2011 Adult Nationals

[pairman2]

DebS
Your point is well taken but as crzesk8dad pointed out, it's not really apples to apples
Differences:
-AN 600+ competitors, up to 800 starts
-I doubt any SA entrants are juggling vacation time and work schedules in order to attend.
-As crze. pointed out, a vastly different level of infrastructure support by both USFS and the host city (I'm sure due to TV coverage).

My point is that at some time, a short time frame degrades the ability to host an event and also affects the viability of attendance of an increasing number of potential skaters. AN's have all typically been chosen approximately a year ahead of time. This year, for whatever reason, it is less. (Wasn't it Minissota that was actually chosen two years in advance??) Perhaps 7 months is perfectly fine for all involved. Let us hope so. But for all the ones insisting that 7 months is just fine, at what point would you hit the panic button? Would 5,4,3 months be just fine as well? If there are clear business and economic reasons why the decision was delayed this year from the norm, I would certainly understand this as anyone would. So rather then speculate, perhaps icerinque could shed some light on how the process evolved and perhaps 7 months or less can become the new expectation.

[Debbie S]

DebS
Your point is well taken but as crzesk8dad pointed out, it's not really apples to apples

You referred to "elite competition" in your post regarding announcement timing. I responded. I agree they are completely different things, so if you see that, why compare them in the first place?

And as I also pointed out, the location of Souths was not announced until relatively late this year (probably b/c they had difficulty finding a club to host it). I'm quite certain Souths is larger than AN. And skaters and their parents do indeed need to take time off from school and work to attend. We'll have to wait and see, but I think Souths will be fine from both an attendance and organizational perspective.

I think we should be happy that a club is willing to host AN (b/c it's not guaranteed) and not immediately make assumptions that they can't handle it. If I were from the club/LOC and reading this thread, I'd be annoyed.

I didn't realize MN was awarded 2 years in advance. If that is so, then given all the complaints voiced last year over practice ice and scheduling and just general communication with the LOC, I'm not sure that the argument that more advance time translates into a better event holds water.

[Stormy]

Considering SLC is also holding Junior Nationals, it seems to me they'd know how to hold a huge event. Think of it this way.....they'll get all the kinks out of holding a big event with JNs and ANs will run smoother because of it.

I'm just going to echo what was mentioned upthread about how adult skaters are seen as high maintenence. Parts of this thread do seem to substantiate that, especially the way the OP reacted to the situation.

Personally, and this is just me, I'm damn grateful to have the opportunity to compete at competitions like Sectionals and ANs. USFS doesn't HAVE to give us competitions. We're not the elites that bring them recognition and money. At the end of the day, I really don't care that the announcement was made late. Yes, I want to know just like the rest of us, but ANs for me is going to be awesome because I'll make it awesome. Even with all of the fail that was Minneapolis, I still had a great time. My goal is to go and skate as best I can. Where it is or when it's announced doesn't change any of that.

[manleywoman]

You referred to "elite competition" in your post regarding announcement timing. I responded. I agree they are completely different things, so if you see that, why compare them in the first place?

Thank you!

I didn't realize MN was awarded 2 years in advance. If that is so, then given all the complaints voiced last year over practice ice and scheduling and just general communication with the LOC, I'm not sure that the argument that more advance time translates into a better event holds water.

Truer words were never spoken! But IIRC, pairman and lovepairs didn't go last year, so they wouldn't know that.

I'm just going to echo what was mentioned upthread about how adult skaters are seen as high maintenence. Parts of this thread do seem to substantiate that, especially the way the OP reacted to the situation.

As a member of both an LOC and a former member of the AC, I can say that . . . at least during my tenure . . . that there are only a few very vocal adults who complain and make (sometimes unreasonable/uninformed/unrealistic) demands year after year after year. The majority of adults are happy with to work with and be positive about the situation given.

We ALL know that there are always improvements to be made, and we all want to make things better. But there are ways to do it that don't make us look high-maintenance.

Yes, I want to know just like the rest of us, but ANs for me is going to be awesome because I'll make it awesome. Even with all of the fail that was Minneapolis, I still had a great time. My goal is to go and skate as best I can. Where it is or when it's announced doesn't change any of that.

For my part, In my 13 ANs I've only complained to a referee or LOC once -- and that was last year. And I still had a great time as well!

Bottom line: It's what you make of it. If you're going to focus on the fact that XX rink doesn't have proper lighting, or you didn't get a big enough locker room, or that there wasn't a hair salon close enough to the rink (yes, that was an actual complaint I got once), then you're doomed to have a bad time.

[Stormy]

Bottom line: It's what you make of it. If you're going to focus on the fact that XX rink doesn't have proper lighting, or you didn't get a big enough locker room, or that there wasn't a hair salon close enough to the rink (yes, that was an actual complaint I got once), then you're doomed to have a bad time.

Reminds me of the time my club had a complaint once that there was a disco ball on the ceiling of one of their rinks, which has a low ceiling compared with most rinks. If that rink was good enough for the World Junior Champion pair team at the time, it was good enough for any of us.

[jazzpants]

that there wasn't a hair salon close enough to the rink (yes, that was an actual complaint I got once)

Which reminds me... since we know officially now that it's in SLC, I know of someone who actually DOES do hair at competition across several West Coast states and SLC is definitely one of them. (I asked...) How do I get in touch of the LOC for SLC to give them that info so they know to try to get this person in as one of their vendors so there WOULDN'T be a complaint about NOT having a hair salon nearby?

[Terri C]

Which reminds me... since we know officially now that it's in SLC, I know of someone who actually DOES do hair at competition across several West Coast states and SLC is definitely one of them. (I asked...) How do I get in touch of the LOC for SLC to give them that info so they know to try to get this person in as one of their vendors so there WOULDN'T be a complaint about NOT having a hair salon nearby?

The LOC chair is part of the AN '11 group that is on Facebook.... you can message her through that or the SLFS website.

[pairman2]

Manley, you said:
"We ALL know that there are always improvements to be made, and we all want to make things better."

I agree with this

You also said
"But there are ways to do it that don't make us look high-maintenance."

In the context of your comments, I suppose that you saying 'that things could be better' is fine but if I propose that things could be better, I am 'high maintenance'. You know, for me to suggest that the this years lead time for an AN location has been problematic for a lot of people isn't really on par with a complaint about the distance to the nearest hair dresser.

Also, the fact that I didn't attend the Minnesota event doesn't detract from any of the points I made. If you'd like to make a substantive response, try addressing my whole post in it's proper context instead of trolling sound bites. Quite frankly, I'm a bit amazed at the extent that you are going to parse this into a personal matter.

In my prior post I said:

"If there are clear business and economic reasons why the decision was delayed this year from the norm, I would certainly understand this as anyone would. So rather then speculate, perhaps icerinque could shed some light on how the process evolved and perhaps 7 months or less can become the new expectation."

Perhaps you or icerinque could address this instead.

[Bev Johnston]

Personally, and this is just me, I'm damn grateful to have the opportunity to compete at competitions like Sectionals and ANs. USFS doesn't HAVE to give us competitions. We're not the elites that bring them recognition and money. At the end of the day, I really don't care that the announcement was made late. Yes, I want to know just like the rest of us, but ANs for me is going to be awesome because I'll make it awesome. Even with all of the fail that was Minneapolis, I still had a great time. My goal is to go and skate as best I can. Where it is or when it's announced doesn't change any of that.

Bloomington, MN was a lovely town and we had great weather for April! There were snafus and some rude people in the LOC, but I still had a blast and had one of my most successful competitions ever.

I'm very excited about going to SLC. AN will most likely be my second trip to the area in 2011, and I couldn't be happier. Just the thought of seeing those mountains while the plane is circling the airport... ah.....
what a happy thought!

[smileyskate]

I don't know if they compete together now, but on an icedance forum there were mentions of one of your adult champs getting married & getting media attention (though they were a pair and not an ice dance team). Here are the links if you can get them to work for you (of course I had trouble).

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news...wedding-on-ice

http://www.detnews.com/article/20101...on-ice-in-Troy

[sk8er1964]

Paul had quit skating for a while, but is back at least in singles freestyle (). Judy has been competing with Craig Joeright. (I may have spelled his name wrong. I may have got his name wrong. I have a thing about his name, I keep wanting to call him Joe Craigright. That may be right. Or not. Don't tell him, though. )

Great people. I am really happy for them.