tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-466093691926458332.post8772125752376511473..comments2023-04-07T10:27:50.934-05:00Comments on Xanboni: Comparing skatersAlexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04087069977867729538noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-466093691926458332.post-58756303248364785412013-04-01T18:35:05.012-05:002013-04-01T18:35:05.012-05:00I agree with Jeff. As a skater myself, I can say t...I agree with Jeff. As a skater myself, I can say that a lot of us tend to be compulsive. I know some people (including myself) who, if they sleep with one leg crossed over the other, will only sleep with the left leg crossed over the right leg because that is air position for (righthanded) jumps. Never the right leg over the left leg. When I am standing around somewhere bored, I turn my feet out and start doing ballet exercises. When my coach was skating, she used to stand in line at the store and do tiny hops up and down on her landing foot. <br /><br />Now whether skating helped make us compulsive or whether we were just compulsive to begin with is another question. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-466093691926458332.post-86397221873640850772013-04-01T15:16:14.404-05:002013-04-01T15:16:14.404-05:00I'm curious as to why Jeff thinks it is a char...I'm curious as to why Jeff thinks it is a character "flaw" that allows the elite athletes to succeed. Perhaps it is the combination of their particularly unique set of physical and personality traits that allows them to not just focus on the task at hand, but also see the 'big picture' and to break down the steps to achieve their goals in a stepwise fashion, surrounding themselves with the right team, that leads them to their greater successes. I don't see that as a flaw...instead, just the right mix of nurture vs nature and timing. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-466093691926458332.post-19479092702697421622013-03-29T06:48:13.360-05:002013-03-29T06:48:13.360-05:00Also, when things get tough they're more likel...Also, when things get tough they're more likely to think ” I'm not good at this” and just quit rather than seeing it as another skill to master with practice.K.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-466093691926458332.post-23955923251784195772013-03-29T06:20:17.533-05:002013-03-29T06:20:17.533-05:00Natural talent has another pitfall as well-- every...Natural talent has another pitfall as well-- everyone constantly telling you from the time you're three how talented you are. It not just makes it easier to acquire skills, it also makes a child feel like they don't *have* to work, and sometimes like they don't have to be very nice about it.Alexandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04087069977867729538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-466093691926458332.post-68408640824501067052013-03-29T01:02:20.742-05:002013-03-29T01:02:20.742-05:00I do agree with Jeff that the issues seem to be co...I do agree with Jeff that the issues seem to be conflated a bit here.<br /><br />As far as comparing skaters... I try not to compare skaters. I try to compare skating. For free skates (not artistic programs)I tend to look at the skater's feet and body position in general. Two-footed landing? You can see (and hear) it if you watch. <br />Crappy edges? Scrapey crossovers? That's what I tend to look at. Of course I'm not a judge.<br /><br />Along with motivation and trajectory might go natural talent. As I've said before, natural talent only takes you so far, and woe to the skater who has too much of it, because if you run out when you're Novice you are going to have a lot harder time learning how to really work than if that happens at, say, pre-juv.Gordonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05953998801421616559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-466093691926458332.post-47773225251024709042013-03-28T21:51:31.944-05:002013-03-28T21:51:31.944-05:00Jeff, I love the idea that elite athletes succeed ...Jeff, I love the idea that elite athletes succeed because of a personality flaw. That is an absolutely brilliant insight. You need to explore that on the blog!Alexandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04087069977867729538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-466093691926458332.post-72221696144914882612013-03-28T09:25:48.179-05:002013-03-28T09:25:48.179-05:00Hi Xan,
I think this post touches on a couple of ...Hi Xan,<br /><br />I think this post touches on a couple of distinctly separate issues -- one is Judging, and the other is a Skater's progress (and maybe a third is the parent's view of the whole thing). It's a triple cheeseburger with onions to chew on.<br /><br />Judging / Scoring: I've read all sides of this issue, from the arcane (see here: http://www.flutzingaround.com/2013/03/even-more-analyzing-chan-and-ijs.html) to the sublime (unabashed plug: http://la-skatedad.blogspot.com/2011/12/scoring.html). Some skaters take it more seriously than others. Likewise parents.<br /><br />Progress / Trajectory: I almost think a National-level skater needs a certain personality flaw; some combination of fibre, compulsiveness, emotionalism, attentiveness, drive, discipline, pride, vanity, and urbanity (did I hit all the right adjectives here?). But skating is valuable even if you just skate the local competitions.<br /><br />Parents: Parents vary as much as skaters (another plug: http://la-skatedad.blogspot.com/2011/02/whole-spectrum.html). Ultimately though the skater drives her progress and the parent gets out of the way.<br /><br />Overall I think skating is both bigger and smaller than all of this. Bigger in the sense that the Sport (perhaps like all sports) serves some higher purpose. Smaller in that for any individual skater, the intersection of that portion of their life that is /skating/ with that part that is /living/school/growing up/ both varies by person, and for a single skater varies as she matures.<br /><br />Thanks for the interesting and thoughtful post!<br /><br />Jeff<br />L.A. SkateDadJeff Chapmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09414277588527738949noreply@blogger.com