ok, why do i skate precision? mainly because i love skating and i don't have the time or money for individual skating anymore (although, i would like to finish my dance tests). but those are just the superficial reasons, what i answer to non skaters when they ask my why can't i do a triple axel. the real reason i'm still skating precision is because i can't see myself ever giving it up. it has to do with the kind of atmosphere at precision practices and competitions, the fact that you have to get used to depending on people and being dependable yourself. precision doesn't require triple jumps, so everyone writes it off- the way most people wrote off figures (a loss from which the sport of figure skating has never recovered from). however, anyone who attends a precision competition will describe the electricity in the air, the spirit that the teams have for one another. it's so wonderful to know that somewhere beyond the politics and the media hype of "amateur" figure skating there still remains an area for people who love to skate and apprieciate the entire sport of figure skating- not just the spectacular jumps and flashy costumes.
precision is not a sport for the faint of heart. at the top level, it requires endurance and superior skills in the basic maneuvers of skating- the ones that are often neglected by the singles skaters at the top ranks. the footwork, edges, and body positions have to be perfectly synchronized, and when there are 24 skaters on the ice going at breakneck speeds around a pinwheel, it can be awesome to watch, but very scary to be doing. i always had this fear of being the inside end of a pass through (intersecting manuver), and i ended up in spot. at sectionals official practice, i missed my spot and crashed into the person on the other end. the collision sent us both into the boards, but after that i wasn't scared of the manuver anymore. precision is like that- once you've fallen, you realize that's the worst that can happen, and you don't have anymore problems. everyone falls, and it's nothing to be ashamed of. the one quality of precision that impresses me the most is the dedication shown by many of the participants. several skaters i know commute from places that are hours away from the rink, and anyone involved in skating knows how expensive it can be. i have seen skaters take serious falls in practices and continue through run thrus of programs, rearranging of school schedules. it's incredible the sacrifices some will make, and the really cool thing is that you don't have to be a miachelle kwan, todd eldredge or child prodigy to succeed. precision is anyone's game. all you need is a pair of skates, and eventually, you'll catch on. there are teams that encompass every ability level, and skaters of all shapes, sizes, colors, and genders. the way i see it, everyone who skates precision is on equal footing, because it doesn't matter how well and individual skates, it matters how well the team skates. i am not the world's best skater, i don't skate on one of the top teams in the country, but i think i have more fun with precision skating than i ever had individually. i almost quit skating this year, because college is very demanding, and last year, i learned the hard way i can't do everything. but after skating with cold fusion this year, i realized that the only time i'll ever quit precision is when i get stuck in a wheelchair