I PASSED Adult Gold Freestyle!

Please excuse me for using up a thread just about this, but I'm so excited, I'm about to burst. I passed my Adult Gold Freestyle Test this morning!!

Hubby was a sweetheart and drove me out to a suburb that is an hour away (so I wouldn't have the tension of trying to find it), and we got there in plenty of time to sit in the nice warm waiting area and watch other skaters test and practice. I purchased a 15 minute practice right before I had to go out for my test. My efforts were mixed, but it allowed me to burn off the extra adrenaline and get my wits about me.

This time I was first up in my flight, and I was the only adult they had the entire day. The ice was a lot larger than the one I've been practicing on, so I felt some extra pressure to make sure things were bigger and stronger. I did fall on my axel (darn, I've landed 38 out of the last 40 I've done), but I didn't let it shake me up at all and popped right back up before they barely knew I was down there and continued with the program.

There were definitely places in the program where I could have done better (I've done better performances), and at one point I even fudged a small part of one of my connecting moves (lost my mind for some reason and couldn't remember my footsteps!), but the judges didn't know that.

When done, the judges called me over and told me they'd like me to reskate the axel. At this point, I was breathing very heavily, more from the excitement of being just on the verge of passing than from the physical effort. So I asked them if it was o.k. if I took a few breaths first. Usually, skaters go back over to their coaches at this point, but I asked if they minded if I hung there with them. I guess I was thinking that I didn't want my coach putting any ideas in my head, even if they were good ones. I've been landing the axels rather effortlessly lately, so I didn't want to cloud up my thoughts.

And the judges were so FUNNY! They were joking with me about my earrings (skate blades) and telling me how well I had done, complimenting my artistic interpretation and my strength/speed. Gosh, that was nice to hear. When asked, I told them that I land axels all the time and that I was going to do a good axel for them, and they replied that that was just what they wanted. So I felt like they were rooting for me (they were!) and I went and did one with no problem. I was so EXCITED!!!

So it was all enough to pass and even get an extra little tenth of a point, so I'm very happy. I'm even happier for my coach who would have found me inconsolable if I couldn't get this off my plate right now, because we've been so busy at work that I've been finding it hard to concentrate on work AND skating.

Passing this test makes me eligible to skate in the Adult Nationals competition in Lake Placid in April, and to compete at regional and local competitions. (You'll recall that because of my childhood skating, I HAD to skate at Adult Gold level). I'm looking forward to all of you who have already achieved this and learning even more from you!

One funny note -- when we first walked into the rink, hubby (who has never seen me test before) was rather shocked to see how YOUNG everyone was and kept teasing me how I was not to accidentally crush any of these small children. He told me that while he watched me skate (from the observation room), he made sure to stand off to the side so I couldn't see him and get distracted or nervous and that HE was so nervous, that he had to keep looking away to keep calm!! Funny (wonderful) man!

So that's my story and now I feel like I've run a marathon or something and better get my strength back for bowling tonight.

Thanks for letting me share my experience. This is a goal that my coach and I set only a year and a half ago, and I think we're both a little surprised that we've made it!!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations!!! Let us know any of your future adult competitions. We may show up and cheer for you.

Yippeeee!!!

OMG Cinder - I am soooo happy for you! Wow! I have been wondering, but since I haven't seen you post much lately, and I didn't want to make you nervous, I didn't ask. That's the best news I've heard in a while!!!!

So - are you coming to Wyandotte???? It's a great kick-off for Sectionals and AN. Here's the link to the entry form - due Jan 2nd: http://www.sk8stuff.com/utility/lister_event_detail.asp?id=2156

Oh wow - you get to go to AN!!!! I remember how thrilled I was last year to pass that last darn test (in the end of Nov for me - we do love deadlines, don't we?) and realize that I was actually going to get to go! How awesome you must feel! Because you are landing axels, you will be very competitive at Gold III. Are you going to go to Cleveland for sectionals?

Congrats, congrats, congrats and woo hoo!!!!!

OMG CINDY!!!! I'm soooo thrilled for you! All your hard work has paid off. Enjoy the feeling of passing your test as long as you possibly can! I'm so proud of you!!!

Congratulations to you, Cinder, I'm so proud of you!!! You skated great, good for you!!!

Way to go!! Congratulations

wow! Thats great! Congrats.

CONGRATULATIONS CINDERELLA!

Thanks so much, you guys are so AWESOME! I really appreciate the support and kind words. It's been a heady couple of days, especially as the realization (and terror??!!) has kicked in that now I have no excuses for not competing! Yikes!

Sk8er1964, I'm totally pumped about getting to meet you at ANs. I have A LOT of work to do before then, because being able to do the elements and stringing them all together with personality and flow are quite the different things. But I'm going to come down from the clouds now and work hard to make my performance something people would want to actually watch!

Again, I appreciate all the encouragement here. It's meant more to me than you will know. And especially hearing about your own accomplishments (and even set-backs) has been so motivating and instructive. So I'm willing to share the spotlight again and look forward to all of us working together and supporting each other in our skating goals.

Gosh I LOVE skating!!!!!!

Just a side comment:
Im currently 15. If all goes according to plan *crosses fingers*, then Ill be competing next August, which is a month after my 16th bday. Would that count as "childhood skating"?

If it does, I dont really mind. I certainly wouldnt delay my competitive"carieer" for 10 years just so I could do silver, when by then I would most likely be pretty high level in standard track. Id just like to be informed.

Congrads, Cindy! Now you have to go after those 2 toes, 2 salchows, 2 loops, 2 flips, 2 lutz and so on. Don't forget the in betweens and speed, speed, speed.


Singerskates

skatepixie said:

Just a side comment:
Im currently 15. If all goes according to plan *crosses fingers*, then Ill be competing next August, which is a month after my 16th bday. Would that count as "childhood skating"?

If it does, I dont really mind. I certainly wouldnt delay my competitive"carieer" for 10 years just so I could do silver, when by then I would most likely be pretty high level in standard track. Id just like to be informed.

Click to expand...

I think that counts as "childhood" skating.

If you have not passed the USFSA Intermediate freestyle by the time you are 25, then you would start the adult track from the beginning. It is pre-bronze, bronze, silver and gold. Where you would be required to skate would depend on what you tested as a "child". For example, Cinder and I had to skate at Gold because of our childhood tests - so even if it was 20+ years later and we certainly don't have the bodies of a 17 year old - according to the USFSA we had to take the tests anyway, oh well :\ .

Now, if you do pass the Intermediate freestyle or higher, you are not required to take the adult tests. You would skate at the master level.

(I still do not understand why, if you are required to skate at a certain level because of your childhood tests, that you have to take the adult tests. You don't if you were Intermediate or higher, but you do if you are lower than Intermediate, even though they have established minimum standard track requirements - what makes those tests so special???? End of rant )

Cinder - AN it is!


Can you email me? I stupidly zapped all of my emailes trying to save them to a cd (long story) and no longer have your address.

Way to go! Congratulations! And good luck in your competitions.

A hearty Congratulations! If I was about ten years younger and in better shape, I would be out there too. I did make a good effort to return to the ice, but my back and other health issues stopped me. So here I am reading about others' triumphant return to figure skating. Good for you.

Thanks, Ladskater. SHHhhh, I've convinced myself that I am 10 years younger, so please don't tell my body!

Seriously, sorry to hear about your back and health issues. It's a bummer when your body just won't let you do what you want. Every day I am grateful that at 46 years old, I can do the things I do. I do not take them for granted and feel blessed by my good health.

It's great that you can find joy from skating, as it is a marvelous sport, whether you're on the ice or on the sidelines. Hope you have a very Happy New Year!