As Regionals season comes to a close, the are no doubt a few happy competitors but many, many more unhappy competitors left wondering "what happened?", "what went wrong?" or "what do we need to do now?" Having been there on both the winning and the "not so winning" sides, my advice is to take a couple weeks to calm down, then start looking at every aspect of your training.
Start with the basics...is your equipment correct for your level?, in good shape and maintained properly? (don't rely on you coach). Seek out a qualified and impartial (without anything to gain)person to look it over and check it out. The fit, boot strength, blade adjustment and sharpening are all very important. Just like having good tires on your car..the skates and blades are where it all starts.
Next, Are you personally familiar with the requirements of your programs? Are you able to look at the scores and understand them? are you aware of the IJS rules and how the judging system works? If not, LEARN. Not all coaches keep up with it. It's you money and time..don't leave it all to someone else, LEARN IT YOURSELF! All the info. you need is on the USFS website.
Are you and you coach on the same page? Some coaches are more "recreational" than others and although they will not admit it (for fear of losing a student), they may not be up to the challenge of coaching at IJS competitions. There are many fine coaches that can coach fundamentals and elements just fine, but are simply not up on the IJS rules, updates, changes and strategy for building and choreographing a competitive program. If what you see in other skaters routines is missing in yours, and you feel the skater is technically able, this may be the case. Ask questions !!
And of course, practice. Make a plan and stick to it. Practice on ice, practice off ice, and in addition to the jumps and spins, practice the fundamentals....you better believe the judges can tell.
And if you have any questions, just ask. If I don't have an answer, I can send you in the right direction.
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