|
Welcome to The BUZZ!! Your information highway to “what’s happening’” in speed skating.
A new edition of The BUZZ will be posted on the SSC website on the 15th of each month. The BUZZ will bring information on upcoming events, tips of the month, 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic celebrations, new programs, athlete profiles, club profiles and much more. You are invited to submit information about your club, special events, tips on fundraising, coaching, officiating…whatever you would like to share. Also…keep your eye out for contests that will be announced periodically!!
364 Days to Go…
In just under one year, the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics flame will be lit and Canada will showcase itself to the world. Speed Skating Canada is currently working on initiatives to promote our sport and to encourage all clubs and members to share in the celebrations. Be sure to keep looking in future issues of the BUZZ for information on how you can get involved and what Speed Skating Canada is doing.
Talking it Up With Kristina Groves...
What is your favorite food: I have many, but a few of my favourite 'treats' are dark chocolate, Kettle chips and chocolate milk.
Nick Name: Grover
Pet Peeve: Oh, so many!! I'd have to say a big one is when people wear bike helmets improperly - too far back on their head with their forehead exposed, it makes the helmet useless!! I also find drivers who won't move over to let me merge rather annoying.
If you could do one thing to change the world, what would it be: abolish intolerance
Favorite music group: Right now it's Michael Franti & Spearhead, I saw them play on New Year's Eve in Vancouver - incredible! I am also a huge fan of singer-songwriter Josh Ritter
Greatest achievement to date: The way I measure the ultimate achievement in my sporting life is when an incredible race combines with an incredible result. I've had races where the result is good but I feel it wasn't my best skating, and I've also had races where I've skated to my utmost potential but that is not reflected in the end 'result', The best races come when I skate my absolute best skating and I achieve a great result. That is what I strive for and it is the most challenging aspect of my skating - and it's what drives me to keep seeking that ultimate fusion between potential and actual. Only a few times have I accomplished this combination and one of them was at the 2006 Olympics in Torino where I won a silver medal in the 1500m. In other areas of my life I am really pleased with my involvement with a few organizations that have really allowed me to make a concrete contribution to others - Right To Play and the YES Program at the Canadian Sport Centre.
What advice would you give to young speed skaters: Don't get too caught up in winning medals and getting good 'results', but focus on learning good technique, training hard and developing a good work ethic. I wasn't very good or fast when I was young but I really loved to skate and learned to work hard and be patient. Listen to your coach, always always always respect your competitors, be gracious in victory and in defeat and never stop getting better.
Greatest speed skating memory: I have pretty fond memories of skating on the Brewer Park oval in Ottawa during the winter. We would spend all of our Christmas vacation making the rink - flooding it rink with giant fire hoses and then going out to skate when it was ready. On really cold nights we'd go out and skate for a while then come back in for hot chocolate and to warm our toes before going back out again. It was much simpler then, now we skate in indoor artificially refrigerated rinks that are fast and fair but sometimes I miss the outdoor rinks that are beautiful and you have to battle not only yourself and your competitors, but the elements too.
Game of the Month…
Attention Coaches… On-ice games are a great way of developing physical literacy and developing basic skating skills providing for a fun learning environment. In the coming editions of The Buzz Speed Skating Canada will be featuring different games that you can do on the ice with developing skaters. As these games are featured they will be made available through SSC’s website. Check out a couple of ideas at: http://www.speedskating.ca/games.cfm
In sharing these games, we would like to promote what is happening in your club by featuring skaters in your club playing a skill development game. For more details, contact Douglas Duncan at dduncan@speedskating.ca
Tip of the Month – Playing and Working Out in the Winter
Drink lot’s of water. Dry winter air can leave you dehydrated. Wear a hat. You can lose up to 50 per cent of your body heat through your head. Wear a scarf or mask over your mouth to decrease water loss and to enhance your body’s ability to warm the air before it enters your lungs. After a workout, get inside quickly. Get out of your wet clothing and into dry clothing. Use sunscreen.
Don’t forget to visit www.speedskating.ca again next month for our newest version of The BUZZ!!!
If you have a great idea you’d like to see in one of the upcoming The BUZZ issues, please do not hesitate to contact Yanna Moncion at ymoncion@speedskating.ca
|
Download PDF Version
