AN News/Results/Discussion/Cheers

[Debbie S]

OK, with AN officially starting tomorrow, here's a place for everyone to post their cheers and congrats....and for those competing to fill us in on the latest gossip...er...news. :)

[flying~camel]

From the LOC side, everything is going really well. Everyone has been so great! :)

I'm kind of sad that I'm not competing, but also glad that I decided not to (with as busy as I've been, I would've skated AWFULLY). I will, however, be in the stands as much as I ca cheering everyone on and giving out throwies!

YAY, adult skating!!! :D

[Stormy]

The rinks are COLD!!! Yipes! I was able to warm up on practice ice yesterday but I can see how it wouldn't be fun to sit in the stands for any length of time. I am looking forward to cheering my friends on today. I wish I was competing today too so I can get it over with! I'll see if I can post some results from my iPod Touch today, I believe there is WiFi at the rink.

[Isk8NYC]

That's why I looked like Nanuk of the North at Adult Easterns. I had blankets, a seat cushion, and five layers of clothing, including ski pants! Sitting is a cold, cold thing to do, but I enjoyed every minute of that competition.

I guess I could have gone up to the exercise machine room and staked out a treadmill, but I probably would have died after a few hours of walking...

Back on topic, Lexi Rohner's blogging AN for IceNetwork:
http://www.icenetworkincrowd.com/2009-US-Adult-Champs-Blog-Preview/blog/59/72859.html

IceNetwork says the video will be "on demand." I don't know how delayed that will be, but it definitely doesn't mean "live."

an on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/lexisk8

Jazz got a nice shoutout. Suck it up, Joanna, and skate!

[Mrs Redboots]

Does anybody know where results will be posted?

[Isk8NYC]

From the USFSA Event Page:


Icenetwork.com will provide on-demand video coverage of the event for Season Pass subscribers. The site will also feature near-live results, event recaps and photo galleries for subscribers and non-subscribers.


The schedule is here:
http://web.icenetwork.com/documents/2009/04/22/64154/1/Event_Schedule.pdf

No results have been posted yet, but the competition only started about two hours ago.
The icenetwork event page is here: http://web.icenetwork.com/events/detail.jsp?id=58288

[rsk8d]

Sk8Strong has posted a topic at www.sk8strong.blogspot.com specifically for off-ice training for adults, and wishes all adult competitors good luck this week! Wish I was there!

[Isk8NYC]

So icenetwork's event page says it will show "near real time results."
Am I just being an impatient NY'er or shouldn't there be SOME results out by 4pm?

I just sent their customer service an email asking when the results and video would be online.

[Isk8NYC]

Lexi updated her blog with a few results:

http://www.icenetworkincrowd.com/2009-US-Adult-Champs-Blog-Preview/blog/59/72859.html

Later on in the afternoon, Cheryl Morrison had a report from Silver Ladies I. “It was a tough group and there was some great skating overall.” A tie for first between Danielle Konfal and Rochelle Revor put Kimeberly Ellsworth in third and Brandy Lokken in fourth. Both Danielle and Rochelle landed axels, but Rochelle’s was slightly two footed. Rochelle had excellent speed and spins and Danielle showed off her gorgeous camel spin and great flow. Rachel Kuhn (5th place) left the ice with the most “tossies”.


Apparently, there's a facebook "Figure Skating Tossies" that lets you send a virtual tossie to your fav skater this week.

[herniated]

Wishing my friend patatty good luck tonite. She had a stomach flu on Saturday and is still feeling pretty crappy.

And good luck too to my friend sexyskates!! She's probably skating today too.

Good Luck Guys!!! Miss you here!!

[flying~camel]

Bronze 1:

1. Breaha Montague-Bauer
2. Kimberly McNeil
3. Noreen Raza
4. Kimberly Walker
5. Stephanie DeCarlo
6. Audra Bandy
7. Rosalia Palumbo
8. Jessica Swindell
9. Alyson Lobert
10. Kristin Erne
11. Sarah Catherine Norris
12. Miyong Kim
13. Anne Sinko

Silver 1:

1. Danielle Konfall
1. Rochelle Revor
3. Kimberly Ellsworth
4. Brandy Lokken
5. Rachel Kuhn
6. Caroline Chao
7. Jennifer Paoni
8. Rachel Silverman
9. Jocelyn Delmar
10. Inna Tobin
11. Katie Van Ark

Bronze 2:

1. Kerri Tanner
2. Audrey Clapper
3. Jill Emerick
4. Kathleen Rusnak
5. Tracy Bryan
6. Stacie Berry-Kitchen
7. Norie Kasimura
8. Ann Tinkham
9. Robin Johnson
10. Dianne Miller

Silver 2:

1. Jennifer Dellinger
2. Maria Henwod
3. Maureen Carrigan
4. Dawn Miller
5. Erica Hartl
6. Elizabeth Richter
7. Jennifer Simon
8. Cynthia Rosenbaum
9. Amanda Holder
10. Sharidan Williams-Sotelo
11. Delsie McCoy
12. Lori Fussell
13. Cindy Flaherty
14. Sara Panzer
15. Kata Cengel
16. Erin Westphal

[flo]

Major congrats to the LOC for a great job! It's been wonderful to see everyone.

[AxelBaby]

Has anyone been able to link to the videos yet?!?!

[jazzpants]

Major congrats to the LOC for a great job! It's been wonderful to see everyone.
Totally agree!!! :bow: :bow: :bow:

F~c: I forgot to tell you that I also HIGHLY appreciate the little butler kits in the locker rooms... The superglue came in VERY handy for me this afternoon for my skating dress since one of my stones came off my dress.

I don't have the placements on me other than the third place gal (Joan Bys, who I'm very proud of!!! :bow: ) and Terri C's (in the "last with dignity club" b/c she skated a clean program. Also proud of her too! :bow: )

And then there's me... Well, I expected to NOT make qualifying, but did NOT expect THIS -- there were 9 ladies in my QR group and top 6 goes to the finals. Guess what my placement was??? YUP!!! The dreaded 7th PLACE!!! Just SHY of making it to finals!!! :twisted:

Will post more tomorrow since I just got done with taking out the hairdo that my coach pain-stakenly put on me... Well, more pain on MY part!!! (Me: "OW!!! My HAIR!!!") :twisted:

[Debbie S]

Results and starting orders are now posted here: http://www.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/58288/results.html

They appear to be using the same "live results" mechanism they did for Nats. Although this is not linked on the event page at Ice Network, only the home page. :roll:

And they appear to only be posting Gold and Masters results. If IN isn't going to post results from the other levels and events, can the LOC post on their site? Please, pretty please? :)

[mdvask8r]

ITA DebbieS. Results for champ & gold are nice to see, but the vast majority of adult skaters are silver and below -- those are the results I'm most interested in. Come on icenetwork - give the majority what they want !! results from ALL events.

[sk8lady]

Shows you what they think is important, doesn't it? All USFS really cares about is returning skaters who can skate at the two highest levels or who are rapidly moving up. You can tell by the way they primarily spotlight championship and gold skaters on the "adult" page of Skating Magazine.

[Skittl1321]

Shows you what they think is important, doesn't it? All USFS really cares about is returning skaters who can skate at the two highest levels or who are rapidly moving up. You can tell by the way they primarily spotlight championship and gold skaters on the "adult" page of Skating Magazine.

I was spotlighted just after getting out of basic skills. (Early enough that I didn't have a skating picture of me!!) They were looking for skaters with past injuries.

Lexi will put ANY adult skaters on that page- but it's easiest to reach the high level ones, because they are in the system and "known".

Do you want to be spotlighted? Or know of an awesome, but low level, adult who deserves it? EMAIL LEXI with a brief write up, or even the information she would need to make a more eloquent brief write up. Suggest a theme to her. How about "stuck on 3-turns, but still skating" and then help her find the adults. It doesn't have to be about championship skaters, but we have to help Lexi out!

[phoenix]

Hi all, got here this am & am having fun all bundled up here watching solo dance. There are some really great dancers here! I skated my initial round this morning & am thrilled to be in 6th!!!!! Final round tonite w/ Viennese waltz so I'll be glad when it's over!

The facility is really nice and you can see both rinks from the warm inner area.

I have to say I'm enjoying this AN more than my first one-- people have been very friendly.

[MusicSkateFan]

I am sure that the only reason why they CAN show Gold and above results is because those events are IJS and the results are on computer. Silver and below events are just done on ordinals and probably hand written and/or have to be typed in and will take a few weeks to be posted.

For those of you complaining about the adult corner in skating magazine....I wrote to them a couple of years ago because the only thing they were writing up at the time were adults who had been skating for 10 years and who hoped to someday pass their pre-bronze moves. So you can blame me for that one....LOL I guess the pendulum has swung! Squeaky wheels get the grease!

Do I sound bitter? After a full year of injuries and having to withdraw from 2009 NATS I am finally becoming ok with the high probability of never competing again...

I have to be glad for those who can continue w/out getting hurt...this is just not in the cards for me

Enjoy

[Black Sheep]

Due to a sciatic nerve in my back which shot excruciating pain all down my left leg. During the time I was supposed to skate my Interp., I trying to soak away the pain in my hotel's hot tub. When I was slated to skate Gold Ladies II, I'd made it home (back to Chicago) and was eating lunch.

I'm going to see a doctor on Monday.

[herniated]

So sorry Black Sheep. :cry:I feel your pain - literally. I am currently dealing with the same crap. Pardon the language but that's the nicest word I can use to describe that kind of pain. Except mine is down my right leg, makes driving a lovely experience. It's getting better ..slowly. My docs think I've herniated a couple of discs.:frus:

Feel better....

Try some ice too, light stretching and possibly muscle relaxant?

[Isk8NYC]

(((BLack Sheep))) So sorry - hope you recover soon.

Even if the results are hand-written, it only takes a few minutes to scan them into a pdf. Getting them online could be an issue. I had planned to post the Easterns results, but the Club sent them electronically within a few hours and the USFSA put them online, so there was no need for me to crank up the laptop. (Although it did keep me warm, lol.)

When the Adult Committee had their Adult Skater Survey a few years back, I corresponded with Lexi via email. She asked me at that time if I wanted to be profiled but I declined. I think it's a matter of awareness and timing. I'm sure she'll make some new contacts at AN that we'll see in issues to come.

[mdvask8r]

I have no issue w/the profiles in the magazine. The spotlights seem to even out when you look back over time, and ANY publicity of adult skating is helpful. I do object to the way the results of the largest group of adult skaters, silver & below, are "ignored" by IN/USFS while the higher-level events are reported LIVE!! Thank you to the bloggers & posters to this forum for their coverage of all levels.

[Black Sheep]

(((BLack Sheep))) So sorry - hope you recover soon.

When the Adult Committee had their Adult Skater Survey a few years back, I corresponded with Lexi via email. She asked me at that time if I wanted to be profiled but I declined. I think it's a matter of awareness and timing. I'm sure she'll make some new contacts at AN that we'll see in issues to come.

Thanks, Isk8NYC. ;)

I once asked Lexi how I could be profiled in SKATING, and I filled out her survey in full. After waiting for a year or so after submitting it, I felt slighted and frustrated, and I asked Lexi why my profile hadn't made the magazine yet. I got the song-and-dance about how there are many, many other adults who want to be in SKATING magazine. Not long after that, Lexi became the head of the entire Adult Skating Committee. OOPS! Maybe this sciatic nerve that forced me out of my events this year is KARMA booting me in the rear! :lol:

[Black Sheep]

techskater got BRONZE in Gold Ladies II! :bow::bow::bow:

[LilJen]

My friend Helen just called to report that she WON her final round in bronze solo dance. Woo hoo!!!

[flying~camel]

If there is a specific event you want results for, let me know and Ill do my best to post them here as soon as I can!

[sk8ryellow]

LOL! My mom got to Michigan today for her adult gold event (sk8rpink), and I sure hope she skates clean. As for the results issue I think its not fair that they only post the highest levels, I mean at regionals they posted everything and I was at intermediate and they posted it, why can't they do that with adult nationals. I know ya'll are old;) but still I mean I do kneel down to those of you that are like really tall and jumping:bow:

[techskater]

Due to a sciatic nerve in my back which shot excruciating pain all down my left leg. During the time I was supposed to skate my Interp., I trying to soak away the pain in my hotel's hot tub. When I was slated to skate Gold Ladies II, I'd made it home (back to Chicago) and was eating lunch.

I'm going to see a doctor on Monday.

((Black Sheep)) I hope you feel better soon. We missed you and I am missing you now while drinking my celebratory beer (and wine).

[dbny]

Maybe this sciatic nerve that forced me out of my events this year is KARMA booting me in the rear! :lol:

No way! (((((Black Sheep)))))

[Debbie S]

Congratulations, techskater! And congrats to NoVa Sk8er (2nd) and flo (4th) on their medals in Gold Pairs! And even though they don't post here, I'll give a big shout-out to Heather and Marty on their gold medal - you guys rock! Good luck in Champ!

[flo]

Thanks! Marty and Heather were very pretty and Stephen an Tara were really strong! Dennis and I were pleased with our first time out. Everyone has been great here.

[Hannahclear]

If there is a specific event you want results for, let me know and Ill do my best to post them here as soon as I can!

The Bronze III quals and final round results, or even a link. :)

[blue111moon]

I am sure that the only reason why they CAN show Gold and above results is because those events are IJS and the results are on computer. Silver and below events are just done on ordinals and probably hand written and/or have to be typed in and will take a few weeks to be posted.



Balony. The 6.0 results are done on computer with a program called HAL2 - which has one button that produces an HTML report of the results of the completed events. It takes maybe three seconds and then that file gets zipped and sent to whoever's posting it.

I've been doing accounting for almost 20 years and we haven't done results by hand in all that time. (We had to know HOW to in case the computers went down but that was very very rare.) Before HAL2, there was HAL and before that, there was another DOS-based program whose name I forget. But it's been computer-driven for a very long time.

In the past, USFS posted the non-IJS events on their site or the club posted them on their website. IF Ice Network has been designated the Official Results site, then either the accountants haven't sent them the results of the 6.0 events (and seeing who the accountants are, I doubt that) or IN isn't bothering to post them - which is just WRONG.

The delay is UNACCEPTABLE - but unfortunately is typical of USFS's treatment of lower level adults.

[MusicSkateFan]

:) Oh Blue111moon.....are you that un-versed in sarcasm?

The people of Italy want their Balogna!

[Debbie S]

I sent an e-mail to IN and they replied that all the results were posted at that link - well, lo and behold, they now are - 6.0 events have been added below the IJS events.

http://www.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/58288/results.html

[flying~camel]

We informed the chief referee this morning that 6.0 results weren't being posted online, so maybe he lit a fire under someone's butt! ;)

[Black Sheep]

Where's the "live video feed" on icenetwork.com? I'm logged in and all, but I can't find the magic link to it!

[phoenix]

Am finally at a computer where I can type more easily.

I ended up 9th in the Viennese W. which put me at 8th overall. I'm so happy with that, and even more, with the fact that I skated strongly & didn't get too nervous. Am very proud of myself, actually.

I met cosk8ter and jazzpants (she came to watch me!!), and saw a few other friends I knew a bit.

Lori Fussell skated a hilarious interp showcasing the "10 most overused pieces of skating music". Every 15 seconds or so, it switched to a new piece of music and it got funnier & funnier. When toward the end she morphed into "Bolero" on her knees a'la Torvill & Dean, the crowd went wild, and the judges were all laughing hysterically. Even after she was done & off the ice, the judges were all still grinning. It was FANTASTIC.

I saw vesperholly skate one of her solo dances & she did a nice job. I hope solo dance is here to stay--it was certainly well represented at all levels.

I also saw Julie & Michael in championship dance for their compulsories this morning. Unfortunately they are the only ones, but such a pleasure to watch them skate! Since there were no other competitors, they had to do Viennese and then Samba back to back. :bow::bow:

Now I'm at my mom's pretending to get some work done, but will be back tomorrow to see FD's among other things.

[sk8ryellow]

Lori Fussell skates at my rink, I have seen her routine of the artistic a million times. It looks like she really pulled it out in competition. Did she win?

[phoenix]

Lori Fussell skates at my rink, I have seen her routine of the artistic a million times. It looks like she really pulled it out in competition. Did she win?

I think so.

[sk8ryellow]

Thats good, she is a very sweet person.

[Isk8NYC]

I sent an e-mail to IN and they replied that all the results were posted at that link - well, lo and behold, they now are - 6.0 events have been added below the IJS events.

http://www.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/58288/results.html
They sent me the same message yesterday and there were no results posted, lol. Thanks for the followup Debbie S and F~C!

[flying~camel]

Lori Fussell skates at my rink, I have seen her routine of the artistic a million times. It looks like she really pulled it out in competition. Did she win?

Yes, she did :)

[sk8ryellow]

My mom skates tomorrow, adult gold and dramatic interpretive

[jazzpants]

Championship Adult Gold Men medalist:

1. NoVa Sk8r
2. Dcden
3. Doubletoe's Romeo (aka Marco Pizzo)
4. Liam Cowper (I hope I got the last name right.)

Congrats, fellas!!! :bow:

Our new Adult Champ Adult Gold is Cinderella On Ice, who is an inspiration for those of us over the age of 40 to go for that axel!!! You too can be over 50 and win Champ Adult Gold ladies!!! :D :bow:

[liz_on_ice]

Our new Adult Champ Adult Gold is Cinderella On Ice, who is an inspiration for those of us over the age of 40 to go for that axel!!! You too can be over 50 and win Champ Adult Gold ladies!!! :D :bow:

color me impressed :bow::bow:

[Debbie S]

Congratulations, NoVA! And to Dennis, and Marty (who got credit for both 2toes)!

Where's the "live video feed" on icenetwork.com? I'm logged in and all, but I can't find the magic link to it!Video coverage is not live for this event, it is "on-demand." Hopefully it won't take too long after the comp for the videos to be posted, but seeing as how they still haven't posted the videos from the World Team Trophy....

[Stormy]

I simply cannot be more thrilled for Cindy Crouse and Cynthia Jacobson, showing the young ones how it's done! :bow::bow::bow: I've never seen Cynthia so strong. Congrats, ladies! And to NoVa FTW in Champ Men's!!

[vesperholly]

I saw vesperholly skate one of her solo dances & she did a nice job.
Oh thanks! Which dance did you see? I was nervous and didn't skate my best for either dance :frus: so unfortunately I was 6th out of 7. I got my butt handed to me by some pretty awesome dancers. Better luck next year! I really think solo dance is definitely here to stay, which is so awesome. The gold dancers ... 8O if I pass one more test, I have to move up to gold and I am terrified! They were all phenomenal.

The championship events have been fantastic to watch live (my first time). Such strong skating all around! :bow: I haven't caught many interp programs because of conflicts, but I continue to be impressed with the variety and creativity of all the skaters I do see. Lori Fussell's program was indeed hilarious. It was awesome to see a judge wiping tears from her eyes! :lol:

[doubletoe]

Championship Adult Gold Men medalist:

1. NoVa Sk8r
2. Dcden
3. Doubletoe's Romeo (aka Marco Pizzo)
4. Liam Cowper (I hope I got the last name right.)

Congrats, fellas!!! :bow:

Our new Adult Champ Adult Gold is Cinderella On Ice, who is an inspiration for those of us over the age of 40 to go for that axel!!! You too can be over 50 and win Champ Adult Gold ladies!!! :D :bow:

Hear hear!! BTW, in case this is about to go into the rumor mill, Romeo and I are each married to other people and our relationship is completely professional. Heh heh. And we are (moment of silence please) each retiring our Romeo & Juliet programs. RIP R&J. . . So proud of my Romeo, though!! :D

[doubletoe]

Thats good, she is a very sweet person.

Lori rocks!!! :D

[jazzpants]

For those who don't have a Facebook account & aren't here at GR...

I'm out of the cellar this year!!! :bow: I was 9th out of twelve. I barely made the top 10!!!

Unfortunately, Terri C got my old cellar spot, but she also got my old consulation prize -- a bottle of Champagne right after the event!!! :twisted: I think she will be on IN this year... ;)

I have the pleasure of finally meeting phoenix. I also got to meet a LOT of other people, so pls. be patient if I don't remember that I've met you from last year or know your name right away. (Yes, it's been that type of day!) :giveup:

[sk8ryellow]

I just want to say good luck to all of the skaters competing today skate gr8!:lol::P:D :mrgreen:

[techskater]

color me impressed :bow::bow:

That's my training partner. :)

[sk8ryellow]

I want to watch my mom perform at adult nationals on ice network but on the event page there is no link to a video or anything, are they showing it live? I am a subscriber to the season pass but should I subscribe again and the link will show up to watch it?

[phoenix]

They aren't showing it live. My guess is it will be a few weeks before it's up.

[sk8ryellow]

That is so stupid, ecspecially when they have live results and starting orders!:roll::x

[RachelSk8er]

I'm crossing my fingers that solo dance is here for good! (And that pre-levels get added next year so I can move up and get my butt kicked in pre-gold rather than gold...holy moly there were some good dancers in the gold groups, I'm glad I stayed silver.) It was a fun time and seems to have gone over really well. I think the way the groups were split this time around worked fine, I guess I really have no reason to complain!

Despite my horrible practices the past month and hardly working on dance at all the past few months (stupid tango had been frustrating me pretty much since before Mids for some reason so I just avoided it unless my coach made me do it), I pulled my stuff together, put out some good skates, and hit all my goals as far as where I wanted to place in freestyle and dance (and I just wanted a good skate in interp irregardless of where the numbers fell). I kind of wish I'd had a little better skate in freestyle and actually nailed everything since I only missed the podium by one judge, but oh well! (Flying unidentified thingamaboby back scratch spin/botched flip toe pretty much did me in, and I think my sit-back-sit was icky too but I don't remember.) Plenty to work on for next year, mainly nailing the flying camel, lower sit spin positions, getting rid of the god awful chicken wing thing I do with my R arm on my jumps (a bad habit my coach has been trying to break all year but as evidenced by action shots he hasn't succeeded). And maybe an axel.

Cindy Crouse=my hero. Seriously, she gives all of us younger skaters something to aspire to.

I hope everyone is having a good time at the competitors party...I'm stuck back at the hotel working on this stupid final paper and studying. Ugh. As you can see, I'm procrastinating a little.

[techskater]

There are no ways to feed the video from the rink.

[sk8ryellow]

LOL! My mom didn't go to the party either, she was tired and didn't think it would be very fun

[Mel On Ice]

LOL! My mom didn't go to the party either, she was tired and didn't think it would be very fun

she was wrong :D

[techskater]

LOL! My mom didn't go to the party either, she was tired and didn't think it would be very fun

Your mom was WRONG!!!!!!!!! GGR hosts a GREAT competition and an EVEN BETTER PAR-TAY! I skated W-F, was up until 4A Friday night, got up at 8A on Saturday and get in just after 4A this morning.

[coskater64]

The party was very fun!!

The LOC should be given a medal for the wonderful job they, very organized, very well run, and just a very good comp overall. It was very sweet when towards the end of champ dance the LOC members were given a standing ovation and a hearty thank you for all their hard work. (techskater)

As a reminder, solo dance is in the midst of a 2 year trial period, so it is important to get good numbers for this event so it can continue. As someone who skated with only one pre gold dance under my belt, and chose to skate gold solo dance it is a little intimidating...but just watching the others is awe inspiring and makes you want to dance more. I would highly suggest the solo dance event, very quick, very fun not a lot of time to get nervous.

This was a very fun event this year, if only I could shake this cold, virius, thing I have.

8O8O:halo::halo::twisted::twisted:

[Isk8NYC]

Where's the "live video feed" on icenetwork.com? I'm logged in and all, but I can't find the magic link to it!There's no magic link. They're not broadcasting live, AFAIK. Their site says "on demand." That means they wait until the official video studio sends them the footage, then IceNetwork will post it for viewing. Could take some time.

I think that in years past, they've only posted the high-profile events like Gold. Is that correct? If we want to see everything, we should start a in campaign to ask IceNetwork to post ALL the events and skaters on demand.

[Stormy]

There's no magic link. They're not broadcasting live, AFAIK. Their site says "on demand." That means they wait until the official video studio sends them the footage, then IceNetwork will post it for viewing. Could take some time.

I think that in years past, they've only posted the high-profile events like Gold. Is that correct? If we want to see everything, we should start a in campaign to ask IceNetwork to post ALL the events and skaters on demand.

No, they have had all the events. I watched my Silver II event last year and my Silver I the year before.

[Isk8NYC]

No, they have had all the events. I watched my Silver II event last year and my Silver I the year before.
I remember writing to them (maybe it was the first year?) to ask for a certain event. Maybe it was just the last one they posted and I was my usual impatient self, chuckle.

[jazzpants]

LOL! My mom didn't go to the party either, she was tired and didn't think it would be very fun
Depends. Would your mom enjoy having good appetizers, open bar, lots of dancing with a HUGE group of her fellow skaters, including a few shirtless guys? :twisted: 8O :oops: :halo:

I've had a great time here at Grand Rapids!!! I did better than last year in standings. And I got good feedback on what to work on from a fellow judge who has seen my skating last year. You know who you are! :)

LOC: WOW!!! What a GREAT job you guys have done!!! :bow: :bow: :bow:

[flo]

We had a great time,but had to leave before the party to get back here for our rink shows. Last night's skate went really well and a treat to be announced as just arriving from nationals with a medal!

Many thanks to the LOC for a wonderful event!!!!!!! :bow:

[Hannahclear]

Another set of kudos here, the event was very well-run! :) I had a great time. One of these days, I'm going to have an extra day just to watch and maybe even attend that party. Sounds like it was a lot of fun!

[daisies]

I'm sitting on a plane in Detroit waiting for a mechanical problem to be fixed, but I wanted to chime in with my kudos to the LOC for doing a fabulous job. I've been lucky enough to participate in all 15 ANs, and this one ranks up there with the best.

Congratulations to the LOC, and to all the skaters for your hard work and dedication. No matter what place you got, you are what makes adult skating the force it is today!

[skaternum]

Congrats to all the skatingforum folks who competed! Sounds like it was a great time this year. :)

RE: the choice of adults spotlighted ... it does kinda seem like there's been a preponderance of returning skaters or skaters with heart breaking illnesses or injuries. That gets a little old after a while, in my opinion.

[Isk8NYC]

Congratulations to everyone who skated!

[RachelSk8er]

Your mom was WRONG!!!!!!!!! GGR hosts a GREAT competition and an EVEN BETTER PAR-TAY! I skated W-F, was up until 4A Friday night, got up at 8A on Saturday and get in just after 4A this morning.

I skipped seeing Alex and Amy (well and the rest of the champ masters ladies) compete, skipped the freakin party, locked myself in the hotel room, got my paper written, only to come home today to an email from my professor extending the deadline by 2 extra days. :frus: Such is life!

[sk8ryellow]

OMG that would suck so freaking bad!

[flying~camel]

Your mom was WRONG!!!!!!!!! GGR hosts a GREAT competition and an EVEN BETTER PAR-TAY! I skated W-F, was up until 4A Friday night, got up at 8A on Saturday and get in just after 4A this morning.

I can top that - I was up at 5:30am EVERY DAY this week and stayed at the party until 3am last night, LOL!

I got home from the rink around 3pm today (we had some cleaning up to do) and just slept for 4 hours. :)

[flying~camel]

It was very sweet when towards the end of champ dance the LOC members were given a standing ovation and a hearty thank you for all their hard work. (techskater)

Yeah, thanks for making me cry, techskater! ;)

I was SO emotional last night! A few people at the party came up to me to tell me how much fun they had this week and I burst into tears for the next 10 minutes. It's crazy what how not getting much sleep makes me super sensitive, LOL!

[flying~camel]

Depends. Would your mom enjoy having good appetizers, open bar, lots of dancing with a HUGE group of her fellow skaters, including a few shirtless guys? :twisted: 8O :oops: :halo:

An open bar serving OBERON!! Can you tell that's my fav beer? ;)

[flying~camel]

I skipped seeing Alex and Amy (well and the rest of the champ masters ladies) compete, skipped the freakin party, locked myself in the hotel room, got my paper written, only to come home today to an email from my professor extending the deadline by 2 extra days. :frus: Such is life!

Oh, that SUCKS! We totally missed you last night :(

[looplover]

Congrats to everyone! :bow::bow::bow: Hoping I can get Ice Network vids to work and I can watch!

[flo]

I missed the interp programs. What were the artistic favorites?

[Black Sheep]

RE: the choice of adults spotlighted ... it does kinda seem like there's been a preponderance of returning skaters or skaters with heart breaking illnesses or injuries. That gets a little old after a while, in my opinion.

Exactly what I have been thinking for almost two years now!

[sk8rpinkLisa]

Sk8ryellow's Mom did not go to the party because she was tired - not because she did not think the party would be fun. Sk8ryellow's Mom was very tired having been at the rink since 7:00am and competing Gold III at 8:15am. Sk8tryellow's mom went back to the hotel after competing in the Masters Interp Dramatic at 4:15. I ordered a pizza cuz I haven't eaten in 2 months and fell asleep. Wish I went cuz I love hot shirtless guys!

[jazzpants]

Sk8ryellow's Mom did not go to the party because she was tired - not because she did not think the party would be fun. Sk8ryellow's Mom was very tired having been at the rink since 7:00am and competing Gold III at 8:15am. Sk8tryellow's mom went back to the hotel after competing in the Masters Interp Dramatic at 4:15. I ordered a pizza cuz I haven't eaten in 2 months and fell asleep. Wish I went cuz I love hot shirtless guys!I've heard that people were trying to get Charlie to take off his shirt too, but the most they were able to do was to loosen his tie!!! LOL!!! :P :lol: :bow: But yeah, there were quite a few shirtless guys! No names mentioned, of course, to protect the not so innocent... :P :halo: :lol:

I also got a chance to finally meet Scott Sheet, who is going thrum some major obstacles. Hope he gets it sorted out for next year. :)

I skipped seeing Alex and Amy (well and the rest of the champ masters ladies) compete, skipped the freakin party, locked myself in the hotel room, got my paper written, only to come home today to an email from my professor extending the deadline by 2 extra days. :frus: Such is life!
DOH!!! Sorry about that! We did miss you at the party!!! (But I'm very glad to see you again! :) )

Hi, everyone!!! In case you guys didn't know (or don't have access to Facebook, I was STRANDED with a slew of skaters at the GRR airport this afternoon b/c of delays/cancellations due to the bad weather. Needless to say, it TOTALLY screwed up many people's connecting flights, including yours truly!!! :evil:

I was fortunate that I was on the standby list and that I managed to make the very last flight from Denver to SFO on United since all of the flights were FULL!!! They had me booked for the flight for the NEXT day and MIDDAY too!!! Seriously, I really wanted to get home and sleep in my own bed -- NOT stay at a hotel for the night, but I was very worried by the time I missed the flight before the last flight to SFO for the night...

Unfortunately, Terri C is not so fortunate! She has asked me to post on here that she is in Chicago staying for the night and then flying out in the afternoon the next day.

coskater64: I meant to say goodbye to you but you walked off very quickly on our GRR flight before I had a chance to. I see that you're home safe based on your FB status, so I'm glad! Glad to see you again and good luck on that Jr. Moves test!!! :bow:

Okay, just ate, now shower and then MY BED!!! :bow:

[looplover]

Wait, on ice network, why no coverage of champ masters ladies? Or did I just somehow miss it? I'm not seeing any coverage of Amy Entwistle! I see coverage of other events and the men. Hm.

[Stormy]

Wow, apparently I was a lucky one to get out of GR with no problems at all. My flight was at 6:30 AM (Rachel, I could have sworn it was at 6 AM, I didn't realize it was 6:30 till I checked in) and I saw a bunch were delayed so I figured mine would be too. But nope, we boarded and took off right on time. I figured it'd be a bumpy take off but it wasn't bad at all. Landed in Cincinnati and that one left right on time too. I was home and unpacking by noontime.

BTW, in response to Skaternum and Black Sheep: I've been Silver an ANs for three years, and this was my first year at Gold. I've never felt slighted about anything being at a lower level. It's about the experience, seeing friends and having fun, not getting your name plastered everywhere. Classic example of you can't please everyone. I just don't get what you want? How does it lessen anyone's accomplishments by not getting "spotlighted" or "profiled" or whatever?

[Dave]

Congrats and thank you to everyone who came to our little slice of heaven in Grand Rapids. From behind the scenes of the LOC, you have no idea how glad we are that all of you had a great time. The kudos and thanks have been overwhelming.

On a personal note, I am overwhelmed at the generoisty the skating community has given to our son. William has skater aunts and uncles all over the country. We knew there was a support system for him, but to actually be able to meet many of you and be able to show current pictures was great. I tripped over a pile of presents this morning in our living room and asked Melissa if these were all from our skating family. She said there were more in her car and already in the nursery. WOW. Thank you.

Come back to Grand Rapids! There is so much to do and even more places to skate!

[RachelSk8er]

I love how David is on skatingforums!! Serious props to not only the GGRFSC ladies, but the husbands who were there all week too. Yay! Even though we don't really seem to agree on MLB teams...

I wish you guys could do ANs every year, but then again on the other hand I missed having everyone around to just goof off and act stupid with us like you usually have more time to do!

Wow, apparently I was a lucky one to get out of GR with no problems at all. My flight was at 6:30 AM (Rachel, I could have sworn it was at 6 AM, I didn't realize it was 6:30 till I checked in) and I saw a bunch were delayed so I figured mine would be too. But nope, we boarded and took off right on time. I figured it'd be a bumpy take off but it wasn't bad at all. Landed in Cincinnati and that one left right on time too. I was home and unpacking by noontime.

Worst part of ANs every year when one of us has to drive the other to the airport :cry: And not because it's 4:30 in the morning, either!!

[flying~camel]

My husband seemed to be having a lot of fun giving out the wrist bands at the party on Saturday! Thanks to (most) everyone for being nice to him :)

[jazzpants]

Dang time zone change!!! Rest day today!!!

Let's see, there were about 15 of us, 8 of which were sitting around our table. A Bronze pair whose names I forgot, Elizabeth M., Century, Terri C., coskater64, Dave Tsai, "Grandma" Molly, Vegas Barbara... One of my rinkmates narrowly escaped having to miss her connecting flight. I missed going to her flight from standby by a short margin.

So believe me, I was so relieved when I made it thru from standby to the plane on the last flight of the night! United Easy CheckIn already rescheduled my flight for the 11:22am flight the next day back. Obviously, b/c of my finances, I did NOT want to be on THAT plane. When I got the 9:30pm flight, I did a happy dance and gave the boading pass a BIG smooch. My checked in lugguage were waiting when I got there. (It made the previous standby flight that I narrowly missed getting on.)

It was great meeting you finally, Dave! Take good care of Will and our gal, Mel On Ice!!! We all love her... And we all love the progress of watching Will grow according to a $20, though Will was cranky about having his allowance shrink to a fiver as he grew bigger!!! LOL!!!

Okay, re: the former child skater topic... I was beaten out of qualifying for the final round by a group of those! One thing I've always learn from this experience is you can't control who your competitors are and their past. You can only control your own skating. The sandbagger are always gonna be there. Can't beat 'em? Then JOIN 'em by working on your skill sets and don't test up!!! :twisted: :lol: :P. (One of the "former child skaters" I've competed with is a very nice lady and I would never want to bash her b/c of that.)

The other lesson learned is if people stopped worrying about placements and make goals based on THEIR own individual sets, we'd all be saner for it! Terri C and I can confirm that one gal was visibly upset b/c she wasn't placed higher. 8O I can also say for myself that I did land a clean lutz @ AN this year and did improved on the overall skating skills. So JUST missing the final round didn't bother me that much. Annoyed, yes! Bothered by it, no.

(BTW: Terri and I had a good consultion prize for not making to final round. We got HUGE burgers for ourselves while watching the Bronze Ladies 3 final and said "Nyah, nyah! You have to skate the final round! WE get to sit back and savor our JUICY BURGERS!" :twisted: (Okay, my stomach paid the prize for it later on...and I was back on cleaner foods the next day. :lol: )

[w.w.west]

My husband seemed to be having a lot of fun giving out the wrist bands at the party on Saturday! Thanks to (most) everyone for being nice to him :)

What do you mean "most". Does someone need a kick in the behind???

[manleywoman]

Terri C and I can confirm that one gal was visibly upset b/c she wasn't placed higher. 8O

Well, to address this, I think it's okay to be upset with your skate or placement. If you wanted to qualify and didn't . . . or you worked really hard on your program and just missed the podium . . . or you worked really hard and were well-trained, and ended up falling four times . . . we've all been there. Happens to all of us! Where I think it crosses the line is where a skater starts blaming the other skaters/judges/circumstances for it. You can only control what you did. Personally I don't mind tears of disappointment from a skater as long as it's discreet and not a major temper tantrum.

I also want to add my huge kudos to the LOC for a fabulous job! Wish we could have stayed to watch any of the Championship events, but we had to leave on Friday. I also heard the party was fun!

Dying to see Lori's interp . . . can someone tell me which Interp event she was in so I know to watch it?

[w.w.west]

I love how David is on skatingforums!! Serious props to not only the GGRFSC ladies, but the husbands who were there all week too. Yay! Even though we don't really seem to agree on MLB teams...


Yes...that was quite impressive!!! Thanks to all the hubby's. Ya just don't see that everywhere!


I wish you guys could do ANs every year, but then again on the other hand I missed having everyone around to just goof off and act stupid with us like you usually have more time to do!


I agree!!! But then...they need time to recover....how about every other year!! I'm being quite honest when I say this that it is THE BEST run AN I have been to. It has a lot to do with it being run by Adult Skaters and their other halfs!!!! I still can't get over how there wasn't drama. If there was, they did a good job of keeping it under wraps.

[sk8ryellow]

Sk8ryellow's Mom did not go to the party because she was tired - not because she did not think the party would be fun. Sk8ryellow's Mom was very tired having been at the rink since 7:00am and competing Gold III at 8:15am. Sk8tryellow's mom went back to the hotel after competing in the Masters Interp Dramatic at 4:15. I ordered a pizza cuz I haven't eaten in 2 months and fell asleep. Wish I went cuz I love hot shirtless guys!

Wow, LOL mom

[skaternum]

It's about the experience, seeing friends and having fun, not getting your name plastered everywhere. Classic example of you can't please everyone. I just don't get what you want? How does it lessen anyone's accomplishments by not getting "spotlighted" or "profiled" or whatever?

I never said anything about it "lessening anyone's accomplishments by not getting 'spotlighted' or 'profiled." Nor have I ever expressed any desire to be "profiled." Please don't put words in my mouth. I'm just saying that seeing the same kinds of profiles over and over gets old. Adult skating is more than returning kids and cancer survivors.

[Stormy]

I never said anything about it "lessening anyone's accomplishments by not getting 'spotlighted' or 'profiled." Nor have I ever expressed any desire to be "profiled." Please don't put words in my mouth. I'm just saying that seeing the same kinds of profiles over and over gets old. Adult skating is more than returning kids and cancer survivors.


Again, what do you want? What do you want the criteria to be? Pick a name out of a hat of the 500+ people that skate at ANs? If you think it's such a problem, help us out with some solutions!

And I wasn't putting words in your mouth. I clearly stated that was to you AND Black Sheep, who did say several times she was displeased at not getting profiled.

[flying~camel]

What do you mean "most". Does someone need a kick in the behind???

There were a couple of people who weren't so nice to him & Becky's husband, both of whom gave up their Saturday night to be there. :??

I agree!!! But then...they need time to recover....how about every other year!! I'm being quite honest when I say this that it is THE BEST run AN I have been to. It has a lot to do with it being run by Adult Skaters and their other halfs!!!! I still can't get over how there wasn't drama. If there was, they did a good job of keeping it under wraps.

We do have to turn around and do this all again in 2 months, since we are still holding our annual open in June (btw, we have IJS for Gold/Masters... I'm just sayin' ;)). Our club members who volunteered kept commenting to us about how nice adult skaters are and how it was REALLY nice not to have to deal with skating parents, LOL! I think they would support us if/when we decide to bid again. :)

There were some minor dramatic moments, but they were small and managable - nothing to get everyone in a tizzy over. I think the fact that we had the most awesome chief referee EVER also helped! :)

[jazzpants]

Well, to address this, I think it's okay to be upset with your skate or placement. If you wanted to qualify and didn't . . . or you worked really hard on your program and just missed the podium . . . or you worked really hard and were well-trained, and ended up falling four times . . . we've all been there. Happens to all of us! Where I think it crosses the line is where a skater starts blaming the other skaters/judges/circumstances for it. You can only control what you did. Personally I don't mind tears of disappointment from a skater as long as it's discreet and not a major temper tantrum.True... I was very upset at my performance at Skate SF last Nov. It impacted me going into AN b/c my heart was just not into competing this year (mainly b/c of this one competition but also b/c of the job situation) Somehow I managed to find enough fire to compete in everyone at AN!!! So THANK YOU EVERYONE for giving me back the fighting spirit!!! :bow:

(ETA: That said, the person I had in mind DID qualify for the final round and this is her first time qualifying for the final round. But she expected to be higher up in the placements. Me personally, she think did great!)

I missed Lori's Interp!!! AUGH!!! I want to see how she tops Charlie Brown and the kite!!! :D

The best part of AN is as it is every year - my skating buddies!!! What a great group of people you guys are!!! Very supportive!!! LOVE IT!!! LOVE IT!!! :bow: :bow: :bow:

[daisies]

I'm so sad that I missed the party. At 9pm on Saturday I just hit a wall. I was so exhausted, and I hadn't started packing yet. And I knew the next morning I'd have to drive two hours to Detroit to catch my flight. So while I know I made the right decision to skip the party, I still wish I'd been there!!!

[manleywoman]

There were a couple of people who weren't so nice to him & Becky's husband, both of whom gave up their Saturday night to be there. :??
. . . I think the fact that we had the most awesome chief referee EVER also helped! :)

That sucks that people weren't nice to the SOs. Ugh!

And I agree about the awesomeness of the referee!!

[jazzpants]

That sucks that people weren't nice to the SOs. Ugh!

And I agree about the awesomeness of the referee!!
I'll go kick their butts!!! WITH PLEASURE TOO!!! :twisted:

REFEREE :bow: (who unfortunately, was one of the people stuck with us at GRR airport Sunday afternoon!!! LOL!!!)

[vesperholly]

There were a couple of people who weren't so nice to him & Becky's husband, both of whom gave up their Saturday night to be there. :??
Bummer!! They were so nice! Some people :roll:

ps, I felt like a total rock star when you recognized me at the door and was all, "Oh, she's on the list, I know her" hahaha my celebrity 15 seconds of fame! 8-) :D

[sk8er1964]

The action photographer has the AN pictures up on their website.

http://www.quicksilvershots.com/index.asp

[manleywoman]

ps, I felt like a total rock star when you recognized me at the door and was all, "Oh, she's on the list, I know her" hahaha my celebrity 15 seconds of fame! 8-) :D

Since your PM mailbox is full . . .

So sorry I got to see you for all of ten seconds! That's how ANs goes . . . like a huge party where you see people from across the room!

Hope you had a good time!

[Black Sheep]

I never said anything about it "lessening anyone's accomplishments by not getting 'spotlighted' or 'profiled." Nor have I ever expressed any desire to be "profiled." Please don't put words in my mouth. I'm just saying that seeing the same kinds of profiles over and over gets old. Adult skating is more than returning kids and cancer survivors.

Ditto! Hammer, meet nail. ;)

[looplover]

Ooh I can see the pictures while I wait (quite impatiently!) for the videos!

AARRGGHH I wish I'd gone! LOL, I knew that would happen. Program just wasn't ready - here's to next year, providing I get my butt back on the ice one of these days!

[sk8lady]

It's about the experience, seeing friends and having fun, not getting your name plastered everywhere. Classic example of you can't please everyone. I just don't get what you want? How does it lessen anyone's accomplishments by not getting "spotlighted" or "profiled" or whatever?

I don't know what your experience is like, but some of us have to overcome the odds every single day to be able to skate--and while it's not the same as having to overcome a brain tumor or something, it grinds away at you to have little or no support for your skating from your family and your non-skating friends; to try to schedule lessons when you are not a kid skater and your coach thinks that your lessons aren't and shouldn't be important; and when you have to drive hundreds of miles to take lessons and tests, while trying to juggle a professional career, your kid's numerous activities, and still getting dinner on the table every night--and that makes it super-special if you get recognized by someone somewhere for your accomplishments.

What could you do? Well, alternate which levels are spotlighted every week--so one week you might have 3 bronze skaters; the next week 3 silver; and the next week 3 gold. Emphasizing experience levels would be nice to. I don't care if I'm never profiled, but I would like to feel reassured and inspired by reading the Adult Corner, not discouraged because I can never turn back time and start skating when I was 6.

[RachelSk8er]

I don't know what your experience is like, but some of us have to overcome the odds every single day to be able to skate--and while it's not the same as having to overcome a brain tumor or something, it grinds away at you to have little or no support for your skating from your family and your non-skating friends; to try to schedule lessons when you are not a kid skater and your coach thinks that your lessons aren't and shouldn't be important; and when you have to drive hundreds of miles to take lessons and tests, while trying to juggle a professional career, your kid's numerous activities, and still getting dinner on the table every night--and that makes it super-special if you get recognized by someone somewhere for your accomplishments.

That goes for everyone though, it's not not just unique to beginning/lower level skaters. We all have jobs, families, other obligations that make us lucky to squeeze in an hour of ice time. We all drive hundreds of miles. We all have people in our lives who don't get what we do and are not terribly supportive. I can name off the top of my head skaters at all levels who are cancer survivors, who have had hips or other body parts replaced, who have suffered severe skating injuries that kept them off the ice for over a year, and overcome all kinds of other issues or problems.

[Terri C]

The best way I can put this into words is that I literally and figuratively had "the time of my life. " Those of you that saw my Interp event on Friday morning know what I'm talking about.
My highlights:

The Tuesday afternoon practice that was also a comedy hour with Joanna's coach (Jay) and my coach for rent for the week.

Skating a near perfect free in Bronze III B on Wednesday afternoon. I don't think I've ever had my head so calm at a competition. I came in last but I was soo happy with how I skated, so I didn't care. I had been told by Primary Coach that she wanted me to skate for personal best and not worry about placements.

Friday was great except I got a little too excited towards the end of my Interp and blew the sitspin. I also think I was starting to get tired. Came in last, but forget medals I got champaigne. Watching Cindy Crouse and Larry Holladay skate was amazing. And NoVa and dcden had awesome skates in Champ Gold Men. Also enjoyed watching Marco Pizzo, Mike Cruz and Alan Emerick.


Saturday...humm I was tired, 'cause the hotel coffee was not kicking it for me. Did get to see Beth Delano skate and win Champ Intermediate Novice Ladies. I also heard that Jenny Needham Wall got hurt while doing her program. Anyone have a update on her? Caught another skater from my area in her LE/C Interp as well as another dcden/NoVa showdown.
Went back to the hotel and got ready for the party and trip home on Sunday. Jazz and I lost track of time and dang nabbit we missed Champ Master Junior Senior Ladies. Needless to say I kicked myself in the butt when I heard that Amy Entwistle had won and was nothing short of spectacular.

Then there was the party....which, like the entire week of competition, lived up to the hype that I had heard of. Drank and danced my butt off and all was right with the world.

The lowlights, which we all know are not in the hands of the LOC:

Sunday...lots of us stranded at GRR and I then had to decide whether to rebook my GRR to O'Hare flight for the next day as my flight home from O'Hare was cancelled. Went to O'Hare anyway and tried to get on standby on a 9pm flight to Norfolk. Denied and got rebooked for a 2pm flight for today and a hotel for the night. Ugh!

Today..finally home at 5:30 pm EST... was soo happy to see the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and the Virginia Beach coastline on the final descent into Norfolk. Don't know who was happier that I was home, my father, the dog, or the cat.

Minneapolis next year? Maybe. ;)

[Isk8NYC]

Terri, I'm glad you skated cleanly. I like it when the judges have to sweat instead of the skaters, lol.

I was hoping to watch Amy Entwhistle before I found out the results, but no such luck. Her coach was so proud and excited, she told me tonight at the rink before I could say that I was trying to be spoiler-free.

A big congrats to Amy for two golden performances!

[NoVa Sk8r]

Caught another skater from my area in her LE/C Interp as well as another dcden/NoVa showdown.LOL--I wouldn't really call it a showdown (at least I hope it's not like that)!
I wanted to say thanks for the "community service awards." :lol: I ended up enjoying one on the plane. 8-)

[sk8er1964]

Terri, I'm glad you skated cleanly. I like it when the judges have to sweat instead of the skaters, lol.

I was hoping to watch Amy Entwhistle before I found out the results, but no such luck. Her coach was so proud and excited, she told me tonight at the rink before I could say that I was trying to be spoiler-free.

A big congrats to Amy for two golden performances!

Her performance in the champ event was one to remember over the years - and I told her that at the party.

[jazzpants]

The action photographer has the AN pictures up on their website.

http://www.quicksilvershots.com/index.asp
OUCH!!! DID NOT like the photos of me. Amazing I gain 5 lbs from last year and the camera makes me looked 15 lbs heavier. :frus:

Should be interesting when I see the video too... 8O (Oh, dear!!! A LOT of work needs to be done.)

[vesperholly]

I was hoping to watch Amy Entwhistle before I found out the results, but no such luck. Her coach was so proud and excited, she told me tonight at the rink before I could say that I was trying to be spoiler-free.
It was so great, I forgot to tape it! :frus: I taped the big roar from the audience at the end, though. I wish I had gotten her friend screaming and jumping up and down in excitement. She must have been keeping track of scores and figured out before everyone else, even the announcer, that Amy won. :lol: I don't know who she was, she was in a white dance dress.

I did tape the first half (including 2axel!) of Natalie Shaby's skate that I'm going to post to youtube later.

[kander]

OUCH!!! DID NOT like the photos of me. Amazing I gain 5 lbs from last year and the camera makes me looked 15 lbs heavier. :frus:

Should be interesting when I see the video too... 8O (Oh, dear!!! A LOT of work needs to be done.)

Your pictures look great!

[vesperholly]

That goes for everyone though, it's not not just unique to beginning/lower level skaters. We all have jobs, families, other obligations that make us lucky to squeeze in an hour of ice time. We all drive hundreds of miles. We all have people in our lives who don't get what we do and are not terribly supportive. I can name off the top of my head skaters at all levels who are cancer survivors, who have had hips or other body parts replaced, who have suffered severe skating injuries that kept them off the ice for over a year, and overcome all kinds of other issues or problems.
Maybe what the other posters are saying is that they'd like to see more "run-of-the-mill" skater stories? Skaters who have major struggles like cancer or debilitating injuries are dramatic (and inspirational) stories, but they aren't so relatable to those of us with more mundane skating careers.

[Stormy]

It was so great, I forgot to tape it! :frus: I taped the big roar from the audience at the end, though. I wish I had gotten her friend screaming and jumping up and down in excitement. She must have been keeping track of scores and figured out before everyone else, even the announcer, that Amy won. :lol: I don't know who she was, she was in a white dance dress.

I did tape the first half (including 2axel!) of Natalie Shaby's skate that I'm going to post to youtube later.

That was Lisa Chisholm that shreiked. I thought that was awesome, she'd defintiely figured it out before the rest of us. She and Amy train at the same rink, I believe.

[flying~camel]

ps, I felt like a total rock star when you recognized me at the door and was all, "Oh, she's on the list, I know her" hahaha my celebrity 15 seconds of fame! 8-) :D

LOL!! I figured I'd help him out and let him know who my peeps are ;)

[Isk8NYC]

That was Lisa Chisholm that shreiked. I thought that was awesome, she'd defintiely figured it out before the rest of us. She and Amy train at the same rink, I believe.
I know Amy from our Club and I find her very distracting when I'm on the ice with her. (meaning: I like to watch her programs, lol) I only know Lisa as our Club's videographer for competitions. It wasn't until Adult Easterns that I realized she was a skater. I guess I don't coach/skate on the same sessions as Lisa, but I'm still glad she did well!

[skaternum]

Maybe what the other posters are saying is that they'd like to see more "run-of-the-mill" skater stories? Skaters who have major struggles like cancer or debilitating injuries are dramatic (and inspirational) stories, but they aren't so relatable to those of us with more mundane skating careers.

Yes, that is exactly what I'm saying. Tell me about an adult onset skater who got her axel at 45. Vary the types of skaters that are profiled.

[w.w.west]

Yes, that is exactly what I'm saying. Tell me about an adult onset skater who got her axel at 45. Vary the types of skaters that are profiled.

I went through some Skating Magazines that I have around and looked through the Adult Corner sections and this is what I found:

Bronze Pair team who lives 100 miles away
Skaters who get involved…chairing comps., GC delegate, club board member
Adult skaters who coach
Adult skaters who are officials
Skate shop owner passionate about sport’s history
Bronze Pair team that learned skating later in life and coached by Lloyd Eisler
Lifetime Sport: Age just a number for adult skaters
Sense of accomplishment drives skaters
Skating keeps family fit, together
College teacher-silver skater
Adults who took/still practice figures


While I agree that there were a few about cancer survivors or returning from an injury/ilness, those stories do not overshadow others. There is quite a variety and the stories were skaters of all levels, not just returning kid skaters. Do you know of a skater who landed their first axel at 45 or a similar story? If so, tell Lexi.

I didn't do this to be vindictive in anyway. I do pay attention to these boards. Some things I take with a grain of salt, but when there is something that needs be cleared up, I step in. Stepping back out now......

[rlichtefeld]

I'd like to add my kudos to the LOC for this year's AN. The event ran great. Results came out timely, and the results were centrally located.

Unfortunately, I was only able to volunteer for one 3-hour session on Saturday morning.

The only downsides to my trip had nothing to do with the event, the hotel messed up several of our reservations and moved us to another hotel, and several of us picked up some nasty cold/virus thing. I had just caught it for the Silver III Men's event and did OK. But, by Friday it was in full force, and I really let my pairs partner down.

Luckily, I was able to overcome it enough to have a great time at the Competitor's party :halo:

Highlights were getting a marriage proposal (Alissa Csizny has nothing on me, and I hope my wife doesn't find out), quite a bit of ladies underthings thrown on the ice for my freeskate, the live critter thrown on the ice for our pairs skate. Also, someone mentioned something about my "style" on the ice. I never thought that I had a "style", but someone thinks so, and can recognize it.

Thanks again to the LOC.

Rob

[vesperholly]

Here's the first half of Natalie Shaby's awesome performance!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgbzcFk38mQ

:bow:

[manleywoman]

. . . to try to schedule lessons when you are not a kid skater and your coach thinks that your lessons aren't and shouldn't be important; . . .

Sounds like you need a new coach. That would solve that problem asap.

I think the Adult Corner does a great job covering a very diverse crowd of skaters. I've been in adult skating a loooooong time, and I'm amazed that there are still some skaters profiled who are completely new to me. There are several adult-onset skaters profiled.

ETA: w.w.west, thanks for backing that up with facts.

[doubletoe]

Here's the first half of Natalie Shaby's awesome performance!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgbzcFk38mQ

:bow:

Thanks, Vesperholly! :D I practice with Natalie every week so it's great to see this! She is, quite frankly, superhuman.

[RachelSk8er]

I went through some Skating Magazines that I have around and looked through the Adult Corner sections and this is what I found:

Bronze Pair team who lives 100 miles away
Skaters who get involved…chairing comps., GC delegate, club board member
Adult skaters who coach
Adult skaters who are officials
Skate shop owner passionate about sport’s history
Bronze Pair team that learned skating later in life and coached by Lloyd Eisler
Lifetime Sport: Age just a number for adult skaters
Sense of accomplishment drives skaters
Skating keeps family fit, together
College teacher-silver skater
Adults who took/still practice figures


While I agree that there were a few about cancer survivors or returning from an injury/ilness, those stories do not overshadow others. There is quite a variety and the stories were skaters of all levels, not just returning kid skaters. Do you know of a skater who landed their first axel at 45 or a similar story? If so, tell Lexi.

I didn't do this to be vindictive in anyway. I do pay attention to these boards. Some things I take with a grain of salt, but when there is something that needs be cleared up, I step in. Stepping back out now......

Thank you for backing that up. I always see a diverse crowd of skaters featured. I get frustrated when I hear "USFS doesn't care about adults", probably because that's doubled with "USFS doesn't care about synchro" whining that I have to deal with on a synchro site I (and Stormy) moderate...I know for a fact Lexi and everyone else work their butts off to advocate for us (just like Kelly Hodge works her butt off to advocate for synchro). I am one of the grown up kid skaters, and I am one of the young ones in terms of adult skating, but one thing I can say having been around a long, long time is that the growth of adult skating and our place in the USFS certainly hasn't gone unrecognized. We have our own features in Skating magazine now. Do you know what came to my doorstep as "Skating magazine" when I was a kid? A piece of junk small, black-and-white boring booklet of who passed what test and some lousy write-ups of big competitions with black and white photos. That was skating magazine. It was boring. Even when it became more of a real magazine, adults were never featured, neither was synchro. Both are now a part of every single issue.

I had no idea there was even such a thing as adult nationals until about ten years after the first one was held (all I knew about was adult synchro)! Now (partially thanks to having several adult national medalits at my rink), the kids and teens at my rink all know about it. The teenagers and college-age skaters actually ask me questions about it because they hear about it, some of them see pictures on Facebook, coverage on IceNetwork, they see how fun it is and they want to be involved when they're old enough! The attitude toward a teen/college age skater is clearly no longer "when are you gonna grow up and quit skating?" I get a ton of admiration from the parents at my rink who wish they could do what we do. Adults get their own learn-to-skate classes and aren't lumped in with kids like I remember them being when I was little. I see a lot more of those adults actually going on from basic skills to private lessons (whether they are just testing and learning to improve their skills, or whether their goal is to compete). There were never this many adults skating at the rinks I skated at when I was younger. I can go on about what I've seen change in the gazillion years since I started skating.

Things have changed. Not every coach is adult-friendly, not every club/rink is adult-friendly. If that is your gripe, maybe it's time to find a new coach or a new club. Don't blame the USFS for that. There are coaches out there who treat their adults like any other skater. There are clubs out there who honor their adult skaters who go to Nationals (even though for many of us all we do is sign up) just like they do for the kids who go to regionals/sectionals/JNs (giving them warm-up jackets, money, etc).

And by all means, don't just complain on a message board, it's not going to get you anywhere.

[sk8lady]

Pardon me, but this is a forum--a place where one can speak one's mind without censure. I have voiced some of the same concerns about adult skating at USFS coaching seminars as well as PSA seminars and conference, since I also coach and have found that often the speakers are in a hurry to move on to other topics. You would not believe how many classes I have sat through on teaching the axel, which none of my adult skaters will probably ever be able to attempt. Certainly there is some advancement--when I started coaching and then skating, there was no adult program of any kind at all--I was 30 and in a Basic Skills class with one other adult and kids from about 8-12, because there WAS no Adult Basic Skills, and it wasn't until several years after I had quit and then come back to skating after having a child that the adult testing system was instituted.

But I can also tell you that virtually none of the clinics or classes I participate in as a coach spend much, if any, time on working with adult skaters, particularly lower level adult skaters. What's more, if you go to icenetwork now, you'll find that the article on AN states that "Championship pairs, dance, and junior-senior ladies earn medals." This is the type of thing that leads me to believe that USFS's emphasis in adult skating is on drawing in returning and usually higher-level skaters and not in drawing in recreational adult skaters, and the emphasis in publicity reinforces this. If some of you don't agree with me, you're certainly entitled to that opinion, but that doesn't mean that you are entitled to tell me I can't have my opinion and that I should shut up.

And, as an aside, some of you may not be aware that there are many of us in rural areas who do not have a choice as to which rink or coach we utilize. Not every area has numerous rinks, or rinks that have figure skating ice, or even public skating ice which allows jumping and spinning; many coaches only offer lessons during times when those of us with heavy family responsibilities have to be home with our families. I know that if I wanted to continue in ice dance, I would have had to drive 300 miles to work with a partner and miss the majority of my son's hockey games, which was simply not an option.

All of us work hard and make sacrifices to skate. Please don't belittle others who are voicing their concerns by telling them "don't complain on a message board, it's not going to get you anywhere." I frankly think that is rude and not appropriate for this forum.

[Stormy]

Pardon me, but this is a forum--a place where one can speak one's mind without censure. I have voiced some of the same concerns about adult skating at USFS coaching seminars as well as PSA seminars and conference, since I also coach and have found that often the speakers are in a hurry to move on to other topics. You would not believe how many classes I have sat through on teaching the axel, which none of my adult skaters will probably ever be able to attempt. Certainly there is some advancement--when I started coaching and then skating, there was no adult program of any kind at all--I was 30 and in a Basic Skills class with one other adult and kids from about 8-12, because there WAS no Adult Basic Skills, and it wasn't until several years after I had quit and then come back to skating after having a child that the adult testing system was instituted.

But I can also tell you that virtually none of the clinics or classes I participate in as a coach spend much, if any, time on working with adult skaters, particularly lower level adult skaters. What's more, if you go to icenetwork now, you'll find that the article on AN states that "Championship pairs, dance, and junior-senior ladies earn medals." This is the type of thing that leads me to believe that USFS's emphasis in adult skating is on drawing in returning and usually higher-level skaters and not in drawing in recreational adult skaters, and the emphasis in publicity reinforces this. If some of you don't agree with me, you're certainly entitled to that opinion, but that doesn't mean that you are entitled to tell me I can't have my opinion and that I should shut up.

And, as an aside, some of you may not be aware that there are many of us in rural areas who do not have a choice as to which rink or coach we utilize. Not every area has numerous rinks, or rinks that have figure skating ice, or even public skating ice which allows jumping and spinning; many coaches only offer lessons during times when those of us with heavy family responsibilities have to be home with our families. I know that if I wanted to continue in ice dance, I would have had to drive 300 miles to work with a partner and miss the majority of my son's hockey games, which was simply not an option.

All of us work hard and make sacrifices to skate. Please don't belittle others who are voicing their concerns by telling them "don't complain on a message board, it's not going to get you anywhere." I frankly think that is rude and not appropriate for this forum.


No one's saying you're not entitled to your opinion and no one is telling you to shut up. But to invoke real change, griping on here isn't going to do anything. Have you e-mailed your concerns to anyone on the Adult commitee? Their contact info is all on the USFS Adult page. We have a lot of people advocating for us.

You're exactly right, we ALL work hard and make sacrifices to skate. We're not all going to be able to have ideal training environments or the most supportive environment. You can either take what you have and make yourself the best skater you can be, or you can complain how unfair it is. You can make yourself miserable, or you can make yourself strong, the amount of work is the same. Cliche, but true.

I'm also getting really frustrated with the attitude of USFS dosen't care about their adult skaters. Rachel is right. We get three skaters featured in EVERY issue. Does USFS take three younger skaters from the lower levels and profile them every month? No. We used to have nothing at all. We get recognized with our own Nationals and Sectionals. There are adult only competitions all over the country. It comes back to the same question.....what do you want? We're not going to get the same coverage the elites do, plain and simple. Not every club or coach is adult friendly. That doesn't mean USFS dosen't care about us.

[daisies]

ITA with Stormy.

And I don't understand why it's OK for sk8lady to censure RachelSk8er for expressing her opinion but not vice-versa. You are free to speak your mind but you have to then accept other people freely speaking theirs.

(And this is only my business because you all made it all of our business by posting on a public forum.)

Kumbaya!

[RachelSk8er]

No one's saying you're not entitled to your opinion and no one is telling you to shut up. But to invoke real change, griping on here isn't going to do anything. Have you e-mailed your concerns to anyone on the Adult commitee? Their contact info is all on the USFS Adult page. We have a lot of people advocating for us.

This is EXACTLY what was brought up at the adult committee meeting on Thursday at ANs. Discussing and throwing around ideas on here is one thing. But that action alone won't get anything done. USFS chairs and committee members don't lurk on message boards to hear what we're saying. But trust me, they listen to us. That is one thing I've definitely noticed in the three short years that I've been an "adult" skater.

And as for PSA seminars not offering anything on coaching beginning adult skaters, go to your PSA chairs. Give them this feedback at the seminars you attend. They are always looking for different ideas of seminars and other events to hold in order to appeal to all their members.

[sk8er1964]

No one's saying you're not entitled to your opinion and no one is telling you to shut up. But to invoke real change, griping on here isn't going to do anything. Have you e-mailed your concerns to anyone on the Adult commitee? Their contact info is all on the USFS Adult page. We have a lot of people advocating for us.

You're exactly right, we ALL work hard and make sacrifices to skate. We're not all going to be able to have ideal training environments or the most supportive environment. You can either take what you have and make yourself the best skater you can be, or you can complain how unfair it is. You can make yourself miserable, or you can make yourself strong, the amount of work is the same. Cliche, but true.

I'm also getting really frustrated with the attitude of USFS dosen't care about their adult skaters. Rachel is right. We get three skaters featured in EVERY issue. Does USFS take three younger skaters from the lower levels and profile them every month? No. We used to have nothing at all. We get recognized with our own Nationals and Sectionals. There are adult only competitions all over the country. It comes back to the same question.....what do you want? We're not going to get the same coverage the elites do, plain and simple. Not every club or coach is adult friendly. That doesn't mean USFS dosen't care about us.

Word.

Ya know, I complain about my lack of training time - which I think has far more impact on my skating than whether or not I skated as a kid. I too have a son in hockey - travel hockey that takes up a considerable amount of time and money. I have been known to complain that other people have better training conditions than I do - which is unfair to them and self-pitying (but human.) Complaining hasn't changed my skating at all, though. ;)

None of this is US Figure Skating's fault. We have an awesome adult committee with people who are committed to adult skating. They (past, present and future) have done a wonderful job for us. Is there room for improvement? Of course - there always is. However, IMO they rock. :bow:

[sk8rpinkLisa]

If any one knows coach Jay from San Francisco Please tell him thank you for coaching me. I meant to get his address or e-mail at the party but I fell asleep and did not go. He was very nice to me.

[Stormy]

If any one knows coach Jay from San Francisco Please tell him thank you for coaching me. I meant to get his address or e-mail at the party but I fell asleep and did not go. He was very nice to me.

I believe coach Jay also coaches Jazzpants (or am I thinking wrong???) so she should be able to pass along the message. :)

[sk8er1964]

I believe coach Jay also coaches Jazzpants (or am I thinking wrong???) so she should be able to pass along the message. :)

You are correct. :)

[jazzpants]

If any one knows coach Jay from San Francisco Please tell him thank you for coaching me. I meant to get his address or e-mail at the party but I fell asleep and did not go. He was very nice to me.
I will pass on the word to "Tarasova." ;) :lol:

[sk8rpinkLisa]

Thank you. Also, if any one is looking for an interesting Adult skating story - how about a woman who survived an abusive marrige and had the guts to leave a domestic violent situation to raise 5 children all by herself and skating is what kept her sane all those years. Kids all grown now I can afford to compete. Ya hooey!

[jazzpants]

Lisa: Jay was NOT at the competitors party (much to the chengrin of many but a relieve for me and my pocketbook! ;) :lol: ) So if you were hoping to be there to say thank you to Jay, you were better off taking your nap!!! :lol: But if you wanted to dance with a bunch of hot, sweaty, shirtless guys... :P

And oh, yeah... yours would be a good story!!! 8O

Cheers,
jazzpants, who is amused that people want to rent my coaches out for AN :twisted: :lol: (Yes, Terri C's "Rent-A-Coach" at AN is my choreographer for my artistic program!!! 8-) )

[JazzySkate]

I lurk more than I post, but here goes:

We used to have nothing at all. We get recognized with our own Nationals and Sectionals. There are adult only competitions all over the country. It comes back to the same question.....what do you want? We're not going to get the same coverage the elites do, plain and simple. Not every club or coach is adult friendly. That doesn't mean USFS dosen't care about us.

I totally agree with this statement. Before there were AN's there were no such things as Adult Skating Camps, no Adult Groups classification, no Adult test track, no Adult Competitions, no Adult Anything. (Some) coaches were hesitant to teach adult skaters, figuring they "wouldn't amount to anything." Some adults were rediculed, even laughed at. I was sarcastically told that "skating was for kids." You basically took your chances on the ice being either the only adult, or one of a very few, because you were considered "an oddity" or "someone who's trying to stay young."

28 years and a few medals later (not to brag, really) I wish I could dangle them in front of those negative people and say: "Now...what was that about skating being a kid's sport...?!"

Rhea Schwartz was the force behind pushing USFS for recognition of adult skaters. I skated in the first two AN's (1995 & 1996) and since then, have seen the tremendous increase of adult skaters. It's awesome, refreshing, and inspiring. Finally we've been given the recognition and respect we truly deserve after years of being ignored.

I say: please be thankful that USFS actually cared to listen to Ms. Schwartz-otherwise; believe me, we adult skaters would not be where we are today- competing in AN, as well as participating in Skating Camps, and Groups, and featured in Skating mag. Parents are now taking lessons and skating alongside their kids. We've truly come a very long way.

[Thin-Ice]

There were a number of adult-skating pioneers including Rhea (many of whom are no longer on the ice). Yes we HAVE come a long way.... and yes there's still room for changes, but the only way to make this organization what we want it to be is to join those who do the work. So a BIG "thanks" to those who started the job and those who are still doing the work. :bow::bow::bow:

[Thin-Ice]

And a HUGE "thank you" to the AN LOC. You did a great job of getting information out early, making things easy to understand, answering the same questions probably hundreds of times and always with big smiles and lots of enthusiasm.:bow:

Also to all the skaters at AN, congratulations!!! There were so many programs that inspired me to try more and to work harder this coming season. In my way of thinking, anyone who set foot on ice for others to judge is a winner.

See you all again in Minnesota!

[Isk8NYC]

I will pass on the word to "Tarasova." ;) :lol:I don't even KNOW Jay and I laughed at this based on what you've told us about him, lol.

FWIW, I think that the USFSA Adult Skating program is wonderful. Could there be some improvements? Sure. But it's a far cry from what I experienced as an 18-year old in the early 1980's. See: NOTHING and "take up ice dance and don't compete because you're too old for our organization." The ISI accepted everyone, which is why I'm so loyal to them. The USFSA finally figured that message out, but they're still going through growing pains with the adult program.

As for the profiles, I don't think the writer/editor is keeping a tally to fill various quotas. ("One cancer survivor, two school figure skaters...no, make it three..." -- j/k)

My guess is that, if she comes across someone interesting or intriguing, she asks if she can profile the skater. If she doesn't have a lot of names in the hopper, she'll then contact those who send in their own information. I doubt that they're looking to slight anyone. To me, it seemed more like a networking. I might have just been in the right place at the right time - they might have had a gap in the column that month and needed a quick filler, so they asked me about it. (I declined. There's really nothing interesting about my skating, lol.)

I think this has been a lively discussion and an opportunity to make people think about the program and its issues from different perspectives. It's great that we can register a complaint, compliment or suggestion with the proper representatives. However, it's better to think it out and discuss it in advance because if you suggest something to a committee member, you could become tongue-tied when they counter with something you didn't know about or hadn't though about.

Look at what Flo has said: she suggested something and was told that the statistics didn't support her claim, yet she documented the numbers to show she had a valid point. (Never mess with a researcher!)

"Thinking out loud" is important and this board seems to be the main opportunity for US Adult figure skaters to have those discussions. In a way, it's better to have this online meeting of sorts than to have people exchange emails that only they see.

What would be more productive would be for someone on the board take the lead and document these threads' suggestions, comments, criticisms for the Adult Committee. A quick write-up in an email would be enough to keep them in the loop.

[sk8lady]

Exactly! Thanks for the idea, Isk8NYC. I'll see if I can't plow through some of the online suggestions here and on some of the other message boards and come up with suggestions to forward to the Adult Committee.

I went to law school and began practicing criminal law in the early 80's when fewer than 20% of the grads were female. If I and others like me hadn't complained back then about what things were like and how we were treated when I began practicing in an almost exclusively male field, nothing would have changed--and I was patted on the head (literally) by my boss and told by other lawyers that I must be trying rape cases because I wasn't "getting enough." Should I have kept quiet and just been grateful that I was at least allowed to practice law?

I'm currently one of the only female hockey coaches and the only practicing female referee in my district. The first year I coached many of the referees used to go down the line of coaches and shake hands with all the coaches before the game except for me, even if I had my hand out. You can bet that after I talked about this with others in the system, when I became a referee the guys running the trainings heard me complain about that, and they addressed it with the incoming refs at that year's seminar. Should I have kept quiet and just been grateful they were letting me participate as a coach and a ref?

Systems don't change unless people complain, whether it's filtered through a forum first or not. Sad but true...the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

[Stormy]

I'm going to Governing Council tomorrow and will be happy to pass on the ideas shared here with the commitee. :)

[sk8er1964]

I said this in the GC thread, and I'll say it again here. I do not feel that people who qualify for chanpionship events should be allowed to skate in the open events at AN. Here's some data for you (I only looked at gold because I'm short of time - got to get to the rink for my lesson :) ).

Seven Gold ladies chose to skate in both the championship and the open I, II and III events (none of them were in age group IV so I won't use that group in my counts). All seven of them medalled in the open event - one of them medalled in both. The gold medalists in Gold I, II, and III were all championship skaters. The silver medalists in I and II were championship skaters. The other two finished bronze in III and pewter in II. The 28 skaters who did not (for whatever reason) qualify fought for the remaining five medals. This just seems inherently unfair to the other 28 other skaters - who worked just as hard to get to AN as the people who skated both events did.

The Gold men had similar results, albeit with a much smaller field. Six men chose to do both events. Five of them medalled - 2 golds, 2 silvers, 1 bronze in the two open events. Two of them medalled in both.

Think about this. Generally, people who skate in the open either did not qualify, or did not go to sectionals for whatever reason. This means that - in that year, at least - they are skating at a lower level than the people skating in championship. When they end up skating against a bunch of championship level skaters anyway, it not only makes their event less competitive, it also dilutes the importance of the championship event itself because you no longer have to qualify to skate against the best of the best, so to speak.

JMHO, and I know that I'm not the only one to hold it. I just may be the only one vocalizing it publically.

[Stormy]

I had the Easterns and Mids champions in my Open Event and they were 1 and 2. No place to go but down for me, LOL. :) But, I also think that for the most part, different people sometimes qualify for Championship under 6.0 than they would under IJS. I think until we get IJS for Championship at Sectionals and we have a completely level playing field, they should still be allowed to do the open events.

On the other hand, I know some of them think of the open events as "warm-ups" for the Championship events. Is this an unfair advantage to them, to get to skate before Championship and gets the kinks and nervousness out? Maybe.

I guess I'm on the fence about it. I can see both sides of the coin. And to a degree, I enjoyed skating against the "best of the best" in my Open event. Seeing their protocols compared to mine lets me know exactly where I am lacking and need to improve. But not everyone might feel that way.

[manleywoman]

Well, on the flipside:

One year I got the Silver in Champ Gold.

The next day in my Open Gold event I got 8th.

Just sayin . . .

[Debbie S]

I think until we get IJS for Championship at Sectionals and we have a completely level playing field, they should still be allowed to do the open events. Isn't there a proposed rule change in the Request for Action to have IJS used in the Gold and Masters events at Adult Sectionals, presumably starting next year?

As for the other thoughts expressed here, I agree that rules, attitudes, etc about adult skating could use some tweaking. There is always room for improvement in everything, lol. But as others have pointed out, the program has come a long way. Unfortunately, there will always be coaches and clubs that aren't adult-friendly. If your coach isn't meeting your needs, find a new one - kids do it all the time. If your club is not a positive place, either find a new one or work to change people's attitudes - a lot of times, people aren't aware that what they say or do is making someone feel slighted.

As for the profiles in Skating Mag, I have seen quite a bit of variety as far as levels and disciplines. There have been a lot with the overcoming great obstacles angle, but that's typical of features everywhere - TV, print. etc. Think about the Oly broadcasts and who the network decides to profile (and I'm talking about all sports, not just skating). Journalists go for the drama. I don't desire to be profiled in Skating Mag and I can't understand why someone would be so offended if they weren't - don't we all have more important things to worry about? But to each his/her own, I guess.

[jazzpants]

I don't even KNOW Jay and I laughed at this based on what you've told us about him, lol.A demonstration of my point -- go on Ice Network, look at the first set of photos. He's the second the last photo!!! :P

BTW: His big white rug is perfect also for hiding Terri's champagne before she went on ice for her artistic!!! :twisted: :lol:

[Isk8NYC]

btw: His big white rug is perfect also for hiding terri's champagne before she went on ice for her artistic!!! :twisted: :lol:finally! I get some juicy details!!! Roflol!

[Skate@Delaware]

Isn't there a proposed rule change in the Request for Action to have IJS used in the Gold and Masters events at Adult Sectionals, presumably starting next year?

As for the other thoughts expressed here, I agree that rules, attitudes, etc about adult skating could use some tweaking. There is always room for improvement in everything, lol. But as others have pointed out, the program has come a long way. Unfortunately, there will always be coaches and clubs that aren't adult-friendly. If your coach isn't meeting your needs, find a new one - kids do it all the time. If your club is not a positive place, either find a new one or work to change people's attitudes - a lot of times, people aren't aware that what they say or do is making someone feel slighted.
Many times the changes have to start at home....home rink, home program, etc. Once you start making positive changes, it takes time to flow.

My rink was not adult-friendly when it first opened 6 years ago. The skating club is (still) not adult friendly (with only 1-2 adults thats a hard one to change). But some things take time. We now have 8-10 regular adult skaters and are gathering more interest. We have coaches that do teach adults (before there were only "kid" coaches). There are also adult lessons now. We are hoping, in another two or three years, to have "adults-only" skates.

[vesperholly]

Isn't there a proposed rule change in the Request for Action to have IJS used in the Gold and Masters events at Adult Sectionals, presumably starting next year?
I thought so, but then I heard at the adult committee meeting that it was still being discussed in committee. If that's correct, no IJS for 2010 Sectionals. :(

[Stormy]

I thought so, but then I heard at the adult committee meeting that it was still being discussed in committee. If that's correct, no IJS for 2010 Sectionals. :(

Clean your PM box out! :)

[jazzpants]

finally! I get some juicy details!!! Roflol!
That's nuttin'!!! :twisted: Of course, I would not tell on the boards... :halo:

[RachelSk8er]

I wouldn't care if champ skaters were not allowed in open events, BUT we actually need those skaters in some levels in order to hold viable events. In particular, I'm thinking of men where numbers are lower. If across the country 15 guys try to get in a champ round and only 12 make it, that leaves 3 in an open event (with maybe a few who could't do sectionals added in). That's small. Numbers in the masters events in ladies once they were split by age/level were small, too.

There are also people who have a bad day at sectionals, don't make the champ event where they could have done very well in it had they qualified (or for vaious reasons can't make it to mids--we all have jobs/families/injuries and things that come up)...I'm sure they'd like a competitive open event, it pushes you to work harder. For example, someone like Amber. Incredible skater, competed champ jr/sr in past years, and was kept out this year d/t an unfortunate skate at mids.

[daisies]

I wouldn't care if champ skaters were not allowed in open events, BUT we actually need those skaters in some levels in order to hold viable events. In particular, I'm thinking of men where numbers are lower. If across the country 15 guys try to get in a champ round and only 12 make it, that leaves 3 in an open event (with maybe a few who could't do sectionals added in). That's small. Numbers in the masters events in ladies once they were split by age/level were small, too.

There are also people who have a bad day at sectionals, don't make the champ event where they could have done very well in it had they qualified (or for vaious reasons can't make it to mids--we all have jobs/families/injuries and things that come up)...I'm sure they'd like a competitive open event, it pushes you to work harder. For example, someone like Amber. Incredible skater, competed champ jr/sr in past years, and was kept out this year d/t an unfortunate skate at mids.

Great points, Rachel, and ITA. Skaters shouldn't essentially be penalized because they qualified for Championship. In many cases skaters qualify simply because there were four or fewer in their Sectionals event.

AN is basically an open competition, and every skater has the right to enter their specific level in their specific age group. Championship -- which is a combination of ages and, in the case of Masters, levels -- should be considered a BONUS.

[Isk8NYC]

I wouldn't care if champ skaters were not allowed in open events, BUT we actually need those skaters in some levels in order to hold viable events. In particular, I'm thinking of men where numbers are lower. If across the country 15 guys try to get in a champ round and only 12 make it, that leaves 3 in an open event (with maybe a few who could't do sectionals added in). That's small. Numbers in the masters events in ladies once they were split by age/level were small, too.I'm just an innocent bystander, but what others have said is that it's a Catch-22 situation. Allowing anyone to register in order to gain numbers could be discouraging AOS skaters from registering, thereby lowering your numbers.

Another need that you might want to present is a true, controlled survey of ALL adult USFSA skaters, competitive or not. The USFSA's categories on the membership forms really leave some people out of the category. The last survey I remember taking was focused on a specific need (whether or not to keep sectionals, I believe), and the data is probably out of date.

Not having reliable, current information is an opportunity cost: if skaters are not counted or surveyed, how can you possibly understand what their needs and wants are from the organization?

[sk8er1964]

AN is basically an open competition, and every skater has the right to enter their specific level in their specific age group. Championship -- which is a combination of ages and, in the case of Masters, levels -- should be considered a BONUS.

I disagree. Although AN is basically an open event, the championship events are special and should be considered as such. The skaters in them are skating at a higher standard - the placements I referenced prove that. Do you think that winning a championship level event is the same as winning an open event? I don't.

If the championship events aren't considered any better than the open events, then we should do away with them altogether. Which IMO would greatly lesson the prestige of the competition and turn it into just a really large version of the Peach or DBNAI or New Year's.

[sk8er1964]

There are also people who have a bad day at sectionals, don't make the champ event where they could have done very well in it had they qualified (or for vaious reasons can't make it to mids--we all have jobs/families/injuries and things that come up)...I'm sure they'd like a competitive open event, it pushes you to work harder. For example, someone like Amber. Incredible skater, competed champ jr/sr in past years, and was kept out this year d/t an unfortunate skate at mids.

If you were to limit the opens to non-championship skaters, you would always have people in those situations - however they'd be the exception not the rule.

Also, as for the small numbers, there were only two people in Gold Ladies IV. That's been the case with many of the older age groups as well as the men.

[vesperholly]

Clean your PM box out! :)
Done! :halo:

[mr7740]

If you were to limit the opens to non-championship skaters, you would always have people in those situations - however they'd be the exception not the rule.


This may be true in Gold, but at the Master's Jr/Sr levels there seem to be several non-championship qualifiers that are competitive. I have competed in groups with over half championship skaters and beaten them all never having qualified myself (although this may have something to do with the disparity between IJS and 6.0 judging). It would be very disappointing to me to feel like I am skating in a group with everyone who isn't "good enough" for championship. I would much rather compete in a competitive group of 7-8 including championship skaters than a group of 3. Creating a rule like this would actually discourage me from competing the open events.

I sense the only people really complaining about this are those at the gold level where some of the groups are really quite large.

[Black Sheep]

As for the profiles, I don't think the writer/editor is keeping a tally to fill various quotas. ("One cancer survivor, two school figure skaters...no, make it three..." -- j/k)

My guess is that, if she comes across someone interesting or intriguing, she asks if she can profile the skater. If she doesn't have a lot of names in the hopper, she'll then contact those who send in their own information. I doubt that they're looking to slight anyone. To me, it seemed more like a networking. I might have just been in the right place at the right time - they might have had a gap in the column that month and needed a quick filler, so they asked me about it. (I declined. There's really nothing interesting about my skating, lol.)

Edited at user's request.

[Isk8NYC]

Hence your user name, Black Sheep.

Sorry, sorry - I'm just kidding, really! My experience was several years ago when the profiles were still new. Guess she's got a backlog of names now.

[techskater]

BTW: His big white rug is perfect also for hiding Terri's champagne before she went on ice for her artistic!!! :twisted: :lol:

You mean the "All New Material" coat? :lol:

I said it publicly in the rink and embarrassed my girls, and I'll say it again here, THANK YOU GR LOC for a great ANs.

[flying~camel]

I said it publicly in the rink and embarrassed my girls, and I'll say it again here, THANK YOU GR LOC for a great ANs.

I wasn't embarrassed, just REALLY emotional (I'm an emotional person anyway, add a total of 15 hours sleep over 5 days and 9 months worth of stress and you get me bawling!)!

I just know I have the greatest friends in the whole world! :)

[sexyskates]

Does anyone have Lexi's e mail? I wanted to thank her for mentioning me in her blog. She introduced herself to me at AN, and was so nice when she told me how much she liked my Artistic program.

[NoVa Sk8r]

Does anyone have Lexi's e mail? I wanted to thank her for mentioning me in her blog. She introduced herself to me at AN, and was so nice when she told me how much she liked my Artistic program.It's listed here:
http://www.usfigureskating.org/Programs.asp?id=114

[Stormy]

Edited at user's request.

What makes you think she doesn't like you? She asked me if I wanted to be profiled and nothing came of it. Thats ok. Lexi isn't the editor and she doesn't have the final say about what goes in. I highly doubt she dislikes any of us, that's just plain silly. Come on now.

[flo]

"Look at what Flo has said: she suggested something and was told that the statistics didn't support her claim, yet she documented the numbers to show she had a valid point. (Never mess with a researcher!)"


Ha! Thanks. I've seen so many rushed rule changes over the 15 years. I think of them as I do skating - just because you can do something doesn't mean you should.

[jazzpants]

What makes you think she doesn't like you? She asked me if I wanted to be profiled and nothing came of it. Thats ok. Lexi isn't the editor and she doesn't have the final say about what goes in. I highly doubt she dislikes any of us, that's just plain silly. Come on now.
Well, I never even been asked to be on the Adult Skating Corner thing! Truth be told, I haven't done anything newsworthy yet!!! Not unless they want to profiile an unemployed software engineer who's is coping with surviving the bad economy and continue to train as much as she can. Given the timing, it's an appropriate time to have that type of article in Skating Magazine... :??

So let's just say I was VERY surprised this year that I ended up being one of the roving reporters for Lexi's blog at AN! I was very happy to do this, given all the INSPIRING stuff I've watched this year with friends I know from this board, CAS, F$World or RSSIR (remember the last TWO, anyone??? :P ) :bow: ... as well as the HILARIOUS stuff I saw this week. (Mostly on rlichtefeld's part) :lol: I've had my own mini dramas too, especially with the travel back home... :roll:

Point is... it's no skin off my nose if I don't get profiled. All I need is my skates, my coaches... some good ice and LOTS of time to skate and I'm ALLLLLL GOOOOOD!!!! :bow:

And as usual, this AN does not disappoint me at all... other than that I have to say goodbye to everyone and go back to my real life 'til I plan on going again. (Which in this case, is NOT gonna be at Minnesota, unless I pull off a miracle and pass Silver moves this year...)

[Thin-Ice]

(snip) And as usual, this AN does not disappoint me at all... other than that I have to say goodbye to everyone and go back to my real life 'til I plan on going again. (Which in this case, is NOT gonna be at Minnesota, unless I pull off a miracle and pass Silver moves this year...)

C'mon JP -- you have 8 months to pass those moves! And you know none of your coaches are going to let you slack off... why do you doubt any of their abilities to "pull off a miracle"? Not to mention, you DO work hard.... so I expect to see you testing Silver Moves before the kids are back in school. See you on the ice.... at some rink, somewhere.. and maybe this time it won't be 2000 miles from home! Congrats again on a good AN!

[skaternum]

Some of you seem to be making the assumption that those of us complaining here are ONLY complaining here. That is an incorrect assumption. I don't take every little gripe I have to the Adult Skating committee, but over the last couple of years, I've contacted them about several issues that were of concern concern to me. I have contacted the chair, my sectional vice chair, and my club's delegate to GC (if it involves an RFA). I have asked questions and offered suggestions.

I appreciate the hard work the AS committee voluntarily puts into this. I make a point of letting them know that when the opportunity presents itself. But that doesn't mean I have to agree with everything they do. Nor does it mean that I can' still raise the occasional gripe or whine here. This is a public discussion board -- and I think we all benefit from having these open discussions and hearing alternate viewpoints.

[Terri C]

I'm not going to comment on the who gets profiled in Skating magazine and who doesn't here.
Instead, I want to comment on the lack of coverage from IceNetwork on AN. Before I left for GR, I told both my co-workers and long time friends that I have been reunited with on Facebook (they were VERY interested in my skating) to look for near live results, behind the scenes photos, etc on icenetwork.
It was said in a article on AN a few years ago that the heart and soul of AN lies in the Bronze and Silver level skaters at the competition, In last year's coverage from Lake Placid, they showed pictures from Day 1 through the end.
While I did get a brief mention in Lexie's blog (thank you to the person behind this!!!) I noticed that most of pictures and articles focused on events on Friday and Saturday. As a first time AN competitor, it was a small dissapointment. I sincerely hope that the icenetwork folks do a better job next year in Minnesota covering the event throughout the competition and not just the last two days!

[Mel On Ice]

Laura Fawcett used to do a GREAT job covering ANs for the USFSA.

[Isk8NYC]

Laura Fawcett was wonderful; I agree with you entirely.
(I'm not taking away from anyone else; just stating a fact.)

[jazzpants]

C'mon JP -- you have 8 months to pass those moves! And you know none of your coaches are going to let you slack off... why do you doubt any of their abilities to "pull off a miracle"? Not to mention, you DO work hard.... so I expect to see you testing Silver Moves before the kids are back in school. See you on the ice.... at some rink, somewhere.. and maybe this time it won't be 2000 miles from home! Congrats again on a good AN!Thank you for the well wishes!!!

Well, right now I have to worry about getting a JOB first, THEN I'll worry about the Silver moves tests. I don't have all of those items I need to make a go at the Silver Moves at this stage, and we all know how long it took ME to pass Bronze Moves so... :roll:

ETA: I want to also add a specific "thank you" to FLO for paying for my Practice Ice! :lol: And of course, very nice to have dinner with you and your Pairs partner. Applebee's 2 for $20 wasn't so bad, especially when it's shared amongst friends!!! :bow: :yum:

[Mel On Ice]

I'm just bumping for the opportunity to say THANK YOU to those competitors who volunteered their free time. It was awesome to see friends like Kristin and Wes Goodwin running around with clipboards helping us out.

ADULT SKATERS ROCK!

[starskate6.0]

hey Stephen

Not sure about your Screen name here but just wanted to Congratulate you on your win at nationals this year.. Good for you mate, Can't wait to see your skate on Icenetwork, Ill see you next year. :bow::)

[AgnesNitt]

How did that guy in Men's Health, Brian Smith, do at AN? I went back to MH to see if there was a followup, but none was posted.

[Terri C]

How did that guy in Men's Health, Brian Smith, do at AN? I went back to MH to see if there was a followup, but none was posted.

He was third in Bronze Men II-IV. Jazzpants and I got to meet him.

[NoVa Sk8r]

hey Stephen

Not sure about your Screen name here but just wanted to Congratulate you on your win at nationals this year.. Good for you mate, Can't wait to see your skate on Icenetwork, Ill see you next year. :bow::)Thanks, Ross. It was my first time both as competing as a gold man and in a championship singles event, and it was a lot of fun! The championship gold men's event was situated between my gold pairs and championship pairs events--where it served as a much-needed distraction. Whereas I don't get all that nervous in my singles event, I am 8O & :( in the pairs events (the lifts we did this year were a bit nerve-wracking and difficult).
Hope to see you next year!

-Stephen

[jazzpants]

He was third in Bronze Men II-IV. Jazzpants and I got to meet him.Not only that, but I got an autograph on page 80!!! :P :bow: :lol:

Yes, I got to meet him and his coach Larry Holliday. It was funny when I first went up to him. I said that I happened to read a particular monthly magazine when I read about him and whipped out the magazine for him to sign. His coach and teammates immediately chuckled!!! :P His coach started snapping pictures of me and him as we were trying to find the page for him to sign. And then I got a picture of him and his coach.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3588/3500216620_72b26f7dfb.jpg

Very nice guy! Obviously did a decent job for his first try at AN!!! HELL! He even did a lutz and this is his second year!?!?!? 8O I barely have a lutz and how long have I've been skating!?!?!? :frus: (BTW: I was competing earlier that afternoon and barely got my scores and ate lunch before having to run back to watch him and a few others in his group skate, so that's why I still have the hair and the makeup on.)

Funny note: Thin-Ice telling Bryan that he's famous in the National since, but I'm famous in the online sense! :lol: (Thanks for the chuckle, Thin-Ice!!! That was memorable!!! :P :bow: )

And since I'm showing pictures... no AN is an AN w/o Jay the Cookie Man's cookies, Rob L's underwear capers/gags and....

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3375/3500216880_657df08745.jpg

My Wendy Bear!!!! http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/liebe/n010.gif

[starskate6.0]

Thanks, Ross. It was my first time both as competing as a gold man and in a championship singles event, and it was a lot of fun! The championship gold men's event was situated between my gold pairs and championship pairs events--where it served as a much-needed distraction. Whereas I don't get all that nervous in my singles event, I am 8O & :( in the pairs events (the lifts we did this year were a bit nerve-wracking and difficult).
Hope to see you next year!

-Stephen Ill see you there , but Ill have to learn how to spin better if Im to have a chance against you....;):bow: See ya..

[FREESK8ER]

Championship videos are posted on Icenetwork.com. I hope they post all of them.

[Stormy]

Where are the Champ videos? All I see are some Bronze and Silver.....?

[phoenix]

??? I don't see any videos at all! :cry:

[Stormy]

http://web.icenetwork.com/events/detail.jsp?id=58288

[phoenix]

http://web.icenetwork.com/events/detail.jsp?id=58288

Yep, nothing there. Weird.

[Isk8NYC]

Since it's not on their "Video" link, could it be that they're not done posting the videos yet?

They do have these online:
Adult Championships - Silver Men - Class I - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Silver Men - Class IV-V - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Bronze Ladies - Class I - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Bronze Ladies - Class III - Group A - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Bronze Ladies - Class V - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Bronze Men - Class I, II and III - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Bronze Men - Class IV-V - Free Skate



Maybe we just have to give them a little more time to finish posting the links.

I'm glad to see they have the lower-level events online - that was one of my concerns.

[Stormy]

They've had the lower levels for years for ANs. They tape every event, AFAIK.

[Isk8NYC]

They've had the lower levels for years for ANs. They tape every event, AFAIK.I remember you said that. I think whatever year I was anxiously awaiting the lower level events, they posted the upper ones first. I am impatient, lol.

They've added more videos to the link you gave: http://web.icenetwork.com/events/detail.jsp?id=58288

Adult Championships - Silver Ladies - Class I - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Silver Ladies - Class III - Group A (QR) - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Silver Ladies - Class III - Group B (QR) - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Silver Men - Class I - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Silver Men - Class IV-V - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Bronze Ladies - Class I - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Bronze Ladies - Class III - Group A (QR) - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Bronze Ladies - Class III - Group B (QR) - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Bronze Ladies - Class V - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Bronze Men - Class I-III - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Bronze Men - Class IV-V - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Masters Ladies - Artistic/Dramatic - Class I - Interpretive Free Skate
Adult Championships - Masters Men - Artistic/Dramatic - Class I-IV - Interpretive Free Skate
Adult Championships - Masters Ladies - Light Entertainment/Comedy - Class V - Interpretive Free Skate

[TimDavidSkate]

I'm not in a rush to see mine :frus: but it keeps buffering and then it would stop 8O

[phoenix]

woo hoo, I see some now! Thanks!

ETA--lol looks like bronze ladies III was night of the living Phantom--Out of the first 4 skaters, 3 were Phantom music!

[Isk8NYC]

Bravo to Jazzpants and Terri C for awesome freeskate performances!

Tim - I love your flying camel. For a last-minute program, it was good.

I got to see Rick B. skate for the first time in many years. Love the cape! lol

Time to stop goofing off and get back to work. Waiting for Godot and Gold events.

[daisies]

If anyone cares, the "U.S. Adult Champs Wrapped Up Last Weekend" story on icenetwork.com was finally expanded to include all the Championship Masters Intermediate-Novice Men and Ladies medalists. Lynne Kuechle did a great job tracking everyone down after the fact and putting together a cohesive story!

[looplover]

Bravo to Jazzpants and Terri C for awesome freeskate performances!



Ditto ladies!! GREAT job!!! :bow::bow:

[AgnesNitt]

Not only that, but I got an autograph on page 80!!! :P :bow: :lol:

Yes, I got to meet him and his coach Larry Holliday. It was funny when I first went up to him. I said that I happened to read a particular monthly magazine when I read about him and whipped out the magazine for him to sign. His coach and teammates immediately chuckled!!! :P His coach started snapping pictures of me and him as we were trying to find the page for him to sign. And then I got a picture of him and his coach.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3588/3500216620_72b26f7dfb.jpg


Oooh, he's hunkalicious. The picture in Men's Health did not do him justice.

Brian, if you're reading this, you've made an old lady's heart go pitta-pat.

[RachelSk8er]

I remember you said that. I think whatever year I was anxiously awaiting the lower level events, they posted the upper ones first. I am impatient, lol.

They've added more videos to the link you gave: http://web.icenetwork.com/events/detail.jsp?id=58288

Adult Championships - Silver Ladies - Class I - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Masters Ladies - Artistic/Dramatic - Class I - Interpretive Free Skate



I heard the chick who placed 5th in both of these events is hot. And really smart, too. :lol: Same with the silver medalist in silver A solo dance, but that video is not up yet :lol:

[flying~camel]

I heard the chick who placed 5th in both of these events is hot. And really smart, too. :lol: Same with the silver medalist in silver A solo dance, but that video is not up yet :lol:

I saw her skate; she is hot! ;)

[Stormy]

I saw her skate too, and can confirm the above rumor! :bow:

[jazzpants]

I saw her skate too, and can confirm the above rumor! :bow:And especially with her Snuggies on!!! :P :lol:

ETA--lol looks like bronze ladies III was night of the living Phantom--Out of the first 4 skaters, 3 were Phantom music!You've heard of "Battle of the Brians?" Now it's "Battle of the Phantoms." :lol: :P (It's specifically why I choose something that no one I knew had skated and it's new music!!!)

[Terri C]

ETA--lol looks like bronze ladies III was night of the living Phantom--Out of the first 4 skaters, 3 were Phantom music!


When I was watching some of this group before me and Jazz' Bronze Ladies III event, I was thanking God for my symphonic Rolling Stones music!!

[starskate6.0]

I would like to say jolly good show to a couple of dramatic skaters I viewed on Icenetwork in the Mens masters dramatic.
John Weinstein and William lay. :bow: Im not the Dramatic type, just not my thing , however You guy's where great. Good timing, and interpretation, :bow:
wonderful basics and foot work that met and exceeded the words " Interpretation." Good show lads great skating. :D "Entertaining"

[RachelSk8er]

And especially with her Snuggies on!!! :P :lol:


Snuggie=damn sexy.

[TimDavidSkate]

Tim - I love your flying camel. For a last-minute program, it was good.


Thanks :halo: you're very sweet

That program was a hot MESS!!! :frus:

[Isk8NYC]

I want to see a program from you that is planned and practiced. It would probably be awesome.

[Isk8NYC]

Hope more videos get posted on icenetwork.com today.

Link: http://web.icenetwork.com/events/detail.jsp?id=58288 (http://web.icenetwork.com/events/detail.jsp?id=58288)

Adult Championships - Silver Ladies - Class I - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Silver Ladies - Class III - Group A (QR) - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Silver Ladies - Class III - Group B (QR) - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Silver Men - Class I - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Silver Men - Class IV-V - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Bronze Ladies - Class I - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Bronze Ladies - Class III - Group A (QR) - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Bronze Ladies - Class III - Group B (QR) - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Bronze Ladies - Class V - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Bronze Men - Class I-III - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Bronze Men - Class IV-V - Free Skate
Adult Championships - Masters Ladies - Artistic/Dramatic - Class I - Interpretive Free Skate
Adult Championships - Masters Men - Artistic/Dramatic - Class I-IV - Interpretive Free Skate
Adult Championships - Masters Ladies - Light Entertainment/Comedy - Class V - Interpretive Free Skate

[TimDavidSkate]

I want to see a program from you that is planned and practiced. It would probably be awesome.

Yes, lesson learned and will do much better next time :halo: Thanks

[Stormy]

I want to see a program from you that is planned and practiced. It would probably be awesome.

It definitely would! Such great basics, high jumps and nice line! But it was pretty apparent there was a lack of any real chorography, it was a lot of skating around between jumps with arm movements.

[phoenix]

woo hoo, some of the solo dance groups are up! I'm about to watch my Blues for the first time..... *bites nails*

ETA---couple of hours later....how depressing. I need to tape myself more often so it won't be such a shocker. Ugh...I think I need to go back to basics again & work on knee bend & extension a LOT!!

[jazzpants]

woo hoo, some of the solo dance groups are up! I'm about to watch my Blues for the first time..... *bites nails*

ETA---couple of hours later....how depressing. I need to tape myself more often so it won't be such a shocker. Ugh...I think I need to go back to basics again & work on knee bend & extension a LOT!!
Lord help me with those knee bends too and those Gawd awful lutz entries too!!! And that barely loop!!! 8O It was a wonder that I landed that one clean!!! And I was so positive that I was NOT on my toe picks when I'm stroking or doing crossovers since at one point I almost slipped off the back of my blade. :frus:

So glad I'm taking the hiatus! I need it!!! :giveup:

Phoenix: Good to finally meet you and make the face, name and handle connection. :bow:

[SkateGuard]

I went through some Skating Magazines that I have around and looked through the Adult Corner sections and this is what I found:

Bronze Pair team who lives 100 miles away


If they're who I think it is, they're actually a dance team....and he topped it this year by skating with someone who lives 600 miles away, when she's not traveling across the US for work. His normal partner decided to skip this year and suggested he skate with this girl instead. ;)

Lexi made a slight error in the story--just correcting it here before someone starts complaining that there aren't any dancers. I would like to see several "traveling skaters" profiled, particularly because I'd like to learn some of their secrets....

[starskate6.0]

"WOW".:bow:
I did not get to skate this year but i have to say based on the video's Iv just seen on icenet I have to say I am very impressed with Chris williams :)
Great double salchow Chris , so much better than last year and in so much control. I am so impressed with your skating . Your costume was great too. A big improvement in just one year. Look forward to seeing you next year.

Ross . :bow:

[flo]

Rob and I traveled back and forth between Baltimore and Atlanta. Out t-shirts had a pair on the front with a suitcase riding on a plane.

[RachelSk8er]

Lexi made a slight error in the story--just correcting it here before someone starts complaining that there aren't any dancers. I would like to see several "traveling skaters" profiled, particularly because I'd like to learn some of their secrets....

It's not quite the same as a pairs/dance partner, but I skated 2 yrs on a synchro team that was just over 2 hrs away in Detroit, had to go up once a week for practice, on Weds nights after work, and sometimes we'd have extra practices on weekends, too. LOTS of coffee, audiobooks, usually listened to Coast to Coast on the drive home b/c it was late (that crap is hilarious), miles racked up on my car, but wrapping up all my years of synchro with a national title before staring law school was worth it. We also had a girl who lived in Chicago on the team (her job had her in Detroit 2-3 days a week, so she timed that when we had practice).

[flying~camel]

Your costume was great too.

My BFF made his shirt ;)

[starskate6.0]

My BFF made his shirt ;)
Translation please, Im to old to understand morse code or texting. :lol:
BFF ?

[Stormy]

Translation please, Im to old to understand morse code or texting. :lol:
BFF ?

Best Friend Forever :)

[Mel On Ice]

My BFF made his shirt ;)

I hope there's a tie for first!

[flying~camel]

I hope there's a tie for first!

There's a 3-way tie for 1st! :)

[SkateGuard]

It's not quite the same as a pairs/dance partner, but I skated 2 yrs on a synchro team that was just over 2 hrs away in Detroit, had to go up once a week for practice, on Weds nights after work, and sometimes we'd have extra practices on weekends, too. LOTS of coffee, audiobooks, usually listened to Coast to Coast on the drive home b/c it was late (that crap is hilarious), miles racked up on my car, but wrapping up all my years of synchro with a national title before staring law school was worth it. We also had a girl who lived in Chicago on the team (her job had her in Detroit 2-3 days a week, so she timed that when we had practice).

Travel is travel. There are skaters who are pilots, flight attendants, sales reps, consultants, CEOs, truckers, etc...all who have to travel for work, but still leave ANs with some serious hardware. To coordinate work to skate on a synchro team--I'm in awe. From what I know of synchro, they don't want people who can't be committed....and understandably so.

Having said that, your travel experience with synchro was probably a great gift--it very much reminded me of my many long car trips to come home for a weekend when working in other cities. I wish I had that many miles under my belt BEFORE I started my current job....and you already have that, thanks to skating.

[RachelSk8er]

Travel is travel. There are skaters who are pilots, flight attendants, sales reps, consultants, CEOs, truckers, etc...all who have to travel for work, but still leave ANs with some serious hardware. To coordinate work to skate on a synchro team--I'm in awe. From what I know of synchro, they don't want people who can't be committed....and understandably so.

Having said that, your travel experience with synchro was probably a great gift--it very much reminded me of my many long car trips to come home for a weekend when working in other cities. I wish I had that many miles under my belt BEFORE I started my current job....and you already have that, thanks to skating.

Funny thing is now I whine about driving 40 min to the rink I normally skate at on Sundays because it's far. :lol: Truthfully though, it got REALLY rough around the middle of the second year, law school aside I couldn't have done it another year. Driving up to Mids, Adults for Autism, and on the way to AN this year, I wondered how the heck I made that trip at least once a week for 10 mos out of the year like that. Nowadays I whine about having to drive 40 min to the rink where I skate at on Sundays because it's far. :lol:

[Mel On Ice]

From what I know of synchro, they don't want people who can't be committed...

There's a double meaning there that has me in stitches, given my 4 years of synchro.

[Clarice]

There's a double meaning there that has me in stitches, given my 4 years of synchro.

That is too funny! I'm stealing that line, SkateGuard, if you don't mind! :lol:

[SkateGuard]

Go for it, Clarice. 8-)

[eliza1]

When do you think IceNetwork will finish loading up all of the groups -- I am assuming that they will show all groups, correct??

[jazzpants]

When do you think IceNetwork will finish loading up all of the groups -- I am assuming that they will show all groups, correct??
My guess is either end of this week or start of next week. They're putting up a few events at a time each day...