The short programs for the 2011 SynchroFest International wrapped up last night–or did they?
After Rockettes’ score was changed during the event last night–they were initially awarded 61.23, which was then corrected to 59.83–another revision was posted this morning. Les Supremes’ original score of 57.87 has been adjusted to 55.20, dropping them into 5th place below Nexxice. That leaves the final final short program standings as follows: (more…)
Let’s talk quality.
It took a few years after the implementation of the new judging system for many coaches to really start to pay attention to Grade of Execution marks and begin to strategize with them in mind. GOE has always been part of the equation, but the learning curve that came with understanding the newly invented technical requirements was initially so large, and the rules seemed to change so drastically each season, that GOE (and PCS) often took a back seat. The past few seasons, however, judges have been extremely pleased to see a significant increase in the number of coaches who are placing a high value on quality, displaying a more wholistic approach to choreography–teams are seeing greater rewards when levels of difficulty are chosen according to the GOE that’s likely to be awarded based on the skaters’ actual abilities. From my perspective, this is leading to a more enjoyable experience for both skaters and officials, as well as the development of a stronger foundation in basic skills across the sport. (more…)
Ah, November. In all my years of skating, it didn’t matter which team I was on, who was coaching me, or what category I was competing in–November sucked. The anticipation and excitement of the early part of the season, when everyone was fresh and anything was possible, had been replaced by debilitating stress and total panic. A handful of skaters still didn’t know their steps. The intersection that had once been disguised as “challenging” now revealed its true nature: impossible. Elements were over-rotated one day and under-rotated the next. The program didn’t have an ending. There was at least one injury. The dresses either weren’t ready, didn’t fit, or were hideous.
Memories I hold near and dear to my heart.
The intent of this post is not, however, to reminisce. Rather, it’s to speak to a few key points coaches need to keep in mind during this very important month. An optimist might say November builds a team’s character. A pragmatist knows that choices made in November can have a big impact on the trajectory of the rest of the season, and prepares to make adjustments. (more…)
Now that I’ve had time to dig deeper into Communication 1678, I noticed a few points in my original post from May that required corrections or additions. I’ve made some revisions to that post, which you can see here.
Remember, the points presented in that post are simply general observations about the changes, and do not in any way take precedence over the communication itself (or the ISU Summary of Calls). If you see any errors in the post, or would like further clarification about anything I’ve covered there, please don’t hesitate to let me know.
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