Local figure skating champion continues to shine 

Commentator/Courier Photo Submitted

By Nerissa McNaughton
Southern Alberta Newspapers

Jewel Geldreich, a local rising star in the world of figure skating, is making waves with her recent achievements and her ability to inspire young athletes. Representing the Foremost Figure Skating Club and Cypress School of Skating, she has been skating since the age of three and has grown into a formidable competitor. One of her most recent competitions took place in California.

“The preparation for the competition was definitely stressful,” Geldreich shares. “My team and I had to do a ton of planning, fundraising, and training to get ready for the trip. However, all the hard work was 100 per cent worth it. It was an unforgettable experience, and I was able to make many amazing memories with my teammates.”

 There was some beneficial downtime during the trip. Geldreich describes, “In addition to competing, I had the chance to visit Universal Studios, Knott’s Berry Farm, Hollywood, a few beaches, Disneyland, and California Adventure.”

Competition days represent her dedication and continuous hard work, on and off the ice.

“My main goal was to have a clean skate for all of my routines, meaning strong execution, no major errors or deductions; in other words, a perfect skate,” she says, “I also set an additional goal to place first in all of the categories I was competing in. While I knew it wasn’t entirely within my control, since I couldn’t predict the judges’ scores or how well my competitors would skate, it was still something I was aiming to achieve. I set this goal to push myself, and to motivate me to do the best I could.”

She prepares for goals like these by engaging in a healthy lifestyle.

Geldreich explains, “I don’t really have any specific mental preparations for the day before I compete. I mainly focus on taking care of my body by getting a good night’s sleep, eating no sugar/junk food, and sometimes practice if I’m able to get ice time. Overall, I just try to avoid anything that could physically impact my performance. Before I go on the ice for my warm up, I usually tell myself encouraging thoughts, say a prayer, do deep breathing, and visualize myself skating well. I also always wear my lucky necklace as a reminder of everything I have accomplished.”

How did she place? Very well!

“I won 1st place for Preliminary Emotional Performance, 3rd place for Preliminary Plus Girls Excel Freeskate, 1st place for Spin Challenge 3, and 1st place for Jump Challenge 3. Although not all of the elements in my programs were as clean as I would have liked them to be and I fell short of my goal of placing first in all categories, I was still proud of my accomplishments. I was definitely relieved since it meant I could finally relax, but also a bit shocked because it all seemed to be over in the blink of an eye.”

She concludes, “I would like to thank all of my local corporate sponsors and many community members for their support, along with my parents, and my coaches – especially George Yuhas.”