So this is the deal, and I need your help and your opinion on what should be done.

Part A: I'm a (Canadian) Silver Interpretive skater. I got my Intro and Bronze with the same Interpretive program (Shirley Temple) and have had it for the last year and a half. It's old, and the judges are sick of it. I refuse to skate the program anymore...basically I hate it.

Part B: I have a competition on Saturday. I am skating in Silver Interpretive.

Part C: I started a new program two weeks ago. I love it more than any other program. I'm skating for myself now and having FUN on the ice, more than ever before. The program is called "Because I'm a Blonde" and is a ditzy sort of program. It's fast and it's fun.

Part D: My coach emailed me last night and said she hated the program, and that the judges would too. Okay, I can understand her point of view...they probably won't like it. She told me I should pull or skate my Shirley Temple program. I told her that either way I'll come last, that I didn't care, am leaving before results are posted and that I'm skating for myself and ONLY myself.


Now my question for you is...what should I do? Should I skate the new program and suffer the possible breakup with my coach, and skate coachless? Should I suck it up and do the horrible, horrible (really old) Shirley Temple program? Should I pull like coach says?

ASAP!!! HELP

Kortney

Well, your coach knows best. I am not sure you want to jeopardize your relationship with her over a program. Perhaps after the competition you two can sit down and discuss which things bother her about the program, and you both can take steps to tweak and fix it.

This being said, go with the old program. It is only one more competition, and after this you can skate the new one if all goes well.

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Lisa

Wont it be great? Someone else in '08!

You hate the old program, so skating it wouldn't be any fun for you. But if you pull out and don't skate at all, don't you lose the money you paid to enter? I'd skate the new program and see what happens. Who knows? Maybe the judges will like the program? If you skate it well and have fun with it, who cares if you come in last? It's Interpretive, not the Olympics. If the judges say they hated it or didn't understand it, then you can scrap it and try something new. But you won't know unless you try.

Has your coach actually said she won't coach you anymore if you do skate this program? Maybe it's just me but I wouldn't take from a coach who didn't allow me to pick my own music - especially interpretive! - and make my own mistakes with my choices.

Well said. ITA.

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This may be a strange question, but why did your coach email you to tell you this? Why wouldn't your coach tell you at a practice or lesson?

I agree that you should do the new program if you are truly skating for yourself. If you enjoy doing the program that will mean a lot to you, and might even score points with the judges since it is something new.

If it's just for competition (it's not a test/competition), go with the new program, it's a chance to try it out. If your coach hates it so much does this mean that it's going to be scrapped completely?

Does your coach read here, maybe she should.

I don't think its unreasonable to ask her if you could just skate the new program once in order to get the judges opinion. If it's not received well at the competiton, then scrap it. It seems silly to do so before you even know what they think.

PattyP

If you're only there to have fun, and you're fine with coming in last, if that's what happens, then skate the new program. Perhaps your coach doesn't truly understand that you don't care if you end up in last place? Perhaps you can explain to her just what you told us...that you can see her concerns over the new program, and they're probably valid, but that you think you'd probably end up last with your old program anyway---and if you're headed for last regardless, you'd rather do it with a program that you at least like.

If your coach has an issue with your predicted placement--maybe she's too focused on 'winning', and might not be the right coach for you anyway.


But definitely try to sit down and talk with her---you don't want to seem defiant unnecessarily, but it is your skating, after all, not hers. Perhaps she just needs to know that you don't harbor unrealistic expectations for this program.

Kortney,

You do what you want to do because you are in this for you and only you! In the end skating is supposed to be fun and if you are not having any fun then why are you out there in the first place? Becuase your coach told you? Rememer you are the boss, you are a star and go out there and do what you do best. If you are out there having fun and smiling then I am sure that the judges will love your program because they can see you obviosly love to skate!

Love Matt!

Perhaps you could combine the two programs. Call it the "Shirley Temple Ditzy Blond" routine.

I would say stay with the coach too and do what the coach says to do for now anyway. But the other side of me is thinking that if you hate this ST number your going to skate kinda blah! And if you like the other number your going to be smiling and looking like your really getting into it. But is this all worth the risk? Thats the biggie question. Best of luck on whatever you decide to do.

So here's a surprise twist to what I did.
My coach explained to me the cons of the Blonde program. In some ways I agreed...and because my coach is usually right, I said okay.

BUT....

I didn't let her completely get her way. I didn't do Shirley Temple, and I didn't pull. I skated to a brand new program I choreograped on Thursday night. (I competed Saturday). I did Diana Krall's "Charmed Life" and I think it might have potential, but maybe not. It went well for two days of practice. I came 4th, so it wasn't THAT bad. Not as good as I expected.

Anyways - see the new post I posted for my new predicament.

Thanks for all the support though guys

Kortney