Year In Review

So... originally I was thinking about doing a retrospective on my skating for my Skativersary, but it seems like it would be better to do that on my 5th anniversary next year. Instead, I think I'll just talk about the last year and how it went.

It's been a 'building' kind of year. Last year I reflected back on lots of changes. Since then, I found my current coach, I really dug in and started skating more frequently and regularly, switched rinks, and made some new friends. I also got new blades and new boots, finally!

Accomplishments for this year--

• Coaching -- I found a really good coach. Thanks Sonya!
  
• LFI3 -- all the hard work has really paid off, and while they aren't great, they are reliably there, and I'm not scared of them anymore. Sheesh!
• FXOs -- these really are much, much improved; still some improvement required but almost there.
  
• BXOs -- these also are much improved, though they still need work.
• Half flip -- I learned this jump and it's pretty much okay.
• Toe loop -- started working on this seriously and it's coming along nicely.
• Spins -- I'm still not where I want to be but I think it's coming.
• Off-ice work -- I started doing Pilates 3x/week (more or less) in July and it's helped a lot. Sonya also gave me some off-ice jumping stuff to do and that's helped too.
  

Challenges:

• Ice time -- it's still a challenge to get ice time, and I'm still not reliably getting the 6 hours or so per week I think I need.
• Spins -- sometimes I think that I am not going to be a good spinner. Maybe jumps are more my strength? I don't know.
• Back 3s -- these things are going to be a real challenge, I can tell.
• Salchow -- this one just seems to be tough for me.
  

Goals for this year:

• Test -- I think I've had this goal every year and it's not happened. My goal is to test Moves in August and FS in, I think, January. I really need to work to make this happen.
• Compete -- Pacific Coast Adult Sectionals are at my rink next March. What a perfect opportunity! I don't want to miss it, even though it will probably be terrifying.
• Salchow -- I have got to learn this. It will be tough.
  
• Spins -- I can't pass the FS test without a solid spin.
• Toe loop -- I think I should be able to reliably do this by this time next year if I work.
• Edges -- I've seen from a number of things I'm doing that I need better edges, especially back edges. This is a foundational element.
• Speed -- If I have better edges, hopefully I will have the confidence to skate with more speed and vigor.

That's it! Ambitious goals, I know. It's all up to me to make it happen.