Just When My Daughter Was Getting the Hang of Her Program, It Looks Like I'll Have to Bump Her Up a Level
My oldest daughter, Azalea, competed at her home skating competition yesterday and did relatively well. She finished third in beginner compulsory and beginner jumps, both solid finishes considering she was up against skaters from a pair of elite (solo-oriented) clubs. And, while she came in 4th out of 4 in her beginner artistic program, her first performance in that category was solid and she was even given a 3rd place vote by one of the judges. Of course, when she finished yesterday, we figured she had something to build upon as she heads into her last competition of the year (November 25th). But, as it turns out, she's actually going to have to start over a bit. She's taking a US Figure Skating freeskate test the first weekend of November and, barring a complete screw up or an unusually strict judge, she'll likely pass it. Once she does, she's no longer considered a beginner skater and will need to skate at a higher level. I was actually expecting this. But, I...