2008 Short Track Nationals: apparently I don't suck THAT much as an announcer...
I was invited to announce the national short track championships over the weekend at the Petit Center in Milwaukee, WI. My co-announcer, Jeff Brand, let it slip shortly before I headed up that he has announced over 100 meets and I was forced to confess I've announced only 1 - granted it was a biggie. The days were long and the rink was cold. Something about the Petit Center I can't figure out. Now matter how you dress, the longer you are inside, the more the chill creeps into your bones. Then, even when you leave, it oozes outward - leaving you shivering despite the hot shower, or heat on high in the car. This and it is probably 50 degrees in there - perhaps it is the humidity?
Some of the top skaters not at the world championships were present - Ryan Bedford, Travis Jayner, Alex Izychowski to name a few, and the races were impressive - 16 national records set on not the world's fastest ice. I did my best to try and spice of the announcing and get some audience participation with only mixed results. Its easier with a few thousand spectators than a couple hundred parents involved in getting their skaters ready. My favorite intros were the midget and pony categories as they tended to showboat a bit on the "big stage" of the nationals.
Meanwhile, Apolo Ohno and Shani Davis continued their winning ways - with Apolo winning the overall world title, and Shani winning yet another 1000 meter individual distance world championship. Jeff Simon - still healing from his broken collar bone - managed a 4th place finish in the 500m as well.
One of the highlights of the weekend for me was also one that at least one of the officials found upsetting. I had gotten wind 'whispers' in the locker room from the American Cup men's finalists - and sure enough on one of the last finals of the meet, the American Cup 1500 A super final, the 6 boys on the line decided to pull a little stunt.
Fred Benjamin called them to the start, and as J.R. Celski, Kyle Carr, Kyle Uyehara, Chris Creveling, Kyle Carr, and Travis Jayner crouched over, poised in perfect racing stance, he shot the gun and... nothing happened. No one moved a muscle.
It was dead silent for a good 3 or 4 seconds before everyone got the joke. They stood for a good 10 seconds before skating forward and thats when an angry Benjamin shot the gun again and called them back, chastizing them and giving them all a false start. It was surprising though - for 25 years of racing - the gun goes off, and the skaters skate - to not see them go - it was, well... I think everyone was just confused for a moment - "did my ears deceive me?" It was hilarious...
Chastened - only a few of them put on a superhero pose at the line for the second start - clearly there were more plans in the works... but they eventually began racing.
Other highlights were catching up with old friends Jen Butterfield (and husband Tim), Olu and Brenda, Paul Marchese and Pieter Dykstra, Goskowicz, Kooreman, Wilma Boomstra, Amy Peterson, John Diemont, Haj Sano and many others. It just goes to prove - the best way to get a group of diverse people to bond is through mutual suffering - between the long days and chilly temperatures, travel, and noise there was a sense of belonging in the group of officials, judges, parents, and athletes. As usual, sleep was in short supply as several of us decided to go watch Olu Sijuwade play his father's 45 year old sax in a stirring performance of soul, jazz and poetry along with other artists and poets.
The fact that we would lose an hour that night to daylight savings, and that the races started early was not lost on any of us - yet we went anyway, settling for a couple hours of sleep in return for a night of great music in an intimate venue.
During the long weekend I also announced the masters national championships. Was it just coincidence that just days earlier I had skated (in my work clothes) some fast laps with Denton Frederick "to help him train?" I haven't sharpened my skates since the 1998 Olympic trials 10 years ago - but putting in a 10.1 second lap wasn't that hard... I'm reasonably certain I could still skate a couple low 9's....
Having read Andrew Love's blog... and met world masters's champion Marty Ohaire - is there at least one more speedskating competition in my future? Only time will tell...
-John