Thin-Ice
12-13-2007, 09:04 AM
(disclosure: Looooong post with way too many self-indulgent details. but I just can't help myself! :D )
As I mentioned in another thread, I haven't been able to get on this board for nearly two months. But I was able to do something worthwhile during that time. I PASSED my Silver FS!!! I had hoped to pass it by the end of NEXT year. I took the test last September more for practice than anything else and I thought it was a pretty questionable run-through. I was stiff and couldn't get more than 2 revs on the camel on a good day, so I gave myself two months to improve it and signed up fto retest the last week of November but still figured I'd compete at Bronze again at AN in Lake Placid.
The day before the latest test I had two STRONG run-throughs including good camels during my lesson. My coach and I were both feeling relieved/surprised about that. So the next day I took the test at my home club's rink (but not the rink where I have lessons). I arrived early and skated a fairly good warm-up before my coach arrived. When she arrived she said she was worried she'd be late, because traffic was bad and she lives an hour away, so she realized she had rushed out of the house without her cellphone, but didn't want to turn around to get it and was glad she made it to the rink in time for a lesson before the test. Once she was at rinkside, I started having trouble with the camel. Maybe my camel is just shy around her? Coach fixed it -- sort of-- so it was there, then not there, then there, then not there. Time to clear the ice for the ice cut. I was the first tester of the session (since I was also judging tests on this four-hour test session).
I went out for warm-up with one Junior Moves and several small Pre-Pre and Preliminary Moves skaters, so I tried to stay out of their patterns and not behead the little ones with my camel spin attempts. I was successful with no blood spilled on the ice, but less successful with the spin. Oh well, maybe it would show up when there were fewer short skaters around?
I started the program and the first jump was landed flat-footed with a loud THUD which echoed around the rink, but it was clean. Managed to make it through the jump sequence, footwork was ok (second twizzle not as strong as the first), then into the camel.. and UH-OH I fell out after what I thought was about 1-1/2 revolutions. At that point I figured I had to skate strongly, and I'd just get a reskate on the camel. The next jump was ok, but I felt slow going into the flip/loop combination.. and I was right.. I two-footed the loop. So then I figured I'd reskate the flip/loop and the camel and I could still pass.. but had to keep focused. Did toe loop/toe loop ok, then kind of tripped going into the last stretch of footwork-like movements... and two-footed the final flip. The sit spin/fast scratch combination traveled quite a bit. I certainly would not have passed that test if I had been a judge. I went over to my coach, told her that, and told her I already knew of another test session in early January. The judges didn't say anything, made no eye contact and kept writing. So I left the ice, and went to go take off my skates and change clothes. A couple of the skate-moms said I looked like I was having fun out there and "congratulations" and "nice smile". Most of our skate moms are SOOO supportive, but I told them there was no way I passed that test... but thanks for the encouragement. My coach just smiled and told them I'd probably pass next time. She also said she thought I skated better when I tested in September. The official papers wouldn't be available for at least 20 minutes, since our test chair was also one of the judges on that panel, so I told my coach she could go back to the other rink where she had other lessons that day. Then I dashed into the restroom to put on "judging clothes". A few minutes later our test chair came in and called my name. I thought she was telling me I was late for the next group of tests. She said no, she just wanted to give me my test papers. I told her I'd be out in a minute. When I walked out she said "I didn't pass you.." and I interrupted to say "I wouldn't have passed me either" but she continued "but congratulations, the other two did". I really thought she was joking. Then she handed me the papers.. and two of them had circled "PASS". I started to tear up. I didn't know what to say or how to react. But I didn't even have time to read the actual numbers let alone the comments, since there were tests to judge.
After the next group of tests, I had time to actually look at the papers. Under technical all 3 judges said I needed more revolutions on the camel -- which of course I already knew. One said "jumps weak", one said "need more ht (height) on jumps" and the third didn't comment on the jumps at all, except to note which ones I did. I'm guessing I didn't lose the required jump combination even if they did not credit me with the flip/loop, since the toe/toe is also a jump combination. Under the presentation, there were comments like "good choreography", "nice use of music", "good presentation", "nice smile" "good use of arms" and "good combination of choregraphy, presentation and choice of music". Overall the technical marks were 2.5, 2.6, 2.6 and presentation marks of 2.7, 2.8, 2.8. So they passed me based on presentation -- which is allowed if one element is missed/failed.
I really felt like Christmas came early.. and I wanted to share the news with my coach.. but remembered she didn't have her cellphone. The agony of waiting to tell her the good news.. :roll: oh well, better than the other kind of agony, right? I was finally able to reach her SIX hours later and she didn't believe me when I said I'd passed. I did finally convince her -- but that shows she really didn't think I would pass with that performance either.
Now we're rechoreographing the test program into a competition program.. and I'm relieved/stunned/amazed that I'm actually a Silver Lady now. A BIG "thanks" to everyone who has been supporting and helping me the past year or so to make it to this point. And Merry Christmas to all.. whenever it arrives for you!
As I mentioned in another thread, I haven't been able to get on this board for nearly two months. But I was able to do something worthwhile during that time. I PASSED my Silver FS!!! I had hoped to pass it by the end of NEXT year. I took the test last September more for practice than anything else and I thought it was a pretty questionable run-through. I was stiff and couldn't get more than 2 revs on the camel on a good day, so I gave myself two months to improve it and signed up fto retest the last week of November but still figured I'd compete at Bronze again at AN in Lake Placid.
The day before the latest test I had two STRONG run-throughs including good camels during my lesson. My coach and I were both feeling relieved/surprised about that. So the next day I took the test at my home club's rink (but not the rink where I have lessons). I arrived early and skated a fairly good warm-up before my coach arrived. When she arrived she said she was worried she'd be late, because traffic was bad and she lives an hour away, so she realized she had rushed out of the house without her cellphone, but didn't want to turn around to get it and was glad she made it to the rink in time for a lesson before the test. Once she was at rinkside, I started having trouble with the camel. Maybe my camel is just shy around her? Coach fixed it -- sort of-- so it was there, then not there, then there, then not there. Time to clear the ice for the ice cut. I was the first tester of the session (since I was also judging tests on this four-hour test session).
I went out for warm-up with one Junior Moves and several small Pre-Pre and Preliminary Moves skaters, so I tried to stay out of their patterns and not behead the little ones with my camel spin attempts. I was successful with no blood spilled on the ice, but less successful with the spin. Oh well, maybe it would show up when there were fewer short skaters around?
I started the program and the first jump was landed flat-footed with a loud THUD which echoed around the rink, but it was clean. Managed to make it through the jump sequence, footwork was ok (second twizzle not as strong as the first), then into the camel.. and UH-OH I fell out after what I thought was about 1-1/2 revolutions. At that point I figured I had to skate strongly, and I'd just get a reskate on the camel. The next jump was ok, but I felt slow going into the flip/loop combination.. and I was right.. I two-footed the loop. So then I figured I'd reskate the flip/loop and the camel and I could still pass.. but had to keep focused. Did toe loop/toe loop ok, then kind of tripped going into the last stretch of footwork-like movements... and two-footed the final flip. The sit spin/fast scratch combination traveled quite a bit. I certainly would not have passed that test if I had been a judge. I went over to my coach, told her that, and told her I already knew of another test session in early January. The judges didn't say anything, made no eye contact and kept writing. So I left the ice, and went to go take off my skates and change clothes. A couple of the skate-moms said I looked like I was having fun out there and "congratulations" and "nice smile". Most of our skate moms are SOOO supportive, but I told them there was no way I passed that test... but thanks for the encouragement. My coach just smiled and told them I'd probably pass next time. She also said she thought I skated better when I tested in September. The official papers wouldn't be available for at least 20 minutes, since our test chair was also one of the judges on that panel, so I told my coach she could go back to the other rink where she had other lessons that day. Then I dashed into the restroom to put on "judging clothes". A few minutes later our test chair came in and called my name. I thought she was telling me I was late for the next group of tests. She said no, she just wanted to give me my test papers. I told her I'd be out in a minute. When I walked out she said "I didn't pass you.." and I interrupted to say "I wouldn't have passed me either" but she continued "but congratulations, the other two did". I really thought she was joking. Then she handed me the papers.. and two of them had circled "PASS". I started to tear up. I didn't know what to say or how to react. But I didn't even have time to read the actual numbers let alone the comments, since there were tests to judge.
After the next group of tests, I had time to actually look at the papers. Under technical all 3 judges said I needed more revolutions on the camel -- which of course I already knew. One said "jumps weak", one said "need more ht (height) on jumps" and the third didn't comment on the jumps at all, except to note which ones I did. I'm guessing I didn't lose the required jump combination even if they did not credit me with the flip/loop, since the toe/toe is also a jump combination. Under the presentation, there were comments like "good choreography", "nice use of music", "good presentation", "nice smile" "good use of arms" and "good combination of choregraphy, presentation and choice of music". Overall the technical marks were 2.5, 2.6, 2.6 and presentation marks of 2.7, 2.8, 2.8. So they passed me based on presentation -- which is allowed if one element is missed/failed.
I really felt like Christmas came early.. and I wanted to share the news with my coach.. but remembered she didn't have her cellphone. The agony of waiting to tell her the good news.. :roll: oh well, better than the other kind of agony, right? I was finally able to reach her SIX hours later and she didn't believe me when I said I'd passed. I did finally convince her -- but that shows she really didn't think I would pass with that performance either.
Now we're rechoreographing the test program into a competition program.. and I'm relieved/stunned/amazed that I'm actually a Silver Lady now. A BIG "thanks" to everyone who has been supporting and helping me the past year or so to make it to this point. And Merry Christmas to all.. whenever it arrives for you!