NSWISA will continue to monitor the situation and will communicate with Members once a return to sport has been announced and further decisions on competitions have been made. During this time of uncertainty, we hope everyone is prioritising their wellbeing, recovering from injuries, focusing on strength & flexibility and working to better understand the nuances of skating by watching international performances. We look forward to seeing you at the rink, once it is safe to return.
NSWISA OVERSEAS
The international season has begun and we were excited to see Kailani Craine on the ice competing on the world stage. Kailani finished 12th at Cranberry Cup in Boston and we look forward to watching her perform as she continues her quest for Olympic selection. All the best Kailani!
You can view Kailani's Short Program here and her Free Program here.
We look forward to the coming months when more of our skaters hit the ice overseas.
SKATER SPOTLIGHT
At the age of 7 Vlada Vasiliev pulled on a pair of skates and has glided on the ice ever since. Preparing for her first Junior Grand Prix in October while negotiating the Sydney lockdown, Vlada is working hard to remain focused and skating fit for the international competition.
Looking back at the early days of Vlada's skating career, it didn't take long before she was achieving exceptional results from her skating. From the age of 9, Vlada has competed at the Australian Figure Skating Championships and placed each year. In 2018, she won the Advanced Novice Ladies Division at AFSC, and in 2019, Vlada finished second in the Junior Ladies Division. It was clear to her coaches and to those who watched Vlada that she is incredibly talented and what's equally impressive is her work ethic matches that talent.
Training 14-16 hours a week on the ice and 4-6 hours off ice, Vlada has begun ticking off goals from her list in her selection for the Junior Grand Prix this year, despite her interrupted preparation.
Vlada's talents have been recognised by NSWISA as a two-time recipient of the NSWISA Alan Blinn and Simone Moore Scholarship and also by ISA as a Morgan Innes Scholarship recipient in 2019. While Vlada clearly loves what she is doing on the ice, like a lot of skaters, Vlada experiences a paradoxical distain for the coldness of ice rinks and also dislikes the business of transporting her skates to and from the rink!
But for Vlada, nothing beats that feeling of satisfaction when she lands a good jump, knowing that all that hard work (and cold) has really paid off. So it comes as no surprise that Vlada's favourite lockdown exercise is off ice jumps.
We wish Vlada all the best as she prepares for her ISU Junior Grand Prix debut and we hope that she loves this international experience.
Don't forget to check out the NSWISA Youtube Channel for to view Vlada's (and others') previous performances.
GOAL SETTING - PART 1: TYPES OF GOALS
Last month, the newsletter focused on understanding your skating protocols to enable you to identify areas for improvement. As NSW continues to face delays in returning to the ice, now is a great time to set goals and ensure that you can stay focused and return to the ice with renewed enthusiasm having evaluated past performances.
Goal setting is a systematic way of thinking about what you want to achieve on a daily, weekly and longer term basis. Goal setting is not the same for everyone. It depends on how you think about ability. Some people have a tendency to compare themselves to a teammate or an opponent in order to feel successful. This kind of thinking is known as ego-orientation. The difficulty with this type of thinking is that your success is defined by something that is not completely within your control, especially in a subjectively judged sport, such as skating. This can leave skaters disappointed and unmotivated.
A healthier way to think about success is to set your goals relative to your own past performance or self-determining your goals. Skaters who set goals to try hard, do their best and make incremental improvements experience success more frequently and feel that they are in control of their success. They therefore persist at tasks longer and are often more confident.
Types of Goals
There are three types of goals that are important to consider when planning your long term goals.
Outcome Goals – involve reaching a standard of performance focusing on the results. Such goals are unattainable if they are the only ones set. Examples include: Win a competition, pass test, make a team.
Performance Goals – focus on improvement relative to your own or your team’s past performance. Examples include: Increase your total component score by 2 points, get your step sequence called at a level, increase your speed, master your spread eagle both ways.
Process Goals – specify the procedures that you will use to improve your technique. Process goals help skaters realise their outcome goals and performance goals. Examples include: Increase the depth of your rocker, maintain a smile in 3 run-throughs at the next practice, spend 10 min every day working on flexibility, practice 5 spread-eagles each way at every practice.
Last month, NSWISA launched our MPIO & Mental Health Network. The role of the Member Protection Information Officer is to provide information to Members if there are any queries or concerns and to maintain confidentiality at all times. If you would like to chat to an NSWISA MPIO, their details can be found on the 'Contacts' page of our NSWISA website.
NSWISA and LCCISC are lucky to count Fiona Kusliek as one of their volunteers. Fiona shares her thoughts on her MPIO role and being a volunteer.
How did you become involved in skating?
On a sweltering Sydney summer’s day 8 years ago, our family went to the coldest place we could think of – the local ice rink. Two of my girls enjoyed skating so much, we signed them up for Aussie Skate lessons that day. My daughter Mia is still skating and competes in Intermediate Novice Ladies. Throughout these years we have developed close friendships with other skaters, families and coaches, it’s a wonderful community to be a part of.
Why do you think the MPIO role is important?
I want every member of our club to enjoy a safe environment, to be valued and feel heard. An MPIO’s role in a sporting organisation is essential for this, as we are the go-to person for anyone with questions or concerns about bullying, harassment, or abuse. We are safe people who listen and provide confidential support and information about a person’s rights and options.
What do you see as being the benefits of volunteering?
Volunteers are essential for the running of our Clubs and are the backbone of successful skating events. Competitions are a culmination and celebration of all the hard work each skater puts in, and volunteers make these events possible. Everyone has something different to bring to the table, and every single person that helps makes a difference.
How have you benefited from being a volunteer?
I’ve found volunteering to be very rewarding. It’s a great feeling to know that I’ve helped someone and contributed to an amazing show or competition. I’ve made life-long friends who make volunteering together even more fun. I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone and developed new skills, and I love being a part of building something bigger that benefits our skating family.
INSIGHTS FROM TOKYO 2020 - AN OFFICIAL'S PERSPECTIVE
From left: Rebecca Andrew (Facilitator), Gillian Brooker (FINA Diving Judge), Hugh Leicester (World Sailing Course Representative).
NSWISA Officials were treated to insights from Olympic Officials Gillian Brooker a FINA Diving Judge and Hugh Leicester a World Sailing Course Representative. While Gillian and Hugh shared the unique experience of these Olympics, both agreeing the Covid-affected Tokyo Olympics was a much different experience from previous games, they also felt privileged to be part of the event.
The seminar also covered more general aspects of officiating and it was great for Officials to connect on common issues across such unique sports. Thank you to Gillian and Hugh for sharing their experiences so generously!
VOLUNTEERING
No event can be held without the efforts of our volunteers. Through volunteering, our skating families are able to connect with others who share the same interest and passion for the sport. We are fortunate that we have a very dedicated volunteer group, however, we are always looking for more volunteers to ease the workload of our regular volunteers at events. NSWISA requires its volunteers to have a WWCC number to ensure that our sport is prioritising the safety of our young people. A WWCC number lasts for a period of 5 years and can be applied for at Service NSW.
In order to verify the status of a volunteer, the organising committees will need the surname, the WWCC number and the date of birth of each volunteer. Having this information handy will make the preparations much easier for the organisers of events and will ensure that our sport will be providing a safe environment for our skaters.
NSWISA SOCIALS
Stay connected with the NSWISA community for support and information on the NSWISA Instagram and Facebook pages. To keep up to date with our skaters, use the following link https://instagram.com/nsw_isa?r=nametag or you can use the following QR code. Also, don't forget to tag us in your posts!
