Bronze Free Skate Test "RETRY" aka Did not Pass

Well have to say that I was not going to write a blog post about the Bronze test this past weekend but I had a change of heart and I have to share my experience with you all.  Some already know through face book.  Here I will write it in full detail.

Sunday, February 9, 2014
Test day came and I was ready, anxious a bit nervous but ready to do this.  I stretched as normal routine and stayed focus, breathing throughout.  Warm up went well, ice was cut right before so ice new and sleek.  Did my lap around and did some power cross overs to warm up my legs.  Run thru of my program went well.

I went in with a mind set that I will fight with all my might and skate with conviction....I needed this to redeem myself from the last test back in December....that I did not pass, which I was okay with, I just wanted to test the waters and see how I stand technically and presentation wise.

Any who, I heard my music play and took a deep breath and said to myself  "no matter what, nail all your jumps - hold my sit and back spin if my life depended on it".....So, there I went, skated like I was in the Olympics skated my program taking deep breath every moment I could....when I landed my Salcow, everyone started clapping... then set for my sit spin....held it long and save it like my coach always tells me...nice extension exiting....landed my toe, waltz/toe, loop (fully rotated) I was exstatic!!!! (I said "yes keep going almost over")  then my back spin (my daughter and ice monitor was actually counting my rotation did 5 - as they told afterwards) I spin the back spin but I did not count the rotations....as I exited my spin I heard the music was still playing so I decided to just do a forward pivot and a small one foot spin (thinking nothing of it) I finished my program and everyone was cheering.  "FIST PUMP" !!!!

Coach told me "this was your best free skate I've seen by far"   Then I got called by the judge (we were all like WHAT?) He said "I want you to reskate you sit spin, it was not low enough and said "you know your upright spin was 2 rotation??".....thinking nothing of it at the time, and (I was so nervous as it is but it didnt even dawn on me that upright was a concern} I said you mean my backspin...Only thing he said was go talk with your coach and come back.  Went back to coach and said "judge wants me to reskate my spins"  I reskated my sit spin and backspin did not pass my sit spin.

I skated so much better than my last test but I got a 2.3 for my technical including the reskate on the sit with average score 4.7....I have no word to express how I felt that day (sadness, anger, disappointment, failure)....I cried at the rink and cried on my way home till I went to bed.

The best part of all was hearing the clapping and the cheering when I skated, its the best feeling in the world and no one can tell me any different.  Skating is my life and I take it seriously to me its not a hobby or recreation, its a way of life for me now.  As many of my peers tell me its just a test, don't beat yourself up...I will get over it and move on but its a new perspective now with skating.  Train so hard and prepare for years and months for the end result.  There will be many test to come in future this is true, but the question lies in the back of my mind "what if the next test...something else is not good enough or to their standard, what then....take it again.  

NOTE: I did reach out to the test judge to get clarification on my sitspin because I did complete the 3 revolutions. And also to explain that I am an adult 52 years old with back injury and that was the lowest I can go for a sitspin. 

This was the response I received. 

POST UPDATE:
February 12th
Email was sent to me - because I question my sit spin after my test
Now I understand the reasoning to my result in test

From the ISU 2013-2014 Technical Panel Handbook (Spins section) this is the Official Rule for a Sit Spin to be qualified (regardless of age or level):  "The upper part of the skating leg must be at least parallel to the ice; the required 2 rotations do not begin until the skater has reached this position.”  If the hips are not even with or lower than the knees, its difficult to achieve the parallel requirement.  I’m so sorry Diana, but this simply was not demonstrated during the test.  Since the required sitting position was never met, the rotations become irrelevant since as do not begin counting until you are in the required sit position. Hence, the comment about the rotations. 

SIT SPIN UPDATE

Because I reached out to that Judge, and word got out in the skating community who so many other adults could related to my questioning and sitspin rules was not fair for us adults and something had to be done about it. 

Months passed and there was discussion and eventually the Adult Skating Committee decided to change the wording for the Adult Bronze Free Skate Test "Sitspin" to a *Recognizable Sitspin. With this change it has helped so many to pass their Bronze free skate.

Special thanks - everyone for all your support and kind words of comfort 

Happy Skating