Thanks! I appreciate your opinion. It will be just fine in the end and honestly, I am not going into this expecting my daughter to come in 1st place. We're doing this because she wants to do this. I also want her to do this the right way. It'll be interesting to see how this all plays out in the end. :-)

Thanks again.

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skating mom to 3 angels on earth and 1 in heaven

I can totally understand what you are saying. However, the girls I posted about are absolutely above my daughter's level. I know both girls, their moms and the levels they have passed. I like both girls and their moms and their coach. I was simply curious and am trying to learn how this all works. :-)

I'm certainly not trying to judge any of the other kids. My own daughter is absolutely my main concern. I am trying to learn about this and wanted to know what I should expect.

Thanks!

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skating mom to 3 angels on earth and 1 in heaven

I don't skate, can' skate, and am from a hockey family. When DS and DD got into this 6? years ago, I couldn't tell a waltz jump from crosscuts, and couldn't figure out why a spiral didn't involve spinning.

I went thru anger, frustration, and downright fury at the crap and politics that can happen in the sport; made coaching changes to get AWAY from coaches who were way too involved in the politics; and learnt what parents to avoid. I was there when DD would cry because her placements were poor, because of sandbagging, or would be flying in joy when, at an equally poor placement, it was because she had achieved a personal goal.

I've come to realize that you can't control other skaters, parents or coaches; that you have to focus on your own kids; and that your primary role is to be a cheerleader, role model, and positive support to your coach in terms of giving them a healthy, well-fed, well-equipped and well-loved skater. My kids are tougher, mentally and physically, because of some of the frustration they've endured in coping with the politics in the support. I'm glad they learned early that the world can be unfair, but, you have to do your best and take pride in it ... that' s been a great lesson.

Now, as my 5 year old starts wanting to compete ... I'm in a very zen-like place, and nothing will surprise me ... would I do it again? Yep. After all, I am ... I'm putting baby-DD into, aren't I?

enjoy. And remember, when in doubt: put rhinestones on dresses. It's very meditative ... and stress relieving ...

Thanks! I really appreciate the feedback. My daughter will likely cry too and feel like she isn't any good at first, but somehow w/o letting her know about the other kids dropping levels, I will make her feel better. At least I will know when dd does reach a goal, she will have done it honestly. :-)

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skating mom to 3 angels on earth and 1 in heaven

Hi - We just left a competition today where my daughter was at the exact right level. She skating very clean in a event where the elements were clearly laid out and got beat by girls who did higher level elements (combination spins where there were supposed to be only solo spins and also combination jumps of higher levels) It states that deductions will be taken for elements done from a higher level but they never seem to be (this has happened at two other compeitions she was in)- it seems like the girls are just rewarded for the higher elements. I feel like it's "sandbag or be sandbagged". I certainly don't want to start complaining to the judges or the coaches too much. What goes around comes around is one of my favorite sayings and hopefully someday she will ge hers !! However, generally the judges are right. The other girls were a little more poised and faster ---- I just jump out of my seat when I see the higher elements !!!!

I am proud of her for wanting to skate at her appropriare level because she wants to do the jumps she has learned (lutz, flip, etc) and challenge herself. Sorry to rant - I think us parents are all in the same boat - what the heck are the judges looking for seems to be the perennial question. Anyway - she has a beautiful video which I took of her to show off !! Just putting the dress on and standing alone in front of a bunch of judges is an amazing feat !!

Thanks for listening !!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's quite possible the judges took deductions for the illegal elements, this just happened at Adult Nationals in interp that someone took the deduction but still placed very highly. Congratulations to your daughter for starting to learn one of life's great lessons - things aren't always fair.

This recently happened at a competition where I worked. One of the girls did a camel spin and a camel spin was not allowed and she won. A couple of the other coaches complained but the judges told them, she did get the deduction for the camel spin, she was just that much better and still won. Oh well.

j

The same thing happened at our little competition today.
We also had one little skater win the Basic 2 event who skated with the skill, poise, flow, power, etc of a Basic 7 or 8 skater. She clearly was the best skater & deserved her placement, but I wonder if the judges in a case like this ever pull the coach aside & let her/him know the skater really needs to move up a few levels.

I've had my kids compete in basic skills competition but I advocate pushing my children. My DS(5) enjoys working on the new elements that he has to do. Early this year he skated with 1 foot only and he competed at snowplow sam. He started getting better around christmas so i moved him to basic 2. his next comeptetion basic 3 but he did limited beginner freeskate. He is continually being outskated. When he was in basic 2, i talked to one parent, his daughter had been skating for 3 years, 3 times a week and skated synchro and she was in basic 2???
I'd rather have my child stretch themselves with challenging elements instead of winning. By the way he did basic showcase and won last weekend! I stress that we can control how we prepare and how well we skate-nothing else. If they skate well-they get a webkinz! My 2 kids love competing and are learning how to be good competitors. They both like to watch the other kids and then challenge themselves to improve.

Wow- that really is pushing him. I can't imagine a student who had only passed up to basic 3 competiting in beginning freeskate (a jump of 6 levels!), definetly the opposite of sandbagging there! I've never seen a competition that lets you skate up more than one level, and lots of basic skills competitions won't let you skate up at all (you must compete at the highest test passed)

Unsolicited advice- your clearly instilling a love of competition for the sake of the sport and not just winning, and thats a great thing. But make sure you don't rush past the basic skills- if he was just scooter pushing on one foot earlier in the year, make sure to not pass up too high too fast- it just gets harder (and boring) to relearn those basics if they aren't mastered the first time around.

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-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
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