Tuesday, July 22, 2014

The Ice House in Wilmington North Carolina

I'm currently on vacation visiting my son and daughter-in-law and their new beautiful baby boy, Grayson... but alas too many days off ice is not good for me so I brought my skates along and I have been able to go up to Wilmington North Carolina to skate two days this week at FS sessions at the ice house.  I was really lucky because the Port City Figure Skating Club recently had a competition and most of the kids decided to take a few days off this week so the ice was very quiet... Just the way I like it.

I took video on day one and I spent quite a bit of time editing it and then I accidentally deleted the whole thing from my iPad before I was able to upload it.  :;($@@$(;:/-;)&@@& \{~#>^€*£+¥ !!!!

Today, hopefully I won't be such a dolt!


Thursday, July 17, 2014

Freestyle Session Practice & Lesson

Back on FS session this am.  Leaving for nearly 15 days to visit my new grandson and go to Oshkosh Fly-In before returning to home ice August 1st.  This was my last skate at home and I got a short 15 minute lesson to give me some things to work on.  I plan on taking my skates with me to North Carolina to skate in Wilmington  at the Ice House.

Jumps this week really felt weak and sometime painful in my R knee - I really need to shed 15 lbs so that I can reduce the impact on that joint.  Soon as summer BBQ's are over ..

My lesson focus was on a Waltz-Toe and Flip Jump.  Both are in need of getting my free leg/foot crossed over my jumping leg/foot.  Also controlling my left arm and not letting it get ahead of me..
We did work on the Lutz but it wasn't captured as it was in the Lutz corner .. but I found out I am taking too long after I prep cross my L foot over my R foot .. I need to cross-pick .. immediately.
(I do the L cross to help get closer to obtaining the proper outside edge takeoff of the Lutz) ..


Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Freestyle .......What the ________? .....

.... Or so says my muscle memory, aching knee and general lack of balance!

I've been concentrating only on moves for the past few weeks and with all the other summer activities going on in my life I have avoided any freestyle.  It really shows.  But, you have to start somewhere, so I drug myself to the rink for a morning freestyle session.  My landing knee was really barking at me so I only captured some spins at the end of my session.


Friday, July 11, 2014

SILVER MOVES IN THE FIELD ........ PASSED!

I took my Adult Silver Moves In The Field test today and passed!  That's the good news.

The interesting thing that happened was that they asked me today if I was testing as an "Adult" or as a "Masters" skater.  I had never been asked this before.  I just looked at my other two MIF tests and they show "Adult" for Bronze and the Pre-Bronze tests don't have an option on them.

My coach had to explain to me that it was an age thing and that if you are over 50 you qualify to be "Masters" skater in the test.  The marks required for masters are lower than for adults.  She thought I would pass either way but she told the judges "masters".  I had no idea that there were two different categories.  I never noticed it on the forms before and I thought "masters" had to do with accomplishing a level of Intermediate or higher as a standard track skater before switching to adult skating.  What do I know?

So I skated my test and was informed I passed and I have attached my judges forms for your perusal.
I felt the test went pretty well.  It could have gone better, but I thought I would have passed under either standard.  If you see the scores they gave me I would NOT have passed as an adult.

YOU BE THE JUDGE !
VIDEO AT THE BOTTOM




Sunday, July 6, 2014

Dress Rehearsal .. Sort Of

Decided to put on tights and a dress to run my moves today at the public session.  You forget how cold a rink can be, even in summer.  Always a good idea to see how it will feel on test day.
.... minus the scattering of public session skaters of course!




Wednesday, July 2, 2014

July 2, MIF Practice

This is a bit raw, not edited, zoomed or anything.  Just trying to make ice time these days -

Test on July 10.


Tuesday, July 1, 2014

A Little Distracted From Skating..

I have been a little distracted this past week.
My son and his wife gave birth to their first born July 27th.   A healthy baby boy they named Grayson-Everett !!


Super exciting, but alas they are nearly 3000 miles away and I can't visit until July 17th.

Meanwhile back on the ice .... I have been working on strictly Silver MIF for a July 10th test date.
I posted a little video the other day, but it's seriously too boring to keep posting.  I will post my test (pass or fail) and the results.  If I get some freestyle in this week, I will post snippets.

I got an invite to participate in the USFS Showcase 2014 event in Burbank in August.  You have to have placed 1st-4th place in the past competition year to be eligible.  I am toying with the idea of taking my light entertainment program only, but I may just forfeit ... it's a big expense.  And it's under spotlight ... dark arena with just a spotlight on you skating.  That may be scary.  I have until July 16 to decide.

Getting busy on these Silver Dances

I have been working on these silver dances too long!   Planning to go all in on them until I can test them in the next few months.