Have you ever wondered if it would be fun to be a fly-on-the-wall?
As the current camp photographer and blogger, it is my job to attend practices, observe practices from a distance and snap photos. This is fun, and all, but the best part of my day comes from what I witness when the campers don't think I'm watching.
We all know that these kids skate, or their siblings skate and they are partaking in this training to elevate their fitness levels as athletes. We know that their coach expects them to work hard and that they wish to follow the rules and do as they are asked because they are part of the team. We get this, also. However, there are lot of things that maybe we don't stop and think about regarding our kids and their figure skating training. The following are some character traits that I witness when watching our skaters and do my best to capture behind the lens of my camera:
HONESTY - They don't cut corners
The kids are asked to complete many repetitions of certain training exercises. Today, they did these in extreme heat, vacillating between 75-90 degrees for the three practices held throughout the day. They are doing these repetitions after they have run in thick, deep sand for at least 18 minutes in the heat. And in the end, the kids are expected to keep track of the number that they complete and not quit until they've hit the goal that they have been assigned. It was clear to me that the kids take this seriously and honestly complete the task-at-hand - they don't cut corners.
RESPECT -They accept criticism and coaching
Sometimes the kids do things correctly and, well, sometimes they do them grossly incorrect.
Coach Alexei will make public, corrective statements to the skaters. What I have noticed is that there has been absolutely no disrespectful response to these statements. The kids value themselves and their coach enough to want to improve - they accept criticism and coaching.
ENDURANCE - They believe they can . . . and they do
The divide between "can" and "cannot" often resides in the mind. When our kids are asked to try a new technique during training or to run a distance that they have yet to take on, they give it their best and proceed to complete the task. In the time I have watched, I have yet to see a single skater state that they "can't" do something. If they don't get it the first time, they try again. They control their mind and they keep their eyes on the prize. They believe they can . . . and they do.
DILIGENCE - They understand that nothing is achieved without dedication
It is hard enough for an adult to drag themselves out for one round of exercise in the course of a day. Now, imagine being these kids . . . hitting it three times a day in sweltering heat. The dedication necessary to see the proverbial "forest through the trees" is found in these kids. It is clear that they connect the dots between years of hard work and long-term skating success. They understand that nothing is achieved without dedication.
KINDNESS - Above all, they are teammates and friends
Experiences mold us. The more we have with teammates, the more bonded we typically become as friends. While each of these skaters is competitive in their own right and driven
be the very best that they can be, they clearly value each other's gifts and talents. They enjoy spending time together, sharing books, music, silliness and a myriad of other things they have in common. They have been there with each other through disappointments and great skating triumph. I anticipate that we'll see many of them remain as friends well into adulthood. Above all, they are teammates and friends.
A simple look between the lines at the character of our skaters reveals that these athletes are learning much more than a sport . . . they are sharpening their life skills along the way.
. . . and pouring rain.
The kids are asked to complete many repetitions of certain training exercises. Today, they did these in extreme heat, vacillating between 75-90 degrees for the three practices held throughout the day. They are doing these repetitions after they have run in thick, deep sand for at least 18 minutes in the heat. And in the end, the kids are expected to keep track of the number that they complete and not quit until they've hit the goal that they have been assigned. It was clear to me that the kids take this seriously and honestly complete the task-at-hand - they don't cut corners. 
RESPECT -They accept criticism and coaching
ENDURANCE - They believe they can . . . and they do
DILIGENCE - They understand that nothing is achieved without dedication
