The Other Side

This weekend was the first opportunity I've ever had to be one of them. You know who I'm talking about – even if the profession is different for everyone. What? Have you ever feared someone? The respectful kind of fear, I mean (but not a God-fearing fear, much less than that). Have you ever let someone get a hold of your emotions with such a deep hold? Had an anonymous, ever-changing person make you cry over something simple and, probably in reality, meaningless? Has that same person once smiled at you and caused a chill to go through your body? How do you let someone you've never even MET have such a control over you? Maybe you get where I'm going with this. These people have probably changed the course of my life if I think about it. That's intense when you think of things that way.

This weekend I got to be one of them – and maybe, just maybe, a warm smile sent a chill through a random 10-year-old somewhere out there.

I was a skating judge this weekend.

I was the one on that side of the boards. The one with the furry coat and a blanket, carrying the clipboard. The one who decided who got the gold and who had to see themselves come last. The one who, quite literally, judged you for all you were worth on the ice.

And I LOVED every minute of it.

I've done every aspect of this sport now pretty much and I think I've found my niche. You know, where I fit comfortably. I have a new respect, a new opinion on judges, of course – and I don't know – it just fits. I love the technical aspect of the sport – that's part of the draw. As a coach, especially to recreational skaters, that side of the sport is hard to convey. It's hard to have a technical side to a program when a skater practices just once a week. As a skater, I often find myself unable to practice the technical side of things – my ability isn't there, even if my knowledge and heart are. As a judge, I don't have to worry – I can appreciate the technical side without trying to teach or learn it myself. I know what I'm looking for and reward accordingly.

I judged twelve events this weekend – all at the Preliminary level or under (Pre-Preliminary and Elementary, if you care to know). It's the beginning levels. A handful of double salchows, multiple (usual terrible) attempts of axels, and a lot of (f)lutzes. Most people in their right mind, even the avid skating fan, go crazy after watching a group or 2 of these skaters. Trust me. I, however, found myself disappointed when it was my turn for a "break." I wanted to be on every panel. I wanted to keep handing out marks. I wanted to keep watching. Keep ranking. There is just something appealing to the whole sport.

I learned much that I wish I knew as a skater:

• If you're a midpack type of skater (the kind that comes 4th or 5th usually) – skating 2nd is the absolute worst place to skate. You will do worse than if you'd skated last.
  
• Skating last is the best if you're the above type of skater. Judges run out of marks (this is all on the 6.0 system, take note) and eventually, especially if the group is large enough, you have skater who ends up getting 3rd or 4th place marks, instead of maybe 6th or 7th, if they'd skated earlier.
  
• Judges are not really scary.
  
• Judges make mistakes (even if I didn't this time 'round). Sometimes they sneeze or cough and miss a jump. Sometimes they even record the wrong number on the final sheet. These things happen.
  
• Just because a judge is smiling at you it doesn't mean they are going to place you well – usually it's probably just a kind thought, a boost of encouragement. I did this multiple times this weekend.
  
• If the whole group ends up on their butts for the majority of the skate, just go out and skate clean and simple with a smile – you'll win.
  
• A smile won't win it, but it sure can lose it.
  

If you're a skater, take those things to heart.

Anyways – I think I did fabulous as a judge this weekend – my ordinals (like ranking of each group of each skater) were always within 1-2 placements or correct. I was never off in left field by myself. Every ordinal I gave had a reason. I am looking forward to more competitions this year – I can hardly wait to judge my next competition. Having this experience this weekend makes knowing that my skating retirement in the near future is not a retirement from the skating world – I might even be too sad if I don't skate anymore, as long as I can judge. I am also really looking forward to learning CPC ("the new system") in November. It's a much different experience to judge under the new system versus the 6.0 system that the "non-competitive" skaters use. I am still a primary level judge and so only used the 6.0 system this weekend. Times are a changing. I can hardly wait.

Judge kortney elise xoxo