Datebook: Monday, July 28th ~ 2008
Okay, so I have to admit it, the concept of watching 39 junior teams, 18 senior teams, and 33 novice teams is a bit daunting.
Ninety Free Dances?
I don't know if I will then be able to stumble into the juvenile and intermediate events to watch the up and coming talent, even though these are usually my favorite events. In fact, I may listen to talk radio on the drive to Lake Placid just to cleanse my music mind palette.
Today, in over 300 homes across the country, the trek north begins.
So much goes into this moment. Endless practices, costumes constructed, music mixed, choreography completed, and prayers prayed. The summer is really short at this point; most summer training programs started a mere five or six weeks ago. In reality, we all know that none of this is at peak performance level, and we all murmur that it would/will be so much better in another four weeks, but this is the pivot point more or less. When we return from Placid, programs are changed, choreography is adjusted, and costumes get more beading and glitz. Some teams will be heading for a Junior Grand Prix in four weeks, some for the senior Grand Prix in 10 weeks, and the majority will be competing at Sectionals in three months.
As we all know, Lake Placid is the start of bigger things.
This is not an easy event for parents. Oh, I know how hectic and anxious it can be for skaters, but I am here to proffer that it is worse for the parents.
Most of this centers of the “split in the road” so to speak. By this I mean parents, by the nature of the sport, are forced to take one of two paths.
Choice one is that they are actively involved in what happens—they offer selections of music, they offer design suggestions and color considerations for costumes, they put 8,000 miles on their cars in the past five weeks buying tights; going for fittings; getting skates sharpened; going to additional practices; seeing sports psychologists; getting haircuts, highlights and or shaping; going to off-ice conditionists. And then they write checks at the end of each month to pay for it all that total more than the monthly payment for a BMW 335xi, a condo at the beach, an annual vacation budget for an excursion to Maui. It should be noted that although they are allowed to offer ideas and suggestions, there is no guarantee that any will be heeded.
Choice two is that they have no voice in music, costume, or training but they still put 8,000 miles on their cars in the past five weeks buying blade guards, arranging for fittings, running to get skates sharpened at the last minute, finding a stylist close to the rink who will take walk-ins, arranging for visits to sports psychologists, and finding other rinks so the kids can skate on the 4th of July. At the end of the month they write checks to pay for it all that total more than the price of a new refrigerator, or getting new carpet for the family room, or having the dining room painted with a new texture treatment, or the sum total of groceries, the electric bill, and gas at $4.00 a gallon for three cars for the month. Since they have been forced to live in the dark, so it seems, they are usually hardened to the fact that their offspring are currently skating to the Snow White selection of "Heigh-Ho" or wearing costumes that look as if they are going spelunking.
Skating is harder for parents because although the process has slight variables, the cost is the same.
Skating is harder for parents because regardless of which camp you fall in, none of these factors predict the outcome with any degree of accuracy.
Lake Placid is the common ground in which we all meet, as after this we are divided by regions and sections and go, symbolically and figuratively, to our respected corners.
As we gather in the hallways outside the 1980 rink, or sit to watch or quasi-watch the competitions, the parents nod their heads in respect to one another. The old-timers, those who have made the transitions from juvenile up to junior and senior ranks, have that world-weary expression that is haunted by eyes that are perhaps a little to wide; they have been through the trenches after all—they have been there when the tapes were only for minute programs, they have been there for the haunting replays of the Hickory Hoedown, and the seemingly 22 seconds of the Killian. They have been there for all the Austrian crystals, at $1.45 a piece, and watched them pop and spring at a hundred-dollar loss per competition. The newbies are still bright-eyed and excited, perhaps from watching "The Cutting Edge" the night before where one skate is assisted by malfunctioning lederhosen and the team is then vaulted to the Olympics.
So before the National Anthem is played for the athletes at the start of the competition, maybe we should hold a moment of silence for the parents—just in tribute for all they do to make it all happen.
And because it will be the last they have until the end of Nationals in January.
Mombo
Ninety Free Dances?
I don't know if I will then be able to stumble into the juvenile and intermediate events to watch the up and coming talent, even though these are usually my favorite events. In fact, I may listen to talk radio on the drive to Lake Placid just to cleanse my music mind palette.
Today, in over 300 homes across the country, the trek north begins.
So much goes into this moment. Endless practices, costumes constructed, music mixed, choreography completed, and prayers prayed. The summer is really short at this point; most summer training programs started a mere five or six weeks ago. In reality, we all know that none of this is at peak performance level, and we all murmur that it would/will be so much better in another four weeks, but this is the pivot point more or less. When we return from Placid, programs are changed, choreography is adjusted, and costumes get more beading and glitz. Some teams will be heading for a Junior Grand Prix in four weeks, some for the senior Grand Prix in 10 weeks, and the majority will be competing at Sectionals in three months.
As we all know, Lake Placid is the start of bigger things.
This is not an easy event for parents. Oh, I know how hectic and anxious it can be for skaters, but I am here to proffer that it is worse for the parents.
Most of this centers of the “split in the road” so to speak. By this I mean parents, by the nature of the sport, are forced to take one of two paths.
Choice one is that they are actively involved in what happens—they offer selections of music, they offer design suggestions and color considerations for costumes, they put 8,000 miles on their cars in the past five weeks buying tights; going for fittings; getting skates sharpened; going to additional practices; seeing sports psychologists; getting haircuts, highlights and or shaping; going to off-ice conditionists. And then they write checks at the end of each month to pay for it all that total more than the monthly payment for a BMW 335xi, a condo at the beach, an annual vacation budget for an excursion to Maui. It should be noted that although they are allowed to offer ideas and suggestions, there is no guarantee that any will be heeded.
Choice two is that they have no voice in music, costume, or training but they still put 8,000 miles on their cars in the past five weeks buying blade guards, arranging for fittings, running to get skates sharpened at the last minute, finding a stylist close to the rink who will take walk-ins, arranging for visits to sports psychologists, and finding other rinks so the kids can skate on the 4th of July. At the end of the month they write checks to pay for it all that total more than the price of a new refrigerator, or getting new carpet for the family room, or having the dining room painted with a new texture treatment, or the sum total of groceries, the electric bill, and gas at $4.00 a gallon for three cars for the month. Since they have been forced to live in the dark, so it seems, they are usually hardened to the fact that their offspring are currently skating to the Snow White selection of "Heigh-Ho" or wearing costumes that look as if they are going spelunking.
Skating is harder for parents because although the process has slight variables, the cost is the same.
Skating is harder for parents because regardless of which camp you fall in, none of these factors predict the outcome with any degree of accuracy.
Lake Placid is the common ground in which we all meet, as after this we are divided by regions and sections and go, symbolically and figuratively, to our respected corners.
As we gather in the hallways outside the 1980 rink, or sit to watch or quasi-watch the competitions, the parents nod their heads in respect to one another. The old-timers, those who have made the transitions from juvenile up to junior and senior ranks, have that world-weary expression that is haunted by eyes that are perhaps a little to wide; they have been through the trenches after all—they have been there when the tapes were only for minute programs, they have been there for the haunting replays of the Hickory Hoedown, and the seemingly 22 seconds of the Killian. They have been there for all the Austrian crystals, at $1.45 a piece, and watched them pop and spring at a hundred-dollar loss per competition. The newbies are still bright-eyed and excited, perhaps from watching "The Cutting Edge" the night before where one skate is assisted by malfunctioning lederhosen and the team is then vaulted to the Olympics.
So before the National Anthem is played for the athletes at the start of the competition, maybe we should hold a moment of silence for the parents—just in tribute for all they do to make it all happen.
And because it will be the last they have until the end of Nationals in January.
Mombo
posted by ice-dance.com @ 5:41 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home