Continuity

I knew going into this, especially after my first couple sessions, that the more I skated the easier it would get. That could not have been more true! In that second week of skating, I continued my forward stroking and swizzles, but I also learned how to stop! I noticed the same woman at the rink everyday and we ended up talking on the rink for a while. She was really helpful and offered several tips. She showed me how to stroke properly and also showed me how to stop (T-Stop). It was very sweet of her, I get the sense that much of the adult skating community at this rink is kind and sociable. After practicing my stop around the rink I began turning, by accident. And from a slip of the foot, I learned how to turn around/spin (I used to call it a spin before I actually learned how to spin, haha!). On my last day at the rink on my winter break I met a really sweet skater who also happened to teach the adult skating class. I asked her when the class usually met and it was perfect for my schedule, Saturday morning! I told her I would think about joining. I had made so much progress on my own but knew that I would need to learn new things to keep myself motivated and challenged.

Trial Run

I continued heading to the rink on a daily basis during my break, the adult open skate is amazing, only a few adults skate daily and some small groups usually end up joining for an hour and then leaving. The “usuals” are in the middle practicing their spins, the speed skater is making his rounds, and now and then a newbie will hit the ice, just like me! The next few days were truly incredible, I feel like a made a ton of progress. I began to skate comfortably and I taught myself forward swizzles! For an avid skater, this is nothing, but considering my age and experience, I was delighted!

The Very Beginning

After reading about 10 books in two weeks during the start of my winter break, I got bored and didn’t know what to do with myself. I am not the type of person who can just sit at home and watch TV all day, sure if I am sick and need some rest I’ll do it, but it is difficult! I knew that I needed to do something productive with my time and I definitely was not ready to start looking for a full time job as a teacher. After accepting a full time substitute position for the second semester at a local high school, I knew that I was satisfied. As a teacher, there is always work to do outside of the classroom, as a substitute, there is no work that has to be done after the school day is over. So, I had to find something else to put my energy into.

I began skating during my winter break, I had just graduated, finished my student teaching, finally I was free. About a year ago, I found a pair of new (and very cheap) figure skates online, so I purchased them for no reason at all. Each year my friends and I go skating in Campus Martius park in downtown Detroit, so I figured it would be an investment. I wouldn’t have to rent disgusting skates and I could get used to my own blades. So, thankfully in beginning this process I had my own skates.

The first day on the ice was miserable, sure I never fell, but I didn’t really move either. It was a “slow day” for the first hour of the free skate, I held on to the wall with my life, barely moving. I circled around like that, somehow I didn’t get bored. I was so eager to learn. I learned to skate awkwardly in the second hour and slowly but surely, I let go of the wall. I didn’t exactly get much further from the wall, but I was no longer hanging on to it with my life. That’s progress right?