When to start competitions?

[Sonic]

For the past few months I've been thinking about starting competitions. (I was going to have a go at the forthcoming dance one in Bristol, but had to completely knock the idea on the head due to lack of skating with foot injury.)

Thinking about it again, I am starting to question whether I am in fact being too ambitious to think about competitions in the first place; I love skating, I don't mind making a fool of myself to a certain extent- but on the other hand I don't want to look like the skating equivalent of an out-take from pop idol, IYKWIM.:lol:

So I was wondering - at what stage did others here start competing? I'd be interested to hear your opinions.

S xxx

[DallasSkater]

Sonic: Good question. I will be interested to see what everyone says....

My coach is suggesting that I start with ISI little events to gain experience and just have fun. I think it is a great way to start for me as I never imagined that I would be competing in anything. I am signing up for a bridge program this semester that should help me decide if I want to compete at all. I want more skills before really doing one though..

[Raye]

Go for it!!

My first competition was less than a year after I came back to skating following a 26 year absence. I entered Solo Dance, Freeskate and Interpretive.

I was the only one in Solo Dance and I did the Fiesta and Ten-Fox (both dances which I remembered from years ago, lacking the polish that I used to have) They gave me the gold anyway, which I never expected, being the only one in the category. The presenter said that 90 percent of life's success comes from just showing up, and 'showing up' made me a winner.

For my Interp,I had 2 little itty bitty waltz jumps that looked like footwork, a few bunnyhops, a spiral that went in a long graceful arch from blue line to blue line, (still one of my best moves almost two years later) and a whole lot of nothing else..... just edges and arm movements to the music. :??

For my freeskate, I had all the same moves, arranged in much the same way to different music (4/4, instead of the waltzy piece I used for Interp) but I drew a blank when my music started and had to make the whole thing up as I went along! 8O

No one who was there thought I was an idiot, most people didn't even kow something was wrong, I came last in both events, and a lot of people came up to me with compliments on a job well done.

The best part was that I didn't feel like an idiot at all, just a huge sense of accomplishment. :D I had just skated three events in my first-ever figure skating competition!! WOW

I say that if you want to compete - then make like NIKE and JUST DO IT 8-)

[samba]

Hi Sonic

It would be good to ask your coach first, also ask the skaters at your home rink about their experiences, there are a variety of skaters that I know from your rink, that enter the adult competitions all over the UK and further.

There are usually at least one adult open at your home rink which would be a very good place to start with familiar faces and your coach would probably be more likely to be there to support you, in fact looking at it, there is one on 29th October.

Click on http://www.iceskating.org.uk/./events.cfm then click on Calendar for National Opens, you will need to be a member of NISA the information for which will be on the same web-site.

Once you start I feel pretty sure their will be no stopping you but start when you feel comfortable with the idea.

Let us know how you get on.

Good luck
Grace

[NickiT]

Everyone is different so there's no set answer for this question. I know some people make really good progress with their skating and reach a level at which they feel ready to compete quite early on.

For me, I'd been skating for several years before I did my first competition. That was because in the early years I took time out for two pregnancies and a bad ankle injury and obviously these breaks slowed up my rate of progress somewhat. However once I was landing my loop and flip my coach felt I was good enough to give competing a go. Obviously I can't speak for those who do dance, but having been marking secretary at our club's annual open for the past two years, I've seen a wide range of ability and certainly at our open, nobody is made to feel they have made a fool of themselves due to their lack of ability. Everyone who puts themselves out on that ice deserves a medal in my opinion - it's a pretty scary experience.

Nicki

[samba]

I've seen a wide range of ability and certainly at our open, nobody is made to feel they have made a fool of themselves due to their lack of ability. Everyone who puts themselves out on that ice deserves a medal in my opinion - it's a pretty scary experience.

I think this is the main thing with adult competition, my first open was at your rink Nicki and as a beginner I was overwhelmed with the support complete strangers were giving to me, and I agree that everyone who goes out there deserves and medal.

[Skate@Delaware]

Your coach will be able to tell if you are ready to compete. My coach was cautious with me and wanted to make sure I was totally ready-she didn't want me to be totally unprepared, either emotionally or technically. I did ISI competitions to get my feet wet (she doesn't have much experience with adult competitions but has heard about them). My last competition of the year was my rink's in-house.

I like competing-it's like getting a solo part in a show and I get the ice all to myself!!!

[Mrs Redboots]

For the past few months I've been thinking about starting competitions. (I was going to have a go at the forthcoming dance one in Bristol, but had to completely knock the idea on the head due to lack of skating with foot injury.)
I started competing far too early, but I don't regret it. I've always enjoyed it, even if I do come last most of the time, even now.

If I were you, I'd enter Oxford Seniors as your first competition (if you don't have the bumf, pm me with your e-mail address and I'll send it to you), as you will have "home rink advantage", and everybody will be very supportive, and put you on the ice and help! Not sure if we are going this year, haven't thought that far ahead, but we usually do.

[VegasGirl]

Started competing together with my daughter skating an ISI Beta spotlight routine... my first solo routine was an ISI Gamma program.

[Skate@Delaware]

Instead of entering ISI Freeskate (freestyle?) I entered under Artistic 1, which my coach thought was more "relaxed" as far as the rules and less strict.

I don't know if I will change this year, except go up a level (maybe) if I test up.

[Rusty Blades]

Well I tend to do things bass-around-ackwards anyway so I decided to make my first competition a big one (the Canadian Adult Nationals next spring) for a few reasons.

First, I will NEVER feel "good enough" to compete if I don't aim high and just go out and DO IT. And I tell everybody I am going to do it so that I can't chicken out! 8O I figure after the Nationals, other competitions and tests will seem "easy". So I will likely be scared sh!#less, shaking like a leaf, and going pee every 5 minutes, but I'll do it.

Second, setting a goal like that gives me a solid time-frame - I know what I have to do and I know how long I have to get it done so the challenge is to do the best I can in the time available. Since I plan to skate Pre-Introductory Interpretive, that keeps me focused on the specific skills I need for my program and developing those skills.

Third, now that my coach is behind me and my goals, she seems to have found a whip somewhere! 8O She has made it very clear what she expects of me and that keeps my standards up.

Competition, for me, is about getting over the "not good enough" self-doubt and polishing a set of skills, even if they are very basic. It is about finding pride in what I have done, not shame in what I can't do (yet).

[BatikatII]

I never inended to compete at all but was pushed into doing so by an ultra-competitive skater at our rink who wanted some people to go along with her to the first competition. It was a dance one at Alexandra Palace and was really for me the wrong place to start for several reasons.
Like, I wasn't very good :D - (had learnt the first 4 dances (UK levels 1 & 2)) but not tested and the class was for under level 6!!!

There were about 18 people entered some with level 5 dance (who obviously won) and it was an unfamiliar rink of a different size and it was tacked on to a kids competition so some kids and their parents were around.

I had no idea what to do and was highly embarrassed when I went on the ice and skated to my start position only to realise they hadn't called the last persons marks yet and I should have been staying near the gate til they called my name.:oops: At least I won't make that mistake again!

The only good thing was that I didn't come last (think I was 15th) but I swore then I'd never compete again. I got over it though and have competed quite a bit since then.

If you want to make it easy on yourself I'd recommend for your first competition you go to one that is adults only (no 'skate mums' watching) either at your home rink or at Bracknell next June. There may be some club competitions (as opposed to Opens) at your home rink that you could do first.

The judges are usually pretty kind at the lower levels and no-one is made to feel really bad by the judging.

Definitly worth watching a competition first though - either a kids one or adults one just to get a feel for how they are run and what is expected. On the other hand if you are brave there is no harm in just ploughing in and giving it a go.

Do you know the other adults that compete from your rink - if not then it's worth seeking them out and having a chat.

[Skate@Delaware]

I felt a little strange at my first competition (Skate Annapolis) as I was the only adult on my warm-up ice!!! There were other adults there competing, just at different times. I was nervous during the warm-up but it disappeared when my music started. (beforehand, I was running to pee every minute!!!!!)

I have been the only adult at my rink competing, although most of us skate in the ice shows. Competing is different because it is solo and pressure of a different sort. But the support from other adults at competitions is AMAZING!!!!

If you go out with the attitude of "I'm skating for MYSELF and to kick some ICE around" then you will do fine!

[mintypoppet]

I'll compete with/against you Sonic, but you'll be starting well before me. My coach decided that if I want to test, I should also try competing - though I intend to wait until I'm good and ready.

Anyway, you and I (and sarahg, I hope) can look like pop idol out-takes together - there's safety in numbers :lol:

[Mrs Redboots]

I'll compete with/against you Sonic, but you'll be starting well before me. My coach decided that if I want to test, I should also try competing - though I intend to wait until I'm good and ready.

Anyway, you and I (and sarahg, I hope) can look like pop idol out-takes together - there's safety in numbers :lol:I still think all three of you should enter Oxford Seniors this year. The "baby class" (I'm not being rude - I competed in it myself last year, and didn't even make the top ten :cry:) is always so huge that unless you're really spectacularly bad or spectacularly good, the placings are pretty random anyway. I, mediocre, was slightly disappointed not to make the top ten, but had the huge disadvantage of being drawn first with the Canasta, which is always my weaker dance, and got too nervous so went out of time.

And then I discovered the hard way that it is not a good idea to wear a strapless bra that is three sizes too big when you are about to compete a Dutch Waltz....

Oh well, it was fun!

[VegasGirl]

Instead of entering ISI Freeskate (freestyle?) I entered under Artistic 1, which my coach thought was more "relaxed" as far as the rules and less strict.

For me the opposite was true since I've always been more of a Tomboy and the graceful elegance needed for an artistic program was more of a challenge for me than the technical aspects of the 'skill' programs.

I did my first artistic to expand my experience in addition to a freestyle 1 program.

[VegasGirl]

I felt a little strange at my first competition (Skate Annapolis) as I was the only adult on my warm-up ice!!! There were other adults there competing, just at different times. I was nervous during the warm-up but it disappeared when my music started. (beforehand, I was running to pee every minute!!!!!)

Oh, do I know that feeling... except my nervousness never went away, you literally could see my knees shaking while skating. I had to work very very hard at that, harder than at my program and I still haven't totally overcome it!!!