World and Olympic coach Audrey Weisiger continues her series discussing motivational games for skaters. The process of learning new skating skills can be brutally slow. The grind of training can take a toll, especially on skaters who are “results-oriented” rather than “process-oriented.” By including games in the learning process, it keeps it fun and provides “results” for skaters to experience success, even during periods off minimal progress in skill development. In Part 1, Audrey explained two effective games, including The Keep Trying Game.
In this video, Audrey begins by sharing another game she calls “The Good News Bad News Classic” and she tells a fun story that explains where the name came from. In this game, skaters run their programs and compete against each other, even though they are not in the same category or skating level. The comparison is first made against their personal best as opposed to a direct competition of skills. In other words, a high level skater and medium level skater can go head-to-head in the game, and their success is be measured by how well they did their program with respect to their own personal best (or highest expectation). This can be done locally, or it can be done with a large group remotely.
The second game Audrey covers in this video she calls “Color Wars” and it’s a way for skaters to simulate the added pressure of competition, especially a team competition. Skaters are grouped into two or more teams, which are usually named for a color (hence the name of the game). There are usually three or more skaters on each team. Then skaters are selected from each team to do certain elements, and they “compete” directly with the other team on that specific element. The team scores points by their individual skaters winning the individual elements. Some skaters really struggle with the added pressure of having their teammates depending on them.
Audrey ends the video by acknowledging the mental mindset she looks for with great skaters. Confidence and an eagerness to put oneself out there even with the risk of public failure is important to be successful. She says, “You have to have that moxie. ‘I’ll do it, I’ll do it. I can do this.’ And I think we can nurture that a little bit with a game like Color Wars.”
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