Synchro - as a leftie!

[spiralina]

I'm thinking about joining a new synchro team setting up near me. Unfortunately  I'm a clockwise skater who really can't go the other way (last time I tried to spin the "right" way fell backwards and hit my head on the ice!). How much of a problem will this be? As it's not yet established I don't have a contact to ask.

Thanks!

[aussieskater]

Depends on the level of the team.  Our team has about six CW ("leftie") skaters out of a roster of 15, but sadly no allowance is made for us!!  One thing I will say: doing synchro has really "balanced" me as a skater - because I had to do the turns the correct direction, I had no choice but to learn and practise them - only about 50 million times.

Everything except jumps and spins (ie:  all the turns and things like spirals) should be able to be done equally well both ways (har har har in my case).  If you're joining a lower-level team, the turns etc will probably be the easier ones (3turns rather than counters, mohawks rather than chocktaws etc).

As far as the "elements" (jumps and spins) are concerned, unless you are joining a high-level team, these are usually done as "Moves in Isolation", and are not done by the whole team.

Synchro is a blast.  Have fun!

[fsk8r]

I'm a leftie and no allowances are made. But they don't need to make allowances. Every skater should be able to crossover in both directions and do all their turns in both directions. Moves in Isolation is the main point where being a leftie puts you at a disadvantage, but a maximum of half the team are doing the move in isolation so you're just the person who's not jumping or spinning. And if you have to you ARE allowed to go your direction and mirror everyone else it's just coaches don't like it... The rule book doesn't say you can't.
Some teams and Junior or Senior level may have group spins, which would be the most difficult part, but if it's a low level team (even at junior or senior) the group spin will be avoided as it's really difficult to get 16 people spinning in time with each other without it looking hideous.

The only other bit about synchro you might have issues with is moves in the field (which for syncho is spirals, spreadeagles and ina bauers). Whilst you probably have no issues with spirals, lots of people have preference on leading legs for spreads and inas but you have to fit with the choreography, and these preferences don't seem to be rotation dependent.

Anyway, see it as a good opportunity to learn how to do things the other direction. I find I take things away from synchro and work with my free coach on them. I can now do quite a nice upright spin in the wrong direction...

[Skittl1321]

I was the leftie on our team, it was very low level though...

I did have to learn to do a good 2 foot spin in the other direction- it was surprisingly hard to do, but helped because now I can demonstrate both ways when I teach LTS.
Other things that were really difficult the "wrong" way were waltz jumps and stars.  OMG made me crazy- it was VERY hard.

When moving really fast, I couldn't always turn with the team, so there were times I would turn the wrong way and catch up.  I don't have problems doing the turns in holds, so thankfully that was a non-issue.  The coach kind of just let me do it (I'm not kidding when I say we were low level), because I could turn wrong and not miss the next step.  Anytime a turn would be "my" way, other girls on the team would try that- but they often would miss steps, so then the choreography would change to fit the turning direction of the majority of the team, and I'd be odd man out again. 

[spiralina]

I completely forgot that I posted this. Thanks so much for the replies - it's encouraging to know. I have absolutely no idea what level this is being pitched at - rink politics means that any synchro team will be a real bonus - but most of the people I know that are interested are mid-level adult skaters (capable of fairly competently doing, if not to passing level, pre-juv + upwards equivalent moves). But another girl who has signed up is a dancer who doesn't do free at all, so I won't be completely the odd one out. Yay!

Probably a Jan or Feb start if approved. Looking forward to it!

[Schmeck]

My older daughter (now in college, playing rugby) skated synchro for many years.  She was a CW skater, but relearned all of her jumps CCW, and how to spin CCW.  She wasn't fantastic at it, but she got the alloted rotations for the spins, and actually, I think her camel spin was better CCW than CW!  She finished her synchro career at the junior level, but also competed at intermediate and what once used to be called youth intro, but is now open juvenile, I think?

If there are enough CW skaters on a team, a good coach can choreograph some interesting spin blocks, and other CW vs CCW moves.  I loved watching my daughter's coach fiddle around with that, although I don't think too much of it was used in the programs. 

[LilJen]

I'm a leftie as well but have not had to do any higher-level FS moves (one-foot spins or jumps) so far (our team is just not that good yet). I've had only to do a back pivot & 2-foot spin CCW. We're hoping to field an Open Adult USFS team this year and I'm sure things will get more complicated, but I'm nearly ready to pass Silver moves and working on Bronze dances so I'm hoping I'll be OK.

[FSWer]

Gee,it makes you wonder how these skaters do it!!! I would be shaking if I was lifted so high!! LOL. I compliment evey Synchro. skater here who has accomplished the ability to handle being lifted.