Adult Figure Skating
I am glad adult figure skating exists. It allows those who want to skate without the intense training yet still have the competition. Recently though, I have been feeling quite down about my figure skating. I have an issue of always thinking about what might have been. My husband tells me I need to just let it go and focus on the right now, and he's right. However, every now and again, I think about where my life would have been had figure skating never ended for me when I was little. I am proud of what I have accomplished in figure skating now. I really love it and it is something I hope to continue until I can no longer move my legs. When I follow my husband's advice and only focus on what I have accomplished now, I am really happy and even excited to excell in all levels. The times when I become the most sad and think about the past are the times when others learn I competively figure skate. The first question they ask me is if I am going to the Olympics someday. I do my best to explain to them that it's something that can never happen, yet they always seem to think I am 10 steps ahead than I really am. Their reaction makes me think that I should have tried harder to return to figure skating instead of waiting so long. It causes me to beat myself up for not having proven my passion for the sport. It is for this reason, I usually refrain from mentioning my involvement in the sport.
I will often watch videos online of other adult figure skaters to compare my ability to theirs and also to figure out how to improve my moves. Recently, the 2013 Adult World's competition took place in Germany. Some people who partisipated posted their performance videos on YouTube. I recognized a few of them as they were at the National competition here in Scottsdale, Arizona. I secretly cheered for them even though the performance took place 3 weeks ago. Last night, while I was watching these videos of the adult world's I discovered Midori Ito as a contestant. My first thought was that someone had the same name as her and it was a happy coinsidence, but as I watched her skate, I knew this had to be the same Midori Ito who fell into the cameras all those years ago. I went to her website, and sure enough, in 2011, she announced that she was returning to competion as an adult figure skater. She is now 43 years old and can still land her triple axel.
I couldn't believe that she was participating in adult figure skating. I never thought, anyone I have looked up to in figure skating would be skating along with me in competition. I felt honored and thrilled that adult figure skating is not just something adults with extra money laying around do in their spare time.
On her website, she talks about how happy she is that adult figure skating exists. She plans to continue competing until she is no longer physically able to skate. I don't think I can explain my joy in learning that one of the world's best figure skaters, is competing against what I considered to be the world's worst. Because of her, my view of adutl figure skating has forever been changed. Just because I'm an adult, does not mean I cannot be the best. I will never be Olympic figure skating champion, but what does it matter? If my heart is in it and I'm passionate about it, whose to say that I'm not "good" at figure skating? If Midori Ito believes adult skating competitions to be a blessing, then who am I to be dissapointed and complain? I should be counting my blessings, not wishing for something more.
Thanks Midori Ito! \(*^0^*)/
