So I guess I'm a Figure Skater now...
Well, I did it. I did my first skating competition...and it was awesome! Thanks to the Yale Figure Skating Club for hosting such a friendly and low key competition. I WILL be back next year and hopefully doing compulsory and a free skate.
Okay, okay so I apologize to all my dance friends because I don't mean to sound like I'm bashing, but for an adult traveling by myself to competitions this was significantly easier. The competition was at the rink where the Yale hockey team plays and there was ample parking, mostly due to the fact that there might have been maybe 50 competitors as opposed to hundreds. I am not sure if this is always the case, but this made for a stress free arrival.
When I checked in they gave me a goodie bag (Yes you heard that right) that had snacks, chapstick, and a few other things before they took me down to the locker rooms. That's right, an actual secluded spot where you could get dressed and put on your skates (out of habit I wore sweats over my skirt so my large posterior wouldn't make someone uncomfortable and didn't need to) Walked out to find one of the coaches from my club warming up her level one babies and started with them before my coach and her son (who looked like Jason Brown post hair cut but with glasses) worked with me and their other skaters. I met another adult skater and we made our way rink side.
Another super cool thing is that when you go out on the ice they introduce you. They did it as we went out for our practice ice. "From Watertown Skating Club...Kelly Beyus!" and they even said it right! I had practice ice with 5 other people. This was probably the most nerve wracking part for me, my coach even called out to me and reminded me to smile because I must have looked tense. It wasn't the other people, we all kept out of each other's way just fine. I'm still a bit weird when it comes to fresh, untainted ice. I think it's extra slippery or something. During our warmup before lessons it takes me a bit to get acclimated. I felt like an olympic skater getting corrections from my coach by the boards before I actually performed, though.
So here is another huge difference from Irish dance...we go one at a time and when you go out you skate dramatically to the judges so you can INTRODUCE YOURSELF( I know, it's nuts) and it was pretty cool to see their faces when I told them I'd only been skating for three weeks. They also said they love to see adult skaters so that was pretty cool too. My skate was about as good as I thought it would be. I had to show them my snow plow stop an extra time because I didn't really stop properly the first time (Though I just watched the clip and I totally stopped, just not for long enough or the right way I guess) but for a first time, I will take it! My coach was happy and when I went to sit back with the other coaches and parents they all said I looked good. The coolest thing was that the other adult skater at my club (who I can call my friend now!) came to see me. :)
The awards ceremony was similar to what prelim and open are like. They called the placements and people got to stand on the podium they had set up. As I predicted, I competed alone so I got a first place despite the stopping issue. Fun fact, getting up or down anything with skates on is a chore. I thought I was going to wipe out in front of many strangers. Speaking of strangers, it was so nice to have many people from my club, Yale, and others congratulate and encourage me. Many people from my club had said it was like a family when I was joining up, but I really felt it today.
Three weeks ago, I walked into Mays Rink at Taft nervous and worried about feeling like an outcast. Here I am three weeks later with other coaches telling me that I should definitely skate in the end of the season show, my new skating buddy is offering me dresses to try (because I need one. this whole crotch snapping leo is OVER...It snapped open during my warm up), and just feeling accepted and not some "cute" person refusing to grow up. It's awesome.
My new goal is to have a program. When I told my coach she was like "sure, let's start one next week." I won't announce it until it's official, but I'm pretty sure I have my song picked out and an idea for what color I'd like to wear. Stay tuned I guess!
I'll post about my lesson tomorrow.
Kay
Okay, okay so I apologize to all my dance friends because I don't mean to sound like I'm bashing, but for an adult traveling by myself to competitions this was significantly easier. The competition was at the rink where the Yale hockey team plays and there was ample parking, mostly due to the fact that there might have been maybe 50 competitors as opposed to hundreds. I am not sure if this is always the case, but this made for a stress free arrival.
When I checked in they gave me a goodie bag (Yes you heard that right) that had snacks, chapstick, and a few other things before they took me down to the locker rooms. That's right, an actual secluded spot where you could get dressed and put on your skates (out of habit I wore sweats over my skirt so my large posterior wouldn't make someone uncomfortable and didn't need to) Walked out to find one of the coaches from my club warming up her level one babies and started with them before my coach and her son (who looked like Jason Brown post hair cut but with glasses) worked with me and their other skaters. I met another adult skater and we made our way rink side.
Another super cool thing is that when you go out on the ice they introduce you. They did it as we went out for our practice ice. "From Watertown Skating Club...Kelly Beyus!" and they even said it right! I had practice ice with 5 other people. This was probably the most nerve wracking part for me, my coach even called out to me and reminded me to smile because I must have looked tense. It wasn't the other people, we all kept out of each other's way just fine. I'm still a bit weird when it comes to fresh, untainted ice. I think it's extra slippery or something. During our warmup before lessons it takes me a bit to get acclimated. I felt like an olympic skater getting corrections from my coach by the boards before I actually performed, though.
So here is another huge difference from Irish dance...we go one at a time and when you go out you skate dramatically to the judges so you can INTRODUCE YOURSELF( I know, it's nuts) and it was pretty cool to see their faces when I told them I'd only been skating for three weeks. They also said they love to see adult skaters so that was pretty cool too. My skate was about as good as I thought it would be. I had to show them my snow plow stop an extra time because I didn't really stop properly the first time (Though I just watched the clip and I totally stopped, just not for long enough or the right way I guess) but for a first time, I will take it! My coach was happy and when I went to sit back with the other coaches and parents they all said I looked good. The coolest thing was that the other adult skater at my club (who I can call my friend now!) came to see me. :)
The awards ceremony was similar to what prelim and open are like. They called the placements and people got to stand on the podium they had set up. As I predicted, I competed alone so I got a first place despite the stopping issue. Fun fact, getting up or down anything with skates on is a chore. I thought I was going to wipe out in front of many strangers. Speaking of strangers, it was so nice to have many people from my club, Yale, and others congratulate and encourage me. Many people from my club had said it was like a family when I was joining up, but I really felt it today.
Three weeks ago, I walked into Mays Rink at Taft nervous and worried about feeling like an outcast. Here I am three weeks later with other coaches telling me that I should definitely skate in the end of the season show, my new skating buddy is offering me dresses to try (because I need one. this whole crotch snapping leo is OVER...It snapped open during my warm up), and just feeling accepted and not some "cute" person refusing to grow up. It's awesome.
My new goal is to have a program. When I told my coach she was like "sure, let's start one next week." I won't announce it until it's official, but I'm pretty sure I have my song picked out and an idea for what color I'd like to wear. Stay tuned I guess!
I'll post about my lesson tomorrow.
Kay
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