Spokane Skaters Do Us Proud!

I just got back from early morning (6-8 a.m.) rehearsal for the opening ceremony for the National Skating championships, being held in Spokane the next ten days. So amazing! The whole opening ceremony is performed by our very own Spokane skaters - about 40 total (2 boys). Incredibly well choreographed, and the kids are just so earnest - and talented! I felt proud - as if I've had anything to do with this! - and just impressed overall. The skaters are from three local skating clubs - the Inland Northwest club, the Lilac City club, and the Spokane club. Clearly they've been working hard to get their moves just right. It starts out with a sprinkling and ends on a great, patriotic note. At the very end, there's this one part - a little skater plays catch up - don't want to say more - don't want to spoil it - but I had tears, every time. And this was just the rehearsal!!

It was me and mostly parents in attendance. How proud they must all be, watching their children perform like that. I went because I am doing research for an ice skater movie idea that I have. I did not realize what a treat it would be, this a.m. The only glitch was that the announcer (clearly not from Spokane) kept pronouncing the city with a long "a" - as if it were spelled "Spokaine." Like nails on a chalkboard, that. I know they kept correcting her because she would say it right every so often. I'm hoping she fixes it for the actual opening ceremony tomorrow night. You can't really come to a town, be the announcer on national television, and not know how to pronounce the name of where you are.

In the meantime, the Spokane group - skaters and actors (playing a little skit in between numbers) showed the utmost professionalism and talent.

Can't say more - I'm running out the door - but I did need to say this much. It was just so special, to see what's on the horizon. And directly from this locale.