On top of the world

Who needs friends?

Now that I didn't have have an official coach, I really had to take control of myself and my training. My moves in the field coach here in Boston, Daniil, was really kind and allowed me to jump on his jumping harness for 10 minutes after working on the senior moves in the field with him. He also helped me with choreography in both of my programs. He was, in effect, my temporary coach. Brian also emailed me some tips and encouragement once a week. I still could not understand why he was so invested in me.

Soon enough, regionals rolled around again, and I felt more ready than ever. I could finally add the triple Lutz into my programs, and I had learned some more triple + triple combinations. 

Daniil couldn't put me on the ice for the short program because he had another lower level student to attend to during my event, so Dad put me on the ice again. I was feeling very confident and ready to kill it out on the ice.

"Representing the Skating Club of Boston, please welcome our next skater Lyubov Alievna!" 

************************

January 2014

2013 truly was a breakthrough year for me. I made it past both the qualifying and final rounds in regionals, winning 1st in all my events. Then I got 2nd overall at sectionals. And now in 2014, for the first time ever, I was headed to the US national figure skating championships! AND THEY WERE GOING TO BE HELD HERE IN BOSTON!!!!

Bessie, Anna and I all signed up to volunteer for setting up TD Garden for nationals. I hoped I could also have Anna meet more people her own age and help her become friends with them while we volunteered, since I would be away for a year after I graduate from middle school. 

"Anna, you need more friends beside myself," I insisted.

"I can get by with my forensics kit," she replied.

"Your forensics kit is not going to protect you from bullies or jealous people," I shot back as we were pasting signs onto walls. "Look, there's Anastasia and Morgan. They're probably the nicest 6th graders in your class; I'm sure they'll accept you into their friend group."

"They don't talk about anything intelligent," Anna protested. 

"Just give them a chance, will ya?" I pleaded. 

"Are you trying to get rid of me?" The girl crossed her arms, narrowed her eyes, and jutted her chin towards me.

"You know I won't be here to protect you next year," I warned her. 

"I have some Sambo moves." Anna demonstrated some on a hockey dummy nearby to us.

"You'd probably get expelled if you used those moves on an actual student." I winced. 

Bessie, her twin sister Jessie, and Jessie's visiting friend Maddie all came out of a room they were working in. "Hi girls," Bessie greeted Anna and me. "I can't believe you're going to be skating in here, Lyubov. This venue is so huge and fancy!"

"I'm really excited to compete here," I said.

"Hi, I'm Maddie Ziegler," Maddie said to Anna. "You're Anna Shcherbakova, right?" The girl nodded.

"My sister, Kenzie, is in the same grade as you. We want you to teach us ballroom. We're pretty much fluent in all other styles of dance, but ballroom is just really hard for us. Is there another kind of dance you would like to learn?"

"I'm quite flexible, and I've learned tumbling from gymnastics. I also know some ballet already, but I find that boring. I rather like freestyling to hip hop." I smiled when Anna said that. I like doing that too. "I'd love to learn tap," Anna said to Maddie.