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Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Haven't Been Posting!

Sorry everyone!  I know I haven't been posting for a long time, I've just been so busy with skating and my school work that I haven't had a lot of time to post on this blog.  But I'm going to get back into the habit and tell you what's been going on!  OK, so a couple of weeks ago I had a competition and it was at a rink called Strongsville.  I was so excited because the previous weeks before that competition I took out my harder jumps like the double lutz and double flip, and now I just have an axel, a flip-loop combination, an axel-double toe loop combination, a double salchow and ending with a double toe loop.

This will be so much easier for me than before I thought to myself!  So when we got to the rink I was feeling really confident and ready to beat everyone!  I was competing against one of my friends that I skate with at our rink.  When it was time for us to warm up we all got on the ice and started stroking around.  The ice felt a little weird but when I did my first jump it felt REALLY BIG!  I was super excited and was thinking, "Oh my gosh!  I'm going to do a perfect program!"  I was feeling really good so I warmed up some spins and they were really good too!

When they finally called us, after five minutes, to get off the ice, it was my turn to go first.  I stepped onto the ice feeling really good.  I stroked over to my spot and then the music began.  I landed a great single axel and went right into my broken leg sit spin and then into a tuck sit spin position.  "Yes!"  I was thinking to myself.  "Great start to the program!"  I was feeling so happy and confident,  that right after I did my biellman I went into my axel double toe loop and I fell!  I was so tilted!  I think I was thinking so much about how good everything was going to be that I totally got caught up and then fell over!  I was shocked.  I got up right away and did my falling leafs (just another skating term) and then into an illusion that I kind of stumbled on (I've stumbled on this move for the past two competitions!  In practice, this is one of my best moves!)  After those two bad stumbles I wasn't feeling too good.

 I felt the 1/4 of Gatorade that I had just drank coming up my throat.  I hadn't eaten anything before that, so my stomach just had Gatorade in it and it was totally sloshing all around in my stomach.  I went right into my footwork and tried to seem upbeat and really into the music, but after watching the video when I got home, I realized I was just sloppily going through the motions.  After my footwork I had my good jump, the double salchow, I was feeling better because I knew this jump would be good.  I set up for my jump and then I fell again!  Oh my gosh how many times am I going to fall?!  I thought to myself.  I was so mad!

 For my last jump, which was the double toe loop, I was really determined to land it, so I set up for it and....  I landed it!  Yes!  What a relief!  I then went into my final spin and ended.  I got a pretty big applause, which surprised me since I didn't do that well.  I got off of the ice disappointed but I knew that there was always a next time.  My group was made up of six people including me and I was sure I was getting last.  After my friend went, (she went last)  she fell once on an axel, and then almost fell a couple other times.

After we finished we went to see the scores.  I was really surprised to see that I got 5th place and my friend got last place!  I'm guessing that I got that place because of my spins and my opening axel.  Apparently at the rink I was skating at, Strongsville, gave out medals all the way up to fifth place.  The color was a weird, gross brown, but what the heck, it's a medal!  And you also got a free stuffed animal!  I like this place!  I thought to myself.  So all in all I had a pretty good day other than those falls and a stumble.  Oh I almost forgot to tell you, I have another competition coming up this Friday.  This will be my first out of state, solo competition, and it's in Michigan!
I had one other competition in synchronized skating that was also in Michigan.  I'm really excited for this competition and hope I don't make the same silly mistakes!


Thanks
Alyssa :)

2 comments:

  1. Once again you have written this such that I feel like I am actually there watching. Especially when you share what is going on in your mind while performing. Great job. I think you will do well in Ann arbor and wish we could be there. But we will see you that evening. :)

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  2. I love how you express yourself, Alyssa! You got me gripped to the end of your story. You know, no matter what happens in life, you can always write about it. As I always say, you are a great writer / communicator AND a great skater. You just had a not-so-good day on the ice, I think.

    I hope you will ALWAYS keep that positive attitude going into each program. People like watching those who LOVE what they do. And I know you LOVE skating! I love you to infinity, Alyssa! Grandma

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