Well, Stormy, that's what they pay FigureSkates the big bucks for - meteorology!
(Just found it funny that someone with your name would worry about weather.)

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Figureskates!!! (It's a thankless job! Trust me! I know people in the biz...)

Sorry about you won't be able to make it to watch though. SUCKS!!!!

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Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

deleted ~

YESSS!!! Practice ice info has been posted

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Tim David's Website

Am I the only one who thinks there's a really limited amount of practice ice. NOTHING on Friday? Or am I missing something?

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"Where are we going and why are we in this handbasket?"

Hi Stormy,

Well, I'm going to resist saying that you told me they hosted a great event. Okay, sorry, but had to get that off my chest, because the Pair teams have been battling it out all week with the USFS Officials and the LOC Co-Chair to get any Pair Practice Ice at all!

You are right, there is no practice ice for the E. Sect. competitors on Friday either. Colonial Figure Skating Club has their regular schedule for Friday (they have 2006 schedule on their website, I called, finally got a person on the phone, and they confirmed it is the same schedule for 2007.) So, on Friday Rink 2 and 3 is all Colonial Figure Skating Club ice. Then I found out that on Friday Rink1 is sitting there TOTALLY EMPTY during the following times and Nashoba is selling these one hour slots for $165:

9:15-10:15 AM
1:00-2:00 PM
10:40-11:40PM

So, apparently, the Nashoba Rink isn't interested in making any $$$ by turning this into "walk-on" for us, knowing very well that we will be there, and I guess they would rather just leave the surfaces empty. The LOC hasn't purchased this for us...I wonder why?

To top it off, no one checked their "conflict buster calendar," because the closest rink, New England Skating Center who has 5 surfaces, only has three available sessions on Friday, and nothing on Saturday and Sunday, because of, get this one, a HOCKEY TORNAMENT!!! So, much for great organizational skills. Sorry, to be a little sarcastic, but you have no idea what I've been through this week over getting the Pair Teams practice ice and an off-ice lift space. Okay, here is what is available on Friday at NESC:

3:10 High Free Style
4:10 Pre-Novice
5:10 No-Test Juv.

And that's it!

CAN SOMEONE TELL ME HOW WE ARE SUPPOSSED TO GET OUR PRACTICE ICE FORMS IN, WHICH WERE JUST POSTED TODAY (I JUST SAW IT, SAT. MORNING) ALONG WITH THE BOOKING FORM THAT HAS A DEADLINE OF TODAY, FEB. 24TH, AND THEY DON'T EVEN INCLUDE A FAX NUMBER ON THE FORM! HOW ARE WE SUPPOSSED TO DO THIS?

So, no Stormy you didn't miss anything, and the Pair Teams have been in touch with the USFS and the Local LOC about making those Rink1 session available as "walk-on" to all of us on Friday, March 2nd. I have no idea if they will act upon this, but really hope they do, because many of us are travelling a long distance to arrive on Thursday night and need to practice on Friday.

Stormy, are there any other rinks in Natick, or Framingham? Could you please tell us where the next closest rink might be.

I guess my frustration is that this event has been a year in the making, and I don't understand how provisions haven't been taken to provide all of us with really adequate practice ice. That's all.

Oh, GET OUT! I had NO idea there was only a couple sessions at NESC on Friday because of a tournament. And they only had 2 FS sessions normally on Saturday morning and nothing on Sunday. In NESC's defense, of their 5 surfaces, only one is for FS, and it does get bumped for a big tournament. That's not their fault and it does happen a lot. It's a hockey rink and always has been. And they're not going to coordinate with Colonial at all, trust me..... Going to those 3 sessions on Friday in the afternoon would probably be pointless. That's annoying for me too as I was going to go to NESC on Friday morning.

I might have to eat my words with this one....I really am surprised at the practice ice situation. How can they put the form out and hav it be due/postmarked the next day???

And unfortunately, there are rinks in both Natick and Framingham, and neither of them have FS sessions on those days.

Ok, the Babson SC in Wellesley (next to Natick) has this for Friday evening: http://www.babsonskatingclub.com/pdf...jun%202007.pdf but I have heard their sessions have a LOT of little kids and not a lot of real freestylers. I've never skated there myself.

Sc of Boston is a possibility: http://www.scboston.org/

Saturday morning at North Star FSC in Westboro (maybe 45 min from Acton): http://www.northstarfsc.com/pdfs/winter_schedule.pdf

SC of Worcester is a good bet for Friday night, they're not too far from Acton, maybe 30 min: http://www.geocities.com/skatingclub.../icetimes.html

I hope that helps some.

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"Where are we going and why are we in this handbasket?"

Thanks, Stormy, this helps. I'll look into the other rinks, too. Even though this has been annoying and difficult, no hard feelings, and let's try to meet one another at the event. In spite of all of this "practice ice stress," I'm still really looking forward to E. Sectionals.

See you real soon!

Oh, today is the "postmark date," so I'm running to the post office to get mine in now...I'm sending it rtn. receipt request, too. I would recommend that everyone do that and bring your receipt with you to the rink so that you can prove you sent it in on time. Since we are so close to the competition and the US Postal Service isn't as reliable as it was when we were kids, I really suggest that people mail it in this way. The LOC really should have included a fax number on the form and a line for your credit card number given these circumstances...afterall, it is 2006, and the technology does exist.

Okay folks,
Even though I'm not going to be there, I looked at the practice ice sessions just out of curiousity and geez, only 15 minutes at a time??? I need at least 30 for a practice at a competition! Gimme a break!!

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

Stormy,

What is the name of the Rink in Westboro where the North Star Figure Skating Club skates? I found the one in Auburn.

North Star Youth Forum. North Star FSC does have sessions in Auburn as well but that's farther.

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"Where are we going and why are we in this handbasket?"

Thanks!

Skating Club of Worcester does not have ice on Saturday or Sunday (Mar 3 and 4) due to Massachusetts Special Olympics State Games.

Plus the SCOW Friday session is designated a no test-low-test priority session so, while it is open to a limited number of walk-ons (max is 22 skaters - home club members have first rights), it could be hazardous for advanced skaters, who will be required to yield right of way to the less-advanced.

15 minutes? So far I have reserved only one practice on Saturday and one on Sunday. I did a dry run through to see how much I can accomplish in 15 minutes. oofa, I had to use my inhaler. So out of shape
Wonder how many skaters on each session they will allow to skate.

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Tim David's Website

Ah, good to know....thank you for the info, sorry to mislead!

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"Where are we going and why are we in this handbasket?"

The 15 minute session thing at $10 (pre-book) and $12 (walk on) is total b*llsh*t, pardon my French. Basically, they have us as a captive audience and are extorting the skaters. When was the last time you paid $40 to skate for an hour with other people at your own rink? Last summer my partner and I used to rent an entire surface all for ourselves for $60 an hour down in Maryland.

There are several revenues with which to make a profit off of an event such as this one including entry fees, advertisers, vendors, ect. without having to turn your ice into "Gold."

Here's an example: there is very very limited available ice time in the entire area (I've just about called every rink around, and Stormy has helped alot by posting what she knows) given this, I found out that on Friday, when many of the competitors will all ready be around and need practice ice that Rink#1 is empty and available for sale at $165 per hour by the Nashoba Rink (this is rink ice.) It will sit empty at 9:00am, 1:00pm, and 11:45pm. Why don't you think the LOC has purchased this for us for practice ice on Friday, so that we don't have to run around like chickens with our heads' cut off trying to find available ice?

So, I wrote to the LOC and several officials at the USFS to ask either Nashobo to make this ice available to us at a "walk-on" rate, or for the LOC to purchase it for us for practice ice to be paid in a "walk-on" fashion. Of course no one wrote back to me. It will be interesting to see if this ice remains dormant on Friday. If it does, that will speak volumnes. Let's hope they decide to open these sessions up for us.

Well sucker that I am, I want to have a set schedule and I dont want to steer away from the area. So I sent in my check and practice time request already

3 more days exciting. I still yet to run my program on freestyle ice

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Tim David's Website

Hi TimmyDavid!

I'm not saying that people shouldn't sign up and pay the price they ask at all. I sent my check in, too. I'm just pointing out the absurdity of selling 15 minutes of, what will probably be full ice (on small rinks) for $10-12, and the fact that they do have us a "captive audience" with very few other reasonal options available.

I also just wanted to talk a little bit about the situation for Friday "practice ice," since many of the competitors will arrive Thursday evening, or Friday morning/afternoon.

Yeh I hear ya dearest, it leaves us with no other options but to sign up.

I signed up for the 7:30 - 7:45am on Saturday, and if I feel thats not enough I will do a 1:05 or 1:20 session.
And on Sunday only the 7:30 to 7:45

Good point, Im arriving Friday afternoon around 3pm. Im wondering what ice time is available, because if there will not be any ice time, I will have to do a 5:30 to 6:20am at Sky rink before I board my 8:00am bus to Boston

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Tim David's Website

Here's what's happening at Nashoba Rink on Friday:

It is all "Colonial Club" ice on Rinks 2 and 3. If you go to the Colonial site and go to their schedules, you will see a 2006 schedule. I called the rink and they confirmed that the 2007 schedule is the same as 2006. From what I can tell the club ice is sold by contract. All the time this is happening, Rink1 is sitting with those 3 empty sessions as I mentioned above.

Because of a Hockey Tornament the NESC only has 3 sessions on Friday:
A High Freestyle at 3:10, then the two that follow this are "princess" sessions, lower level to no-test freestyle.

The Skating Club of Boston has Friday ice, but it is about a 45 minute drive from Boxborough.

The Skating Club of Woster at the Buffone Arena has one Friday evening session: 6:50-7:50pm Moves, Freestyle, and Dance (no pairs)

North Star Figure Skating Club at the North Star Youth Forum Rink has "open" sessions on Friday from 12:45-4:30pm. The North Star Youth Forum is in Westborough, MA. Here is their phone: 508-366-1562

The Babson Rink in Wellesley, MA, has DANCE ONLY on Friday morning from 6:00am-10:00am. They also have Babson Skating Club ice on Friday from 5:40pm-7:30pm that is "Freestyle" only, and I hear is wall-to-wall "princesses."

Natick has a rink, but no figure skating--I quess it's just Hockey.

Hey, do you think the LOC should hire me???!!! This is all I wanted to be doing this week--shopping for ice--you know shopping for ice really beats the hell out of trying to prepare for your competition!!!

Again, we will have to wait and see when we arrive if Nashoba will make their empty ice availabe to us on Rink#1 on Friday,

I hope the information that I found out helps everyone.

There are also rinks in Burlington, Woburn, and Marlborough, but I have no idea what their schedules are. Not really that close to Acton, but not terrible. Unfortunately, my rink doesn't allow out of club members or Figureskates and I would invite you all over.

Hi Keli,

The NESC that I mentioned above is in Marlborough. Is there another rink in Marlborough that I don't know about?

Also, could you please give us the names of the rinks in the other two towns that you mentioned. Also, if you could tell us the name of your rink so that we can cross it off the list that would be helpful, too.

Thanks

I figured after I said that the NESC is the rink in Marlborough. The rink in Woburn is the O'Brien rink, and I know they have at least some figure skating because I go there in the spring. The rink in Burlington is the Burlington Ice Palace. http://www.fmcarenas.com/ has a list of arena locations, and there's always http://www.arenamaps.com/arenas/Massachusetts.htm. My rink is in Lexington.

There is an FMC rink in Marlboro - Navin Arena.

http://www.fmcarenas.com/Marlboro.htm

I don't know what their public sessions are like and FMC hasn't posted any ice schedules for March yet. I suppose public would be better than nothing but FMC has all kinds of rules against jumping and spinning on public sessions - how strictly they're enforced depends on who's in charge that day.

And one correction to lovespairs' list - the club at the Buffone Arena with the Friday night session is The Skating Club of *Worcester* (nobody ever gets it right) and that's the no-test/low-test session I mentioned earlier. I've just checked with their officers - walkons are $20 for the hour and out-of-towners should bring proof of USFSA membership, for insurance purposes. I don't know what their policy on drop-in coaches is.

Hi Blue,

Thanks for this mention, but pairs can't skate on public sessions. Maybe some of the freestylers can use that info.
Thanks for the mention about the USFSA I.D.

Thanks,
lovepairs