New Skating Season, 1st time back.

singerskates · #1 09-08-2002, 10:19 PM

Well, I know I told you that I skated during the summer once a week but it was nothing like what I did today. We only have so far 4 skaters registered for intermediate including me. So if things stay this way, I'm going to get a lot of attention. My coach was lucky to have 2 skaters on intermediate to teach. The others 4 coaches had to split the other 2 skaters.

At first when I got on the ice, I barely could balance. What 3 weeks no skating since only once a week for 4 weeks does and before that being off for two months. Whoa! It wasn't until half way through my session that I finally felt ok. Then I worked on spins. I tried a few jumps and was struggling to get them back. Then I said to myself just try to do some of my freeskate program. So I did and wha la, there they were. Weird!

Lesson time. First thing Sunni (my coach) did was get me off of the ice after she reminded me that I told her during summer school, I wanted to be serious this year and for her to push me. And she did. She checked to see how far I could rotate off ice. Turns out I was a quarter turn short. Then she got me working on how I stand when I jump. Fixed up my arms. I then tried her way, I was jumping up and around but wildly. One time I went just a bit over a whole turn and fell onto the ground. I laughed so hard even through I banged up my left knee. Then Sunni brought me back on the ice to work on my spins, specifically, my spiraling edge. I am trying to fix it. Anyway, I was starting to get it and found that I was spinning even faster than before and doing up to 6 and 7 revolutions. Sunni wants to get me up to 10 revs by January. Wonder if that will be on the back spin too? Hmmm. I must spin pretty easy. Anyway, I have to get the loop going so I don't keep doing the toe loop in its place because the toe loop is suppose to come right after it in my freeskate program.

Music problems: My club is still in the dark ages as far as music goes. They are still using a tape play and not a CD player. I couldn't use my CD today. Sunni has to make a copy of my music from my CD. Sigh, I have to find a way to get a CD player working with their system. I could get more music editing business if they got a CD player to use. Plus, it's easier to get ready for competition when your music plays at the same speed each time.

Anyone else have a first day back?

Canskater · #2 09-09-2002, 08:30 AM

Hello:

Though not exactly the same as the last poster, Thursday was my first time back on the ice in a year and a half ... after suffering a very severe knee injury. The first fifteen minutes were excruciating ... my arches were cramping and in agony!! Went off ice and into the penalty box, stomping feet vigorously to get them to relax. Finally, I was determined to "skate through it" ... and it worked.

Anyway .... worked on forward and back crossovers, swing rolls, mohawks, and even a very wussy waltz jump. Only fell once!! By the end of the two hour freeskate, my speed was back, and edges were sorta okay (need a sharpening ...) I can't wait for Friday, and my first session back with coach in what seems like FOREVER. And hopefully, it won't take too many sessions to get the rest of the old skills back.

After being without skating for such a long time, I almost forgot what it feels like ..... now I again know why I have always loved it sooooo much.

-- sheilagh

kayskate · #3 09-11-2002, 10:21 AM

I had my first day back last week. The ice felt very strange since I had been inline skating all summer. I have to get used to it again. My stamina is not where I left it in spite of exercise over the summer. Nothing works the body quite like ice skating.

Kay

arena_gal · #4 09-11-2002, 01:15 PM

Monday was our first day back. Our registrations are way down also, half of last years. This is not good.

Canskater · #5 09-11-2002, 02:07 PM

Arena_gal, I hear you on this one. The club closest to where I live had their Adult program cancelled last year "due to lack of interest" .. i.e. only four people signed up and club management said that there was not enough revenue generated to pay for the ice time. This past summer, a very well-known club close to where I work, cancelled their adult program for similar reasons. My new club (first session tomorrow) says that registrations for the adult session are way down this year as well, but they are not about to cancel (at least not at this point).

-- sheilagh

kayskate · #6 09-11-2002, 02:59 PM

Any idea why registration for adult programs is down? Just curious.

Kay

singerskates · #7 09-11-2002, 05:33 PM

Well, at my club there isn't an adult program and I skate with the kids. Between Jennifer Robinson who is a club member in name only because she trains in Detroit in the summer and in Barrie the rest of the year and I, there are only two adults. I win as the oldest and Jen wins as the skater who can do the most. I rather much like skating on the kids ice although I wish another adult would sign up for freeskate with my club and join me on the intermediate session. My coach would be happy if she got the business from the adult skater too.

There are only 4 adult skaters in the city who do freeskate but I'm the only one who competes and is taking on a 4 day skating load. The other three skate on Windsor FSC's adult session which is 90% ice dancers and learn to skaters. I really don't like to mix freeskating at the same time as ice dancing. For me it has to be one or the other during the session and Windsor FSC has the adults doing everything at the same time. That makes me feel too tense on the ice. I'd rather have skaters who are way above me technically on the ice doing the same discipline. If you can look behind you when you skate backwards, then it doesn't matter how fast the other skaters are.

Brigitte

dbny · #8 09-11-2002, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kayskate
Any idea why registration for adult programs is down? Just curious.

Kay

Two possibilities come to my mind. One is that since the economy is so terrible, many adults, like Gary

may not be able to spend so much on themselves this season. Another is that registrations will pick up as the weather gets colder and we really get into the season. I know that our skating school registration was lower at both the beginning and the end of the season last year.

arena_gal · #9 09-13-2002, 09:29 AM

Our club registration as a whole has dropped off which is good and bad. Bad because the club needs registrations but good because they "might" look at moving the adult session from 9:00pm Sunday nights in the iceburg arena into 5:00pm on Weds at the nice new warm arena. The "kids" have had the 5pm time for years but no one signed up for it yet. On the other hand, I know at least 10 adults that would love to skate at a reasonable time of day and not freeze to death.
We're lucky to have an adult skater on the board of directors, otherwise nothing would ever change.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode