Farewell Blog
The McManus family did not want the week at Nationals to come to an end! Our family had such a great time. Thank you to the wonderful city of St. Paul for being very gracious hosts. I know that Mother Nature decided to give us a bitterly cold blast but the people of the city and the volunteers were all the warmth we needed.
I think the only event I missed for the entire week was the Junior Pairs Long program, so I apologize to the skaters that I missed, but that is a LOT of skating. I also missed the senior men's long program only because I was flying home at the time--otherwise I would have been there! To the credit of these gifted athletes I can say that the quality of the skating was just outstanding. From the novice skaters to our seasoned seniors--across the board--you can see the pure passion and dedication to this sport.
Things I will Miss about St. Paul:
*As I mentioned, the people!
*Liz the Omelets Girl from the Crowne Plaza Hotel Restaurant 11: She makes great Omelets!
*The Sky Walk: Although it was confusing at times, it is kind of neat and warm!
*The Mini Donuts at the Xcel Center: All I can say is YUM!
*McGovern's Tavern: HOT Turkey Sandwich. Double YUM!
*The Pheasant Hunters: Where else would I meet them I guess? They were very nice (for being armed)!
*The Mall of America: Where else can you see a shark, ride a rollercoaster and shop retail all in just over an hour?
The ONLY thing I will not miss about St. Paul:
The COLD! Well by cold I mean FREEZING! I know, I am a big baby!
Our trip to the airport and flight home were uneventful. I had the very LAST seat on the back of the plane. We got home and were greeted very loudly by our cat! I guess she missed us quite a bit. We had a cat sitter, but she prefers her family. She meowed at us for hours! We were home in plenty of time to see the senior men’s long program. I could not believe there was a tie score! How strange is that? I was most happy for Stephen Carriere. I have had the pleasure of knowing Stephen for many years and have also worked with him at our skating club on a few events. I can truly say that he is not only a remarkable skater, but he is also a remarkable young man off the ice! He is very dedicated and professional and will be a wonderful representative for our country at the World Figure Skating Championships. Go Stephen!
My mission at the beginning of the blogs was to capture the experience of what it would be like for a parent of a first time skater at Nationals. I hope that I have done that for you. I have had fun sharing my experience. The most memorable part of this week was watching my son enjoy himself! Yes, we as parents do a lot to provide the support, but to see the culmination of many years of hard work, dedication, and passion come together is very fulfilling. Regardless of placements, having a great skate or a challenging performance--the U.S. Championships are the place to gain the experience and be a part of history. All of these participants are national competitors and no one can ever take that away from them. Congratulations to the skaters on a job well done. Congratulations to all of the parents as well!
Now we look forward to getting ourselves organized for the upcoming year. Lake Placid will be here before we know it! One thing for sure--I am packing much different clothes for that trip in the summer!
There are a few people I would like to thank:
*My family for letting me share their experience as well as my own. I probably embarrassed you, but you are used to that anyway!
*Daphne for not only the opportunity to do the blog, but for everything she does for all ice dancers all over the world. She has provided incredible support for so many ice dance families. We appreciate her more than she could ever know!
*Michelle Wojdyla for posting the blog entries and adding the awesome pictures. I know you were very busy and I appreciate your help!
Last but not least, thank you to those who read the blog! I appreciate your time and a special thanks to Sara and Cheryl for posting comments!
(no longer a) Newbie Parent at Nationals,
Jim
I think the only event I missed for the entire week was the Junior Pairs Long program, so I apologize to the skaters that I missed, but that is a LOT of skating. I also missed the senior men's long program only because I was flying home at the time--otherwise I would have been there! To the credit of these gifted athletes I can say that the quality of the skating was just outstanding. From the novice skaters to our seasoned seniors--across the board--you can see the pure passion and dedication to this sport.
Things I will Miss about St. Paul:
*As I mentioned, the people!
*Liz the Omelets Girl from the Crowne Plaza Hotel Restaurant 11: She makes great Omelets!
*The Sky Walk: Although it was confusing at times, it is kind of neat and warm!
*The Mini Donuts at the Xcel Center: All I can say is YUM!
*McGovern's Tavern: HOT Turkey Sandwich. Double YUM!
*The Pheasant Hunters: Where else would I meet them I guess? They were very nice (for being armed)!
*The Mall of America: Where else can you see a shark, ride a rollercoaster and shop retail all in just over an hour?
The ONLY thing I will not miss about St. Paul:
The COLD! Well by cold I mean FREEZING! I know, I am a big baby!
Our trip to the airport and flight home were uneventful. I had the very LAST seat on the back of the plane. We got home and were greeted very loudly by our cat! I guess she missed us quite a bit. We had a cat sitter, but she prefers her family. She meowed at us for hours! We were home in plenty of time to see the senior men’s long program. I could not believe there was a tie score! How strange is that? I was most happy for Stephen Carriere. I have had the pleasure of knowing Stephen for many years and have also worked with him at our skating club on a few events. I can truly say that he is not only a remarkable skater, but he is also a remarkable young man off the ice! He is very dedicated and professional and will be a wonderful representative for our country at the World Figure Skating Championships. Go Stephen!
My mission at the beginning of the blogs was to capture the experience of what it would be like for a parent of a first time skater at Nationals. I hope that I have done that for you. I have had fun sharing my experience. The most memorable part of this week was watching my son enjoy himself! Yes, we as parents do a lot to provide the support, but to see the culmination of many years of hard work, dedication, and passion come together is very fulfilling. Regardless of placements, having a great skate or a challenging performance--the U.S. Championships are the place to gain the experience and be a part of history. All of these participants are national competitors and no one can ever take that away from them. Congratulations to the skaters on a job well done. Congratulations to all of the parents as well!
Now we look forward to getting ourselves organized for the upcoming year. Lake Placid will be here before we know it! One thing for sure--I am packing much different clothes for that trip in the summer!
There are a few people I would like to thank:
*My family for letting me share their experience as well as my own. I probably embarrassed you, but you are used to that anyway!
*Daphne for not only the opportunity to do the blog, but for everything she does for all ice dancers all over the world. She has provided incredible support for so many ice dance families. We appreciate her more than she could ever know!
*Michelle Wojdyla for posting the blog entries and adding the awesome pictures. I know you were very busy and I appreciate your help!
Last but not least, thank you to those who read the blog! I appreciate your time and a special thanks to Sara and Cheryl for posting comments!
(no longer a) Newbie Parent at Nationals,
Jim
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