Fox 21 News Television Interview 1-17-2012

Aly Myles, a reporter for Fox 21 News Television is doing a series on alternatives in education and interviewed Rebekah, Annabelle, and Joel (and JO ANN) at the rink on 1-17-2012. She was especially interested in our style of homeschooling called Unschooling, but was also interested in the kids' intense and busy schedule and life! It was so much fun!

Annabelle and Joel Honored At Broadmoor Skating Club's Nationals Dinner 1-8-2012

This is the fifth year in a row that the Schneider-Farris family has attended the dinner the Broadmoor Skating holds in honor of its national and junior national competitors. This year, only Annabelle and Joel were honored since Rebekah and Joel didn't make nationals. Rebekah stayed home. We did have a lot of fun!

Those Were the Days...

Those who watched Archie and Edith Bunker sing the "All In the Family" theme song will enjoy this courtesy of figure skating coach Russ Scott:

Courtesy Russ Scott: (to the tune "Those Were the Days" that Archie and Edith Bunker sang in the old 70s All In the Family television show.)

"Boy the things Dick Button said
About laybacks like Peggy Flemming did.
Fans like us we had it made.
Those were the days.


And you knew who to watch back then.
When girls did spirals and boys could spin.
Mister we could use a man.
Like Scott Hamilton again.


Didn’t need to calculate
Crazy scores to enjoy the skate.
We had Scott, Brian, Dorothy, and Michelle too
Those were the days."

My husband, Dan, and I came up with this version:

"Everyone knew who would WIN!...
.....Dick and Peggy knew who was IN.
...And yes...
we need a skater like Tonya Harding ag-in!"


"Didn't need no IJS.
The judges knew who was best.
Quadruple jumps made no sense.
Those were the DAYS!"

Annabelle and Joel's New Training Schedule

Last Saturday, we met with Dalilah.  Annabelle and Joel will begin skating and training an average of three sessions a day and also begin doing off-ice training.

Here's their schedule:

Monday: 8--8:45, 9:45-10:30, 3:00--3:45 on ice

Tuesday: 8--8:45, 9:25-10:05 on ice, 10:40 to 11 (off ice lifts), 3:00--3:45 on ice, followed by 4:00 PM off ice training

Wednesday: 8--8:45, 9:45 to 10:30 on ice, 10;40 to 11 (off ice lfits), 2:15 --3, 3--3:45 on ice

Thursday: 7:15 --8 on ice, 4:00 off ice training
(Joel will also practice on his own 8--8:20 on ice, 9:25--9:45 off ice jumps, 9:45--10:30 on ice)

Friday:: 6:30--7:15 am, 7:15 --8 am on ice

Saturday: 7:15 -- 8 am, 8--8:45 am on ice, plus one other freestyle session

The jump to novice pairs is a big jump.  This is almost twice as much training as they did for intermediate pairs.  The kids, especially Joel, are so, so motivated to get better and improve!

I've already seen so much improvement in just a couple of days!  They are almost doing a back outside death spiral and their throws are faster and their star lift is coming close to being on the ice and the pop up is "popping!"