HP #15 - Introducing: The Tammasaurus

Usual disclaimer applies: this is an old event I'm recounting. See my first HP post for the full notes on these.

Background: Another departure from the usual HP format. Time to introduce a new cast member! Note: this post probably won't display well on mobile, apologies if you're reading via that medium!

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She tosses her lustrous, blonde locks over the shoulders of her gilet as she sets her coffee down on the rink barrier and steps out firmly onto the ice. Your eyes are immediately dazzled by the neon pink snow pants now emerging from behind the barrier as she strokes slowly around the ice, her eyes sweeping the rink as she surveys her realm. These snow pants are her crown jewels; a striking pink beacon on the ice that sets her apart amongst the sea of fast-moving black leggings and grey tops the other skaters are wearing. As you watch her skate, you start to appreciate her stance: precisely-balanced and graceful, her years of training clearly evident in the aura of discipline and authority that she exudes, yet those same years are not reflected in her fresh, youthful face.

She rejoins the barrier and her coffee, bringing it up to her lips to take a sip, her gaze locked with rapt attention on a nearby group of teenage skaters. Her coffee cup stops abruptly a moment before the sip, her eyes suddenly narrowing as a wicked idea comes to mind.

Yes, they are even better in real life.
No, this image is not an exaggeration.
Yes, you are absolutely missing out.
"DEATH DROP!" she barks suddenly and her school of teen skaters immediately line up and begin to execute her instruction one-by-one. It's been a long session and they're tired, but they're like a group of finely trained puppies: young and eager yet so disciplined in their responses to her commands.

"AGAIN!" She shouts as the skaters finish up their first run. "You need to check the shoulder better on the entry," she explains to one skater, demonstrating the motion with her body as they nod in confirmation.

This is the Tammasaurus, and I had my eyes set on her... No, not like that you smutty lot! It's true that I have a crippling weakness for strong, independent women, however the more socially right-wing minded people in society will tell you that I'm more about her snow pants than the Tammasaurus herself. Personal allusions aside, my eyes were in fact set on having her as my coach.

But, why her? Well, aren't the neon pink snow pants enough? But seriously, on the skate training session before my public session the Tammasaurus coaches some of the best, young free skaters at the rink. This group includes a teenage guy that technically represents the closest person I have to a male role model in free skating (my rink has a real shortage of male free skaters, at least that I get to see anyway, but this teenage guy is really good so his status as role model is well-deserved!) I had watched her run through jumps and spins with him and, while I couldn't claim to be a young skater, I wanted to have that same calm drive and technical passion she had with him also teach me how to do those elements - though I'll be sticking to singles (and hopefully a double if I work at it), rather than the triples he does!

Oh yes... Let the style clash commence!
The funny thing was I had no idea if we'd even be a good match. I'd watched her teach but would her style fit me? Would we get on? What if she was too intense? What if she wasn't intense enough? I'd read online that some adult skaters felt their coaches settled for mediocrity in their outcomes with adults because of the physical limitations that comes with age in skating - the Tammasaurus didn't seem like that at all, but how could I assume that with any confidence? I had no idea what she'd be like with an adult. Perhaps my worst fear, would I one day seek to overthrow her stylistically and wear my own pair of sensational neon yellow snow pants, causing an on-ice style clash that would swallow the rink up in an implosion like a collapsing black hole?

Answers I had not, but she clearly knew her stuff and you can't blame a guy for wanting the best for his free skating, right? I didn't know how long it would be before I needed to consider looking into my own coach but here was hoping that it'd all work out!

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I have no doubt that the Tammasaurus will some day read all this, so I'm going to turn off the praise tap (for now) and hope she's enjoyed!

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