My 9 yo has issues with this. She is doing a competition this weekend and she has NEVER been more ready, except that this rink is backward compared to where she usually skates- at least to where her coaches usually are etc.

She did an awesome run-through today- she is doing a preliminary program and has a beautiful jump sequence that has an axel, mazurka and a double sal, but when her coach had her face the other direction, she totally lost her edge- like you could see she was more focused on where do I go, than really performing her program.

She is doing practice ice, so that is good, but has anyone else had a kid like this? Any tips to help her?

Has she skated at the rink before? When I go to strange rinks, I take a moment to associate the rink with the familiar bits at the home rink (this is where the cafe is, this is the clock end, etc, this is where the music box at home is). The program is always choreographed with a judge focus, so it's just a matter of seeing where the judges sit and then associating everything else. I never skate my program backwards at my home rink (although it doesn't bother me), but the visualisation at the new rink does help.

She has, last year, but I am not sure she remembers. I will go over that with her before she gets on the ice a bit. I know her coach will too, but sometimes I know just the right words for my own kid!

Whatever you do, let HER choose where her starting position feels "right" - don't tell her where she must start. It really won't matter if she skates the whole thing "backwards", but it might if she gets disoriented in the middle and does the whole program at one end of the rink (thus not covering the entire ice surface). In any case, it's something that a skater gets better at with experience, and if she messes up at one competition it's really not that big a deal. She'll learn from the experience and figure out how to do better the next time.

She did that once last year- she skated it to the audience instead of the judges- it still turned out badly because I think she got confused half way- LOL. I do think it is partly an age thing. The music box is the same as her home rink but she enters from the back (and her coach will be back there) so that might turn out ok!

My advice would be to let her and coach work out these details. I know how hard this is to do but it is important to the development of the bond between skater and coach. Once we arrived at the rink DS was always the coaches responsibility regarding the actual competition details and how to do warmups etc. and our only involvement was at the coaches request if help was needed with something, tying skates or watching stuff.

"flipping a program" is a skill that skaters have to, generally, practice to develop. Our coach starts 'flipping' the program once it is well-learnt; the skater faces in the opposite direction and does run throughs that way. It takes time and practice; some find it easier than others.

Before any major competiiton, the arena layout is checked if possible, and the coach determines which way the program is to be skated in terms of direction. Then, they practice that way.

Prior to a competition, the skater takes 5 or 10 minutes to lay out the program in the new arena, standing where they can see the whole ice, and mentally skating and visualizing it.

It prevents a feature from being done with the skater facing 'away' from the judges and having the judge miss a key point of expression, a beautifully executed element etc.

Absolutely. We vanish and we come back when we are requested, which is usually after the post-skate debrief. That way, the coach can focus the skater, monitor the warmup, and ensure that pre-competition routines are followed.

Sounds like the coach has the issue well to hand, and is starting to teach her how to flip her program. It usually looks odd the first few times, it will get better with time.

Yes this is definitely one of those learned skills. At the lower levels the orientation is not usually to critical and letting the skater start where they are most comfortable is likely best. Learning to flip the program should first be done on home ice during practice.

I remember having a yes-you-can no-you-cant conversation with DS once before a competition when talking about where to start and deciding that the best course of action was drop the subject quickly before it became a distraction. It was several years before he "discovered" that hey you can start at the "other" end.

They did it in both rinks at the arena this morning (one of their practice spots here at home), and the coach did have the girls (my dd and a few other students) start 'as if' they were getting on the ice at the venue where we are going. So yes, he probably does have it under control and she did it right the 2nd run through after the flip.

I haven't read the other responses yet, so forgive me if I repeat what has already been posted.

I honestly think all skaters have gone through this before. My daughter was completely freaked out the first time she had to do it, but in the end did fine. If I remember right, she actually won that competition! Just have her practice and she will be fine. After a couple run-throughs, whe should be OK. HUGS and I bet she will do just fine!

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skating mom to 3 angels on earth and 1 in heaven

YUP!!! My daughter became disoriented in her last competition. She came out of her sit spin and for some reason, she forgot her program! It was hearbreaking to watch but with a little help from her coach(motions!) dd figure it out and completed her program with a smile. She also ended the program on time. Whew. It was a good lesson for her(and for me!). She was starting to panic and I could see the look of panic on her face. The thing is, every skater goes through this and I suppose it was better for her to do it early on and learn how to handle it now rather then later. This season has been full of learning experiences!

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skating mom to 3 angels on earth and 1 in heaven

I once completely messed up a programme by going off in the wrong direction.... sigh!

In fact, the Husband and I spent some time this morning doing our free dance the wrong way round, something our former coach used to suggest we do. He never actually sympathised with our complaints that certain rinks were the wrong way round (but they are!), but knew from experience that some skaters get muddled!

The only thing to do is to have your daughter practice her programme both ways round so that she can orient herself at any rink.

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

You were all right, she got onto the practice ice and did a few runthroughs and she did just great- she ended up with the silver medal, even getting first from one of the judges!

Best advice on earth! OP, unless you are thinking of switching coaches (or becoming a coach yourself) have the confidence in your daughter's coach!

Coaches at our rink, and for synchro, and for my younger daughter's dance studio, have parents sign contracts that basically state that the coaches are to coach, and the parents are to parent, and supply $$$. Unless you have training in figure skating, it really isn't a good idea to try to outcoach your daughter's coach.

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blades, gary, Lucy, Emily, take care of Aiden and Sami. Sami is my sweetest heart, and always will be, forever. RIP Cubby Boy, my hero dog.

LOL on supplying the $$$!!! I did let her coach handle it and everything was just fine!

Thank you!

This is VERY good advice. DD has been with this coaching team since Mid December and has made SO many huge improvements including passing 2 MIF tests, a FS test, improving her axel to the point where she looks at 9 years old like some of the intermediate skaters when she does it, gotten 3 doubles and medaled in 2 categories above what she was skating last year at this time (and NOT medaling). So yeah, I guess you are right that I should trust them!