US Nationals Practice Schedule

[sk8fanconvert]

That is a bummer that some key practices conflict with the competiton...sigh.

Of course what is REALLY bumming me out right now is I just realized that the NFL Playoffs conflict with my trip to Portland! ARGH! I must confess I am quite the football freak...I am staying with my in-laws while in Portland and they have Tivo--there, a solution! I can get home from spending morning, noon, and night watching skating and then watch a Tivo'd football game lickety-split!

US Championships are less than a month away! Woo-hoo!

eliza88

[Um, i'm going to ignore that last post :scratch: ]

The schedule conflict with football has never been a problem for me... I do remember people in Atlanta watching a couple of playoff games in the club lounge.

This has been a significant challenge for US Figure Skating Assoc, because the NFL playoffs dominate television coverage. I believe there was talk about eventually moving nationals until after the Superbowl in hopes of getting better coverage.

 

[nicole_l]

I believe there was talk about eventually moving nationals until after the Superbowl in hopes of getting better coverage.

Man, I can't wait this long as it is!
But that actually might not be a bad idea, since skaters will have more time to train, and holidays get in the way.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

The schedule conflict with football has never been a problem for me... I do remember people in Atlanta watching a couple of playoff games in the club lounge.

I remember that too. After watching one the major events, I went upstairs where there were a few TV sets scattered around the hallways outside the main arena. They were showing the playoff games and there was a mob of husbands around them watching and arguing the football plays while the wives were intent on discussing the costumes of the skaters.

So, I am sure the NFL will be inside the Rose Garden Arena.

Joe

 

[A.H.Black]

Nationals used to be later most of the time. Before the advent of Four Continents, Nationals were late in January or even in February except for Olympic Year. Of course then we ran into problems with college basketball games going overtime. Several times, live coverage of Nationals was cut into by a basketball game going long. Sometimes by as much as a half hour. Thus we saw even less of dance and pairs.

 

[A.H.Black]

Actually the complaint I have is that there is only one official practice per discipline per day. They started doing that only last year IIRC. That's bad for the skaters who are there all week with only one official practice per day. 40 minutes a day is supposed to keep them sharp? I don't think so. So now at their own expense they have to take the time to make arrangements to skate elsewhere during the week, and under less controlled conditions, too. Shabby treatment of the skaters IMO.

Pat

This used to bother me as well, but I have done some analyzing and come to terms with it.

I have been attending Nationals since figures and remember when every competitor arrived the first day or earlier. There were at least two and sometimes 3 practice sessions a day, the sessions were longer, ice makes were less often, and short programs were played twice during the session. Organizing committees were also stretched to the limit with volunteers, venues and time. Practices went from at least 6:00 AM till almost 1:00 AM. In 1992, we were so sincere about Paul Wylie that we averaged about 5 hours of sleep a night. I came home exhausted.

Then we started hearing serious rumblings about dropping Novice events from Nationals. I believe Canada actually did so. I was scared this would happen in the USA. During this time and earlier, however, Nashville, and then Philadelphia, grouped the novice events together during the first weekend, senior competitors started arriving later in the week (no more figures competition) and practice sessions were cut down.

It also used to be that once a competitor arrived and registered at the competition they were only allowed to practice at officially sanctioned practice sessions. Now competitors can buy their own time at local rinks and pretty much make their own schedule. It makes it much harder for the serious skating fan to watch their favorite skaters in practice during Nationals.

On the up side, organizing Nationals has remained manageable and it still includes Novice events. Nationals is still the best competition of the year. Novice and Junior events are essential in keeping them that way. I will accept the reduction of practices as long as I can see the up and coming skaters. Some of my best moments at Nationals are seeing a Junior or Novice skater have the best performance of their lives.

 

[sk8pics]

A.H. Black -- Oh yes, I agree with you that things were probably out of hand with the amount of practices and so on earlier, but this thing of only one practice per day has only been in place since last January, IIRC. Seems like there could be a happy medium. I guess skaters coming from a greater distance have to come earlier and then they're at a disadvantage for practice time. And yes, they can buy their own ice, but geeze, that's not necessarily very convenient. And, btw, I looked on one of the nearby rinks that is advertising itself as available for practice ice for nationals, and they're charging $17.50 per 45 minute session!!! That's almost double what we pay where I live, and granted, the number of skaters is limited, but still that's a lot of money.

And yeah, I admit that it interferes with my watching of practices which I enjoy very much. Oh, and it's hardly fair IMO that all the pairs practices start relatively late in the day in the Rose Garden. So skaters who may want to practice on the official ice on Monday or Tuesday may have to be there at 10 o'clock at night. It just doesn't seem that great to me.

Pat

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

to be honest, I am not overwhelmed watching practice sessions. They are just something to do and chew the fat with people around you.

I think the Men's practices are the best because they are all out there attempting jumps they can not do consistently but they do them in practice. However, comes the competition, just when you see the guy from practice to land that quad, he either leaves it out or just splats.

As the Spanish say "la hora de verdad" is during competition not practice.

Joe

 

[A.H.Black]

to be honest, I am not overwhelmed watching practice sessions. They are just something to do and chew the fat with people around you.

I think the Men's practices are the best because they are all out there attempting jumps they can not do consistently but they do them in practice. However, comes the competition, just when you see the guy from practice to land that quad, he either leaves it out or just splats.

As the Spanish say "la hora de verdad" is during competition not practice.

Joe

Recently that has become true. In the past it was very different, at least for me. I always watched for the practice (usually men's on Monday evening) when Nationals became Nationals. Some one would do a 3Axel, then someone else, then someone else. Those practices got very competitive. The last practices were also important ones. Some of them brought me to tears.

I also remember "event practices" - like the first appearance of Christopher Bowman in 1991. Or Rudy Galindo's practices in 1996. Skaters being sick, skaters falling down, skaters yelling at each other. I remember one skater (Colin Vanderveen?) who didn't want to reveal his program before the actual competition in Phoenix. Whenever his music was played he just skated very fast around the rink. At one point Carol Heiss Jenkins turned around and called out - "It took 5 Russian choreographers to do this".

These days the best practices are Novice and Junior.

 

[eliza88]

I enjoy watching the practices--seeing the new faces, comparing what they accomplish in practice with what is performed during the competition...I also really like watching the skater/s interact with each other and with their coaches. Very very interesting.

I have only been to one competition and that was 2001 Worlds. My favorite practice there was the one for the exhibitions. Plushenko was on top of his game and had the practice crowd in stitches! I got to see Annisina/Peizerat (sp?) making changes to their program. Lots of playful behavior between the skaters...it was great!

It's nice to hear that the Novice/Junior practices are great to watch!

eliza88

PS. Thanks for the NFL support guys! I might have to find a TV set during zambonie time! It was interesting to read that there IS a conflict w/skating and football, at least where scheduling is concerned...I love 'em both and Tivo has made it possible to view them both! Ah, the power of technology!

 

[Sk8Bunny]

good luck competitors

Just adding a good luck message to the US National's competitors! All of these skaters have worked very hard to qualify for this event. If you're one of those lucky people on this board who get to attend and watch the events, Im jealous Have fun and enjoy watching all the terrific skating!

GOOD LUCK:
Ryan Jahnke, senior men
Stephanie Kuban and Larry Ibarra, senior pairs
Brittany Vise and Nick Kole, senior pairs
Tiffany Vise and Derek Trent, senior pairs
Douglas Razzano, junior men
Jenna Yount and Grant Marron, junior pairs
Mariel Miller and Rockne Brubaker, jr pairs
Aaryn Smith and Will Chitwood, jr pairs
Katie Boxwell and Danny Curzon, jr pairs
Trina Pratt and Todd Gilles, jr dance
Christina Chitwood and Stephen Chasman, jr dance
Rachael Flatt, novice ladies
Molly Aaron and Taylor Toth, novice pairs
Kalie Budvarson and Chris Anders, novice pairs

 

[sk8addict]

Nicholas LaRoche

Thanks Sk8fanconvert. This is agreat help in deciding whether or not to watch the practices.

Interesting Groups

LADIES - Group A: Alissa, Danielle, Michelle, Bebe, among others

Group B: Sasha, Kimberly, Yebin, Angela, Katy, Angela Lien, and check this: Emily Hughes!

Group C: Erica, Jane, Amber, Jennifer D and Jennifer K among others.

MEN - Group A: Pennington, Smith, Weir among others

Group B: Goebel, Lysacek Weiss, among others

Group C: Brauninger, Delmore, Jahnke, Phan, Savoie, Toland, Wong.

Question: I do not see Rohan. Why?

Point of Interest: Tiffany Stiegler and Sergey Magerovsky will be skating Dance.

Joe

Nick LaRoche is one of the among others in group A. Healthy again after being injured last year, this 2003 8th place finisher & 2002 Junior National Champion should be competive again this year!

 

[sk8addict]

Jenny Don

Has anyone taken a good look at some distressing scheduling conflicts (if I'm reading it correctly)?

The last practice for the Free Dance and Pairs' Long Program occurs at the same time (different arena, of course) as the Men's and Ladies' Short Programs (the actual event)!

AND the last practices for Men's and Ladies' Long Program are during the Free Dance event and the Pairs' Long event!!

I'm very disappointed; I don't recall this type of scheduling in Dallas or Atlanta. I love practices! And I spent a lot of $ on an all-event ticket, largely because that's the only way to get a practice pass. I think I'm going to let Portland2005 know.

[ Off Topic: Do you find it annoying that I began sentences twice with conjunctions? It's a sure sign to me that I'm upset!]

How is Jenny Don supposed to make the last Ladies practice while competing in the pairs final? Not just unfair to us fans!!

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Off Topic: Do you find it annoying that I began sentences twice with conjunctions? It's a sure sign to me that I'm upset!]

Not at all. If I didn't begin sentences with conjunctions, I would l have run on sentences for pages. Not so terrible when you think of James Joyce.

Joe

 

[Jenna]

How is Jenny Don supposed to make the last Ladies practice while competing in the pairs final? Not just unfair to us fans!!

She also has that problem with her last pairs practice and the Ladies SP.

 

[A.H.Black]

How is Jenny Don supposed to make the last Ladies practice while competing in the pairs final? Not just unfair to us fans!!

Kristi Yamaguchi used to have the same problem. So have many other competitors. Does anyone remember the Goldsteins? Wasn't there one year that, between the two of them, they competed in all four disciplines?