tim,

Thank you for being a "voice of reason." I agree with all of your suggestions, and this is exactly what I'm hoping for, that is: that some type of forum can take place at Dallas AN where we can talk to USFSA officials about what happened, make suggestions, and try to correct the situation, so that it never happens this drastically, again. With the understanding that nothing will ever be perfect, but better.

Redboots,

No one was saying to try to fix it for this competition. The damage is aready done. I was suggesting to try to pre-empt this from happening, again in the future. Not just sitting back and say "oh, well...nothing we can do...let's just get rammed up the a** again next year...oh, well..." And that's what's annoying me about the "suck it up, there's nothing we can do" attitude. Well, we are sucking it up for now, and there is something we can do for the future by making those at the top hear intelligent suggestions, such as Tim had to offer above.

Oh, I don't think anybody was saying "Nothing we can do" about future years - at least, that's not how I read it! I think they were saying that about this year.... and I was therefore reading you as saying that people ought to be making a Great Big Noisy Fuss this year! Which they will, I'm quite sure, after the event - too late, as you so rightly say, to change things now for this year.

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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!

No one has ever suggested that we can not do anything to prevent major scheduling problems in the future, nor that we lacked the desire to do so. And remember before anyone believes they are alone working for the interests and greater good of all adult skating that there are several of us here who worked for years to get this adult program started and maintained. We did this by worki ng with the USFSA, those who came before us and with eachother. Perhaps our responses are such because we know how very much it took to have adult skating where it is now, scheduling conflicts and all.

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Recycle Love - Adopt a homeless pet

So, all of you veterans who have worked so hard for all these years with the USFSA from the very start, keep doing it. I'm going skating.

I've just read all the threads and I must admit there are some valid points raised. However, for someone like icecatepairs, who has competed faithfully for years on the adult level and given so much respect to the adult skating community, she deserves respect. she shouldn't have to withdraw from any event and yes, Championship events ARE stressful. I support her and understand her frustration. I'm not a championship level skater, but I know many of them and understand what they go through and all I can say is , I worry about landing my axel in my program, but I don't have to worry about any doubles, complex combo spins and rabid footwork sequences. Her concerns are valid.
It's all well and good to look on the bright side, but Adult Nationals has been going on for years and there shouldn't be such a fiasco with the schedule at this point. I feel badly for the LOC--they are taking a lot of heat for something they didn't do wrong. The Adult Skating committee has worked tirelessly on behalf of all of us and I thank them for that.
Let's hope Chicago is better scheduled...that said--Good luck everyone in Dallas and show them that no scheduling snafoo can affect their performances. I wish everyone a great skate!

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Can you do a bracket without an edge into it or out of it? Without falling over? I can!

Can you do a rocker but not a three turn? I can!

This was already discussed by the Chicago LOC. The Chief Referee was in attendance. I am sure he will keep this mess in mind when creating next year's schedule. It should also be discussed with each LOC in subsequent years.

[QUOTE]Championship events ARE stressful[QUOTE]


I dont think they are any more stressful than any other comp.Depends on how you handle the stress.

I see on the Dallas website (and I also received e mail), that further changes to the schedule will be posted at the Starcenter once we arrive. I am sure that the LOC is doing their best to fit all the events in (I sincerely hope!), with less stress to the skaters. So everybody, watch the schedule carefully at the competition because changes will be necessary.
Still it's much more relaxing to know the schedule in advance and be mentally prepared for how the competition days will go.

I don't thing DAYS will be changed once we get there (people are already on return flights and not everyone goes for the whole week). They may hold that Interp 4 event or the Silver 4 FR event in time to get those people in there or they may move Masters Interp 1/2 to earlier in the day or something.

Right - I think the schedule times will be tweaked but the days will stay the same. Everyone should just watch their event start times.

[QUOTE=twokidsskatemom][QUOTE]Championship events ARE stressfulThey are. Trust me. You may have the same level of personal stress, but the external stress is much higher in the championship events.

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"The only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary." -- Vidal Sasson

"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." -- Unknown

More stressful than regionals?Nats? Your first comp with an axle? Your first comp at all?Skating at Jr nats?Skating at lake placid?Skating in a group of 60 for intemediate ladies?Skating against the book?
Im sure people who compete at ALL of those events think the same.

I wasn't aware there was any external stress in adult skating. It's not like we have the media hounding us! LOL!

Really, to each his/her own. I've done Championship twice at AN, and honestly I find Interp much more stressful!

yes No absolutely YupProbably not Unless you're the '80 hockey team, LP isn't that special You have to finish high in your QR - same as AN Adult Bronze I believe in the USFS they call that a test -- way easier, IMO, than a champ event I'm sure that they do. However, they won't know the truth of the feeling of a champ event, kid or adult, until they get there.

This is the last time I'll comment on this. You can't explain it to those who haven't experienced it. Daisies, I think you are an exception to the norm - because a majority of the folks I've seen look like they feel the way I am describing, even of they won't admit it. Heck - Plushenko looked before the short program at the Oly's like he had swallowed a hedgehog - didn't make him skate any worse, but it showed on his face before the event!

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"The only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary." -- Vidal Sasson

"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." -- Unknown

Nope, skating against the book isnt a test. Its skating alone, and you have to place at 80 or above to place first. Some say its harder than skating with someone else.USFSA and ISI both has comps where you skate against the book.
I guess some of us will never know since you are going to the champs and the rest of us arent.
I would think regionals have alot more skaters, and I know JR nats and nats do. Cameras and lots of people.
And yes LP is very special to all the ice dance teams who compete there every year, from ALL OVER the WORLD.Its a big big comp and it means alot to the ice dancers.

I can understand how competing in a Campionship event would be more stressful. Granted, it's self-imposed stress, but I understand it. (Disclaimer: I am relatively new to all this and I've never competed, that being a long way off for me). From my understand, almost all of AN is an open competition, meaning that you can just register to compete and go. For championship events, you have had to actually qualify at regionals and then sectionals. Therefore, if you're shooting for AN Championships, you don't compete only at AN -- you have to compete in 2 previous competitions to get there. Surely, that must be a *huge* anxiety builder. AN seems a long way off when you compete in Regionals, but if you then qualify for Sectionals, it becomes something that starts to seem like a reality. If you qualify for AN from Sectionals, the thought about actually medaling at AN becomes a tangible possibility and your anxiety level heightens even more. It would seem like riding a roller coaster with each successive drop being higher and higher, the tension building and building each time. It makes sense to me.

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"finger painting?"

Point of Information: For AN, you qualify by going through Championship qualifying at Sectionals.. there is no Regionals (yet) for Adult skating.

And I'm staying out of the "How stressful is Championship level?" discussion since there is NO way I'll ever be on that side of the coin. But BIG "congratulations" and a heartfelt "Thank You!" to those of you who are that good. You inspire the rest of us!

Sk8guy71,
Although Adult Nationals is open, it's more than "you can just register to compete and go". You do have to take your tests to be able to compete, just as you do for the championship rounds. Also with the open rounds you do have to compete twice at nats., once in the initial round and then the final rounds, which for some is very stressful. Also many adults compete in several events before nationals and go through the same thought process leading up to Nationals as you described for the championship events. You get to know the competitors, see who's out there and so forth. At least with the championship events you know who will be competing, in the open events you could have a skater who did not compete prior to Nationals and pop up and surprise all. Also very often, when this was allowed, the skaters who entered the championship events and same open event would end up in relatively the same place (with adjustment for numbers of competitors) in the rankings. Actually this would be an interesting analysis to see if there is/was any significant difference of outcomes in open and championship events (sorry, scientist in me).

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Recycle Love - Adopt a homeless pet

Wow.... just.... wow. Just goes to show how everyone is different!

LOL, so I have been told -- in more than just skating! (Actually, I think the exact words have been, "You're not normal." Bwah!)

Well, yeah ... that's fine. But that's stress they put on themselves. I'm still at a loss as to what the external stress is, however.

Hmm... Olympics, Adult Nationals. Olympics, Adult Nationals.

:: ponders ::

Big diff!

We're all different, and carry different baggage... I get extremely nervous in the champ events much more so than the open event. The open events are much less stressful because I have no expectation it's more free. Last year, I just for the most part fell apart---then again the whole group was interesting. It's much easier this year because I just do what I do, it's not ohhh there's one of the top skaters ( )in mids, easterns, pacifics. You carry the expectations of your section,... it is different. Or at least it was for me.

Just MYO.

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Who me? Couldn't be....
http://www.youtube.com/bouldersk8r

What does that mean? (I'm not asking that to be problematic, I really don't know what it means!) Thanks!

I think what bothered me was the inportantance of AN vs anything else. I think it does a diservice to all skaters, not matter if they are 3 and in tots or 53 and a first comp for them.No one is better than another and everyone handles stress in a different way.
I know that is in inportand to those going and I wish them good luck and support.

Anyone heard anything yet about the practice ice schedule?

I received an email with my practice ice listed on it. I have a couple of questions about what exactly it says.. but I'm going to wait until I get there to ask.. since that is LESS THAN A WEEK FROM NOW!!!!!

I guess this is what makes us all so very different. The whole reason I even WENT to 1996 AN was because it was at Lake Placid... and I figured this would be my only chance to skate there. I didn't even expect to do well. But to be able to say I skated on the rink where the 1980 hockey team won the Gold, where Charlie Tickner won the Bronze, where Tai and Randy should have won an Olympic medal, where Sonja Henie won Gold.. where there is sooooo much skating history.. THAT was VERY special to me... no matter how I personally skated. (And I managed to survive the experience) I have been back since.. and everytime it STILL feels special.

(But that's just me, a California Girl... who DID grow up in the snow and ice and cold... admiring those who were good at winter sports... while I was curled up in the library with a book or 10. And yes, there are lots of places in California where we have four seasons. )