopLoop

05-14-2006, 01:45 PM

Strange... well, if it makes you comfortable... *shrug*

Of course, the other reasons why I can't really hide from my primary coach from a comp is 1) he usually is the one to approach me about competing. (As you already know, I rarely compete...) and 2) he does my hair for comps now! :twisted:
My philosophy is that my coach's job is to train me to skate my best, but competing is entirely different.

When I compete I'm trying to do my best and achieve whatever goal I have set for that day, but there's nothing a coach could do to help at that point. I've done enough competitions that I know what I need to do to prepare (yes, occasionally I get an attack of the nerves and start shaking, but again, that's something that I need to tackle, nobody can solve the problem for me), I know when to stretch, how far ahead of time to get my skates on, etc.

Yesterday it turned out that my coach was there (it was a standard-track competition with adult events included) but had an intermediate guy competing his long program on the other surface at the EXACT same time as me. So I talked to him for a bit while I was warming up off-ice, and then I went over to the other rink after I skated and told him what happened. Had he been free at that moment he would have come and watched me skate, but he was busy with someone who *needed* him, and I didn't. Generally, if he's at an event with other skaters I don't mind if he watches my event, but he knows I don't need him to *coach* me at that point.

Terri C

05-14-2006, 02:26 PM

All in all whether you have a coach with you or not at a competition is a matter of personal preference.
For me, May Day was having the best of both worlds. The kids at my rink rarely get to see me compete, since it seems that I either do all adult comps or when the rare standard track rolls around, the Adult events are held after the kids are done (at least in my case). So, it was a AWESOME feeling Friday night to have almost all of the kids from my rink and their parents in the stands cheering for me.
Then Saturday, I had my adult skating buddies (the kids had left by then)!
To add to all of it, since I put my last freeskate out the first time by myself, I felt better if the coach is with me this time around. Of course, it was a bit of culture shock to have to have a coach look for me and vice versa.
There's that bill too.....

Debbie S

05-14-2006, 04:33 PM

Actually, my very FIRST Pre-Bronze FS competition was with a gal with had a lutz in her program. But a big difference between that and yesterday was that lutzes were allowed in Pre-Bronze then. IMO, there's a big difference between looking like you might be ready to compete at the next level and putting in an element that is only allowed at the next level (or higher levels). If the woman did a flip, I wouldn't have cared. Doing a lutz in Pre-Bronze is like doing an axel in Bronze or a double in Silver - it's just wrong. If you want to do a certain jump in your program, you need to skate at the level where the jump is allowed. :)

As for the coach at comp issue, it's an individual decision. A skater needs to do whatever works for them at a comp. When I first started competing, I had a coach with me at all comps, and that was fine b/c I'd just started competing and it was good to have someone orient me to the process (although my coach almost missed my very first comp - long story). Now, I have a different coach and I've only competed a couple of times since switching, and the new coach hasn't come with me to comps. I've never asked her b/c for one, I didn't feel like paying coaching and mileage fees (I spend enough money on this sport as it is) and second, I decided I didn't really need a coach to be with me.

The way I look at it is, my coach's role is teach me how to skate and to prepare me for competitions. By the time I arrive at the rink, there's not much that a coach can tell me that's going to make an immediate impact. And since my comps are not exactly the Olympics or World Championships, a coach's eye during the warm-up is not that critical. I always get the video of my performance, so I can see for myself how many revs I got on such-and-such spin, or how high a certain jump was. What I do in comp pretty much mirrors what I do in practice, so if I had a problem on a jump or a spin, it's usually what we're working on anyway, so there's no great puzzle to solve or analyze.

I'm very grateful for the support of skating friends like sk8pics, Terri, Loops, flo, and others who have cheered me on, held music and other materials, calmed me down before I skated, etc. Compared to when I had a coach with me, I find the current situation to be less stressful - not b/c my coach put pressure on me, but b/c the program is never as good as it is during practice, thanks to nerves, and w/o a coach there, there aren't as many external expectations. Of course, I tell my coach how I did and report on elements I had problems with, so we can work on improving those for the next comp.

And like Terri, I had a cheering contingent of kids from my rink, who had competed earlier in the day (actually, one of them did the improv comp for her level (well, they called it Interpretive, but it was really Improv) that took place right after I arrived, so I got to see her skate...and win!). They hung around to watch me and another Pre-Bronze skater from our club and it was great to have them there.

jazzpants

05-14-2006, 11:05 PM

My philosophy is that my coach's job is to train me to skate my best, but competing is entirely different.

When I compete I'm trying to do my best and achieve whatever goal I have set for that day, but there's nothing a coach could do to help at that point. I've done enough competitions that I know what I need to do to prepare (yes, occasionally I get an attack of the nerves and start shaking, but again, that's something that I need to tackle, nobody can solve the problem for me), I know when to stretch, how far ahead of time to get my skates on, etc. Yup! And sometimes it's probably not pragmatic to have your coach "always" there. And I'm starting to get pretty good at prepping myself for a warmup at competition, though I will say when the nerves get to me enough that I end up leaving my brain with my bag in the dressing room. That's when the coach (or at least a knowledgable friend) is very helpful... I guess I'm not at that point yet, since I rarely compete. Probably once I get a bit more competition experience I will be able to forgo the coach and put myself out (or have a friend play coach or something...) but I'm not at that point yet...

Of course, like I said, it's tough at times to forgo the coach since my comps are (usually) at my home rink, he's the one that brings up the subject of my competing (if I do compete, it's usually just to humor him and get some practice on my jumps and footwork and experience competing), and he does my hair! Probably if I was at a comp where it would be hard for my coach to get to, then I probably will forgo having him there.

But a big difference between that and yesterday was that lutzes were allowed in Pre-Bronze then. IMO, there's a big difference between looking like you might be ready to compete at the next level and putting in an element that is only allowed at the next level (or higher levels). If the woman did a flip, I wouldn't have cared. Doing a lutz in Pre-Bronze is like doing an axel in Bronze or a double in Silver - it's just wrong. If you want to do a certain jump in your program, you need to skate at the level where the jump is allowed. :)So this skater did a waltz-toe loop, toe loop, sal and a lutz, as well as a camel-sit (which is allowed)???? That's really weird, if that's the case, since it's not exactly an easy jump to do... but like I said, there might be other reasons behind her competing at Pre-Bronze FS. Could be that she didn't pass her Moves test. (And we all know what kind of a HEADACHE that Bronze Moves test is... :roll: :twisted: :P )

Look, I don't support this skater for doing an element that's not allowed at her current level. I certainly hope that a judge has approached that skater's coach and talk to him/her. I also think if she's doing a lutz and a good camel-sit that she should be competing at Bronze. All I am doing is hypothesizing what might have happened that still gave her the Gold despite that no-no lutz jump.

Are there any judges on this board that can shed light on how much of a deduction the skater gets under the 6.0 system for skating an element that's of a higher level than what's allowed in the well balanced requirement? Or is this skater automatically disqualified?

The last skater I've seen doing this definitely placed behind the guy whose highest jump was a nice loop, but it was b/c he did TWO no-no jumps at his level and didn't do any of the other elements needed for his event. (This was a Bronze event and the guy did a double and an axel.) But he was NOT disqualified! He just took a couple of BIG deductions and there were big enough that in the views of some judges that he didn't make up for it in his other elements. (And yes, you better believe that guy's coach got a talking to from the Referee!!! :lol: )

jazzpants

05-14-2006, 11:17 PM

(Back to the original thread...WHEW!!!)

MAJOR VICTORY!!!

It's Mother's Day!!! And the weather is VERY WARM here in my neck of the woods!!! This combination for some reason chased all but the very dedicated regulars (like me!!!) off the ice! I had LESS THAN 10 people (ice guard included) on the ice with me at my weekend public session in an Olympic sized rink!!! You better believe I took advantage of it and put it towards doing some much needed run thrus and some spot work on my Bronze Moves!!! WOO HOO!!! :mrgreen: (I remembered at least two run thrus. One at the beginning of the session and one towards the end of my practice time when I feel I was doing my best back crossovers...)

And yes, my Bronze moves are coming along again!! The more warmed up my legs and lower back were, the better the moves... well, at least for the first hour that was true.. :oops: then...

DEFEAT!!!

Too tired. I hit the point where I couldn't do any more RFI mohawks w/o killing myself. That's usually when I call it a day!!! (And I was saved by the ice cut.) Didn't bother doing spins and jumps. Too tired!!! (And I still had to go to the gym for my 40 minute cardio on the elliptical trainer afterwards...got a God awful spare tire to lose. :evil: :frus: )

NoVa Sk8r

05-14-2006, 11:33 PM

So this skater did a waltz-toe loop, toe loop, sal and a lutz, as well as a camel-sit (which is allowed)???? That's really weird, if that's the case, since it's not exactly an easy jump to do... but like I said, there might be other reasons behind her competing at Pre-Bronze FS. Could be that she didn't pass her Moves test.She also did a flip jump, but 2-footed it. She definitely looked like she could be a bronze-level skater. In fact, I thought that was the bronze event as I was stretching on the side and I saw her lutz jump.

Are there any judges on this board that can shed light on how much of a deduction the skater gets under the 6.0 system for skating an element that's of a higher level than what's allowed in the well balanced requirement? Or is this skater automatically disqualified?AFAIK, the judges have these worksheets in front of them:
http://www.usfsa.org/content/Acc_2006-Adult-Worksheets.pdf
It's a 0.1 on each mark for each illegal element.

At one comp, in a silly fit of having too much momentum, I did a lutz/loop/loop/loop, and one judge definitely dinged me for it.
From what I read, "the number of jumps included in a combo or sequence is free." But these sheets clearly state that "Max. number of jumps in combo/sequence is 3."

These sheets came in handy when a pairs judge was explaining why she took off points when Loops and I skated up to gold pairs and left out a side-by-side single jump.

I keep these worksheets at my ready. Of course, they wil be changing come September.

jazzpants

05-15-2006, 12:57 AM

She also did a flip jump, but 2-footed it. She definitely looked like she could be a bronze-level skater. In fact, I thought that was the bronze event as I was stretching on the side and I saw her lutz jump.

AFAIK, the judges have these worksheets in front of them:
http://www.usfsa.org/content/Acc_2006-Adult-Worksheets.pdf
It's a 0.1 on each mark for each illegal element.
KEWL!!! Thanks NoVa!!! :twisted:

(The sheet doesn't mention how much of a deduction is a two footed landing... :??. Isn't that a mandatory deduction? If so, how much of a deduction is it??? 0.1?)

Thin-Ice

05-15-2006, 03:50 AM

[QUOTE=jazzpantsUmmm... Nova... how could your coach NOT know that you're competing at May Day. [/QUOTE]

Hey Nova--

Nice to know I'm not the only one who just enters competitions without telling the coach.

I've done this several times and only told my coach AFTER the competition that I competed and how it went. I don't need a coach to tell me what to do at a competition, I've been doing them for years. I don't even like having a coach at AN... except when we still did figures... then it was nice to have her stand at the boards right where my long axis was.

Of course, if it's a local event, and she has other skaters, there's no graceful way to dodge it.... but she knows I put enough pressure on myself, I don't need her there to tell me what to do. At PCAS she was there (mostly because it had been a while since she had seen me skate in a costume), and I basically had her throw my cache of toys on the ice for my skating buddies while I warmed up.

My coach doesn't usually care if I do events without her even knowing I'm competing... Well, there was ONE time several years ago, she cared -- when one of the other coaches told her I skated at an event before I had a chance to tell her I had competed. (But 1. It was nice to have a witness since that was the best I EVER skated in competition up to that point and 2. that he could and did say good things about my skating rather than "What the heck was your student doing competing at Vacaville this weekend? She looked like *$!#.") I figured no one would see our event since it was scheduled to start at 9:30pm.. and the competition was running about 45 minutes later. She did say at the beginning of my next lesson... "so I heard you were off competing again....." We both had a good laugh.

Mrs Redboots

05-15-2006, 05:59 AM

I tell our coaches when we are competing, and require them to prepare us to the best of their ability, but no longer ask them to accompany us to competitions - we can put ourselves on the ice, and coaches get far more nervous than their skaters do! I wish my coach didn't have to be there when we tested - last time, he was like "Remember this, remember that," and I was going spare, while Husband's coach was chatting about the cricket or something..... know which I'd prefer!

And although I'm not a coach, I have been acting coach for Husband and Other Woman at Oberstdorf last year, and shall be putting Husband on the ice for his first-ever free skating programme on Friday, and I know it's far worse for the coach!

All the same, I quite hope ours will come to the British Adult Championships this year, so he can see the current standard. But our rink is fielding three Elementary couples, all with different coaches, so at least one of them should come!

Terri C

05-15-2006, 07:35 AM

She also did a flip jump, but 2-footed it. She definitely looked like she could be a bronze-level skater. In fact, I thought that was the bronze event as I was stretching on the side and I saw her lutz jump.

AFAIK, the judges have these worksheets in front of them:
http://www.usfsa.org/content/Acc_2006-Adult-Worksheets.pdf
It's a 0.1 on each mark for each illegal element.

Thanks for the link, NoVa! At any rate, the judges had the info in front of them and like I posted yesterday, hopefully the coach will be told about the lutz ban (as well as being told to move the skater up!).

Debbie S

05-15-2006, 07:58 AM

She also did a flip jump, but 2-footed it. She definitely looked like she could be a bronze-level skater. In fact, I thought that was the bronze event as I was stretching on the side and I saw her lutz jump.
Thanks for the info, NoVa. I didn't see the entire program - all I saw was the camel-sit, a sal, and the now-infamous lutz. Geez, with a flip, a lutz, and a camel-sit, this skater should definitely have competed in Bronze. And the jumps I saw were fairly high (for Bronze level) and she had good speed and flow across the ice. If I wanted to compete against skaters doing those elements, I would have competed Bronze - I didn't.

Given that it was a club comp, she could have competed in Bronze as long as she passed Pre-Bronze FS (skating up). It's possible that she's way behind in her testing and hasn't gotten through the Pre-Bronze tests yet, who knows. But whatever level she decided to compete at, she and her coach should have come with a program with elements allowed at the level.