journal

Tuesday, February 8, 2000
Hi Everyone!

Today I went shopping to take up time between practices. There's a great mall that's connected to the hotel. I've seen just about all of it already.

At practice, I try to run through my entire program and whatever I miss, I do it over until I get it right. Today was my second day of practice. I'm ready to get started.

Since this is my second year at the junior level, I feel really old here (I'm 15). It's just that I've been here before. I guess you could say I feel at home. It's not like it's my first time here, it's no big deal. I'm more experienced.

My goals are to skate as well as I can for me right now. I would like to get back on Team USA and be selected for the Junior World team. I feel like I'm ready for this.

You know by now that my favorite skater is Michelle Kwan. Somebody asked me if I would talk to her if I had the chance here. I don't think so. I'm backwards -- I'm too shy! Her artistry is what I like, they way she's stuck with it. She's been a great ambassador for the sport. I wouldn't mind if I had a career like hers, not at all.

I spiked myself on a jump and cut my own shin. Since I got here, it's like I've been cutting myself all the time. I don't know what it is.

My mom Patti and a friend from Chicago are here to root me on. My mom won't let me know where she's sitting in the stands. She likes to hide. When I skate, I just faze people out anyway and this building is all blue, so I kind of get lost in here.

Talk to you next time,

-Johnny

Wednesday, February 9, 2000
Hello again,

Today I won the Junior men's short program! I knew if I skated well enough, I could finish in the top three or four, but I have to say I didn't expect to be first after the short. All these guys are really good.

I fell on my triple Axel, though. I usually hit about 98 percent of those in practice, too. I'm going to try two triple Axels in my long, so look for that.

Here's what my coach, Priscilla Hill, told the media after my short program:

"I knew right away that Johnny had a great natural ability. The first day I met him, I asked him, 'So what can you do?' And right there standing on the floor, he did an Axel. I said, 'Did you teach yourself to do that?' It was amazing. You don't see that every day. Johnny's like a sponge, taking it all in. He's a very good visual learner."
"He can go as far as he wants to go."

"We've tried a quad toe in practice. He can land it standing up on two feet, but we just have played with it. It was my goal as his coach to get his triple Axel down this year. He has the ability and I want to see him get this under his belt. He can land it, I know it and he knows it."

"I'm surprised he didn't land it today. He's normally clean in practices, but as his coach I have to say he was a little nervous. But that's OK. He still had a great program."

Wish me luck in the free skate. I'll talk to you after that!
-Johnny

Friday, February 18, 2000
Hi Everyone! Thanks for visiting the website!

As you all know, I just returned from the US National Championships. I didn't skate very well. I won the short program. I skated perfectly clean except for my triple axel which I fell on. My marks were in the mid 4s for technical merit and for presentation my marks were mostly 5.2s and 5.3s. I thought I skated very well and was happy to be in first. I thought this was a good start on my way to trying to make the Junior World Team. But then came the long. I skated last and very very bad. I opened up the program with a double axel and a triple lutz/double toe. Then the problems began. I fell on my triple axel, popped my triple flip, and fell on my triple loop. Then I popped my second triple axel and then finally landed my triple lutz and my triple sal. I was very upset. I ended up dropping from 1st to 5th. It was very upsetting to me. But that's water under the bridge now.

If people asked me about my nationals experience other than my skating, it was very enjoyable. The rinks were all very nice the only thing though was that the GUND arena was so HOT!!!!! Haha! I was burning up and I hardly ever sweat! Hahaha! There was a mall attached to the hotel and the rink so I got a lot of shopping done. My favorite thing to watch was senior ladies. Michelle Kwan skated well (not her best) and won so I was excited about that. And one of my very good friends, Sasha Cohen skated so well in her senior debut. I was so happy for her. And my friends Deanna Stellato and Sara Wheat made great starts on their senior careers both finishing in the top 10. I also am very proud of my best friend Dirke Baker who placed 4th in junior ladies!

Right now I'm back skating. I am working on getting my senior tests done and finding new music. I am also going to work on getting my quad toe and hopefully the USFSA gives me some internationals. I hope so anyway. My knee also started hurting me and Im going for an MRI next week, hopefully I wont need surgery. Hopefully I'll have new pictures in soon! Thanks again for visiting!!!

-Johnny :-)(-: