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April 6, 2008

Part One

Hello everyone! I'm taking advantage of being sick and sitting in bed all day by writing a journal update. It's been way too long and I have much to talk about.

The Saga of Eliot continues with Nationals of course! Love is the best word to describe my experience of competing at my first Senior National competition. Although that word might sound quite outlandish in that sentence, I picked it on purpose so you would keep reading!

When I skated on my first practice ice I looked all around the spacious Xcel Energy Center, trying to soak in the moment. I wouldn't be surprised if I skated with a smile the whole time because I was truthfully so happy just to have qualified to compete in such a prestigious and competitive event. I knew I couldn't prepare myself for the new experiences that were to come, but I had trained my programs harder than ever before and desperately wanted to skate two great programs. Unfortunately my coaches and I decided not to include the triple axel in my programs due to it's recent inconsistency. As weird as this may sound, I consider each of my jumps as a person with it's own unique personality. Some examples include my triple salchow- the Mama's boy (or Dadda's boy I suppose) and my triple toe loop- the black sheep of the family. Well, as soon as my triple axel started to go wonky I realized that that jump was definitely the high maintenance member of the family. Going in to Nationals, I wanted to feel EXTREMELY confident and I knew that wouldn't be possible with a triple axel in my program.

To add to the excitement of the looming event, I later found out that I would be skating last in the Senior Mens Short Program. One part of me was thrilled. Another part of me was scared out of my mind. Little Eliot would be closing the Friday night event!

Watching my friends compete throughout the week made me even more excited to skate. I hated the fact that I'd be the last to be finish since the Senior Mens event didn't conclude until Sunday afternoon. On a side note, I want to congratulate Adam Rippon on winning the Junior Mens event (and on later winning the Junior World title)! Adam and I have known eachother since we were 12 and 13 years old at the 2003 Lake Placid Junior Nationals and I consider him a great friend. I am so thrilled that he has had such success this past year and I know he's worked hard.

Once Friday evening rolled around, I felt very nervous and anxious. I just wanted the whole competition to be over so I could get rid of all the butterflies in my stomach and all the bad thoughts running through my head. For the first time in my skating career, a whole year had focused on one competition. From the reporters asking me "How excited are you to skate in front of your hometown?" during the summer, to my family asking me "Should we be getting tickets?" in the Fall, no one would let me forget that Nationals would be in St. Paul. Trust me when I say that it was very overwhelming. Maybe you understand my feelings of wanting the event to be over a little better now!

While lacing up my skates for the short program I could hear the audience cheering for my competitors through the walls. Without seeing them, I could hear how energetic and enthusiastic the St. Paul people were. I walked down the hall with Ted's arm around me. The time had come for me to take center stage. I turned the corner and was greeted by thousands of people filling the Xcel Energy Center. Wowza that's a lot of people. Once on the ice I was in a very different world. One I had never been in before. When skating around the edges of the ice I could hear different people cheering my name. For some reason every voice was amplified. After the warmup was over, and the wait backstage concluded, I stepped onto the ice again, but this time I was alone. Representing the St. Paul Figure Skating Club in St. Paul, Minnesota, please welcome to the ice Eliot Halverson. My ears were met with thunderous applause that made my heart race. I knew it was time. I took my place and waited for the music to start. Just think, in under three minutes it'll all be over!

To be continued...

I know I haven't even started talking about the interesting parts yet, but this update was already getting very long. I haven't written in such a long time that I knew I just needed to get the first part out there until I finish writing the second part. I'm really sorry, but I PROMISE to finish very soon!

~Eliot

December 21, 2007

The one word that best describes my experience at Midwesterns in Detroit is: RELIEF. I am FOR SURE going to Nationals! YEAH! After competing all summer overseas, it was nice to compete on American soil once again...or I guess it was nice to only have a 2 hour flight to get to my final destination as compared to a 10 hour flight. Big difference.

On my first practice at the Onyx Arena in Auburn Hills, Michigan, I knew things had changed. I no longer had the same body type as the other guys on the ice. I was not the same age as my fellow Senior men. I was different and I knew it. Big, beefy body? Nah. Twenty four candles on my last birthday cake? Definitely not! The first couple minutes on the ice I felt quite intimidated. But as the session progressed (and a couple triple axels later I might add) I felt like I belonged with this new group of competitors.

In my short program I was nervous about the triple axel. I couldn't really believe I was trying such a difficult set of jumps! Top skaters on television were doing the program I was about to attempt. One of my big problems is that I think too much when I skate. This bad habit often ends in disaster. As soon as the "play" button was pressed for my tango-themed program I tried to shut off my head and let my body do the work. I should try that more often because I landed my triple axel! Well...sort of. I flipped out on the landing, but it still counts! I probably got too excited because on the landing of my following triple lutz, I was way too far forward and scratched pretty hard on my toe-picks. I tried to sell the rest of the program, staying in the dramatic yet playful mood. At the end of the event I was thrilled to see that I was in 3rd place! Not too shabby for the 17 year old, eh? Next up: The long program. Take a deep breathe ladies and gentlemen. Four and a half minutes is a LONG time!

I wasn't terribly nervous, but I certainly looked it. Watching the tape after I got home, I looked like I just saw a ghost. I really wanted to tell myself "RELAX ELIOT"! Luckily for me, after I landed my triple Axel with a slight turn out, I did relax. Well...sort of. Once again the triple lutz plagued me in this program. I flipped out of the first one and fell on the second. I did manage to land a triple flip, a triple loop-double toe-double loop combination, a double axel, a triple flip-double toe combination, and a triple salchow. Trying to look past the mistakes, I was still incredibly happy about the two triple axels I not only attempted but landed!

Before this competition I tried to put all the pressure to qualify for Nationals off my mind. I actually think I did a pretty good job too! Even though I never saw or heard the advertisements for the 2008 US Figure Skating Championships all around St. Paul, I was certainly told about them. "Evan Lysacek, Kimmie Meissner, Johnny Weir, Emily Hughes, and St. Paul's very own Eliot Halverson!" Wait a second, did I miss the memo that I'm competing at the Xcel in January without qualifying through Sectionals?

While waiting for the results in the Michigan arena, the pressure finally hit me. Big time. I tried sitting...I needed to stand. I tried drinking water...I felt like I was gonna throw up. For the first time in my life, I felt like I couldn't even breathe. Finally I saw a person carrying two sheets of paper over to the results board. I was too overwrought to even walk the 25 steps to see what those important sheets of paper had to say. My coach Ted did it for me and came back to tell me that I had finished in 4th place. IMMEDIATELY I started to cry the much anticipated tears of relief. In my mind, the hardest part was over.

Just two weeks ago, St. Paul had it's first winter snow fall. Inches and inches of glorious white snow plummeted from the sky landing on the rigid ground. The thought of hot cocoa and a warm fire gets me so excited for the month of December. Now I just have to buy some hot cocoa and build a fire place. I better get to it! I hope everyone is enjoying this Holiday season as much as I am and that you are all surrounded with friends and family who love you. As always, thank you for tuning in to The Saga of Eliot Halverson.

~Eliot

October 31, 2007

The two words to describe my latest competition in Chemnitz, Germany are: TRIPLE AXEL. It's official, Eliot Halverson has finally landed that elusive jump in competition. That feat was definitely the highlight of the competition and the whole trip.

Chemnitz is currently ranked 2nd in my Favorite European Cities that I've Competed in list. Fall is my favorite season of the year, and Chemnitz was certainly a Fall wonderland with orange and gold trees, picturesque parks littered with fallen leaves, and serene lakes dotted with white swans. How perfect! Even though the weather was gloomy most of the week, I thoroughly enjoyed everything this charming city had to offer!

On Wednesday I stepped into the Sydney Opera House-esque rink, with its architecturally beautiful ceiling, anxiously anticipating the comfort of ice under my blades. I stretched and warmed-up outside with the colors of autumn glowing around me. At that moment I wished competitions were still held outdoors. Once I peeled myself away from that perfect scene, I reacquainted myself with the slippery ice surface. That didn't take long. I skated through my practice session, smiling the whole time, landing two triple axels. As usual I was excited for the competition to finally begin!

For the short program I drew to skate 27th out of the 28 skaters. What a big group! The event started around noon and my warm-up didn't go on the ice until 4! After slicking my hair down (I have to look the part in EVERY detail, right?) and putting on my costume, I was definitely in the mood. During the six-minute warm-up, the sun started to pour through the windows of the arena, illuminating the frozen stage. I completed all of my jumps and got off the ice feeling very confident. Once it was my turn to perform, I glided around thinking about one thing: The new time rule. The ISU has declared that once a skaters name has been announced, they only have one minute until their music will be played, even if they aren't in their starting position. If that happens, the skater musk keep going with the program. Well, like I said, that's all I was thinking about.

"From the United States of America, Eliot Halverson"…Don't go over a minute, don't go over a minute! I did my last walk-throughs, and then took my dramatic opening pose, staring judge No. 9 in the eyes. Later, my coach Ann told me I took 55 seconds! WAY too close! Unfortunately my legs decided to take a break on my opening triple lutz (without consulting me I might add), and I fell. I sprung up right away and finished the program cleanly, landing my triple loop, and double axel. Because I fell early in the program, I put a little extra "oomph" into my choreography. I got off the ice happy with the program. It's one thing to nail a clean program, but it's another to keep going after you've made a mistake! Although I didn't get a high score and was in 7th place, I was only 11 points out of 1st place, and 7 points out of 2nd place - not impossible in the new judging system.

For the long program, I had two goals: (1) Land the triple axel and (2) not get five triples downgraded to doubles. ;) I drew to skate 22nd out of the 28 skaters, or 6th in my warm-up of 6. I hate skating last…especially in the long program so I was NOT excited about waiting 45 minutes in between the warm-up and my program.

This problem didn't turn out to be THAT big of a deal because I landed my first triple axel in competition! I was SO excited! I pumped my fists on the landing, but had to get right back into focus for the remaining elements. I proceeded to land my triple lutz-triple toe combination, triple loop-double loop-double loop combination, double axel, and triple salchow. Unfortunately I stepped out of both triple flips and fell on my second triple lutz. Once I finished the program I was so thrilled with landing my triple axel that I didn't care about my scores or placement. I came and did what I wanted to do and … that was that!

I placed 4th in the long, but still finished 7th overall with 158.96 points. I know I can do much better at my next event, Midwestern Sectionals in Detroit, now that I officially have the triple axel under my belt. New goal: Land triple axel in the short program and more importantly…QUALIFY FOR NATIONALS! St. Paul here I come! Oh wait…I'm already here. Well … you know what I mean.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful fall, enjoying all that this beautiful season has to offer, whether you're in Minnesota or Germany! Much love,

~Eliot

September 23, 2007

There is one word that properly describes my experience in Romania: rollercoaster. Yes, rollercoaster. Just like in those terrifying rides, my emotions were jerked around; excitement, then that slow, timeless feeling when you know something bad is about to happen, abruptly followed by intense disappointment whipping across my face. I guess you'll just have to read on and see how those descriptions could possibly describe a figure skating competition for a 16 year old!

I didn't really have any expectations for what Romania would be like. I knew Transylvania was there, so I guess I anticipated some vampires. That's all. When we landed on Romanian soil, we had a lofty five-hour bus ride to Miercurea Cuic, the city where the competition was held. Come to think of it, I don't really remember much of that bus ride because I was sleeping. On a bus. Getting kinks in my neck. Enough said.

Once I regained consciousness and took in my surroundings, I realized we were in a very poor country MUCH different than cozy St. Paul. All the houses were tightly packed together with only car-sized lots between them. The hotel that we stayed at far surpassed the horror stories I had heard about it, as did the meals. Thankfully, there were no bugs flying around the usual European dishes: a vegetable mixture, breaded chicken, and of course the strange pastry that no one seems to know what's inside of it.

Practices went well, landing all of my jumps (including the triple Axel), centering all of my spins, and managing not to trip on crossovers or other "tricky" footwork. I really felt ready to take center stage and deliver two solid programs.

I drew to skate 9th out of the 16 skaters, or 4th in my warm-up of 5. I'm not too picky with starting orders, so this wasn't a problem for me. In the six-minute warm-up my legs felt strong and secure, much different than at Junior Worlds 6 short months ago. When it was finally time for me to take my starting position, I smiled at my coach Ted, and put on my short program face, one of aggression, determination, and pride. I skated a solid program including a triple lutz-triple toe loop combination and a solo triple loop. My double axel got wonky in the air and I thought for SURE I would fall. I probably told myself to tap into what if must feel like to be a cat, because I somehow landed (pretty slowly I might add) and proceeded to do a little twinkle-toes dance to "cover up" my mistake. I finished strongly and stayed in the character and mood of the program.

Sitting in the kiss and cry, I conversed about the program with Ted. We both thought it went really well and I had a big smile plastered across my face. One minute went by, no scores. Two minutes, no scores. Finally the announcers booming voice reached everyone's ears and I listened attentively for what he had to say. As soon as he finished and I received a total score of 48.55 points, I thought something was wrong. Maybe he meant to say that my technical score was thirty-one, not twenty-one. Maybe someone added my numbers incorrectly. When no part of my score changed on the screen, I walked off towards backstage with a lump in my stomach. I had skated a pretty good program, but got a terrible score…How did that happen?

Looking at my protocol sheets, where I sat in 6th place, I saw that I got my combination downgraded from a triple-triple to a double-double. I was disappointed with the caller's decision, but more determined to prove him wrong the following day in the long program. I wasn't going to let this affect me at all.

Seeing as Adam Rippon, the other American skater and one of my closest "skating world" friends, was in first place and 16 points ahead of me, I knew the gold medal was probably out of reach. I set my goals on winning the long program and finishing comfortably in second place overall with a clean long program. I let everyone know about my goals, landing a solid triple Axel in the six-minute warm up. I skated third, so when I came back out onto the ice for my program, I stroked around the arena pumping myself up to deliver the goods. I can honestly say I have never been that relaxed for an event.

Once the first note of the music came rushing into the cold arena, I got into the mood of the program and looked into the eyes of the judges ahead of me. Although I fell on the triple axel, I felt proud that I went for it and took myself to the next level in my skating. I landed every jump that followed including a triple lutz-triple toe loop, triple flip, triple loop-double loop-double loop, double axel, triple flip-double toe, triple lutz, and a triple salchow.

I once again took a seat in the kiss and cry and put my arm around Ted. He was very happy with the program and noted how aggressive I looked. After two minutes went by and no scores had been read, I knew what was going to happen. AGAIN. Although I couldn't hear it, Ted told me that when my scores eventually appeared on the screen, the audience chimed in with an "AAHH" moment. They weren't too pleased either. I scored my lowest long program score, 97.75, and my lowest event score, 146.30. I still consider this my best international competition to date, but somehow I got the lowest scores….Go figure. Just as the day before, I got numerous jumps downgraded. Five to be exact. I tried to remind myself how I felt about the program and how good I thought it was.

I was extremely happy for Adam on the other hand, who delivered another solid program to win JGP Romania. I've been competing with him since I was 12 years old and we (and our mom's) have formed a strong friendship together. If I wasn't going to win, I would certainly want him to!

Since coming back home, I've had to turn this into a blessing in disguise. Even if my jumps aren't cheated or under rotated, I will work to make sure NO ONE thinks they are. And if they are cheated, then at least we found out about this problem now. Just two days ago I heard the extremely thrilling news that I received another JGP assignment to Chemnitz, Germany in 3 short weeks! I intend on training very hard before the competition, but more importantly: BE MYSELF. And that's my new philosophy!

Just like a rollercoaster ride, I felt "nauseated" when it came to a screeching halt. But guess what? With all the twists and turns, bumps and jumps, I'm still alive! This doesn't mean I'm a terrible skater. It's just one more thing that I need to go through that will make me stronger.

I hope this journal entry finds everyone well, and I want to thank you all for sticking with me. Whether I'm winning a National title, or getting 5th at a Junior Grand Prix, your support means the world to me and I thank you so much.

Until next time,

~Eliot

August 31, 2007

Hello everyone! This year has been going by SO fast and I have done SO much!

During this past spring I was incredibly busy. I skated in three different shows; my club's ice show, the Brooklyn Park FSC Ice Show, and the Madison FSC Ice Show. I had so much fun at each one and made many new friends.

You might have read that I was also granted my own day in the city of St. Paul! April 21st was officially "Eliot Halverson Day"! How weird! I was very flattered and I thoroughly enjoyed my "day".

I also went to Colorado Springs with my coach Ted Engelking for the Champs Camp, which was an informational meeting for all of the Envelope A and B athletes. I learned a lot and definitely feel like I'm in good hands with US Figure Skating.

As usual, I debuted my two new programs at my clubs summer competition, Skate St. Paul. For my short program this year I decided to revisit Spanish themed music, using "Libertango" performed by the group Bond. I absolutely love getting into a character on the ice, and this music provides exactly that. I am portraying an arrogant man dancing in a town square in Argentina who is trying to impress and swoon every passerby. It is a very passionate program that I will continue to develop throughout the coming year.

I had many ideas for my long program this year, but none of them ever really worked out. When I finally put together "2046 Main Theme" by Shigeru Umebayashi with "Nostradamus" performed by Maksim Mrvica, I instantly knew it was the right fit. I knew it would take a lot of growth to pull off, but I was definitely up to the challenge. The story for this program is very different. I am a brokenhearted man who longs for his lost lover, who was torn away from him by an evil hearted villain. It is a very dramatic and mature program that has definitely pushed my artistic side of my skating.

On August 24 and 25th I was a "Celebrity Skater" at the Minnesota State Fair! I was joined by Emily Hughes and Nancy Kerrigan as we got interviewed by numerous local TV stations and radio shows ALL DAY LONG! It was so exhausting, but I got much more comfortable and confident answering questions in front of a crowd and on camera than ever before. I also had a blast spending so much time with Emily and Nancy.

I am training very hard right now gearing up for my first international competition of the season in Romania. I will be traveling with a very fun and talented team, and I'm sure we will represent Team USA very well.

I again want to thank everyone for taking the time to check in with me and see how I'm doing. I will write after my trip to Romania and fill you in with all the juicy details!

Until next time,

~Eliot

June 9, 2007

Hello everyone! I'm so sorry it's been so long since I last updated, but I happen to be in the busiest time of my entire life. No joke! Every weekend I have had something going on and I can't wait for my schedule to finally die down.

If there are two words that best describe my Junior World experience, they would be new and intimidating. The whole trip was an eye-opening journey that I learned much from. The city of Oberstorf was very quaint and fresh. All the little houses were identical to the next, each manicured perfectly with beautiful window boxes and lovely gardens. My coach Ted and I walked through the city streets on our first day taking memorable pictures along the way. As usual, I was very anxious to take the ice for practice and even more so, for competition. I just get so excited!

To add to my excitement, I skated flawlessly in each and every practice, only making one mistake: falling on crossovers! We all make stupid fumbles like that…right? I love competing in international competitions and seeing skaters from all around the world. I wonder what kind of life they lead in their far off country and truly appreciate everything I have in the States.

Finally the short program rolled around. I skated great on my 20 minute warm-up in the morning, but things changed when I came back for the event. I was extremely nervous before I took the ice and desperately tried to shake off those bad feelings. During the 6 minute warm-up my legs felt really wobbly and weak and I even felt uneasy on some easy footwork. When it was time for me to start my program, all I could think about was my shaky legs.

I skated around tensely before taking my starting position. During the program I nailed my opening triple lutz-triple toe combination (probably the best one in competition all year), but unfortunately took a costly fall on my required triple flip. Ted said I looked like I fell out of the sky. True! My legs just didn't support me on the landing. I skated the rest of the program really well, landing my double axel and continuing with the mood of the program. Lucky for me the mood of the program was sadness so I really didn't have to do much!

Once I finished and sat in the kiss-and-cry with Ted I tried to compose myself while my scores were being read. As soon as I stood up and walked 10 feet, I began crying. They were tears of disappointment. I really wanted to come and skate another clean short program like I had done all year long. I had heavy questions zooming through my saddened head. Why was I so nervous? If I had competed so well 4 weeks prior, why was it such a drastic difference?

Much to my dismay I skated early in the group of 45, about 25th. My Team Leader, Shawn Rettstatt, told me that I needed to stay at the rink so I could draw for my starting number for the long program. I tried to watch some of the rest of the event, supporting Brandon and Stephen. As I watched skater after skater perform and get higher scores than mine, I decided I couldn't watch anymore. This was definitely a skating low of mine.

At the conclusion of the Men's Short Program I sat in 14th place, blowing my previous record for low placements out of the water. I drew to skate first in the second half of the Men's Long Program event the next day. I found it increasingly difficult to shake off my negative thoughts, but I eventually decided that I could either mope about what was done, or focus on my next task. I slept well that night (crying really tires you out!) and dreamt of skating a replica of my Nationals long program.

The next morning I woke up with a new outlook on the day. I skated a perfect practice and felt ready to dominate. When I came back for the event, I warmed up off the ice with butterflies in my stomach. I didn't think much of it because I was very nervous before the long at Nationals too and had skated just fine. I kept reminding myself of the times I had come back after not-so-great short programs to do amazing long programs. I wanted to do that again!

I skated 7th in the group of 24, or first in the second warm-up. What made me even more nervous was that my legs were just as jiggly as the day before. I let my head run away from me and I started thinking of what happened the last time my legs felt like this. When the announcer cleared the ice, I skated around a couple more times, then ritualistically looked into my coaches eyes and smiled before taking my opening pose.

My first double axel was very solid, even a little better than Nationals. On my triple lutz, I was very loose in the air and landed way too soon with my leg coming out wildly. I tacked a double toe onto the scary landing and tried to ready my head for the next jump. I successfully landed the following two jumps; a triple flip and a triple loop-double loop-double loop combination. My legs started to burn very quickly, and I consequently made the silly mistake of popping my second double axel. I regrouped and landed my remaining three jumps; a triple flip-double loop combination, a triple lutz, and a triple salchow.

All in all the long program was better than the short, but I still could have done much better. My first triple lutz was downgraded to a double, and I received negative Grades of Execution on many of my elements, resulting in another disappointing score. Oh how I wish I could do it all over again! I ended up 10th in the long and overall. Top ten was definitely my goal heading into this competition, so I wasn't upset about that at all. I was more upset with how I had skated.

I talked for a long time with my coach after I stepped off the kiss-and-cry podium. With tears in my eyes I listened to his words. He once again reminded me that I was still the same Eliot. Nothing had changed, no matter how good or bad I had skated. He told me to feel the pain I was experiencing. Truly feel it. When training for the next season I could remind myself of this pain, and use it as motivation to make me work even harder.

The rest of the week passed quickly as I watched Team USA collect numerous deserved medals. I felt so honored to be apart of this prestigious and talented group of athletes! I definitely want to compete at Junior Worlds again, except next time I will be more mentally prepared. Watch out!

Now that this season has come to an end, I want to thank every person who has supported me or wished me luck throughout the year. Without you, nothing would have been possible!

Much Love,

~Eliot

March 13, 2007

When approaching Spokane from the air, I spotted snow-covered, majestic red pine trees sprinkling the rolling Washington mountains, and I truly felt like I was in a distant land - much different than the Twin Cities! Although the sky wasn't very sunny, the city of Spokane certainly was, instantly welcoming us with signs and banners adorning grocery stores, billboards, and sports bars, all advertising the US Figure Skating Championships. I immediately felt the community spirit.

Once my Mom and I arrived at the hotel, we had some trouble with our room situation. Clearly the hotel was packed with guests. The only choice left was a room with one king bed and a pull-out, or two queen beds in a smoking section. We took our chances in the smoking room, and it didn't turn out to be that bad. We learned that the Double Tree Hotel was connected to one of the ice arenas, the Convention Center. All the novice and junior short programs would conveniently take place there.

Shortly after unpacking, we trucked over to the Spokane Arena via a 5 minute bus ride to watch the Novice Men and Ladies long programs. It was surreal for me to watch the Novice Men's event knowing that I was there just one year ago. I remembered exact feelings of competition. It seemed like only yesterday. Another Minnesota skater, Alex Johnson, skated very well, placing 2nd. Although Minnesota doesn't send many skaters to Nationals like Colorado, California, or Delaware does, the skaters who compete place well. Watching all the Novice events finish created such excitement within me to compete. I felt like a thoroughbred race horse, ready to break out of the gates. I kept having to remind myself, just two more days…

Inside the Convention Center, a designated area called "Fan Fest" where skating spectators could congregate, was located. It featured a concession stand, free lattes from Starbucks Coffee and samples of cookies, juice, salsa and chips from Safeway grocery store, live broadcasts with personalities from local radio and TV stations, and even a balloon sculptor, who created life sized figures after Kimmie Meissner and Emily Hughes. If I'm not mistaken, practices were open to the public, so attendance was incredible all week! St. Paul, my home town, has its work cut out as next year's host for the 2008 US Championships.

Wednesday finally rolled around. Walking over to the rink for the competition, I surprised myself with how relaxed I felt. In the past, the SP was when I was MOST nervous. I felt confident in my training and that made me less nervous. My program was awesome! I nailed all three of my jumping elements, including my triple lutz-triple toe combination, which I have battled with all year, a triple flip and a double axel. The full audience in the small convention center rink totaled over 3000 people. I really got into the mood of the program in which I am telling the story of a mysterious dream where I'm constantly searching for something in the distance, but can never quite grasp. Off the ice, I was immediately greeted by my ecstatic coaches who were obviously pleased with my scores, especially the credit I received for my triple-triple, the planned levels on my spins, and the level-threes on my footwork sequences. They beamed. I knew there were numerous good skaters after me, so I wasn't sure how my scores would hold up, but when the group ended, I was still in first place. I had never been in this situation before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I interviewed with the media, then found my Mom who was smiling ear to ear. I then called my Dad back in Minnesota. He was also very proud of me and I couldn't wait to see him back home.

Needless to say, before the FS I felt a lot of pressure. Warming up off ice before the event, my nervousness heightened. When skating at a major competition, I tell myself, "This is what you've been training for all year … don't let yourself down." I should probably stop this awful habit because it only makes me MORE nervous! Once I stepped onto the ice for the six-minute warm-up, however, I instantly relaxed. Since I skated first in the last warmup, I never had to leave the ice. Most people don't like skating first, but that's actually my favorite! I guess I'm kinda weird…

During my program, I reminded myself how much I loved the program. I put so much effort into it, from the costume to the choreography. The Spokane audience was so warm and welcoming, I just thought of entertaining them. I turned off my brain and just let my body take-over resulting in the best program I've skated all year. I landed 2 ax, 3lz-3t, 3f, 3lo-2lo-2lo, 2ax, 3f-2lo, 3lz and 3sal. As soon as I finished, I experienced a surge of emotions: happiness, relief, and definitely excitement, so much so that I spontaneously jumped up off the ice into the air. I soaked in the moment and thanked the crowd. Proceeding to the kiss-and-cry where my two coaches waited, I reveled in the moment with them and anxiously awaited my scores. They flashed onto the big monitor - a new personal best … by far. My FS score was 122.67, 12 points more than my previous best. At that point, I didn't care about my placement at all. It's hard to explain to someone who doesn't skate, but at that moment, the perfect program supersedes any medal. Eventually I discovered that I had maintained first place and had won!

I ran up the flight of stairs to find my mom in the audience and sobbed and hugged her with excitement. Everyone was staring at me! Then a few older ladies asked me for my autograph! Then more people did the same. It was so cool. With tears in my eyes I called my Dad and shared the news. Everyone was proud of me but more importantly, I was proud of myself. I skated two clean programs which was my main goal, and I even managed to take home the gold. The next day I was selected to compete at the World Junior Championships in Oberstorf, Germany in four short weeks. Talk about icing on the cake!

At the end of every Nationals, I take the time to remind myself of an important lesson that I learned from my coach, Ted: No matter how many successes or upsets I'll experience, I'm still Eliot. My accomplishments don't define who I am. I'm still the boy I was two weeks before the competition. This valuable advice keeps me grounded.

Thanks to the organizing committee and the people of Spokane. I'm taking more than a National title home. The picturesque city and the friendly community will stay with me for a long time. And thanks to you for being interested in my journey. It means so much to know that many people support me.

~Eliot

December 27, 2006

After a busy December, I have finally resurfaced to write a new entry!  This holiday season is quickly passing, sadly without a Minnesota snowstorm.  This Christmas was classified by the weatherman as a "brown Christmas" and I am so disappointed.  Personally, I love the winter months with grand snowfalls and chilly temperatures.  Cuddling up with a cozy blanket, a steaming cup of cocoa, and a good book (Harry Potter of course) is one of my favorite winter pastimes.

In the past couple of months I have had some ups and downs.  In early November, my 8 year old Golden Retriever, Capri, tragically died.  She was my best friend since she was a puppy, and I miss her very much.  Putting her down was certainly the saddest thing I've ever had to do.  Four days later I celebrated my 16th birthday.  I had so much fun with my friends and family!  Although I don't feel much older, I hope in the year to come I grow a couple of inches!

Skating has been going extremely well, and I am getting SO excited for the U.S. Championships in Spokane.  Nationals has always been my favorite of the year because I get to meet up with the most talented skaters in the country and share what I've been working on all year.  I hope to qualify for Junior Worlds in February, which would be an exciting way to end my eventful year.

Thank you everyone for checking up on me and for continually supporting my skating.  It means so much to me to know I have such loyal followers!  I'll be writing soon!

~Eliot

September 22, 2006

For the first time in over three weeks, I finally have time to sit down and write. I've been going non-stop ever since coming home from Hungary, consumed with school, and of course, skating.

I was pretty nervous before I left, thinking that the competition would be scary and intimidating. As soon as I saw the rink, I immediately felt at ease and was able to focus on skating. Let's face it; I'm not the biggest and most brawny Junior man, which is what I thought the other skaters might be like. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I fit right in.

We arrived on a Tuesday and I was initially thrilled that the SP wasn't until Saturday. I had plenty of time to adjust to the time change and new surroundings. We had free time in-between practices to walk the streets of the quaint city of Budapest, with its interesting architecture, full of history.

As the week went on, however, and I watched everyone else compete, I just wanted to get out there and skate in front of the enthusiastic Hungarian crowd. The ladies were completely done before the men's SP got started. Finally Saturday rolled around, and it was time to put on my "game face".

My short program went perfectly, and I couldn't have asked for a better outcome. I skated to my full potential and even managed to rise to first place! I really got into the music, and let my body take care of everything else. At the end of the event, I was in first and Stephan Carriere was second with the Japanese skater trailing shortly behind.

On the day of my long, I knew I would skate well because I knew what I was capable of. Once again, I didn't disappoint myself. Although I didn't receive full credit for three of my jumps, I still landed everything, and enjoyed entertaining the audience with my animated program. I skated last in the final warm-up and had a long time to wait. I've never waited 40 minutes before from the ending of warm-up, so it was a bit of a shock, but I thought I handled it very well. My coach, Ted, agreed. All in all, competing at my first Junior Grand Prix was an extremely rewarding experience, especially finishing 3rd, not too shabby!

What did I learn? Before I left for Hungary, I knew it would be very fun and that I would skate great, but I didn't know how much I would grow as a person. Somewhere in between meeting new friends, and enjoying the wonderful city of Budapest, I learned to be proud of myself and to not be ashamed of being myself. It's a very hard task to watch a competitor complete a skill that your aren't quite capable of, yet! It's normal to feel somewhat jealous. Seeing triple axels left and right and even a few quads could cause depression! But, my coach helped me appreciate what I could do well, and realize just what I was capable of - MY personal best! And that's exactly what I did.

I hope that skaters read this, and feel motivated to achieve their personal best, not let what others do intimidate them, but motivate them. Realize the great things you have accomplished thus far. I know this is just the beginning for me, and I can't wait to see what happens next!

~Eliot

August 27, 2006

I hope everyone had an eventful summer. I don't know where the time went. It seemed like the JGP was months away and now I'm leaving tomorrow! I'm really excited to see the beautiful city of Budapest.

In June, I skated in my club competition, Skate St. Paul, where I debuted my two new programs. What a great feeling to finally share what I have been working on all year! I was very satisfied with how I skated in both events and I received a positive critique from the judges.

My short program is a beautiful, emotional piano piece by Maksim Mrvica entitled Hana's Eyes. From the second I heard it, I knew it would take a lot of growth to pull it off, but I've accepted the challenge, and have been pushing myself to mature to the music's level.

My long program couldn't be any more different! Skating to the haunting music of composer Danny Elfman, I shift gears from the lyrical SP to the stylized nature reminiscent of my Addam's Family SP from the 2004-5 season. The major musical cuts include: Tales from the Crypt, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Beetlejuice.

I love both programs and enjoy showing two different personalities. I designed my FS costume from the initial concept right on through the details, and it was amazing to see my sketches come to life.

Now a month later, I am ready to leave for Hungary! I have been training really hard this summer, and feel confident heading into my first Junior Grand Prix. Of course I'm eager and a little bit nervous, but who isn't? I arrive on a Tuesday, and the SP isn't until Friday so I'll have two days to get adjusted. I return home on Labor Day and … uh … start school the next day, as if I'll be awake ;)

Thanks to everyone for sending so many nice e-mails my way! I truly appreciate it. I hope you all have a relaxing Labor Day weekend and please cross your fingers that my skates arrive. I'll update after I get back.

~Eliot

June 1, 2006

Yes! I was glued to the TV tonight as ABC televised the finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. While I was close on many words (missing only one letter), I still have a LOT of work to do. YIKES! I had my trusted notebook with me where I keep track of words from previous years. It's a hobby, okay? Like some guys play video games?

My choreographer, Svetlana Kulikova, came to St. Paul to work with me and other St. Paul FSC students over Memorial Day weekend. Yeah...about taking summer vacations...NOT!

Svetlana, a former ice dancer, is amazing. When I describe what vision I hold for my programs-she is right there with me. It is not often that a choreographer allows a lot of skater input. I truly appreciate how she listens and respects my opinion and encourages me to take it from there!

I am so excited to get my programs out in competition! I'm not expecting any other junior men entrants at Skate St. Paul, so most likely I will be skating an exhibition, but it will be great, anyway, to get technical and judges opinions.

June is filled with lots of friends graduation parties, practice driving (yeah, I got my permit, finally), a second visit from Professor Alexei Mishin for another workshop, finishing up loose ends with school, starting up teaching skating lessons for a new Basic Skills group of kids and taking a couple long restful weekends before gearing up for July. My boots are breaking in well- that's what I love about Riedell Skates- they feel great right away.

Please drop me an e-mail, or snail mail to say, "Hello". I am looking forward to this new adventure.

~Eliot

May 18, 2006

I just returned from Colorado Springs where I attended the High Performance Training Camp, May 11-14.

US Figure Skating puts on a great effort to keep athletes informed of how they can prepare themselves in every way.

The best aspect, though, is getting to know the other skaters.

Being at the OTC is inspiring; I saw Michael Phelps (Olympic Gold swimmer) and it feels kind of daunting to be in …"that company".

I'm SO excited for this season to begin. Moving up to Junior is a step which I am ready for and I can't wait to get my new programs out this season-my first competition being Skate St. Paul in mid July.

My new boots have arrived…AH… the sweet fragrance of leather-reminds me of horse tack and stables…I am in my "happy place".

Much to my surprise, today some news came hot off the USFS website!

What do Rubik's Cube, Harry Houdini, matches and Franz Liszt all have in common? No, this isn't a DaVinci Code puzzle! Give up? They were all "conceived" in HUNGARY!

I have been assigned to go to Budapest, Hungary for the second JGP of the season! WHOO! And, I have already been doing my homework. Gee, I wonder if doing a Hungarian Folk medley for my FS at Nationals affected the assignments…ha.

Who knew Rubik's Cube (one of my favorite puzzles) was invented in 1975 in Hungary, or that there are 43,252,003,274,489,856 possible combinations? (I can't even SAY that number….)

Well, gtg, my mom has the "goulash" ready (really!), so I will write more later.

~Eliot