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March, 2003 A Slice of Ice
RFSC Looks at Worlds From the Ice by Megan McFadden The next week was pure excitement. Before our dress rehearsal at the MCI Center, those of us who arrived early were allowed to sit in on a practice session. I was lucky enough to see the one skater whom I was representing on the practice ice. He was from Spain, and unfortunately, he didn't make it past the qualifying round. Before we got onto the ice, we had to have a lesson in flag etiquette. I never knew there were so many rules for just holding a flag! It couldn't touch the ground, we had to hold it a certain way … the list goes on and on. The dress rehearsal was relatively short, but all of us had very achy arms after holding a flag for about an hour. The next day was the big event. As we put on our skates, I could just feel the excitement in the air. Finally, after a long wait, the event coordinator told us it was time to go. As my group waited in the kiss-and-cry, we were surprised to look up and see Peggy Fleming and Dick Button commentating in the ABC box. Before I knew it, the music started and we were on the ice. The program went smoother than it had ever gone in practice, even though the live choir changed their music on us without letting us know. The twenty minutes we spent on the ice went by like a flash. I didn't realize how much my arms and legs were hurting until I got off the ice. But, it wasn't over. I had to return for the closing ceremonies. We were all much calmer that night. The program went just as smoothly, and luckily, we didn't have to stand on the ice for quite as long. The excitement that night came from backstage. As we got off the ice, we saw Tim Goebel warming up. A few of us got his autograph, even though we weren't supposed to bother him. Then, as we were standing in the hall, Sasha Cohen walked by. We were all astounded by her height. She was extremely tiny. I couldn't believe what had just happened. All the way home, all I was thinking was how great a story I would have to report. Well, that's the great story. I can honestly say that the World Figure Skating Championships was an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. From the Peanut Gallery by Norie Quatroche Clearly, the exhibition practices were a lot more relaxed than those for the ladies freeskate practice were. Especially notable was Victor Kratz, the Canadian ice dancer and newly-crowned world champion, who seemed to savor his chance to entertain us with hydroblading, lunges-to sitspins, and lightning-fast footwork. It was impossible to take my eyes off him. The more we cheered, the more Victor entertained! The ladies freeskate was an exciting experience. Seeing the competition live allows one to realize the speed and power of the individual skaters. Since TV coverage generally only airs the final flight of skaters - those in the top five or six spots - it was nice to see all of the competitors as they put forth their best efforts. One of the most touching moments to me as when Austrian skater Julia Lautowa lost her balance and sat on the ice right at the end of her program. As she covered her face with her hands, the audience anticipated tears. But, attesting to her sportsmanship and sense of humor, when she lifted her face, she laughed and gave the audience a big smile. Her ability to laugh at her misfortune endeared her to the audience and she bowed to enthusiastic cheers and applause. Although she finished 12th in the freeskate and only 15th overall, I'll remember her performance fondly. The other highlight was, of course, seeing Michelle Kwan win her fifth world title. She was majestic as she took command of the ice. Her passion was infectious, and by the time she started her straight-line footwork down the center of the ice the entire MCI Center was standing and cheering. I don't know if Michelle could hear her music over the crowd, but I certainly couldn't. The trip was, indeed, worth the detours. From behind the scenes by Mary Ruth
Halapatz After months of waiting to hear about my assignment, I was finally contacted. While I had hoped for a job close to the skaters and ice surfaces, my job was blocks away at the registration area where the judges and other ISU officials checked in. Registration traffic was light during my shift, so I took the opportunity to learn about the ISU and the structure of the World competition. The complexity of putting this competition, further complicated by current world politics, was staggering. I was lucky enough to have received a ticket to the Ladies Finals for Christmas, so I did see some wonderful skating. And, I was happy to have contributed my small part to the success of the event.
Axel How To Have you ever tried to rotate one and one half times in the air on ice skates? I didn't think so. That's why I'm going to teach you how. Hint! Before you get on the ice, be really stretched out and warmed up. This way you're not going to have to wait to jump. I have been figure skating for two and one half years, so I don't have that much balance on the ice. Although skating for a short amount of time is a disadvantage, I have landed one of the hardest jumps, the axel! Da na na naaaa! There goes that spooky music again! Back to business. You are going to have to switch your weight from one foot to another in the air. Yes, everyone hates this jump. No, do not quit now. When you are ready to try an axel, I suggest you start off standing still. Stand with your back facing where you want to step forward. Turn to your left side on your left foot. Do not, I repeat do not curve here! As soon as you step forward, swing your arms WAY back. Your leg should be back also but not as far. To land any jump, have a bent knee to push off of. Your arms push you up, legs push you up, and we're good to go! Now, off to take off! When you are ready to actually jump, try to make your body a spring. First, spring off your toes, then knees. As you spring off, both arms and leg will swing through. The leg will feel like you are stepping on a big box or step. Key! Don't leave your body behind. You think it's funny to watch the top half of you go one way and the other go another way? No! How about watching you fall very hard on the ice? Once you are totally in the air, snap your arms in. Try to hold your arms in as long as possible. This should be a very floaty motion. After stepping up on the box, you only have one more rotation to go. When you are done with rotating, it is time to land. To get to this, your body has to memorize what it has to do. The timing of the jump is also very important. To land, do not have pointed toes. If you land on your toe and try to balance all of your body weight plus the pressure of coming down from the air, it won't work. Arms also have a part in landing. You will keep on rotating if they don't slam out and feel like they are hitting a brick wall. Sometime, you should magically land. I felt great when I landed. You should, too! This whole process may take a few months or even years! Just remember that when you fall down, you get back up!
Competiton Results Reporting competition
results: Skate Annapolis - Annapolis, MD - 1-2 March 03 Gamma Inesha Premaratne 2nd SPLEGamma Inesha Premaratne 1st Delta Katherine Brand 3rd Ishani Premaratne 2nd SPLEDelta Ishani Premaratne 2nd FS1 Kristen Lyon 3rd FS2 Montie Anderson 3rd ART3 Kathy Bowers 1st FS4 Stephanie Brand 2nd Katherine Brown 4th Rachel Burke 4th Jessica Hardin 2nd SPLE4 Stephanie Brand 1st Katherine Brown 1st ART4 Katherine Brown 2nd Rachel Burke 1st Jessica Hardin 2nd SPLE5 Kaitlin Quick 1st ART5 Kaitlin Quick 2nd ART4 Kari Roth 2nd Karen Watson 1st FS6 Jenny Hendricks 1st Stephanie Sacks 2nd SPLE6 Stephanie Sacks 1st ART6 Stephanie Sacks 4th
Good Job! Pre-Preliminary Moves: Hannah Huntoon, Sasha Lee, Bailey Robinson Pre-Preliminary Freestyle: Sarah Sokchea, Leigh Seitz Preliminary Moves: Sarah Purgason, Ryan Edwards, Miriam Edwards, Kalli Mayton Pre-Juvenile Moves: Tessa Vinson Pre-Juvenile Freestyle: Danielle Bartulewicz, Michelle Akerman, Kate Vance Juvenile Moves: Stefanie Sacks Intermediate Moves: Amanda Harris, Michelle Akerman, Mamie Woolfolk, Alissa Babaeva Intermediate Freestyle: Laura Pickard Novice Moves: Laura Pickard, Brooke Shortridge Novice Freestyle: Aya Hayashi Adult Bronze Moves: Dawn Martin Dutch Waltz: Bailey Robinson Canasta Tango: Aditi Joshi Rhythm Blues: Hannah Huntoon, Aditi Joshi Fiesta Tango: Rita Keener Ten Fox: Vaidehi Joshi: Willow Waltz: Vaidehi Joshi Fourteenstep: Michael Conigliaro
Watch for these ISI Competitions May 31 - June 1, 2003 June 1, 2003 June 21-22, 2003 July 12, 2003 July 28 - August 2 2003
Are You Lucky? We've all known lucky people. They're the ones who always seem to be in the right place at the right time. They win prizes, they have countless friends, and they always seem to be happy. We all want to be lucky, but we know we all can't. That's the nature of luck, right? It's fickle. Some people have it, and some don't. What is luck? There are numerous studies about it, and most don't really define the concept. Having luck implies that chance event in the environment, rather than a person, is responsible for an outcome. Most studies do, however, agree that people who consider themselves lucky believe they have some control over these chance happenings. They think that if they carry good luck charms or behave a certain way, they can influence their environment to have good luck. In athletics, players feel intense pressure to perform well. The stakes are often high and a strong element of chance can effect the outcome. Many athletes, therefore, are superstitious. It's well-known, for example, that many competitors carry good luck charms or perform little rituals to bring themselves good luck. In baseball, for example, spitting into your hand before picking up the bat is said to bring good luck; basketball players wipe the soles of their sneakers; some elite figure skaters wear the same jewelry each time they compete, and some believe that polishing the boots is bad luck. But is it really the rituals and good luck charms that make athletes perform well? Think about Scott Hamilton, Dorothy Hamill, Michelle Kwan and Peggy Fleming, They are all wonderful skaters, and luck did play a part in their success. It was chance that they all competed against the skaters they did. It was luck if they got to skate at their favorite time of day, and so skated well. But all of these skaters were prepared to compete against any competitors at any time of day, in any location. They spent long hours practicing and learning choreography. They trained both on- and off-ice to perfect their techniques and presentation so that they would peak at the proper time to perform their best. So, how can you become "lucky?" Set Performance, Not Outcome Goals - Set goals over which you have as much control as possible. Goals based on outcomes, like medalling, can be effected by things beyond your control, such as bad weather, injury, excellence in other skaters or poor judging. Basing your goals on personal performance allows you to control over their achievement. A skater, therefore, might concentrate on expressing the mood of the music or skating a clean program, rather than winning. If the skater meets a personal goal, there is considerable satisfaction from the activity, regardless of the official competition placement. Make Mastery Mandatory - Good luck is impossible without skill mastery. There are few things more intimidating than competing a program containing skills you can't perform. Skaters should be surprised if they don't perform a program element, not if they do. When skaters step onto the performance ice, they should be comfortable not only with the costume and music, but also with the choreography. Although some skaters learn some skills faster than other skaters do, there is no quick fix to skill mastery. Training and practice are the only ways to internalize movements so that they are natural by the time they are tested or competed. In athletics, like in any other endeavor, individuals perform their best when they are confident that they will do well. This is possible only with skill mastery. Remember: The more skill you have, the less luck you need. Keep Yourself Healthy - No undernourished, injured or tired skater will ever be lucky enough to perform at his or her peak. Proper nutrition is vital to a healthy body that works well. Athletes require additional liquids to keep their bodies functioning. On and off-ice warm-up exercises and stretching help to keep the muscles healthy and to avoid injury. A healthy body will also heal faster when injuries do occur. Overcome the Fear of Failure - We try to live in our own little comfort zone. We know everyone in that zone and how everything in it works. If we stay in that zone, we'll never have to face failure, because there isn't any. We think we're happy in our comfort zone, but if we never try anything new because we're afraid to fail, we become stagnant and unhappy. Fear of failure is a horrible happiness thief. Lucky people are happy, and become that way by taking risks. These risks could be a small as approaching another skater to become a friend or as big as entering an international competition. But, you'll never be lucky enough to make a new friend or win that competition if you never take that first step. Develop a Positive Attitude - Good luck comes to those who look for it. Many of us waste our time reliving bad experiences and dreading the future instead of finding the good things in our lives. Even when we've had a less than wonderful practice, we can often find good moments to remember and resolve to find more good moments after the next practice. Skaters should avoid comparing themselves to other skaters, celebrating, instead, their own incremental improvements. Seeing the good around us and in us will help maintain a positive attitude and to attract friends and exciting new opportunities.
WANTED: Slice of Ice Editor - Don't miss out on this chance! Successful candidate receives Slice archives and organic graphic design assistance. Great opportunity to learn about and to serve the RFSC!
Yoga and Skating We all know that flexibility is part of a good fitness program, and that it is beneficial to figure skating. (Sasha Cohen didn't achieve that beautiful Charlotte by having tight hamstrings!) One of the best methods for increasing your flexibility is through yoga. The form of yoga that involves physical movement (as opposed to breathing and meditation, which are other forms of yoga) is called Hatha Yoga, and is thousands of years old. It is particularly helpful to skaters and other athletes who want to increase or maintain flexibility, which is vital for spirals, layback spins, splits, stag jumps, and yes, Charlottes. Increased flexibility can also protect you from injury. For example, if you fall on the ice in an awkward position, flexible muscles can protect your tendons and ligaments and can keep you from tearing a hamstring, pulling a groin muscle, and more. Yoga can also "cure" various injuries and ailments (I speak from experience: since I began my yoga practice 2 years ago, my sciatica is non-existent; if I neglect yoga for a few days-due to work, travel, or just plain laziness-my sciatica comes back.) You may have read articles about yoga, and that it involves chanting, incense, and bowing to Buddha, Shiva and other deities. Yoga can involve those things, but not always. Hatha yoga is primarily a physical practice-not unlike an exercise class-and doesn't require that you become a Buddhist! To learn more about the basics of yoga, read Yoga for Dummies and Yoga for Athletes. Advanced yogis and yoginis will want to read Light on Yoga, by B.K.S. Iyengar, the granddaddy of Iyengar yoga, which is a very healing, very restorative type of yoga (the type that I practice to keep sciatica at bay.) You can also inquire about yoga classes at the following locations: YWCA, YMCA, American Family Fitness and Yoga Source, in Carytown shopping center. Feel free to e-mail me (sbkpr@aol.com) if you have questions about yoga; I'm considered a beginner (one never actually finishes learning about yoga), but I believe in its benefits, and have experienced pain relief through yoga poses. It works!
Aloha! Mark your calendar for the Richmond Figure Skating Club 1st Annual Awards Banquet at 6:30pm on Friday, May 23, 2003 at the Wyndham Swim and Racquet Club in Glen Allen, VA. We're having a luau to hold our annual meeting and to celebrate skating and our skaters' accomplishments during the past season. Wear your favorite beach attire, and enjoy the catered buffet dinner and DJ for dancing. Details are still in the works, but an invitation will be sent to RFSC members in April. Contact Peter Valiante at 804-378-7774 or email to peterjvaliante@yahoo.com for more information or to offer ideas on how to make this evening a success!
Why It's Called … a Zamboni Joan Zamboni was an ice dancer who, with her partner, Roland Junso, won the U.S. Silver Medal in Ice Dancing in 1955. They placed second behind Carmel and Edward Bodel that year, but defeated them in 1956 for the national title. Joan Zamboni's father, George, often heard her complain about the condition of the ice and how long it took to resurface it. At that time, men with large squeegies pushed water across the surface, filling the grooves and holes in a long, tedious process. Because of the time and energy involved, it's no wonder that the ice was often in bad repair. George Zamboni was not a skater, but he was a mechanic, ice salesman and skating rink owner. Moved by this daughter's complaints, Zamboni set about creating a self-propelled resurfacing machine. He used principles common to the construction industry to design a self-powered machine that could level the ice by shaving a thin layer of ice off its surface while laying down a fresh layer of water. The machine, called a Zamboni, after its inventor, is now a staple at rinks and ice show arenas. Before the Zamboni, a tractor fitted with a scraper that shaved the surface resurfaced ice rinks. Then three or four workers scooped away the ice shavings, cleaned the surface, and added more ice to re-freeze. The process took over an hour, and Mr. Zamboni thought this could stand improvement. After several years of experimentation, he built the first Zamboni in 1949, but it wasn't until the famous ice skater Sonja Henie bought two for herself in 1950 that business took off. While a few other companies have built similar ice resurfacers since, the Zamboni remains the industry standard with thousands in use in over 35 countries.
Creamy Fruit Smoothie Try this easy, nutritious drink as a warm weather refreshment. Dry milk adds texture and protein without fat or a lot of calories. Ingredients: 3 cups fruit, fresh, frozen, or canned (drained) 2/3 cup CARNATION® Nonfat Dry Milk 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup ice cubes 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, (optional) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Place all ingredients in blender; cover. Blend until smooth. For a tropical taste sensation, follow directions using a mixture of mango, papaya and pineapple to make up 3 cups fruit. Yields: 4 cups
Do you like people? What better way to meet new people than to volunteer as the RFSC Membership Chair? See a Board Member for details.
Figure Skaters! Help us dress up our SkateNation bulletin board with your skating photo. Let's show everyone at SkateNation how much fun we have skating. Leave your spare photos, with your name, the event and your phone number on the back for Laurie Brand in the "Completed ISI Competition Applications" folder by May 23. We won't post names on the board, but we may identify the event or competition.
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