Skating for the love of skating...

[Jozet]

I recently wrote two articles and talked about skating.

One was for our local newspaper

http://www.pennlive.com/opinion/inde...rspective.html

And one for my blog (This one is long because I wanted to finally have something to send to all the friends and relatives who always ask me "Is your daughter going to the Olympics?" It's a read for when you're up with a bout of insomnia. ;-) )

http://www.josetteplank.com/2012/11/...t-knowing.html

[LilJen]

Great articles, Jozet! Love this bit:

First of all, when it comes to female skaters, you have to keep in mind that the peak training years strongly correspond to the years girls are most potentially stark raving mad.

[Jozet]

Lol...I meant that with love, of course. And a wink. :-)

[sk8er1964]

"Skating for the love of skating..."

Describes the wonderful world of adult skating. That's why we do it too.

[Jozet]

The newspaper asked me to write 6 columns on anything I want to write about. I think for January, I'm going to write about my own skating journey starting at 42 years old, as well as all the possibilities for fun and competition on the ice beside and beyond just aiming for Olympic gold medals. I know as a new skating parent, I had no idea of all the opportunities available. I sometimes get the same response as my kid when I tell people I skate, except it's more "Uh...aren't you too old for the Olympics?" Grrrrrr.

[Susan1]

The newspaper asked me to write 6 columns on anything I want to write about. I think for January, I'm going to write about my own skating journey starting at 42 years old, as well as all the possibilities for fun and competition on the ice beside and beyond just aiming for Olympic gold medals. I know as a new skating parent, I had no idea of all the opportunities available. I sometimes get the same response as my kid when I tell people I skate, except it's more "Uh...aren't you too old for the Olympics?" Grrrrrr.

I either got "can you do a figure 8?" Huh? Or "can you do a triple axle?" Oooookay.

[overedge]

Jozet, this is an excellent piece! You really write well.

I second the idea of writing about adult skating. Obviously I am biased but it would be great for more people to know that you don't have to be a pre-teen midget to skate and test and even compete.

[ioana]

I sometimes get the same response as my kid when I tell people I skate, except it's more "Uh...aren't you too old for the Olympics?" Grrrrrr.

Yes, because skating can only be something you do while trying to make an Olympic team. Unlike golf, jogging or softball, where no one even bats an eyelid when you say you do it for fun. I think my coworkers grasp the general idea now, but they still don't understand how I willingly get up at 6 am to get my morning work done, skate from 7-8 and then come in to the office. Then again, I think I'm crazy, too

[Aussie Willy]

Yes, because skating can only be something you do while trying to make an Olympic team. Unlike golf, jogging or softball, where no one even bats an eyelid when you say you do it for fun. I think my coworkers grasp the general idea now, but they still don't understand how I willingly get up at 6 am to get my morning work done, skate from 7-8 and then come in to the office. Then again, I think I'm crazy, too

Try being in a country where figure skating is a total minority sport. The first question you usually get asked is "Is there an ice rink in [insert applicable Australian city]?" Then they ask you if you can do those spinny things. But they don't really take you seriously or understand your involvement in the sport. I head up to our Nationals in two weeks to judge and my manager and coworkers don't actually understand how serious the whole business of that itself actually is nor how intense your involvement might be.

[spikydurian]

Indeed AW. Figure skating is a super minority sport in Australia, and the more so since we don't get snow (except in specific places). We don't even see it mentioned on the sports pages (okay, I admit I don't follow the sports pages too). Well back in the 1990's, we still get to see televised figure skating competitions (only the top few not even the whole competition) but I think they are non-existent now. On a positive note, we get live streaming but this is only for those who enjoy the sport and seek to watch it. My family subscribed to Foxtel Sports at home but we still don't get figure skating from Foxtel. The televised sports are very masculine orientated.