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| Skating Journal 2004-2005 Part 3 |
| A Very DARK Day - Feb 10, 2005 I was just saying to another skater this week how much I loved our coach. I was so nervous I would not find a great coach here, but I did and was so happy how things had worked out. I knew my coach was going to the hospital to have something looked into. That's all I knew... He called me to make sure I was going to be able to take over his class of students that night. I said absolutely I would do that. Then I found out from him that his condition was serious, though treatable. I felt just terrible. They are new in town and do not have a lot of friends here yet. His wife is the same age as me and I think that really hit me. He asked me not to tell anyone, which certainly I was not going to do. I went to the rink and everyone was very solemn. It seemed everyone must know. I kept my ear open to hear if they knew. Everyone was acting as though he was going away and that we would all be coachless. I knew that if all went well that after a couple weeks, he might be back, but it was not forever. It was also whispered and since I though nobody knew, I was very confused. Then somehow I overheard he was fired! So the poor man finds out he has an illness and gets fired in 24 hours! He was not allowed to teach on the ice anymore. People were mad and up in arms. We were not allowed to know for what reason he was let go which made it even more difficult to swallow. So, I was coachless again and lost a friend. I also had a half choreographed program that I did not know what to do with it. AND, there was a sick man out of a job in a place where he had no family and I just felt so bad for him. The Fall Out - February, 2005 The Club was upset. We all were. We had lost a coach and a friend. People were making petitions, going to meetings, helping financially and doing anything they could to change the situation. I was not allowed to do a thing which killed me. Because I was a rink employee I had no right to protest unless I wanted to lose my position. This alienated me from the others who were protesting and doing what they could. The last thing my coach told me was to help the rink and the kids in lessons, so that is what I am doing. The Club decided to end all ice contracts with the rink which then created a lack of ice for me just before Sectionals and Nationals. I made due on publics and the newly created Wed Freestlye, but I really miss the Sunday session. Many members now skate at a rink that is too far for me to be willing to go to and they have no ice that fits my schedule. It is sad because I just switched to this club as home membership from the Jackson ?Hole FSC which I love and miss desperately. I may have to consider Individual USFSA membership for next year. Very sad. For Presidents Weekend I went to Jackson and skated. Lori was not there, so that was a bummer. I was not recognized by many, but my hair is much shorter. When I asked how much it was to walk onto the session I was told, "I don't know how much it is for a 'tourist non club member'". Uggh! Cut right to the heart! I was still an associate member, but it just felt so awful. I did not fit in ANY club and I miss that comraderie. 2005 Adult Midwestern Championships - March 5, 2005 My coach had initially planned to attend the competiton with me, but since all of the fall out and his health it was not possible. So, I took my coach from Adult Nationals 2003 - My Husband! He is an excellent substitute for a coach. He had never had to put me on the ice before, usually Lori did, but even she was not here. Jon was my sole support and he was awesome. We went Friday night for practice ice and he worked me very hard. I thought I was not going to skate the entire session, but I did. He had me work on everything MANY times. But, he does know what he is looking for. He is not stupid about this stuff. I say he would make an excellent judge, but he would never do it. Practice was very good. I had decided not to put the axel in the program, so I was not as nervous as I might otherwise have been. I skated my program not to my best. For some reason I got all hung up on footwork and stupid stuff. All of the spins and jumps were fine and my speed was great since I was 3,000 feet lower in elevation. I was a little bumbed out. I never say that I want to win. It never crosses my mind, but for some reason I wanted to win this thing. So, I was a little sad that I did not do my best. As I was walking up the stairs I heard my name, but I did not respond because nobody knew me here. But the person persisted, so I turned around to see an unfamiliar face. Her name was Erica and she wanted to compliment me on my skating. She said that she saw my practice and thought that I was a master level skater. That is just the ultimate compliment. She was then told by another person who I did not know that it was "Kelli" a Silver skater who was 4th at AN 03 in Bronze. How do people know this about me or who I am? Scary, but flattering. Turns out these two are on the chat boards a lot so I had read their posts previously. More than any outcome of my skating this was the victory - a sincere compliment from another adult skater. I asked if anyone else did axels and only one was completed cleanly, so that was good news for my placement. Turns out the judges thought I did OK, because I was placed first. I was so happy. I could not believe it. I did not see any of the other skaters (which I never do) so I don't know how I compare and would rather not know. This way I only know how I skated and cannot place myself. I leave it all up to the judges who must have liked me today. To top off the day I went hiking with my doggie and ate Mozzarella Sticks at Sonic - Mmmmm. A great day! Adult Nationals Preparation - March, 2005 Unfortunately for me it is Spring Break which means that public sessions are crazy and that is the majority of what I have to skate on. Another unfortunate event is that my boots are done. They are completely broken down and there is no time to have new ones ordered and broken in for AN. So, I am a little crippled in my practice. I am enduring a lot of pain because of my boots. I have not been able to practice my axel for consistency. It came back, but I still don't own it and with the pain in my leg and the poor support I don't trust practicing them. So, probably they will not be in the program for AN, which is bad news. I am focusing on the interp however because there is still hope for a good showing in the Interpretive category. My program is footwork intensive and that hurts my leg too, but I am working through the pain best I can. |