PJ Kwong

Favourite skating moments, and we all have one or two, are not always about the making of today’s champions…they sometimes say as much about the speaker, as they do about the skating event or skater featured in that moment…in today’s Edgework:

CATHY DALTON

Technical Merit - Personal and professional highlights

· Coach of famed 3 time world medallists, black ice synchronized skating team, since its’ inception 10 years ago.

· ISU Coaches Commission member, representing Synchronized Skating

· Chair of Skate Canada’s ACC, and a coach with a 26-year history in the sport.

Artistic Impression - The essence of their story

‘I was coaching all disciplines early on in my career, and I recall one particular test day. I had been preparing a delightful and particularly adorable red haired, freckle-faced 7-year-old boy to try his preliminary figure test. Test day arrived, and we were (I thought) ready. Well figure after figure, task after task, it was clear that this boy was not on this planet this particular day. On his waltz eight figure, he was unable to return to centre despite his efforts, and lacked what we refer to in the coaching profession as “focus”… to say the least. A rather young judge, also early in her career had been the one assigned to this test. Regardless of any re-skates that might have been allowed, this was a test that just was not going to pass this day. Already expecting the answer, I waited to hear those words from the judge/evaluator as she approached. Much to my surprise, what ensued was a discussion as to who would be the one that would deliver this news. She was, she said, totally unable to tell this little guy, cute and eager as he was, and was expecting (actually begging) me to do so! This was a definite first for me!’