Off-Season Phase

It doesn't seem like this sport gets an off-season. I'm told that in summer kids typically train harder because they are out of school so it is important to keep up with what the other skaters are doing. And since Fall has arrived and we have to decided to not go to regionals - it is officially the off-season. The competition Saturday happened. Thank God my daughter didn't get last. Every competition, I seem to become more and more aware of how arbitrary this whole sport is. A child can skate a perfect program no falls, beautiful moves, jumps, spins, etc. and come in last place. And a child can stumble, fall, and mess up in pretty much every possible way and get first place. My child has been both ends of this (coming in 1st for no logical reason and coming in last for no logical reason). It seems like a lot to put yourself or your child through when the whole judging system doesn't seem to make any sense. I don't have the love for this sport. And over the years it becomes more and more taxing to support my daughter in this. Maybe I'll get a little break for a few months with just lessons and practices. No stress. I'm hoping that next season will be better. My daughter is fairly average at her level and with the split I think moving the more competitive skaters to the Well-balanced Freeskate track (the ones who are training for hours everyday) and the skaters who are only skating a few days a week to the Competitive Test Track will allow her to skate and compete in a less stressful atmosphere. I have high hopes for the new season.