I just posted the practice ice schedule for AN 2009 at http://www.ggrfsc.org/an09/event/practice.asp.

We'll be using Don Korte's online reservation system at sk8stuff.com, which he is setting up for us right now, so you'll be able to choose which sessions you want instead of us assigning them to you!

Please email me @ practice@ggrfsc.org if you have any questions!

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I've got mad salchow disease!

I posted this question on the other forum too, because I'm wondering when the actual sign up process will begin. Many of us will be mailing our payment across the country to you so you may not get it for several days. Is that going to be a problem for those of us who are not near by?

Thanks for your help!

Will there be a more detailed event schedule posted before we make reservations? If my freestyle event is at 11am, it doesn't make sense for me to buy a practice session at 6pm.

Also, do all events get 20 minute "official practice" warm-up type things? Last year was my first ANs and my first time ever having these.

I believe the chief referee is finalizing the event schedule this week, so we're hoping to get it soon!

Yes, there will be official warm-ups before each event, although this year they will be 15 mins. Those will be on the event schedule once it comes out.

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Thanks for putting this up. One thing though. It may make it a little easier for others, if you'd put the Day/Date on each page of the PDF. When you print a few, you have to hand write what day it's for, or you get lost.

Rob

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Thanks for the info. I'm confused about a couple of things. (I posted this on another board as well, but in case anyone else had the same questions I did, here goes again...)

1) The form to send in says no music will be played on FS or pairs sessions, only dance. So no one can do a program run-through? I thought that was the case for the 15-minute official warmups, not practice ice.

2) What if we decide which sessions we want, send in our payment, and by the time you receive the payment the sessions we want are full? We can't get a refund? I'm concerned about the lag time between choosing practice ice and payment receipt. I don't even want to send anything in until the schedule with times is out, because it's hard to choose practice times when you don't know when you're competing, but at the same time I'm afraid to wait because sessions will fill up.

Advice? Thanks!

I answered these questions on Facebook, but figured I'd answer here, too, in case others have the same questions!

You are correct. We will not be playing music on practice ice or official warm ups for freestyle & pairs this year. This was done at the recommendation of the chief referee.

I'm not sure what to tell you about the timing. I know the chief referee is in the process of finalizing the schedule, so I can say that we're expecting it soon (I know that's a bit vague, but I don't have a concrete date/time yet).

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A few of us are putting our heads together and trying to come up with a way to play music on practice ice that is fair to everyone, so stay tuned for further updates on that topic!

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I've got mad salchow disease!

Posted on FB as well, but...

Just a thought, not everyone does a run through on practice ice. With a limit of 15 skaters, say, maybe only 10 will want a run through. Or could you play the first minute of each program? At Easterns, the first minute was played on the official warm up, I'd say at the very least something like that needs to be done. I'm really glad you guys are trying to figure something out, having no music played at all is more unfair than having just some played at practice ice.

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Agreed about not everyone wants to play their music. I know I won't.

What if you collect music from everyone who wants music played at the beginning of the session, and do it alphabetically? Announce the first skater's music and the next person in line. Even if you play the first minute only, with 15 skaters on the ice, that gives you plenty of time to set up while skaters warm up.

Oh, and tell people to bring their extra copy of their program to practice sessions, as I'm sure official copies handed over when the skater checks in are probably miles away being organized.

We only had 30 minute practice sessions for Pacific Coast Sectionals and we had up to 20 people on them with no problems (that I know of). Some people want to run programs, others don't, so it seems to work out in the end. Playing only the first minute of a program seems silly....some people's programs are less than 2 minutes long, some are more than 3...how would that be fair? At PCAS, we handed in our music if we wanted it played, pulled a number out of a bag and that was the order....your music got played most of the time.

We may have a system figured out (those of you who did ANs in Ann Arbor are probably familiar with it).

Once we get all of the details ironed out, I'll post the procedure.

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Yep, I thought it worked well, too. Another skater did collide with me at one point, but neither of us was skating a program at the time, so that was not a factor.

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I do find it helpful when they play the music for 1 min on official practices. It re-assures me on my placements.

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I'm not sure yet if I'll actually get to utilize any of these sessions, but I think your organization is brilliant!

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This space has been put on hiatus for retuning....

I'm pretty much screwed out of practice ice based on when I'm getting into town Tuesday. All the bronze/silver free sessions are over by that time, only gold/masters are left. Obviously I don't really want to do a bronze/silver practice ice early Weds morning when I'm competing twice (and will have 2 warm-ups) that day. Unless by virtue of being in masters interp I'd be allowed on gold/masters sessions...

And I can't get on a dance practice session because again, by the time I get in Tues the silver practice sessions are over, and the only one after that is Weds, and it looks like it's during or right before my silver free or around the same time as my warm-up for that. There are 2 other silver I ladies in silver solo dance who will be screwed out of being able to practice for dance on that session, too.



I get why it's split up, makes sense logistically, but it kind of stinks for people on tight schedules because we're trying to miss as little school or work as possible.

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Sorry about that! It was SO hard to try and find a good mid-point and many of the sessions were rearranged after getting the chief referee's feedback (if we had used my original schedule, pretty much all of Wednesday would have been dance, LOL!).

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I've got mad salchow disease!

Well your email just solved one of my main scheduling problems

Serious props for handling this logistical nightmare that is ANs so well so far, especially given that one of your team members totally has much more important things to worry about that the moment

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2010-2011 goals:
Pass Junior MIF test
Don't break anything

A little OT, but just a reminder that if you haven't already done so, please send your competitor photo to programs@ggrfsc.org.

Send it in ASAP and you still have a chance of getting your competitor photo in the program!

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I've got mad salchow disease!

I sent my check in a week ago for the practice ice and have not received any passwords or confirmation. Has anyone been able to book their practice ice yet?

We are waiting for Don Korte (of Sk8Stuff.com) to get it set up on his side, but he has been refereeing a ton of competitions lately, so he's a little behind.

If you PM me your name, I can verify whether I received your form & check.

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I've got mad salchow disease!

Is there any news on when Practice Ice sign ups and Pin numbers will be sent out. Tired of checking my email constantly and just want to get signed up and be done with this part. One more thing checked off my list!

Thanks!

Don Korte told me that he is planning on having his end up this weekend, so, as long as he does that, I'll start sending out the PINs on Monday (in the order in which the forms were received).

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I've got mad salchow disease!

Great...thanks. I leave my poor email alone for the day! LOL!!!!

ANy news from Don Korte? Last weekend came and went. I know it is probably even MORE frustrating for you on that end because you got the final schedule out, got the practice ice blocked off and ready and now we're just stuck here waiting to be able to sign up, but definitely frustrating on this end too ( especially for us obsessive compulsive types...an OCD adult figure skater???? NEVER!!!!)