I’m skating in a different universe from the rest of my local club, and I wanted to find ways to bridge that gap and participate more like I’m a present member of this club. I had the opportunity to enter events at Bay State Games, which is a big deal for my local club. So I figured I would try to enter one of the events.
An obvious event to enter would have been Moves in the Field. Unfortunately, no such events exist at Bay State Games. Oh well.
Maybe I could preview my Fancy Skating program for next year at an ISI Artistic Skating event. But two problems here. First, I’m not working on that program yet because that would take away from my work on back outside edges, loops, twin 3’s and all that other Figures Goodness that will be so helpful for my Fancy Skating program next Fall. Second, ISI stated there are no technical requirements. I think they meant “no jumps or spin required.” But from where I come from in ballet, everything is a technical requirement. Every time you roll down off of pointe, and every time you put your blade on the ice, that is a technical requirement. If they’re not judging based on anything technical, then what is left? Maybe ISI competition isn’t for me.
The remaining Singles / Moves events all focus on jumps and spins that I am not currently working on, some that I can do and some I can not yet. In the WFS approach to skater training, jumps come later after the Silver (third) exam has been mastered. This is pedagogically sound because the edge components of the jump need to be mastered before the jump can succeed with quality and safety. Same thing with spins, to a lesser extent (I am working on back spins to both sides). Compare to USFSA curriculum, in which jumps are introduced from the beginning in Basic Skills. Of course I could enter a Fancy Skating program and get a score, but that didn’t seem appropriate. I concluded that, due to the different approach I am taking in my own training vs. the USFSA curriculum, that entering any USFSA events at this time would not make sense for me.
Either way, we are all required to help out with Bay State Games. I signed up to run the music, I’m sure I will enjoy that, and watching the other skaters.