Skaters with the Innisfail Skating Club recently took part in an Axel Master Class skating workshop with Canadian Senior Men's Silver Medallist (2004) Ben Ferreira.
Ferreira was in Innisfail on March 5 to present the Axel Master Class seminar. He was joined by his wife and fellow skater Jadene, who also taught on- and off-ice sessions during the day.
“This is one jump that's really important to do correctly the first time when instructing it. That's a key component for the Axel,” said Ferreira, noting the changes with long-term athlete development in recent years.
The skating workshop, which attracted close to 25 local skaters, included the use of Dartfish Video Analysis technology, a computerized tool that aids instructors like Ferreira in teaching Axel jumps.
“With the Dartfish I'm able to go in a little bit further and take a look how long skaters are in the air and give them the feedback,” he said.
Ferreira pointed out several aspects participants learned as well as areas he hoped they would take from the workshop.
“I think the real key point is that mastery takes time. Mastery is a process,” explained Ferreira. “These seminars are designed to really reinforce that. When you master a skill it is sometimes months or sometimes years to develop it at this stage where it can be done in terms of excellent quality,” he added, noting other qualities.
“It takes time, patience, commitment, discipline and confidence in being able to go through the process that way.”
The seminar aimed to provide local skaters with hands-on experience and a unique learning opportunity.
“They have a lot of fun in this process. They are given the tools to overcome one of the flagship jumps in skating, which is the Axel,” said Nicole Sabasch, one of four coaches with the Innisfail Skating Club. “It is the hardest jump in skating to master.”
Sabasch noted the length of time it can take a skater to master this type of jump and the various features and types of Axels skaters learn today, including single, double and triple Axel jumps.
“It is the only jump in skating that you take off forward. Every other jump you take off backwards,” she said. “It's actually a rotation and a half so you jump up and rotate one and a half revolutions before you land.”
She said participants in the workshop were thrilled to learn from Ferreira.
“This kind of opportunity doesn't happen all the time. To be here and have some one-on-one time with Ben Ferreira is a very rare and honoured opportunity,” said Sabasch. “It's a humbling moment too to have someone of his calibre work with you.”
One of those participants was 12-year-old Devan Korsiger.
“It's really inspiring. He's teaching me (how to do) a better takeoff,” said Korsiger of her experience learning from Ferreira. “I'm getting more experience and I've been having lots of fun.”
Ben Ferreira
"I think the real key point is that mastery takes time. Mastery is a process. These seminars are designed to really reinforce that."
