December 2009
Early December 2009
Straight “A”s
Earlier this season, I was upset when the low freestyle class went to the new coach, Dylan. Now the class has been divided into two groups. Dylan still has one and I got the other. I’m happy to have my higher class back, at least in part. My students love to skate and are working on USFSA Freestyle One skills. I introduce other skills to keep them interested and challenged and to help them learn how skills tie together in a program. I encourage them to skate into elements once they are able to do them from a standstill or walk-through so they understand the feeling of continuous skating from one element to the next with movement in between. Students at this level enjoy stringing jumps together. It builds their confidence and helps them to understand the mechanics of each individual jump.
If I ask a student for a series of five waltz jumps, the student will often give me six with a big smile on her face. The waltz jump series is an important exercise not for its technical or artistic value, but because the skater’s inhibitions are lowered with each successive jump. Usually, the jumps toward the middle of the series will be stronger than those at the beginning when the student is most anxious and better than those at the end once he becomes tired. The series can increase up to a dozen or more jumps to build stamina. Extended series help skaters to jump straighter to fill out the circle rather than jumping around themselves in a tight curve.
I also encourage combinations and series of multiple jumps to teach the student to differentiate between skills and assume correct body positions instinctively. Skaters who can easily do a side hop, which is a Basic 5 level skill, forget what it is when asked to combine it with a waltz jump. This serves as a good review, promotes flow, and prepares students for more difficult combinations in the future. Students also like to create their own combinations from skills they know. I have seen students who have never done a toe loop or even know what a toe loop is spontaneously tack one on to the end of a waltz jump. The toe loop is a natural progression from a waltz jump and side hop.
One girl commented that she wished she could take skating in school because she would get straight “A”s. Yes, the kid is confident, and she is also a pretty good skater for her level. She said she hates science and can’t get a good grade in a science class, but skating would bring up her average. As a former public educator, I know how certain children struggle with subjects such as science and math. As a skating instructor, I also know how few kids can master the one-foot glide. Skating might damage more averages than it helps. I smiled at her comment and quickly agreed without thinking. “A” may be for “axel”, but “D” stands for deficient, and “C” means average. My axel would probably have rated a “C-” on a good day. I got “A”s in science and math as a kid but definitely liked skating more.
December 11-13, 2009
The Coughing Fit
I have had a cold for a several days. On Friday, I called my boss to ask if she could find someone to cover my classes. I had slept until 1:00 and felt pretty awful. She said no one was available, but she claimed she would figure out something. I did not want to leave her in a quandary, so I agreed to come in knowing it was not my best option. Since I was not exactly on my deathbed and need the money, I thought this is just as well. The rink is cold and unheated. It is especially brutal when the weather outside is cold and dreary. That evening wiped me out. I went home with a splitting headache and collapsed into bed.
Over the weekend, I felt better and went in without question. I had private students plus group classes to teach. I hate to cancel a private. They are my best source of quick income. I chugged cough medicine and went out on the ice. This is usually not a good omen. While working with my first student, I started coughing. The combination of cold and having to talk over loud music wrought havoc on my throat. Not only did I cough, I started wheezing. Breathlessly, I excused myself from the little girl to get a drink of water from my bottle behind the boards. The kid looked concerned. I was embarrassed. The wheezing scared me. I do not have asthma and never wheeze. I could not catch my breath. Honestly, I probably should not have been in the rink.
Coaches do not like to cancel lessons or miss teaching opportunities. We have no sick leave. If we do not work, we do not get paid. Most coaches I know come to work sick. However, most people I know go to work sick whether they work in a rink, a school, or an office. In my experience, sick days are frowned upon unless one is really ill and produces a note from a doctor. I used to do this when I had a salaried job and was too sick to work. When I was a schoolteacher, I kept a cup of hot tea on my desk when I had a cold and medicines in my top desk drawer. I still had coughing fits in front of my class. The good kids looked at me with concern. The bad kids took advantage of the situation. One child brought me a big coffee mug as a Christmas present for when I got sick.
Fortunately, I recovered quickly from the attack and continued my lessons. I did not have any higher-level students who required demonstration of tiring skills. However, I had a tot class. Somehow I got through that trying to smile for the sake of the watching parents. By the end of the day, I felt exhausted and went home with another headache.
Week of December 20, 2009
Still Spinning After All These Years
Before teaching, I had an errand to run. The errand did not take as long as anticipated, so I arrived at the rink early. The parking lot was almost empty; unusual on a weekend so close to Christmas. If I got myself together quickly, I would have time to skate. I got on the ice with about a half hour to play and few people to bother me. I skated around to loosen my muscles. I did not have time for a good stretch, so skating would have to do.
Since I became a freestyle ice skater, my first warm up spin has been an attitude, which is similar to a layback but in an upright position. For years, it has been consistent, even when I have been off the ice for long periods of time. It’s a spin I can count on and a positive way to start any practice session. My initial attempt traveled a bit, though not unacceptably. Further efforts centered beautifully. I was very pleased. The attitude spin never lets me down.
I kept skating. Lots of three-turns, edges, and crossovers. I felt confident. Although I have not been practicing, coaching keeps my blades on the ice, and I have not lost the feel of skating. I did a few salchows and salchow-loop combinations. Out of shape as I am right now, this was still fun. I could hardly wait to try some spins. The layback felt fantastic. I forced my stiff back to curve and arch, arms raised gracefully over my head. My first camel fell off its hook, but the next ones were better controlled. The back camel has always been a favorite. I wish it were a little faster, but it was fast enough to turn over into an inverted position.
A younger coach who was working with two students told me my inverted back camel was awesome and wanted to know how to do it. She confessed her back camel is not the best. I demonstrated a forward layover camel. This is an awkward position. Looking at the ceiling in a forward camel position can make one very dizzy, particularly one who has not been training regularly. Somehow I held the layover for a few rotations so they could see it. When we have time, I will teach her the backward camel version.
Later in the coach’s room, another pro told me her student enjoyed watching my spins. She admitted spinning has never been her forte and doubted she could spin like that. I was immensely flattered. Maybe I should show off more often. I might attract new students.
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