This is a #Distraction in a fire in a barrel...

So apparently I managed to delete my last post by way of the Blogger App for iphone.  Not really sure how that happened but oh well.  The upshot is that it's warm, we are not sliding yet, and everyone is annoyed.  I'm ready to get this show on the road.  #leggo

That got me to thinking about what my approach is going into this season and how I envision it being different than previous seasons.  This is the second full season for me (after about four partial ones) but the truth is that last year I was largely clueless as to what I was doing.  Don't get me wrong b/c it's not that I am down about last year.  I qualified for the World Cup, raced in the World Championships, and missed a medal by .2 seconds.  Still though, the season never seemed to feel cohesive to me.  It just felt jumbled and unsettled and I'm pretty sure it affected my performance.  I know I created a lot of distractions by not being prepared for the off the ice realities of being a serious competitor in an amateur sport.

In that respect last season was great because it taught me so much not only about Skeleton itself, but about all the ancillary things that surround competing at your best.  My Goal #1 of this season is to avoid distractions.  I'm here for a reason - to achieve a goal - and I can't let other things take my mind, energies, and focus off of that.  It's hard enough to be an elite competitor when you are 100% focused on what you are doing.  No need to make it more difficult than it already is.

The training wheels are coming off this season.

There are basically three categories of distractions I encountered last year:


1) Equipment - Didn't have what I need or what I had didn't work;
2) Logistical-  Too much last minute planning;
3) Personal-  Didn't leave off the ice problems off the ice.

All of this is going to change this season.

I spent the summer developing IBSF, Inc. a Not-For-Profit in NY State to deal with Distractions #1 and #2.  As a result, the equipment is ready to go and the logistics are being taken care of.  As for the personal Distractions, I have Chana to keep me in line about those, as she is more supportive of me than I could possibly hope to describe.  I'm also going to be more mentally and emotionally self-aware and stay focused.

The bottom line is that this is my breakout season.  Medal's on the America's Cup, solid participation on the World Cup, a good showing at the World Championships, and a 40+ World Ranking to end the year are all within my sights.  They won't just come to me though.  I need to get out there and be ready and prepared to succeed.

I think coach Bombay from The Mighty Ducks said it best:

Now it just needs to be cold enough to slide....

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-Bradley