Skating Fridays

2021 Recap

It’s that time of year again to recap how 2021 went and whether I was able to meet my skating goals. Without further adieu, here we go!

1. Continue to work on skating skills and presentation: Because I opted out of competitions this spring and summer, I got to focus more on my skating skills. My coach and I worked on Novice Moves in the Field and incorporating more difficult transitions to my new freestyle program. During my last competition (October), my presentation skills increased, so I am heading in the right direction. I need to keep working on this goal.
2. Continue to work on my mental game: Surprisingly, I was not nervous at all at my last competition or even during my virtual pairs test. That’s the good news. The bad news is that I still have internal freak-outs the week before a competition. Exhibit A: All my axels disappeared, including during the competition. They have since returned. I need to figure out how to execute this element like I do in practice. I’ve made some progress on the anxiety overall but not on this one element.
3. Learn a new spin: My coach and I have worked on a few new spins and spin positions. I learned a fun upright variation, a flying sit spin, and a headless spin. I want to strengthen these so I can potentially include them in a future program.
4. Land a fully clean double jump: I successfully landed several clean double salchows over the summer! YESSSS!!! But then then disappeared. Boo.
5. Find time to focus more off-ice: I am continuing to stretch off-ice but have not made as much time on off-ice technique. I try to do it when I have time between meetings, but it’s more of an exception rather than the norm.

In summary, 2021 was a good year for me. I prioritized my skating skills and off-ice stretching and did not compete. As a result, I believe I’m becoming a stronger athlete. Now if I could just fine-tune my elements and keep my mental game at bay, then I’ll be on the right path to where I want to be.

How did your 2021 go? Did you meet your goals for the year?