Skate Tisdale prepares for competitions

Competition season is coming up for the figure skaters with Skate Tisdale, so that organization arranged a competition simulation to prepare.

“This is our first glance at how they’re performing as of right now and I think most of the skaters were happy with how they skated today,” said Jolene Bowditch, a coach with Skate Tisdale. “We basically want them to feel prepared so that their competition experience is a good one.”

The 2018 Northeast Monitoring Session, held Jan. 13 and 14, saw experienced coaches like Dale Hazell, who has gone to 25 different international competitions, examine the skaters’ technique and hold sessions about items like jumps, spins and footwork. There was also a dry land session – where the skaters practiced their jumps on solid land.

Skaters came from clubs from all over the Northeast to participate.

Hazell said the Tisdale skaters are ready to compete.

“There’s just a few things that could be cleaned up,” he said. “The coaches do a great job in selecting great music, doing good routines together, being creative, having good outfits, so it’s quite easy to monitor because I pick up on some smaller things that maybe the skater could improve or their coach might not have noticed something that would technically cause them to not get a high as mark as possible.”

The skaters will first compete in Nipawin for regionals at the end of the month. A few skaters will compete in Saskatoon and a few others will compete in the Saskatchewan Winter Games in North Battleford. There’s also a synchronized skating competition in Stonewall, Man. and the Jean Norman Competition in Swift Current.

Hazell said he’s been invited to come each year for five years. He said it goes well each time.

“There’s something about the Tisdale club,” he said. “It’s well put-together, they’re all really co-operative, they all work together. It’s probably one of the best clubs in Saskatchewan. I enjoy coming. The kids are always polite and thankful.”