Patrick Chan | Page 402 | Golden Skate

Patrick Chan

Haha, you guys are a hoot. Thanks for your appreciation of the graphic - a black rooster - why didn't I think of that? But I was trying to find a rooster that matched his LP costume...

Thank you Blueberryhill for your trip report! I hope to see Patrick next year!




Didn't know if you all saw Patrick's EX gala practice video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI6WrzZwd-w&feature=youtu.be




I already updated a few of my blog posts, but just found more photos to add like these:

https://twitter.com/19903638A/status/825682098920894464

Patrick sat by himself until his friends started flocking to him... :laugh:
 
Haha, you guys are a hoot. Thanks for your appreciation of the graphic - a black rooster - why didn't I think of that? But I was trying to find a rooster that matched his LP costume...

Thank you Blueberryhill for your trip report! I hope to see Patrick next year!




Didn't know if you all saw Patrick's EX gala practice video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI6WrzZwd-w&feature=youtu.be




I already updated a few of my blog posts, but just found more photos to add like these:

https://twitter.com/19903638A/status/825682098920894464

Patrick sat by himself until his friends started flocking to him... :laugh:

that's what birds do :)
 
I was so impressed by what Patrick said in the Nationals interviews when I first heard them. So thank you vivley for bringing them, especially for the transcript.

I was very glad to hear Patrick express, in the after SP interview, how important the pre-skate mind control was and he seems to have gotten the hang of it. :agree: Most people try very hard to control others and circumstances, which we can't control, while completely lacking self control. Control of one's own mind is extremely important and it needs on going practice. So I wish Patrick success in managing his mind and emotions, especially at competitions. Doing it well means success on and off ice.

What I am happiest about is

Patrick: One thing I’ve learned is you just trust how it feels. At this level, you can trust your instinct. And I… my instinct is telling me that I’m on the right track, getting on the ice doing performances like this. Yes, little mistakes, but, the overall feeling…

I wrote before I learned two things about the most successful people I've read about or have covertly interviewed :):

1. They trust their instincts, and

2. Nobody is perfect.

Patrick is there with them, now if not before.

that’s what I strive for, is how it feels and being… in my own world, and just being taken away from my current… I don’t know, where I am… You just get transported somewhere else. That’s a good sign, so I think I’m on the right track.

:2thumbs:

In the zone, Patrick, in the zone! Knowing how to get there is everything! :yay: :yes2:
 
yup

Humility... the saviour of all.... by embracing your own imperfections, by focusing on your own processes, you open yourself to reaching the zone...

the zone can be there at any time during a program... it can also escape you after a bad element or even a great one... thus, one needs to learn how to refocus and get back into it instantly.

It takes years of work to achieve but we have seen Patrick working on this since Skate Canada 2015 where he totally hit his zone after being so incredibly nervous. This year, I would say that he has been on and off... Very in the zone at GPF SP... very not because of focusing on the result of the 4S at GPF LP...

At Canadians : I think he was on and off in the zone in the SP... but the small mistakes took him by surprise.

For the LP : talk about the zone ;) he was there... actually, he was so in there that I don't think he even noticed the slightly imperfect landings on his second axel and lutz... they don't really show since he tagged 2toes after... but that's what the zone is for...

When I perform, and I am in there, sometimes, I land on some weird notes for a millisecond... and then bang I am dead on the right stuff.... like a cat landing... that's important for Patrick to learn... 1) perfect landings WOOT 2) cat landings are okay ;) 3) fall..fine you may lose the zone... but refocus right away...

I tend to believe that when Patrick is on though, he maintains his zone better than some people. Truly the LP at Nationals wasn't just in the zone because he was landing his jumps... you could feel the connection with upper powers ;)
 
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Being in the Zone is being in the moment. Any slip is instantly the past.

Patrick is generally very good in getting back in the program after any mistake. As he said, being older and having more experiences tends to make one overthink. Being away from the overall competition zone, coming back a year older, he lost the winning mindset in the comeback season. It seems he is getting back there, more measured and cautious than before, but getting back. A few more tests and successful experiences, as he always learns something form each of them, he will be a consistent winner again, a mature version - more about self satisfaction, living up to his own goals and expectations, being his own best than about competition with others and other extrinsic motivations. Yet, self determined success and socially decreed success tend to go together more often than not.

Whatever COP says, Patrick is the epitomy of figure skating, sportsman and artist on ice sans pareil. His influence on the sport is very significant and will continue.
 
Whatever COP says, 4everchan confirms that Patrick is the epitome of figure skating... sure... i have seen only about 35-40 skaters live but he is unique... nobody comes even close to him. Period.

Yup: the past doesn't exist in performance. Actually being in the zone is being in the present as well as the future ;) as you are performing, you are setting up perfectly for what is coming. Without planning each movement ahead, you are always behind. It's one of the hardest thing to achieve for a lot of performers.. I compare it to driving... When you are driving you are always planning ahead to stop at a red light or always remain on guard for whatever may happen on the road.

Finally, age is tricky here.... I think Patrick lost his edge at Sochi. There he really overthought it. After being flawless on his quads, he just let the program slip away from him... whether he started thinking about the results or not, who knows... but I think it was good that he took a break after that. A younger performer sometimes is in the "i have nothing to lose mindset" which is an alternative to the zone... With it comes huge confidence and power... is it the zone? in some ways.. but not really. Confidence can be shattered in many ways. Age can lead to performance anxiety because people start understanding what is at stake. However, with age comes a new maturity as well.... If Patrick, at 26, is already there, good for him.... It usually comes a bit later. However, for him, it could be there as he knows he has achieved a spectacular career already. 5 world medals, including 3 golds, 2 olympic silvers... what else does he need really? So, not having to prove his value could accelerate the reach towards humility. I wish him to hit this feeling as often as it's available. It's amazing to see an athlete perform when he is in it.... because sensitive people can access it too...

Nationals LP : i felt I was with him... skating with him... living each emotion... that's why performers who reach the zone have so much success... not only do they nail their elements but they bring the audience with them.
 
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Hello! Is someone going to go to Worlds?😊

I am going to worlds. :hap93: I try to visit every competition in Europe Patrick skates in. A lot of canadian fans will not come to Europe for a skating event, so I hope a lot of Chan-supporters form Europe will come. How about you?
 
Being in the zone means flowing naturally, in the moment. Future does not exist but keeps becoming the present. In a well practiced performance, it doesn't take planning and forethinking. (Thinking on one's feet and adding a missed element is good as raminfication but it's also less of a complete flow.) In creative endeavors, inspirations and ideas keep coming and executions are natural and effortless but it requires immediate action. Michael Jackson was known to often wake his music director up during the wee hours and, when complained to, explained, "God just gave me this song. If I don't take it, He would give it to Prince."

Being in the zone is a natural high and can be addictive. Some people crave the high of extreme sports because they are forced into total focus and in the moment as it's often a matter of life and death. Drugs can take one's mind off, inducing a high and addiction. I'd rather advocate the kind of high with positive after and side effects. :)

A performer in the zone brings the apreciators into the zone with him. You were there in the moment with Patrick during his LP, 4everchan. You forgot time, didn't you? ;) You play both roles in music so you must have experiences of being in the zone as well as being brought into it.
 
I am going to worlds. :hap93: I try to visit every competition in Europe Patrick skates in. A lot of canadian fans will not come to Europe for a skating event, so I hope a lot of Chan-supporters form Europe will come. How about you?
I'm going too, so I ask, if some Patrick's fans from here will go😉
I usually read you and don't write here😊
So I would like to ask you one question... I want to give present to Patrick.. I asked World's page in facebook, they said that enterance to the hotel won't be free, one way to present him, it's throw to the ice..
By the way does he pick bag with presents from ice after competitions? Or it's better to find way to give to hands? Or maybe you and some others organazes meetings on european competitions?
 
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I'm going too, so I ask, if some Patrick's fans from here will go😉
I usually read you and don't write here😊
So I would like to ask you one question... I want to give present to Patrick.. I asked World's page in facebook, they said that enterance to the hotel won't be free, one way to present him, it's throw to the ice..
By the way does he pick bag with presents from ice after competitions? Or it's better to find way to give to hands? Or maybe you and some others organazes meetings on european competitions?

I think he does. Also, you often can meet skaters after practice. Most of them arrive befor monday or tuesday and use the time to train in that unfamiliar rink. I think you will have a chance to give him your present. :)
 
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I think he does. Also, you often can meet skaters after practice. Most of them arrive befor monday or tuesday and use the time to train in that unfamiliar rink. I think you will have a chance to give him your present. :)
Thank you so much for your answer. I know about practices, but maybe there won't be a chance because of time.. So you think presents will come to him from ice? I ask because maybe you read about it or ask him? I tried to do once and he said that he didn't get, but maybe he didn't understand me😂
 
Thank you so much for your answer. I know about practices, but maybe there won't be a chance because of time.. So you think presents will come to him from ice? I ask because maybe you read about it or ask him? I tried to do once and he said that he didn't get, but maybe he didn't understand me😂

No, I did not ask him. :biggrin: But I found a good answer for you from another board:
Most event organizers no longer allow flowers to be thrown because bouquets tend to fall apart when they hit the ice, especially from the upper deck of a big arena. Those that do allow flowers require that they be well-wrapped. The flowers aren't so pretty after impact, though, lol.

That said, fans throw "tossies" as a sign of support and a token of appreciation for the skater's performance. The event organizers have children volunteer to act as "sweepers" to pick up the gifts quickly so that the event can continue on a timely basis. At US Nationals one year, fans tossed small foam strawberries (Smucker's was the sponsor) which was chaotic because of their bouncey-ness and small size. The sweepers frantically chased after them!

Tossies are usually stuffed animals, toys, t-shirts/hats or personalized trinkets like a skate towel. Each skater's gifts are bundled into a large bag and presented to the skater after the scoring. Most skaters choose a few meaningful things and the remainder is given away to a charity, such as a children's hospital.

Some time ago there was a fun thread in GS http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/showthread.php?53374-Have-you-ever-thrown-gifts-for-skaters-on-ice-before. It might be helpful!
 
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Being in the zone means flowing naturally, in the moment. Future does not exist but keeps becoming the present. In a well practiced performance, it doesn't take planning and forethinking. (Thinking on one's feet and adding a missed element is good as raminfication but it's also less of a complete flow.) In creative endeavors, inspirations and ideas keep coming and executions are natural and effortless but it requires immediate action. Michael Jackson was known to often wake his music director up during the wee hours and, when complained to, explained, "God just gave me this song. If I don't take it, He would give it to Prince."

Being in the zone is a natural high and can be addictive. Some people crave the high of extreme sports because they are forced into total focus and in the moment as it's often a matter of life and death. Drugs can take one's mind off, inducing a high and addiction. I'd rather advocate the kind of high with positive after and side effects. :)

A performer in the zone brings the apreciators into the zone with him. You were there in the moment with Patrick during his LP, 4everchan. You forgot time, didn't you? ;) You play both roles in music so you must have experiences of being in the zone as well as being brought into it.

i m refering to immediate future... :) not 2 seconds later :) i tend to say that there's no present even :)
 
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