January 19, 2005

Hey Everyone,

Thanks for visiting my site. I just got back from Portland and have all kinds of news I would like to fill everyone in on from the recent Nationals.

I arrived in Portland in very good spirits and ready to attack. I had trained all year, harder than any other year and was ready to go out and prove myself. After not being sent to any international events and having to compete at both Regionals and Sectionals, I was ready to go and prove I belong on the International Team.

I started practices on Tuesday morning with a free skate practice, where I did a very strong run through of my long. I was feeling excellent in the surrounding and felt really in tune with the ice and with my body.

I went into the Wednesday morning practice with an open mind and just kept taking each practice one by one. I did a short run through and had one mistake in the program.

I had been training clean shorts at home for the past few weeks, and was not going to let one mistake ruin my flow. The reason for practice is to get out the "off" feeling and put it out there in the actual competition when need be.

I went on with the week trying to relax and watch my friends compete. I found out that evening that my dear friend had been in a car accident and her mother had been killed. I could not imagine this was for real and felt my heart drop into my stomach.

I immediately called her and made sure she was doing the best she could under the circumstances. She talked to me for a short time and after I knew she was not alone and she had everything she needed I had to get myself back on track and focus on my competition.

I was drawn to skate 4th in the short program out of 20. I wasn't exactly thrilled for the skating order. But, the skating order was nothing I could control. I went out there with a job to do. My job was to skate well.

I did the best short that I have done all year. It was about as clean as I have done. I nailed my jumps. I was so excited at the end I felt like I was flying across the ice, and when the music hit its last beat and I was standing in my ending pose I couldn't believe I had finally put it out there. I did a clean short at Nationals--something I had never done in my career as a senior!

I skated after Evan who was getting 6.0's. As I was skating around trying to keep my head clear, all I could think was Nick do your job and that I did. As I was getting off the ice the overwhelming feeling of putting it out there, achieving what I had wanted to do for so long was a flow of emotion.

I was so excited that for the first time in my skating that I had made myself cry from being so proud! My marks ranged and I ended the short in 8th. I was completely satisfied with that. If you recall I was in 13th last years Nationals after the short, so this was a great jump for me.

Friday, I had a practice and I was definitely feeling a bit slow. My body felt like it was two steps behind my thought process and I was dreading the run through of my long. I knew I had to keep my stamina up, and do the full program.

I went out there and did just that. I was the only skater to do his whole program with every step and every element, whether it be a hit or miss--that made me feel stronger about myself. Up to that point of the week, I had done everything in my power to keep myself up there and in high standings.

When I awoke on Saturday morning, I was ready. I knew what I wanted and how hard I had been training this past year and was ready to go out there and show it off. I was standing in my starting position and just kept telling myself its 5 minutes of enjoyment--do just that, and I did.

I opened the program with triple Axel, triple toe combo. It was the first one I have ever done in an event. I heard the crowd start screaming and just kept thinking to myself one element at a time. I did that through out the program and before I knew it I had completed 7 triples, one triple-triple, and only one mistake, a single on my second triple Axel.

I finished the program with such a rush. I was standing in my ending pose thinking oh my gosh that was so cool. The rush was running through my body like no other competition had ever felt. It was, by far, the best long I had done at the National Championships ever.

I was so excited to finish in 8th again. Last year, finishing the event in 12th, this was a big step up for me--not the fact that I was 4 placements higher. But the fact that I skated my personal best, and it was exactly where I wanted it to be... at Nationals. :)

I couldn't have done much more on my part, I did my job. I know how skating is, and how politics work with skating. You don't just come in and pop up in the top 6. You prove yourself over and over again and you get what you want. So, I had expected 7th or 8th overall. But like I said, I'm completely satisfied with that.

My coaches were so proud of me. I was also so proud of myself. We now have a good ground to build on for the upcoming season, and all my events coming up in the next year.

I can take this experience and build each event on top of this to get me to the top. I am in a very good place in my head, and I stepped over that barrier of being unsure. I am sure and I am ready to keep improving.

I am preparing for my show schedule in the spring, and learning some new elements. I am also looking forward to working on new programs and getting new outfits. All the fun stuff that builds you up for the new season.

I will keep working on my skating and small details to get me to the point where I want to be. But for right now I am enjoying my rest, and spending sometime off the ice before I go back and get into the hard training!

I thank everyone who supports me, and helps me out in so many ways :)




All my love,

Nick