Judges--Thinking Positive

This is a tip from my coach Miss Bianca about testing....


"When you test, don't think 'I'm not good enough to skate for these judges'.....Instead think 'These judges came all this way, as volunteers, just to see me skate.'"

If you think of judges like this....

And you'll think about your test like this...

"They just pick, pick, pick at my skating!"

Or you think....

"They're staring at me just to find errors!"

 What about thinking about the judges as if...

"Judges love skating and they've come all this way to see me skate!'

 Then when you skate, you can think about your test, thusly...

"Hi Judges!"

A Self Test about Skating Tests. Cosmo Style.

Select answer A or answer B for each question. Add up the A's and the B's to learn if you are ready for your next skating test. 

Attitude:

A.

or

B.

 Power:

A.

or

B.

Skating Skills:

A.

or

B.

Your Coach

A.

or

If you have more A answers:

Sorry to burst your bubble

If you have more B answers:

Go ahead, be your bad self you.

This test for entertainment purposes only. Thank you (The Cosmo Style ed.)

Test Session--Part II

The night before the test session, a lucky volunteer gets to pick the judges up at the airport..

While another volunteer decorates the judges room and lays out a simple table of some snacks, and prepares a light lunch.

But the most important volunteer prepares the judges' coffee. You don't want to see a judge like this in the morning.

Meanwhile, the announcer tests the sound system

"Announcing, World Champions Torvill and Dean....always wanted to do that."

And the music monitor gets the player ready.

"I don't know why, but all it plays is 'How much is that doggy in the window'"

When it doesn't work, the technical crew is called in.

"What is this thing? I've never seen one before.
Push that button over there and see what happens!"

Finally all is ready and the first skater is announced.

Most Skaters pass their tests

But some fail

Finally, the session is over and the Test Chair tidies up the paperwork.

The paperwork never ends

And the judges depart

"See you in a few months."

Then finally, the Test Chair can relax.

"I swear, I'm never doing this again...."

Test Session--Part 1

Someplace, somewhere is a Test Chair a couple of months before the Test.

"Okay, this time I'm getting ahead of the test. Everything's
organized and ready to go."

Then the Test Chair tries to get volunteers

"Who wants to be an ice monitor?
Anyone? Anyone?"

Finally, by using persuasion, bribery, and underhanded techniques, the Test Chair gets some volunteers.

And suddenly, the test is oversubscribed...and people start registering late.

"We'll pay the late registration fee! Please let us in!"

The Test Chair's plans now look like this:

"Oh, no! Only a week to go!"

Meanwhile, the testing skaters ready themselves with confidence and calm certitude.

OMG! Coach just added ANOTHER SPIN with a week to go!!!

Tomorrow: Test Day!

Figure Skating Culture

Figure skating culture is very entre nous. While the literal translation is "between you and me", the broader meaning is "only understood by insiders".

Outsiders see figure skating as

OMG! OLEM- PIKS!

Insiders see figure skating as building skills and making the cut

Outsiders see skating as "entertainment"

Skaters see it as "a program"

Outsiders see skating "for little girls"

(Mike Kirby was one of the founders of ISI. 

A Manley woman podcast with his son David Kirby 

has some interesting US skating history)

Insiders see it "for everyone"

Ice tourists base their idea of skating on their experience of public skate:

Skaters see it as practice, practice, practice....and learn to live with pain.....

And finally, outsiders see skaters at "sparkly little princesses"

But we KNOW....WE.ARE.ATHLETES!

Vanessa James