Today I got my new skates.  

The boot tech, had me skate around for all of open skate.  At this rink, this week, the Dutch National Womans figure skating champion is there with her coach. Her coach is giving clinics and I think she is just skating and traveling with him.

I could go on and on about her skating. But I wont.  SHe is an awesome skater.

What I want to write about is her humility. During open skate, there was a little girl (who is quite good for her age and is even way better than me) practicing her exhibition program with her coach. Her coach was following her with a boom box so she could hear her music.

Anyway, the NATIONAL CHAMPION (somewhere between 15-23 years old) GETS OUT OF THE WAY of this little girl.  Here is this champion, warming up, doing all her triple jumps and she defers to the less advanced skater.  I recognize that it is etiquette (I.e. the girl was with her coach) but it was done without attitude, hautiness or drama.

It was beautiful.

And I dont think that little girl even realized that she cut-off a National Champ! She was just having fun, skating her heart out!

I was never an ice skater I grew up doing my freestyle and figure skating on a pair of roller skates. However I know exactly what you mean by the way of great people being great in more than just the sheer ability of talent or skill. I have a severely disabled sister who spent years as part of the Special Olympic skating programs and there was always any number of famous skaters who would donate their time for the Special Olympics. I was always touched by how these very busy people made time for that. 

I admit I miss some of that universal family feeling that goes with being part of the local rink.

Angel

 t"he way of great people being great in more than just the sheer ability of talent or skill."

You totally hit the nail on the head. LOTS OF PEOPLE (not me) can do triple jumps, but HOW MANY would get out of the way if a 8-12 year old and her coach?   I will remember THAT more than i will remember the triples.

On the "I miss some of that universal family feeling that goes with being part of the local rink." when you get close to your roller rink size, WHY dont you reclaim that activity. I am not going to suggest going larger (you totally can), I just found that when I was larger, I was used to a certain amount of counter weight (i.e the size of my butt) in a certain spot and when I "outgrew" the limits of error, I fell a lot and became MORE frustrated than pleased.  

Just consider rolling the idea around for me please...

And on the rollerskating...THAT was something I found VERY difficult. Four wheels, lots of friction....

Skating when larger WAS very frustrating! I'm down to about ten to fifteen pounds of what I was when I was skating as a teenager. It feels very strange when I suddenly uncoordinated at something I grew up with feeling second nature. I taught my son to skate and can still master simple skating skills (forward, backwards, simple turns, foot crosses/cross pulls) but fear trying any real edges, complicated turns, or long series of dance moves lol. 

I had been longing a little for some of that after reading about your return to skating. I remember there always being a very mixed age group for the dance skating. In fact it was always far more an adult group. I was one of only a handful of younger skaters when I was a kid who took much of an interest. I think I might put a toe cautiously back in the water. I have purchased an in home ballet barre and have loved loved loved stretching and some of the cool restistance workouts. It reminds me of stretching with my skate on top of the waist high walls as a kid. Though those restistance workouts now kick my butt, however they have been great for my lack of balance and stregthening my hips to take pressure off my knees.  

I guess days of jumps and spins are now in days past but I appreciate the friendly nudge toward long lost past activities 

Angel

" I think I might put a toe cautiously back in the water"

In for a penny, in for a pound!  I bet you will walk through those doors and it will look familiar, smell familiar, your heart will start to happily race in anticipation, and your breath will quicken. Then you will recognize, " I am in love"

Why do you have to be young to spin?  Just get back into spinning the way you got in. In the beginning coaches only want their students doing one-2 revoluitions top. They then work up to three, then more.  They do not start out with 6.  :)

Even if you just skate around and around in circles, think of the calorie burn! I bet it burns more than figure skating due to all the friction!

Remember your hand guards!

I am excited to see a post about your trip to the roller rink!!