in this issue >>>

looking ahead >>>

Ten Commandments for Figure Skating Parents

Skaters Spotlight Youth La Furia Open House Competition Checklist Balancing Act From My Book of Life:

by Penny MacKenzie La Furia Team Fundraiser Membership Notes

in the spotlight >>>

August/September 2012

Ten Commandments for Figure Skating Parents

Cup of Colorado August 23-26, 2012

South Suburban Ice Arena

Colorado Springs Invitational September 12-16, 2012

Colorado Springs

Southwestern Regional Championships

South Suburban Ice Arena October 19-23, 2012

Mid-Western Sectional

Championships Cleveland, Ohio

November 9-13, 2012

SKATE SWAP Saturday,

September 29 9:00 - 12:30

I. Thou shalt not impose your ambitions on thy child. Remember that figure skating is your child’s activity. Improvement and progress occur at different rates for each individual. Don’t judge your child’s progress based on the performance of other athletes, and don’t push them based on what you think they should be doing.

II. Thou shalt be supportive no matter what. There is only one question to ask your child - “Did you have fun?” If competitions, shows, and practices are not fun, your child should not be forced to participate.

III. Thou shalt not coach your child. You have taken your child to a professional coach - do not undermine that performance by trying to coach your child on the side. Your job is to support and love your child no matter what, and the coach is responsible for the technical part of the job.

IV. Thou shalt only have positive things to say at a competition. If you are going to show up at a competition, you should cheer and applaud, but never criticize your child, other children, the judges, coaches, or officials. Always strive to set a good example for your child.

Continued on page 7…

V. Thou shalt acknowledge thy child’s fears. A first competition (or every competition) can be a stressful situation. It is totally appropriate for your child to be anxious. Don’t yell or belittle, just assure your child they are ready for it.

VI. Thou shalt not criticize the judges. If you complain about the judging or results, don’t be surprised when your child models your behavior and acts out against other authority figures in his life. He learned it from you.

VII. Honor thy child’s coach. The bond between coach and skater is a special one and one that contributes to your child’s success as well as fun. Do not criticize the coach in the presence of your child.

VIII. The child shall have goals besides winning. Giving an honest effort, regardless of the outcome, is much more important than winning. An Olympic swimmer once said, “My goal was to set a world record. Well, I did that but someone did it too, just a little faster than I did. I achieved my goal and lost. That does not make me a failure. In fact, I am very proud of that race.”

By Kim Isaacson

Dear Parents and Skaters, Enjoy the series of articles over the next several issues that encourage sportsmanship, team work, and positive behavior on and off the ice.

skaters spotlight >>>

Meet Mr. Samuel Cardona. Sammy is 7-years-old and will be a 3rd grader at Mountain View Elementary School in Broomfield. Sammy began skating when he was 5 years old and competes at the Free Skate 4 level. Sammy likes learning new programs and landing new jumps. He really enjoys skating with older sister, Laura. He is very proud of his 1st Place in Basic 3 at the Colorado Basic Skills Series in 2010 and his 3rd Place finish in Free Skate 2 at the Colorado Basic Skills Series in 2011. Sammy is coached by Christopher Darling. Sammy’s favorite movie is, “The Adventures Of TinTin.” Although he doesn’t really have a favorite singer, he enjoys the song, “Life is a Highway.” Outside of skating, Sammy plays the piano. He also likes to ride his bike and go to the pool.

Say “hello” to Lauren Capra! Lauren is 16-years-old and attends Ralston Valley High School. She was only 4-years-old when she started skating and currently skates at the Junior level. Lauren enjoys performing her programs and hearing the crowd’s reaction. She loves when a jump or spin “feels right,” it reminds her how much she loves the sport. Lauren considers her skating friends her second family and enjoys seeing them at the rink. Lauren counts as her greatest skating accomplishments placing first in freeskate at Regionals and competing at the national level in synchronized skating. Her coaches include Cindy Sullivan, Jessica Melton and Scott Myers. Away from the rink, Lauren enjoys hanging out with friends. Some of her favorite movies include “The Notebook,” “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” and “The Sandlot.” In the music department she likes One Direction, Maroon 5, Tyga, and Luke Bryan.

Sammy’s expert advice for his fellow skaters:

“Never give up and have fun!”

Lauren’s advice: “When things get rough, have the determination to push through and don’t forget you’re doing what you love. The rink is the best place to escape troubles and be happy! Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference between success and failure.”

sound advice >>>

From My Book of Life… By Penny MacKenzie

About Penny I was born and raised in South Africa. I began skating after watching an exhibition at an ice hockey match. However, I had to overcome two major medical obstacles (going blind in my one eye and the removal of a malignant cancerous growth from behind my knee) before my parents would let me set foot on any ice surface. I am a silver medalist in figures, free style and ice dancing. Due to very unfortunate circumstances I was never able to complete my gold medal tests, even though I was working on them. I entered and won many competitions in South Africa and skated the lead in several ice shows, both as a soloist and a pair skater. In 1960 I was chosen to represent South Africa at the Olympic Winter Games in Squaw Valley, California. Over the years I have produced many South African Champions including my own daughter Delene, who I taught until she left for the United States in 1991. Delene is a triple gold medalist in figures, free style and pair skating. She went on to become one of the top Adagio Pair Skaters in Ice Capades, Disney on Ice, Magic on Ice and Holiday on Ice (Europe) where she was the Show Director for one of their divisions. Rocky Mountain Figure Skating Club and member of PSA Silver medallist in Figures, Free Style and Ice Dancing Master rated in Sports Science, Medicine and Biomechanics Master rated in Free Style. Rated in Field Moves Contact info: PennyM26@comcast.net, (303) 465-9759

When the mind is ready a teacher appears.

Many students are totally devastated when they make a mistake in a lesson or specifically during a competition. It is absolutely O.K. to make a mistake, we learn by making mistakes in the early learning years.

Attitude is everything...a good attitude goes a long way.

We as coaches ask only that you TRY. To say “I can’t do it” is not where it’s at! If at first you do not succeed, try and try again.

A strong mind helps to make a strong body. Concentrate while you are on the ice. Focus on what is being told to you while in a lesson. There is time for fun when the lesson and practice session is over.

While waiting for your music to start when skating a program in practice or competition, do not concentrate on the jump/spin you have been missing on previous occasions. Instead, concentrate on each element as it comes up in sequence. If it does not work as planned, move on, you cannot go back. This is when good training and a strong mind comes into play.

When skating, you are being seen from all four sides. Remember, never be afraid to look up, make eye contact with your audience, i.e. skating is mental to your feet not visual!

Learn to conduct yourself well, especially when results come out at competitions and tests.

As this is an Olympic Year I have taken the liberty to use the information below:

Taken from an article written by Dr. Alison Arnold in 2008: Dr. Arnold has been a mental toughness coach to four Olympic teams.

“The Five Rings of Mental Toughness”

The Olympic rings are symbols of strength, dedication and commitment.

Ring Number One – Awareness

Ring Number Two – Vision

Ring Number Three – Discipline

Ring Number Four – Perseverance

Ring Number Five – Belief

To summarize…Have a vision, be aware of what you are thinking if you are to be mentally tough, discipline your mind, persevere when you make a mistake and believe in yourself.

off the ice >>>

The balancing act between managing a high school schedule and skating competitively is tricky at best. There's the homework, friends, sporting events, school trips and projects, all vying for time against warming up, practicing, stretching, training and competition. Not to mention things like eating and sleeping. All skaters find their own ways to juggle the myriad of activities that fill their lives. While her schedule is compounded by National Honor Society, AP Classes, Student Government, babysitting and volunteering, Cassidy Steen still manages to maintain a stellar GPA. She knows that she still needs to get good grades to get into a good college. While skating is a dominant part of your life today, and some will choose to be involved in the sport for years to come by coaching, judging or continuing to skate as an adult, few will maintain it as a primary activity and earn a living at it. The importance of your education is paramount in determining your future and shouldn’t be neglected. One thing that Abbey Isaacson has found successful at her school is the importance of communication. She says that if she stays in touch with her teachers about her schedule and homework assignments, prior to when they are due, that they are typically willing to work with her. She also makes sure that they have a detailed copy of her skating schedule so that they can see just how much time she spends training on and off the ice. Skating is known for teaching skaters to pick themselves up again after a fall. Thanks to her coach, Cindy Sullivan, Madison Mahoney has learned to apply this in all areas of life. Madison quotes Cindy in saying; “Some days are sunny days, some days are cloudy days, and some days are stormy days. But no matter what, you will always have that one sunny day (the one amazing skate) that keeps you wanting to come back to the rink, even after those rough practices.” Getting enough sleep seems to be a primary struggle for high school skaters. Abbey has found that when she’s hungry, tired, or just hasn’t eaten well, it impacts her skating and school perform- ance so she makes sure that all of those things come first. Being well rested also helps her handle the stress and she is then better at not making things worse than they need to be. Madison adds that she’s learned to be efficient with her time, by getting as much work done in school as possible, either during lunch or study hall hours. This helps to minimize her study time at home which leaves more time for sleep. This in turn, allows her to have more focus on her practice. Cassidy says that she has learned that if she listens to her coach, she doesn’t waste valuable time. The sooner she makes the correction asked for by the coach, the sooner she can get on with the next thing! Though she continues to work on improving in this area, she cautions, “If you have time now, get things done ahead of time so you are not stressed later!” Procrastination is another common struggle, but there are things you can do to be proactive in training yourself to improve in this area as well.

1. Put a positive spin on things. Instead of trying not to procrastinate, set goals and work on reaching them. Make a list and check things off as you get them done. See how many things you can get done each day and go for highest ever. Reward yourself periodically for your achievements.

2. Find a study buddy for accountability. This can be a friend or family member, but someone who is supportive and positive. Keep a status report daily including what you accomplished, difficulties you had and goals for the next day. Send this to your buddy. This is mostly about you recognizing what worked (to do again) and where you can improve. It brings things to your conscious awareness so you aren't just operating on autopilot. Your buddy reminds you to keep the status reports and validates your success.

3. Find out why you procrastinate. a. Is it because you aren't entirely sure you

understand the project? Maybe there are terms in the subject you don't quite understand. This can make you less confident and/or confused and make you back off on getting started. Clearing up any confusion can be very helpful in getting you rolling.

b. Are you a perfectionist and/or afraid of failure? Bounce some ideas off a friend, classmate, sibling or parent that will motivate you and make you feel good about your project. Remember that in your school work as well as in your skating, don’t compare yourself to others, but strive only to do and be your best.

c. Are you distracted? Having music playing in the background is one thing, but having the TV on and your phone next to you beeping out text notifications every five minutes and Facebook open behind your word document on your computer is NOT going to help you get that paper finished! Give the electronics a break for a bit and just concentrate your thought process. If you consider all the times you have to re-gather your thoughts as you get back to work you'll find you could have completed the project a few times over. And, your work will be more organized, thoughts more complete, concepts expanded upon which will mean less time editing and a higher grade for your work.

4. Dress for success. Not necessarily literally, comfortable sweat pants can be less distracting then jeans with a tight belt, but working at a desk with room to spread out your books etc. can be more productive than lounging in your bed where you're liable to nod off. Have all of your supplies handy before you start so you don't have to keep getting up and down.

Balancing Act By Kim Isaacson with Elissa Steen, Abbey Isaacson and Madison Mahoney

“If you have time now, get things done ahead of

time so you are not stressed

later!”

Continues on page 6…

tidbits >>>

Competition checklist Even the most seasoned skaters have realized they forgot something when they arrive at competition. Here is a simple check list to make it easier to pack for that all important day. Your skates Skate outfit(s) Tights, plus a spare Hair accessories Hair spray/brush/comb/glitter Makeup Warm-up jacket Any warm-up equipment you need Ankle braces or break-in pads (if

required) Your music on CD (labeled and

tested) plus a back up Guards/soakers Towel to wipe blades Your coach’s cell number (and

she/he should have yours) if you don’t already have it

Emergency bag (extra screws for blades, a screwdriver, spare laces, needle/thread, safety pins, blister pads, aspirin, etc.)

Any required medication (inhaler, insulin)

Your USFSA number Know your event number(s) and

time Directions to the rink Change of clothes Something quiet to do until

competition (book/magazine/iPod) Water bottle Snacks Get a good night sleep! _________________________ _________________________ _________________________

Plan ahead and leave enough time to relax and warm up when you arrive at the rink. Remember… have fun!

CLIP AND SAVE

Get a cool treat while supporting Team La Furia!

Visit Bliss Frozen Yogurt 11651 W. 64th Ave., Arvada

(64th and Simms) Tuesday, August 7…All Day

Mention Rocky Mountain Figure Skating Club or

Team La Furia and 20% of the proceeds will support our organization.

La Furia is a youth and adult synchronized skating team

that host National Competitors and Champions! Visit www.rmfsc.org or www.lafuriasynchro.com for more

information on our team.

5. Work first, play later. It's often hard to predict how long it will take to write that report or complete your math assignment. Prioritize your tasks for the day/evening and save the Facebook or TV time for when they are done, then relax! You will be happier in the long run because you'll feel good about yourself. Lame, I know, but true.

Skaters of all ages and grade levels seem to have similar struggles, but one thing rings true to all; they can’t imagine their lives without skating.

Balancing Act Continued from page 4…

Welcome the new coaching staff for the 2012-2013 La Furia Synchronized Skating Teams! Stefano Stangalini will lead the USFSA Masters Team and the newly named ISI Masters Team as head coach and choreographer. Julie Sylvester-Kelley is the new head coach of the Youth Teams. Also, look for our BRAND NEW Learn-to-Skate Classes coming in the fall!

RMFSC is a Proud Member of:

The Inside Edge is a publication of the Rocky Mountain Figure Skating Club.

Club Officers President: Jennifer Mahoney

Vice-Pres.: Brenda Bowers Secretary: Kim Isaacson Treasurer: Shari Zanett

Membership: Brenda Bowers

Special Board Members Coaches Representative: Kelly Renick (Clark)

Synchronized Skating Representative: Dan Rudnicki

Sanction Chair: Elissa Steen Social Event Chair: Kendra Bell

Ice Show Coordinator: Kathleen Calcagno Volunteer Coordinator & Club Apparel:

Jodi Brinson Media Relations Chair: Dan Rudnicki Test Chairperson: Natalia Nazarenko

Newsletter Contributors:

Jeri Stunkard Kim Isaacson

Debbie Minter Brenda Bowers Linda Spencer

August Lexi Brinson Aug 1 Fiona Rudnicki* Aug 3 Morgan Bell Aug 5 Brianne Hoppes Aug 9 Jessica Calzolari Aug 11 Vivian Tang Aug 13 Taylor Couillard-Rodak Aug 20 Grace Pollock Aug 22 Erin Passe Aug 24 Shari Zanett Aug 24 Hailee Giordano Aug 24 Cynthia Lin Aug 28 Alexandra Matthews Aug 30

Happy Birthday!

IX. Thou shalt place your child first above everything. Ask yourself this question - Are your child’s goals more important to you than they are to your child? Remember that the focus of youth sports should be fun. Children are constantly changing, and their goals, interests and participation in activities will change as well. Parents should remain flexible, patient and always supportive while their children strive to find their niche in life.

X. Thou shalt not expect thy child to become an Olympian. There are more than 100,000 skaters registered with ISI and US Figure Skating. The odds of your child making the Olympic team are less than one in 33,000. Figure Skating is much more than just the Olympics. Ask your coach why he or she coaches. Chances are he/she was not an Olympic skater but still got enough out of skating that they want to pass that love for the sport on to others. Figure Skating teaches self-discipline and sportsmanship. It builds self-esteem and fitness. It provides lifelong friendships and much more. Figure Skating builds good people and you should be happy that your child wants to participate.

Ten Commandments… Continued from page 1

Congratulations to everyone who competed in competitions around the

state this summer!

We are very proud of your hard work!

September Julia Morford Sept 2 Stephanie Cameron Sept 5 Jennifer Archibald Sept 8 Karen Tornquist* Sept 8 Julie Sylvester-Kelley* Sept 9 Janet Hill Sept 11 Arielle Brinson Sept 12 Samuel Cardona Sept 14 Lindsey Mize Sept 16 Lomi Christiansen* Sept 17 Douglas Stevenson Sept 19 Allison Xin Sept 21 Tiana LeBeck Sept 22 Anna Trunzo Sept 27

*Coach

Thanks to all the members who have renewed your RMFSC membership! If you have not yet renewed, please turn in your membership forms. Forms can be found on the membership page of the Club’s website or in the skater’s locker room at the rink. Competition entries or test applications will not be approved for memberships that have lapsed. If you have questions regarding membership, please contact the Membership Chair, Brenda Bowers, at membership@rmfsc.org. Thanks!

The Rocky Mountain Figure Skating Club would like to welcome the following new skaters and their families to the Club. Welcome!

Stephanie Cameron Isabel Chen Eva Davidson Kimberly Hirssig David Fox Victoria Hogtun

Lizzie Liles Rachel Murphy Julie Owen Erin Passe Sarah Sego Douglas Stevenson

Anna Trunzo Alicia Wu Hannah Zhang

The 2012 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series event dates announced:

Skate America — Seattle/Kent, Washington, Oct. 19-21 Skate Canada International — Windsor, Ontario, Oct. 26-28 Cup of China — Shanghai, China, Nov. 2-4 Rostelecom Cup — Moscow, Russia, Nov. 9-11 Trophée Eric Bompard — Paris, France, Nov. 16-18 NHK Trophy — Sendai, Japan, Nov. 23-25 Final – Sochi, Russia, Dec. 5-9 (site of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games) The event will run concurrently with the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final.

Be sure to tune in and cheer for your favorite skater! Check your local listings for air times for each event.