PASSED! Saturday, September 27th, 2008

Time	Event
7:27a	My stomach is quite upset this morning. I'm heading to freeskate right now. Run the test twice- go home. I might sneak in a few spins, but it's going to be about 30 minutes of ice time, just to make sure the 3-turns work today. Test is at 12:50- I will leave here at about 11:00, so I get to CR about an hour before my warm up. I'm ice monitoring after the test, so I won't be home until like 4:30. In other news- I found out today that Alissa Czisny won her first Grand Prix of the season. That makes me SO happy. I want her to have a successful season, because she's one of my favorites to watch. It's never fun to watch the favorite crash and burn. Alright- time to get the skating outfit on... BREATHE jessi... (1 Comment | Comment on this)
4:14p	I passed! Passed Bronze MITF!!! The test felt really good. I did the entire thing without going for a water break (I had been having a hard time getting through it in practice) and although I was pretty nervous, I don't think it showed too much in my legs :) I wasn't NEARLY as nervous as I was for Pre-Bronze, so maybe all the freaking out ahead of time took care of that. The ice was WEIRD. It was super fast- not the chunked up ice we usually have to push through, which might have been why I never got so out of breathe, but I was prepared for that- but it just felt different. Like you skated on top of it instead of in it. It looked kind of slimy too. Very strange, but it didn't affect it. Also- is an olympic rink shorter than an NHL rink? I kept feeling like my patterns were off and too big. That is NEVER a problem, so it was weird. The test session ran WAY ahead, so while I was thinking I had about an hour to go, the test chair comes over and tells us to get our skates on, we'd be up soon- that was a bit of unexpected nerves, but I think it was good not to sit and wait. Courtenay came with me and was a big help to keep the nerves down... She taped 3 of the 5 moves (but said she forgot to do the first two) so I'll put those on youtube soon. Here are the judges comments: Forward crossovers- 2.5- Nice positions but more knee -- push! Backward crossovers- 2.5- Again positions good but bend knees Forward power 3 turns- 2.5- Less toe- more knee. Check 3 more Landing edges- Ok- little flat/shallow Five Step Mohawk- edges/ext ok- should flow not step/march Overall comment- Don't be afraid to use your knees & get speed. Guess I need to bend my knees ;) The passing average for the test is 2.5- so I was at it for all of them. Kind of sad to see flat on those back edges, because that has always been my most secure move- guess I've been doing it wrong. I have a locked entry after this. (M- I'll send it to you in an email, since I know you don't have an LJ account)ETA: Sorry blogger folks...no locked entries going public.

Thursday, August 14th, 2008

Time

Event

9:13p

Entrance to moves patterns I got an email tonight (which I'll respond to in full when I have time to sit down and type a full repsonse) asking why I do such a complicated entrance to my moves patterns, especially since I have trouble with it. For the alternating back crossovers, and the back crossovers to back outside edges, my entrance is: Start facing hockey goal, slightly off centered to side of rink where I will do move. Do 1 stroke with right foot, 3 turn on left foot, then two backwards crossovers. My synchro coach suggested this entrance for me, and provided video evidence -a senior moves test- that other skaters use it. (I was worried about being different, and having judges notice that.) What I struggle with is the 3-turn, and getting enough power in it that I look like I could be a bronze skater. So why do it this way? Well- the normal entrance around here is 4 strokes and then either a 3 turn or a mohawk. My problem by the time I do the standard across the rink stroking, I'm going too fast to do the turn. Neither my 3-turn or my mohawk over my left shoulder is strong. By starting with just one stroke and then the turn, I'm able to do it at a much slower speed, easing my worries about hitting it just a little bit. I still don't get a clean entrance 100% of the time, but I also don't bail out 90% of the time anymore. Just for those wondering, my 3 turn pattern starts at the hockey goal with 2 strokes preceding it, but my coach worries that it will make the pattern look tenative, however, there is no way I can do it from 4 strokes unless they are super weeny strokes that will make me look like a bad skater. My mohawk comes from the normal starting spot across the horizontal axis, but with 3 strong strokes, and my fwd crossover has 4 starting strokes. I have a card that tells me what foot to start on for each of these patterns, since they are all different- it's confusing, but changing those two entrances to something a bit non-standard really has been a huge help to my confidence. Edit to add: This is essentially the entrance I'm using, except I'm doing a 3-turn not a mohawk, but it's the idea of up the rink, rather than just across the horizontal. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhODS6xll4A

Friday, May 30th, 2008

Time

Event

5:16p

Saturday MITF lesson I forgot to write down the notes about last weekends MITF lesson with Courtney. It was really great to go over the patterns- wow do I have a lot to work on! However, I was happy that my overall edge quality was complimented. I need to stop chickening out on 3 turns though. It's just speed- it doesn't make the turn any different. First off- wow, this was a hard lesson. She made me work hard for the 45 minutes. The plan was to do each move as if I was testing it, pick it apart, work on it, then do it again as if testing it. Forward power crossovers- This I think was the most shocking on on how much work I need. Apparently rather than stepping on an inside edge I was stepping onto a flat. So she changed my arms (no longer changing them like on basic edges, more just shifting my upper body like you do on cross rolls) to minimize movements to help my balance and has my leg position slightly different to insure a strong inside edge. WOW- once I get that the power part really comes into play. Occasionally I get kind of scared about the speed and have problems doing a left crossover because I don't want to pick my foot up, but I have faith I can get this move well- as long as the session is pretty empty. I can however see some bad wipeouts if I'm not careful. Backward power crossovers- First problem- I chicken out on the entry. So instead of a 3 turn, I'm doing a mohawk, which isn't my favorite thing to do, but if I go into it slowly I CAN do it, where the 3 turn, eh not always. Second issue- the approach to the move has completely changed. My previous coach was all about speed, now it's all about edge quality- which should generate power. My lobes now need to be "big and juicy"- now that I understand the body position, this one just needs some practice. Power 3 turns- My biggest issue here is starting. If I can get the first 3-turn I can get the rest. The first one is the biggest issue. Stupid 3 turns. Courtney suggested I make the lobes on the 3 turns larger, and I'm not sure that's quite how the pattern should work based on the rulebook drawings. She told me this pattern was really good, just a bit scratchy, if I can just not chicken out. On the second side I do fine. Back crossovers to back outside edge- This used to be one of my weakest moves, but Courtney said it's probably my best. She did make one change that makes me SO happy. My previous coach was insistant that I must turn my head completley on each back extension. She said that she'd rather me not move it- as especially on the left side my lack of rotation in my neck really throws me off- and would rather see good leg lines, good edges, good power. So now that I don't have to turn my head- except for running into people, I am pretty happy with this move. Five step mohawk- This is still my least favorite move. I'm jumping on the mohawk and apparently I'm doing the slip step wrong. So she gave me some things to work on, encouraged me to count the move so that each step is held for the same amount of time. This one needs a lot of practice. Also I've been skating too long. While watching SYTYCD I keep hoping they will spin. Never ever before skating did I call a turn that!

August 19, 2007 - Pre Bronze MITF!

8:32a
Test day today. We plan to leave at about 10:30- which should put us in Des Moines at about 12:30, and my test isn't until 2:00 but I wanted to leave early enough that if there is any sort of accidents or construction on the highway, I'll still be there by 2:00. It's raining today so that might slow us down.

I sewed up the holes in my tights last night, and sewed the "ears" at the foot of the OTB tights to the elastic so they don't stick out as much. Also got the hook and eyes on. I plan on wearing the OTBS, and the footless are there for back up.

I have my dress packed, and a spare dress packed. I have extra blister pads, a needle and thread, my ankle gel pads, and my blade guards packed. Kevin checked to make sure the bag contained TWO ice skates. (I've gone to the mall before with only 1, imagine driving all the way across the state with 1!) I actually had to go search out the blade guards, as I never use them when I teach, but imagine stepping on a penny or bobby pin on a test day! Blade guards will be on.

I'm more nervous than I thought i would be. I wasn't nervous about the show. There were LOTS of people there watching. Other than the judge- I doubt anyone will be watching me. But I guess there were no stakes if I did poorly at the show, and here there are some stakes. I mean, it doesn't REALLY matter if I don't pass- but I will be out $45- so that's something.

I still haven't decided if I want to practice on the other ice pad while I am waiting to test. I don't want to because I'm nervous if I skate poorly it will REALLY make me nervous on the test and affect my performance. I'm also nervous I'll rip my tights, or skate over something that will ruin my blades (it's known to happen on public sessions). But I think it might be a good idea because if I skate WELL- well that's a good thing.

But since I often only skate 30 minutes at a time, well the 5 minute warm up will let me know if I'm skating well- and that will give me confidence, and if I'm skating badly, I won't have time to freak about it. Burton hasn't talked to me about what to do for warm up. If he doesn't I plan to stroke around the rink (hopefully in the more difficult direction, it will depend on "traffic") then do backwards inside edges. Then some forward right inside 3 turns. That's enough to let me know I'm ready for the test. If time allows, I'll add some crossovers.

I KNOW I can pass this test. I just have to manage to hold the contents of my stomach in until the end of it! (I didn't sleep well, and am feeling quite sick)
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4:28p
PB Test Notes
Well, I'm back from Des Moines. It was good and bad. The good is I passed. The bad is I have never skated so badly in my life.

I touched my foot down during my backward OUTSIDE edges (which are usually pretty good). My backward Inside edges were shaky. I touched my foot down on a 3-turn during pattern 5. I FORGOT COMPLETELY to do the last lobe of the crossover pattern. (I could have sworn I did four, but nope.) My waltz 8 was okay, and my stroking was good. I really did not think I was going to pass. My body has always reacted badly to stress (I was on beta blockers for anxiety when I danced in high school) and even though I had convinced myself that this test didn't matter, clearly my nerves did no get the message. My legs were shaking, I'm suprised I was able to stand up. The ice was also horrible. I've never skated on a rink with the "ice bumps" before, so I spent a part of the warm up trying to figure out where they all were on the ice. I really think Burton thought I'd fail. I was asked to reskate the half of the crossovers I didn't do- and I kind of thought that might be a good sign, why would they have me reskate if I'd already fail anyway. (Oh- I did the reskate great. By that point, I figured it was already shot and was back to my normal skating)- but he told me he wouldn't consider it a reskate, just a completion of the test. I had to try really hard not to cry, and even when I got the paper that said I passed, what good is it passing if I was horrible? Am I just usually way above the standard? Did I get a pity pass because the judge assumed I normally skate better?

These are the comments
Forward Perimeter Stroking: Nice position, nice flow. CCW nice, CW nice slightly stiff.

Basic Consectuive edges: Nice Bilateral Skating
FO: steady edges, very neat (Steady? I was shaking like crazy!)
FI: Smooth edges
BO: A little stiff- neat (I set my foot down on the first one- the rest weren't too bad)
BI: pushes a little 2 footed (I don't think I knew they weren't supposed to be...)

Forward Crossovers: 3,5,4 (I counted 4,4,4 weird?) RESKATE- nice neat strokes! Better Power! (see back to normal)
Backwards Crossovers: 7,8,8,8 neat strokes

Waltz Eight: Good Symmetry, BO edge a bit short

Forward 3-turn pattern: little bit tight, but consistent flow. R-L a little shallow, L-R stronger (YEP! R-L is my bad side, that's why I do it first!)

I guess I'm disappointed in myself. But ready to kick butt on the freeskate test in just over a month!

(I have videos, but I don't know if I'll put them on youtube- I don't think I can handle the U Suxx comments)

ETA: Okay, I did put the videos on youtube- the links are in the next post.
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10:20p
Videos of PB Test
Moves 1 and 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx1fGnReGk8

Moves 3, 4, and 5 plus reskate
(gosh, I can't believe how tenative I was on those crossovers!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBXlQt-3q0w