Skating! (et al....)

[dawn_felagund]

Here I am, writing my entry in WordPad again because they have our network mucked up again. The inefficiency and incompetence of this agency never fails to astound me. I can (occasionally) access LiveJournal and even reply to comments and the like, but whenever I try to open my Comcast email, IE freezes and loses connection with the network. Gah

Comments

Skating

[digdigil]

Good for you to overcome your loathing of sports and take on skating. As one who married into a family of sports fanatics and who was not particularly interested in them myself when I was younger, I can appreciate both sides of the equation. My hubby's sister was a professional figure skater with the Ice Follies, and his brother is a hockey referee in the Junior "A" league. Actually, I think now he trains the other referees. Hubby himself belongs to the Golf Association of Ontario and is a 9-handicap golfer (that's good). However, although I was always good a basketball in high school, I was never really interested in it, so never bothered with sports myself. However, then I had my two oldest kids, who excelled in any sport they tried. In fact, my 18-year-old son Jamie has just been recruited for the University of Toronto football team, and will get a special "pass" to go to Uni there, as the requirements are so stiff that I believe your marks have to be in the 90s (or A+) for any program, and his overall average is only about 80%. So I had never even considered U of T as an option for him. However, he would not be going until Sept. 2006, so he has time to take some additional courses and bring his marks up this year. When he was much younger, we had signed him (and my daughter) up for baseball and there you find there is a real hierarchy and division between players based on their calibre. The parents of kids who just wanted to play to have "fun" but were perhaps somewhat inept or to put it more positively, not as "advanced" as the ones who went on to be "elite" players, would be very upset if a coach didn't "play their kid" as much as some of the others. It is too bad these things have to happen. Honestly, I don't know why they just don't have separate leagues - one for "fun" and one for "serious" players. But then even that distinction carries with it a weird sort of connotation, doesn't it? That the "fun" league is a euphemism for "awful" or something. People being what they are, I guess, means that someone's feelings are always going to get hurt no matter whom you want to please.

Re: Skating

[dawn_felagund]

My hubby's sister was a professional figure skater with the Ice Follies, and his brother is a hockey referee in the Junior "A" league.

Wow, that's impressive! I love watching (ice) figure skating and imagining myself half as good as those skaters :) Rollerskating is easier in some ways and harder in others. Skills requiring strong edges are harder on wheels--like spins--while skills requiring more balance are easier--like jumps. Of course, I am much better at spins than jumps...go figure, I am odd! :D

In fact, my 18-year-old son Jamie has just been recruited for the University of Toronto football team, and will get a special "pass" to go to Uni there, as the requirements are so stiff that I believe your marks have to be in the 90s (or A+) for any program, and his overall average is only about 80%.

He made it?! W00T! Hooray! That's absolutely awesome :D

Do I remember correctly that he is a receiver? My hubby used to play football; he is a big guy and so he got shuffled between offense and defense. He had to give it up because the curriculum at our nerdy high school was too hard, but he still loves to play hockey and is looking into joining a league.

When he was much younger, we had signed him (and my daughter) up for baseball and there you find there is a real hierarchy and division between players based on their calibre.

I see that in skating, now.

Part of the reason I decided to quit WM skating was because they moved up a whole bunch of people into the highest group who really didn't belong there...but they were over 18 and felt obligated to put them in the highest class.

I also always wished that there could be an Advanced Specialist class for "fun" and those who actually wished to work and practice. It probably sounds odd, given my experiences in elementary school. But that teacher was outright hostile to me; I see a difference between picking on an ugly seven-year-old (I was gawd-awful ugly when I was small; I shall have to post pictures sometime! :D) and asking people to commit to a group--meaning that they actually show up for practices and *try*--and those who just like to hang out and gossip and tell their friends that they do a weird, neat sport.

People being what they are, I guess, means that someone's feelings are always going to get hurt no matter whom you want to please.

True that! I think that's the truest thing I've heard all day :)

Re: Skating

[digdigil]

Yeah, my son made it, although it's not until next year, so anything could happen in between. But whatever he decides to do, will be OK with me. Yes, he is a receiver. Your hubby likes hockey? That's awesome. Who's his favourite team? I think sports is good for the mind and the soul as well as the body.

Re: Skating

[dawn_felagund]

His absolute favorite is the Colorado Avalanche because he favorite player is Patrick Roy. After that, he likes the Montreal Canadiens. Generally, he prefers the "old-school" Canadian teams to the expansion clubs in places where palm trees grow. My husband has watched hockey since he was a kid, and I think he mourns a little whenever a team moves out of Canada.

I agree with you about sports. Now, anyway! ;) Once, I hated them and wasted no words saying it! I fell in love with football the year the Ravens won the Super Bowl and haven't looked back since. I also like hockey and baseball--love going to baseball games!--but not enough to watch without doing something else at the same time. Football, though...do not get between a girl and her TV on Sundays at game time!

And yay, purple teams! ;D