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| J O U R N A L |
Archives |
I am officially announcing today that I have turned professional. It was probably one of the hardest and easiest decisions I've ever made. It was easy because I knew that my long program at Nationals in Vancouver was special and a perfect way to add an exclamation point to my competitive career. It was a hard decision because I love to skate, I love the people I skate with and I love skating for all of you.
There are so many people to thank: thank you to my husband. Jamie you are the hugest blessing in my life! Thank you to my family: for teaching me to always follow my dreams.
Thank you Mr. Callaghan, because you have shown me what a true champion is. Thank you all my supporters. I have been amazed by the generosity of so many people!! Thank you to all my friends in the media: it has been a lot of fun laughing and crying with you!! Thank you to Skate Canada for all your support. Thank you Jamie and Figure Skaters Online.
To my fans and everyone who has ever watched me skate: THANK YOU. I will miss sharing special moments with you at competitions. I am sure you will see me soon, maybe at a rink or somewhere else. Wherever it is, I will be having fun and chasing my next dream.
THANK YOU!
Until next time,
Dream Big!
— Lesley
Hello from Sunny Florida!
Since we last talked I have made some big changes in my life. I am now training with my coach, Mr. Callaghan, in Coral Springs, Florida. The Panther Figure Skating Club and the Incredible Ice Complex have opened up their club and arena with loving arms and really welcomed me in.
It wasn’t even a hard decision to follow my coach down to Florida. My husband and our families are behind me 100%, which gave me the peace of mind to go where I know I can be ready to make the 2010 Olympic Team.
I have been training hard preparing for a show and continuing to upgrade the technical side of my skating. Kimmie Meissner has been training with Mr. Callaghan and it’s an honour to skate along side a world class act-on and off the ice!
I'm heading back to Canada to spend some quality time with my hubby and skate in the Prescott Skating Club’s 40th anniversary show March 8th and 9th. It is my second time back to this great club and I’m looking forward to showing off my new show number. I am skating two numbers, Moon River and a fun fast number to "Get Happy"!
It looks like I’m in for a busy spring, which is just how I like it!! Next time we talk I will hopefully have found new long program music…
Until then, DREAM BIG!
— Lesley
Hello Everyone!!
As usual the New Year started with a bang and the holidays seemed to blend straight into Nationals. I had an amazing week of skating. I practiced really well and I enjoyed skating where the 2010 Olympics will be held.
Although my short was not perfect I was really happy with my performance level and the crowd seemed to enjoy my skate.
My long was one of those moments that I will cherish for a very long time. When you train hard all year and pour your heart, body and mind into something, when it all comes together it just feels so good. I started crying because it was the kind of skate I knew I was capable of and I was so happy to skate like that at Nationals.
I started really crying when the audience gave me a standing ovation. It is hard to explain but when I get a standing ovation it is just an overwhelming moment. It is humbling to share my love of skating with so many people and that they enjoy and are moved by what I do is just incredible.
I can'’t tell everyone enough how much all your notes and emails have meant to me. THANK YOU. THANK YOU!
Now I switch gears as we head into show season… I'll keep you posted on what’s up next!!
Until then, DREAM BIG!
— Lesley
I am writing to you in the middle of a winter wonderland here in Michigan! I am having my first big rest day since I got back from Japan and after I write this journal entry I am going to start my Christmas baking. I am not ready for Christmas at all...
My husband Jamie and I are heading to Ottawa Ontario to spend Christmas with his family. I am looking forward to sharing in all the Doherty family traditions. We are also hoping to get a day of cross country skiing in.
Of course, Nationals is just around the corner so Christmas and New Year’s are not big vacations. I will continue to train and get ready for Nationals. I am really looking forward to improving on my Grand Prix scores and climbing up the podium at nationals this year.
Since it is the holiday season I wanted to especially thank all my fans and supporters. I love to skate and knowing that you are out there cheering from the stands or in front of your TVs really means so much to me!
I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season and I hope all your dreams come true in 2008.
Until then, DREAM BIG!
— Lesley
Hello Everybody!
I am sufficiently rested and recovered from Skate Canada and I thought I would share with you my thoughts on the event...
Firstly, I had a great time skating and being in Quebec City. The audience was warm and enthusiastic, quite a treat to skate in front of. The city is incredible! We stayed at the Chateau Frontenac and the old world charm was like stepping into a city in Europe.
While I was hoping for a higher placement, I am extremely happy with the start to my season. I made some mistakes but I thought that my performance was stronger and more mature than last year. There is nothing I enjoy more than showing the audience how much I love this sport!
Now it's onwards and upwards to Sendai, Japan for the NHK Trophy in three weeks. I am already hard at work fine-tuning and adding more content to my programs.
Next week my training rink is hosting the Midwestern Sectionals. I will be volunteering all week (when I'm not training!) and cheering on two of my training mates.
Thank you to everyone for supporting and cheering me on at Skate Canada and stay tuned because the best is yet to come!
Until then, DREAM BIG!
— Lesley
Now that my website is all up and running I thought I would give you an update on my season so far…
I had a really great quiet summer. I basically slept, ate and skated. I always love the summer because it is a great time to work on new tricks and set the tone for the rest of the season. Off ice I continued my usual Pilates/cardio routine and I tried to get a big tan on the weekends!
September was a crazy busy month with a competition, National Team Monitoring Camp and two seminars. The competition and monitoring camp went very well. The judges and callers gave me some really great compliments and some really great ideas for improving. Both my short and long are developing nicely. I am really trying to perform these programs so that the audience will really enjoy what I do.
I just got back from seminars in Chelmsford ON and Palmerston ON. I always love going to small towns with their small rinks and big hearts. When I started giving seminars a few years ago I wasn’t sure I would enjoy teaching skating but the more I do the more I love seeing the skaters smiles when they try something new. I also love teaching the seminars because it reminds me of skating back in my hometown when skating was just something I loved to do and not my job. I am so fortunate to do something I love everyday!
I have been traveling a lot this month and I am looking forward to a slower October before I head off to Skate Canada October 31st. Right now I'm reading "The Other Boleyn Girl" by Philippa Gregory. Its set in 16th century England and it is semi historical. It's really juicy and I'm having a hard time putting it down. Hopefully I will also have a little more time to practice my cooking skills. I really want to make a nice soup!
The Grand Prix series is just around the corner, I hope you are all ready… I know I am!
Until then, DREAM BIG!
— Lesley
Welcome to my new Web site and my first journal entry! I am very excited to be able to interact directly with all my fans and keep you up to date on everything I'll be up to this year.
I am currently working really hard in preparation for the upcoming season. I received two invitations to compete on the Grand Prix circuit. I will be competing at Skate Canada and The NHK Trophy in Sendai, Japan. I just love both of these competitions! Hopefully, this year I will improve on my previous placements and get some mileage on my new short program.
I am skating to Moon River for my short and Yuka Sato did the choreography. It was such an honour to work with Yuka and I am really excited about this program. I kept the same long program as last year and my coach and I have been really focusing on the small details to make this program even more fun to watch!
Off the ice I've been having a great summer. I have got lots of sunshine and lots of outdoor activities. My husband is a great golfer and I have been practicing with him on the range a bit. I would like to be able to participate in charity golf events sometime soon!!
I hope everyone enjoys the rest of the summer. I'll check in with you again soon!!
Thanks so much!
— Lesley
Photos courtesy of J. Barry Mittan and Stephan Potopnyk