One Chapter Ends, Another Begins

One of the chapters in my "skating book" has finally come to an end.  I had my last lesson with my coach on Wednesday, and last saw him on the ice (at least for a while) this morning.  My coach is leaving as he will be starting his masters in Nursing at DePaul University in Chicago.  I'm so grateful to have had a coach who was not afraid to take on the challenge of teaching an adult beginning FS level skater, who also happens to be a clockwise skater, who has been through my skating ups and downs, and not once has told me that my skating goals are not attainable.

I am excited about his future endeavors, and am excited about working with the new coach that is lined up for me, but he will be someone that I will never forget. 

I HAVE A SWING TO INSIDE MOHAWK TRANSITION!!!

IT FINALLY HAPPENED!!! I HAVE A SWING TO INSIDE MOHAWK TRANSITION!!!! Seriously, this transition has been a MAJOR roadblock for me since I started working on Pre-Bronze MITF this past year.  It's such a simple looking move, but for me, it has been a big source of frustration, fear, and tears.  I simply could not get onto the correct spot on my foot to allow for the transition to happen in my crossover patten, no matter which direction I went.  

Well, low and behold, it "clicked" yesterday.  I cannot describe how excited I am to have this happen! All it took was a simple change in my thought process as I'm doing the element.  I had been thinking "swing mohawk" as one element, and not dividing it into two parts.  So the other day, I just happened to think "swing" (get comfy on the inside edge) then "mohawk," and BAM! It worked!  I felt comfortable on the edge enough to put my foot down as I was in a good spot on my blade to allow it to happen. In the past, with thinking of the move as one whole chunk, I would freak out because I didn't have my balance on the proper edge, and I knew that if I went to put my foot down, I was going to fall, and that wasn't helping my fear factor at all.  My coach and I spent a lessons on this element, without much progress.  I have been so frustrated to the point of giving up on it, and have even cried over this.  It's like a huge weight has been lifted off of my shoulders, and I feel MUCH more confident on this! Is it perfect? Of course not, but am I way beyond happy to have this type of progress? YES!!  Who knew that just breaking down the element a bit would make such a huge difference?  I wish that this happened sooner, rather than later, but this is something that I had to sort out for myself, even if it took me so long to do it.  

I know that there are other improvements to make on the crossover pattern, but I'm so much more confident now, so I can move forward with making the improvements, and be ready to test in January!

It's the fall semester!

Wow. It has really been a long time since I posted on here!

In a nutshell, I am still skating, and continue to make progress.  I can't remember if I had posted this before, but I had thought about testing my Pre-Bronze MITF back in the spring.  Although I had been working really hard on the test, I decided to not test as I was honestly not prepared for it.  The most difficult pattern for me is the crossovers, simply because I really struggle with the inside swing mohawk transition that is suppose to occur between the forward and backward crossovers.  Although I remember initially being really upset with this decision, I'm glad that I decided to not test. I know that the test is "only" pass/re-try, but I want to pass the test well, and not just barely squeak by. I had learned my lesson the previous year about testing something that I'm honestly not ready for, and I don't care to repeat the experience. That being said, I am looking at testing later this semester (December or so), and THIS time, I will be ready. I backed out of the test once,and I don't want to do that again.  I am also planning on testing my Pre-Bronze Freeskate, as my coach said that I would be ready for that as well.

So..this summer...I was able to skate a few days a week at my rink, as it was FINALLY open for the summer!!! Yay!!  There, I started re-focusing on my MITF as well as learning back three turns, a sit spin, and back scratch spin.  I also found out that my coach is going to be leaving in December, so I only have a few more months with him.  I'm going to really miss him as he's the coach that I've had the lonest (since I was in ISI FS 1, basically).  I'm suppose to be transitioning to a new coach as of January, but I 'm not ready for that transition yet! I want to hang onto my coach forever!  However, I am also happy for him as he got accepted into a good graduate school, and will still be able to put me onto the ice for competitions in the Chicago area, so it's not like he will be gone-gone.

My other big news is this...NEW SKATES!!!!! I've been having a lot of problems with my old skates (Jackson Classiques), so this summer, I decided to finally get fitted for a new pair. A week ago Saturday, I was finally able to pick up my new skates, and so far I LOVE them.  When I got measured, I was told that my (now old) skates were a size and half too big length wise, and didn't at all fit me around my foot. I have about an A width heel and ankle, but am much wider towards the ball of the foot (and even have a slight bunion, most likely due to my skates).  So now, instead of being in an 8 1/2, I'm now in a 7 in a Jackson Premiere. My blade is also completely different. My previous blade was a Ultima Mirage, which is okay for beginner skate.  My new blade is a 9 3/4 inch Protoge.  I was really excited, but nervous about the new skates because of the fear of the skates being really stiff and adjusting to the new blades. Honestly, as a whole, these skates are breaking in VERY nicely!  I've had a few minor issues with my right ankle area, but it's nothing that undoing the skate for a few minutes, or re-adjusting the tongue can't resolve, and these are to be expected. I did have one fall over my toe picks, but it wasn't bad.

I first skated in my skates the next day, and I will admit that I could hardly do anything in them.  I felt like I was in someone's else's skates and my feet were like "Whoa...this isn't right."  Seriously, all I could do at first was swizzles and one foot glides.  However, after about 30 minutes or so, I was able to try crossovers.  Since then, I've progressed extremely quickly to my "normal" footwork/edges. My coach has already seen major improvements with my skating, and we're working towards re-adjusting to the new skates. I'm already back to spinning, although that is a bit of challenge as I have to re-find my "sweet spot," so that will take some additional. Part of that will be from really riding my right outside edge (remember that I'm a clockwise/leftie skater), but I'm expecting that to kick in the not-so-distant future.  As a whole, I cannot stress the importance of having good, supportive skates and blades, regardless of your skating level.  They really do make a difference!  I know that I'm feeling MUCH more safe with skating in these skates, as my foot is pretty much on lock down, so it won't shift, have my heel come up, not get loose on me, you name it.  My previous skates were actually very dangerous for me to skate in, so I'm so glad that I finally have something that works well.  These skates and blades should last me up to axel or possibly beginning doubles (if I get that far).

In addition to the new skates, I will be skating two completely new programs this year. I was able to choose the music, and, for the first time, cut the music myself. I had to scrap my original plan of skating to one piece ("Beethoven's 5 Secrets by the Piano Guys) as my coach and I couldn't come up with a good cut.  However, I came across the soundtrack to "Dangerous Beauty" on youtube, by just looking up "figure skating music."  This year, I am planning on skating ISI Bronze again, but also giving a dramatic a try.  The nice thing about a dramatic program is that I can use elements up to FS 4, so it's a good way for me to keep challenging myself, yet not stress over not having all of my FS 4 elements.  For my Bronze program, I'll be skating to "Veronica and Marco," and for my dramatic, I will be skating to "Imprisonment."  The later is going to be especially challenging as it's very dark, and so it will be my job to portray that mood...something that I have never done.  However, I think this will be good, as it will force me outside of my "box."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BhNCNm1dxE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t6mZYu0VGQ

That's about it for now.  I will try to add updates more often, so just bear with me!

Enough is enough!!!

Rant ahead, just FYI, but I"m feeling the need to post this as a figure skater who is trying to find that balance of being healthy, without going overboard.....

Sometimes, I get really tired of people comparing themselves to me in terms of them wanting to lose weight, eating healthier, not being physically active (considering that I run, figure skate, and do gymnastics), etc. For those of who have known me for a long time know that I've always been on the thin side. Sure, I might be lucky, blessed, have good genes, or what have you for having a thin build, but hearing stuff like this on a regular basis from this person is making me feel very self conscious, and I'm not liking it. I especially don't like that she's making comments that two of my arms could fit into one of her shirt sleeves, and the like. I have told her that being thin isn't everything, that she is fine the way she already is, if she wants to make changes to be healthier, then she should start small, and go from there, etc. However, I'm still getting all of these "I'm fat" related comments, and her comparing herself to me for being thin, which is making me feel very self-conscious. I've had my own (minor) body issues to deal with, and I'm still trying to have a good balance with my diet, although my willpower to not having junk food lately is MUCH lower...don't know if that's a good thing or not....my brain goes "It's JUNK!," yet my body goes "But it tastes so good!" Sheesh. 

Bottom line, I may have to speak up and tell her to stop using me as a reference for her weight woes, because it's making me feel really uncomfortable. I really wish that she would just accept herself for who she is and what she has,quit complaining, and make the changes herself if she wants to get healthier. I can't do the work for her, and am willing to give her encouragement/support in her healthier endeavors, but she has to take the first steps (whatever those may be), and stop comparing herself to me. 

Enough is enough!!!

There's a first for everything....

Competition season is upon us here at the U of I, and I did my first competition of the season last Saturday at Homewood-Flossmoor.  The competition got off to a super late start due to the sound system malfunctioning, but was able to catch up and be on time again.  As a whole, my events (ISI Bronze solo, compulsories, and FS 3 interpretive) went well, and it was a good competition overall.  I met two other adult skaters there, and I got the chance to cheer on one of them as they competed right before me.  The other adult skaters were Gold and Silver level.  The gold level skater and I happened to meet earlier that day, and she told me that she had remembered me from last year, and I inspired HER to compete again this year.  I was very honored and humbled by this, and that alone was enough to make my day in skating. It just reminded that I may never know who's watching me, and may be inspired to skate for the first time, or return to skating/competing.

 Results wise, I got a first place finish "against the book" both my solo and interpretive skate.  For my interpretive skate, I was given "Fireball" by Pitbull, which I'm thankfully familiar with.  Interpretive was actually pretty fun! I honestly didn't really know what to in the first half of the song (about 30 seconds or so), but there was a big downbeat a bit later, and suddenly, you couldn't help but basically dance to it.  I basically focused on footwork type of stuff, and I hope that I get better with interpretive skating, I can just really go things and really play things up to the audience.  However as a whole, I came off the ice feeling that I had done well, and was told by several other people (mostly from my rink) that I did well.


Also, at this competition, I faced a first for me....falling in competition.  I'm sure it was bound to happen to me at some point, and that some point was during my compulsory portion.  For my compulsories, I was required to perform my change foot spin, dance step sequence for FS 3, and a salchow.  I fell on my salchow, which was my last element of the routine.  I'm not quite sure what I did wrong, but my feeling is that I was too tilted when I took off, throwing off my balance when I went to land, and I couldn't hold onto it.  Too be honest, I was disappointed about that jump, and I knew that fall was going to cost me.  I know that I was skating against the book, and I have been struggling with that jump a little bit lately, but for the most part, it's been pretty consistent for me. I was suppose to get my falls out of the way up to the competition, not the other way around.  So, for me to have that fall when I've been working so hard to do well, was disappointing.  The rest of the routine had also gone pretty well too!  I pretty much nailed my change foot, although I was on my toe just a little bit at the end of the backspin (could've swore I heard my coach yell "nice!"), and my dance step was alright...could've stayed more steady on my outside mohawk so that it looked more like a mohawk than a bracket (and a bad bracket at that), but was other wise good.  I was especially happy with the change foot as those have FINALLY kicked in.

However, looking back at that fall, what I told myself a bit later on in the day was that fall was ONLY a fall...nothing else. I did not disappoint my coach, the audience as a whole, or even the judges.  They marked me down because of a technicality with my skating, that's it. As a matter of fact, my coach was super proud of me going out there and competing, and doing well as a whole.  It takes A LOT of courage to go out there and compete, especially as an adult, and doubly so when you're in a competition with mostly kids/teenagers.  So knowing that, I am glad I competed, and have hopes to do another competition later this spring if finances will allow.

As for back at the home rink, my rink has changed hands from ISI to USFS.  This change has been a change in the making since I started skating, and has finally come through.  I'm not entirely sure why we changed hands, but I hope that this will draw really good coaches to our rink, so that we can continue to increase the quality of good skaters at competitions.

Speaking of coaches, I'm in the process of changing of changing coaches.  My current coach, Jeremy, is graduating this spring, and will not be staying here for graduate school.  I respect his decision to go someplace else, and want the absolute best for him, but am very sad that he is moving on.  His leaving is one of the sad things that I don't like about our rink...coaches coming and going every few years due to them being college students.  However, what I am liking is that Jeremy is taking the initiative in finding a new coach for me.  Unfortunately, I'm not able to skate much this next week or so, due lack of finances, but I have a lesson scheduled with a potential coach, Michelle, in about two weeks.  I don't know too much about her, but she has come from one of the top skating training centers in country (even did boarding school there), and sounds like she has quite a bit of competing and coaching experience under her belt.  She would also be able to put me onto the ice for both ISI and USFS, which is a bonus.

My other personal choice is Max Liu, who use to teach Gracie Gold.  I know first hand that he's an excellent coach, and has flat out said that he enjoys working with adult skaters (major plus in my book).  I have seen him coach other students at our rink, so I know he can be tough.  However, I also know that he's also very good because of his emphasis on technique, which I sometimes feel like a lot of our coaches lack with their teaching, in order to "push" students through levels.  Then, when it comes to competition, the student doesn't generally do as well because of it.

My plan with both of these potential coaches is to take a few lessons with each, and Jeremy wants to be involved by observng/"co-teaching" the lessons.  That way, he can have some additional imput about who he thinks would be a better fit for me.  Ultimately, it'll be my decision on who I want to be my coach, but this way, we can discuss the positives and negatives together.