Thursday, July 16, 2009

What to Bring to a Figure Skating Competition

Update: Thanks to my friend K.R., I have a printable checklist for parents to download. You have to be a member of my Google Group to do it, but it's painless and free. Click here to download the checklist in Word.

I’m making a list for Ice Girl. For the next figure skating competition, and all those thereafter, she’s limited to bringing just the things on her list in her Zuca, in the van, and to the rink.

My van was spotless before last weekend’s figure skating competition. I had that puppy emptied out, washed, waxed, and steam cleaned. The van even had an artificial lemon scent. Despite my cleaning efforts, I spent the 15 minutes before Ice Girl’s freeskate event searching through newly accumulated debris for some ankle braces, which should have been in Ice Girl’s Zuca. Instead, I found old figure skating reference books, a SkateStrong manual, a GameBoy, a pair of p.j.’s, and some random junk. How many ankle braces? Just one. Ice Girl has, um, two ankles.

We also needed extra skate laces, which should have been in the bag, but are probably under Ice Girl’s bed. Wait. She cleaned under there. Those laces probably made a run for it and are halfway toward some tropical location by now, because they sure weren’t in that stupid bag. (Thanks, Renee, for the lace rescue.)

So. Ice Girl gets this list for the next figure skating competition. She will not bring anything extra, because we don’t have time to sift through the flotsam and jetsam to find corn pads or bobby pins. Next competition, this stuff will be in its assigned pocket or Ice Mom is going to be pretty crabby, I can tell you. I bet Ice Mom will start chucking junk out of the van like monkeys throw poo at the zoo. Duck and run, kids: Ice Mom’s been pushed over the edge.

I’ve listed each item, some with reasons. Those with links have a previous post associated with them.

Skate bag contents

Hair bag contents

Emergency kit contents

  • Band-aids
  • Extra laces
  • Extra socks
  • Extra tights
  • Safety pins
  • Screw driver for blades
  • Stain remover

Parents’ list of stuff to haul

  • Blanket
  • Camera
  • Cash for coffee and unhealthy snacks
  • Checkbook – the figure skating world runs on checks
  • Coach’s phone number programmed in cell phone
  • Coins for the meter or tolls
  • Cooler with drinks, healthy snacks
  • Event schedule
  • Maps of the area – one local attraction, one local restaurant
  • Muffins, scones, or other morning food
  • Something to read
  • Warm jacket

Bottom line: Love you, Ice Girl, but I can’t take the stress of having a broken lace with no replacement five minutes before your warm-up ice. You managed to wipe your blades, wipe your mind, and start fresh before your event, but let’s face it: we’d all do better without the stress of missing stuff. And Ice Mom’s getting tired of eating bananas and listening to monkey jokes.

Did I forget something? Add to the list in the comments, please. Ice Girl competes again in two weeks, so we need the essentials, but nothing more. If you have a story to share, feel free to do so, as well! Monkey jokes? Well, if you must.

16 comments:

Galatea said...

For parent´s list:
Extra battery for camera.
Ipod with relaxing music.
Chocolate ( or valium ) :))))

Good luck icegirl!!!

Ice Mom said...

Extra battery and chocolate. How could I have passed up chocolate and its many curative properties?

You're a smart one, Galatea!

Anonymous said...

Don't forget a jump rope for warming up. It's a great way to get her muscles warmed up before she starts stretching and working on any jumps or her program on the floor. Season

Alana said...

Lip balm.

Denise said...

Sewing kit with flesh colored thread for emergency repairs to tights and thread to match the dresses for any wardrobe malfunctions. We have instituted the "you bring it, you carry it" policy which cuts down on the amount of extraneous stuff that our daughter takes to various activities.

RedShamrock said...

A Sudoku puzzle. And chocolate. It could be in the form of a protein bar, but it still must be chocolate.

Helicopter Mom said...

MIne is a "what not to bring" since I suffered through this yesterday at a competition... Don't bring any CDs of music from old skating programs or skating programs that your skater is NOT scheduled to skate at this particular competition! Yesterday in the chaos of checking in and trying to get my daughter onto the ice for practice, I turned in the wrong music for one of her programs! If I hadn't had it in her CD case, I couldn't have turned it in, could I? Lesson learned... the hard way. And yes, there is a funny video of me flying down to the referee with the emergency copy of the CD.

Anonymous said...

I love your blog! I have learned so much from your posts. I'm an adult skater and I need an Ice Mom! I have a request for a future blog post - would you write about your daughter's skate binder and what should be in it? I have my own folder but it's falling apart so I need to move to a binder format, and I am curious what other skaters keep in their binders and how they use it. I take notes after each of my lessons, and I keep copies of my Moves in the Field patterns in my notebook as well.

Anonymous said...

Two Zucca Bags...."what for" one would ask...well... for the seasoned ice mom who needs to hide the cooler in the second one to get her through the competition.

Anonymous said...

I would bring a few extra copies of music. Between me and my coach, I believe we have four copies.

It definately paid off! We've never had problems with music, but last week at my competition my own trusty copy wouldn't play. Luckily my coach was prepared with extra copies! :)

Good luck!

Anonymous said...

Check out the products at www.dreamduffel.com. They have a duffel with a built in telescoping cloths rack, custom garment bags, hanging makeup cases,organizers, etc.

Ice Mom said...

Wow, Anony. That Dream Duffle is like a pop-up closet. Amazing!

Anonymous said...

First of all- love the blog! How insightful!

Okay, here's just a few things I came up with to add to your already well prepared list.

Bunga pad - if I.G. wears them
injury/medical supplies, i.e.:
Knee braces, ankle tape, inhaler, tylenol, aleve etc.
athletic shoes (DONT FORGET THESE)
Extra gloves
Extra scrunchie (make sure you have one to match each dress you bring)
Socks
Tissue pack & water (for practice ice)
Extra tights (Although I've been competing for a while now, I accidentaly brought a pair of nylons, a size too small, not skating tights, to the last competition I was in - boy was I glad I brought 3 extra pairs of tights!!)
Warm-up items, like stretch bands, yoga mat, spinner, stretching stick (if applicable)
Copy of packet form announcing the competition, the one where it states all the level requirements and times.
Pocket folder to hold result copies
"emergency kit" (in case mother nature accompanies you to your event :)

To reduce skate bag/zuca bag clutter, Make sure to NOT bring:
old music
mismatched gloves
skating binder
anything extraneous that you don't absolutely have to have at the competiton

Hope this helps - Good Luck I.G.!

Dorothy said...

bring chocolate to do away with stress.

Anonymous said...

I have just been through a competition today and here are two things that were needed:
-A sharpie (To write last minute gift tags on flowers!)
-Scrunchies (how could we forget scrunchies?)
-We also needed as you mentioned a map of the area with some attractions and restaurants as it was a long break between the presentation and comp!.

Ice Mom said...

Hey, Anony!

Glad the list helped. I can't believe I forgot scrunchie.

Hope the competition was a success!

Ice Mom