Can a skater switch tracks?

[isakswings]

Can a skater switch to test track and then back to the competitive track? I'm curious just in case dd's doubles take longer then expected to get consistent. Anyway... I am just thinking ahead.

[Clarice]

Yes.  You just can't do both during the same competition.  It's all on the USFS web site.

[isakswings]

Yes.  You just can't do both during the same competition.  It's all on the USFS web site.

Thanks! Just want to be prepared in case dd needs to do TT for a comp or two. I talked to dd's coach today and dd will be testing her preliminary freeskate in November. No turning back after that!

[jumpingbeansmom]

Thanks! Just want to be prepared in case dd needs to do TT for a comp or two. I talked to dd's coach today and dd will be testing her preliminary freeskate in November. No turning back after that!

Honestly, the doubles don't have to be perfect or many in preliminary-- my dd at I think age 8, had a nice 2sal, some good spins and a nice axel and that was IT and got a couple of medals in preliminary.

[isakswings]

Honestly, the doubles don't have to be perfect or many in preliminary-- my dd at I think age 8, had a nice 2sal, some good spins and a nice axel and that was IT and got a couple of medals in preliminary.

Thanks! We aren't looking for perfection at all. I just want her to be landing them more then once or twice a week. LOL!! 2 sal is the one she will get consistent first. Double toes are not her favorite.

To be honest, I don't think she will skate test track. I talked to her about it and she has no interest in skating test track. I even suggested that she skate her showcase program at the preliminary level in November. I told her she wouldn't need to do any doubles if she didn't want to for that program. She quickly shot that idea down and insisted that if she was going to skate in the preliminary level, she had to TRY to land a double in her program. She knows she will probably fall and she is OK with that. Maybe falling in pre-pre and learning that it wasn't the end of the world, was a good thing??

I also think part of the reason she does not want to skate test track is because it isn't very popular here. The groups are small.

It is up to her and her coach. If they think she can handle it, then I need to sit back and let them decide what is best. As a parent, it is hard to watch your kid struggle, finally get her program consistent only to go back to struggling again. That said, she is learning some great life lessons in the process.

[skatingmum2]

Regarding double toe -things can change very suddenly with that.

It was my daughters nemesis - honestly the bruises she had from it were dreadful and the ONLY times she had to leave the ice through banging a head or elbow too hard  or winding herself badly were falls after double toe. She thought it was an impossible jump which she would never achieve.

Its now her strongest double - just suddenly seemed to happen 6 weeks ago. Can land it on the end of all sorts of  other jumps and can do double toe-double toe.

My daughter said it all happened when she relaxed and tried less hard and she says its the one jump where a skater needs to relax when doing this - she advises this to everybody - so do tell your daughter there is hope and when it all works out it will be easy for her. (PS of course how anybody relaxes after 50 million falls is beyond me!)

Good luck with it and hope it works out really soon.

My declaration of interest is that I really don't understand how people can take both legs off the ice at the same time. it doesn't seem natural!