you just gotta stop and smell the roses sometimes..

Hey everyone, I hope things are going well for everyone. I have been nonstop since getting back from indoor nationals, now that my arm is letting me work again, that's all i feel like i have been doing! I'm heading to a clinic this weekend, I hope it goes well, and the "students" learn alot from me.

I got this in an e-mail from my Mom, but it wasn't one of those annoying chain e-mails, it was just something that made me smile and think a little. Read each one, and if you want to, read each one twice.. you will smile.


1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18.. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood.. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ''In five years, will this matter?".
26.. Always choose life.
27. Forgive everyone everything.
28.. What other people think of you is none of your business.
29. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.
30. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
31. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
32. Believe in miracles.
33. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
34. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
35. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
36. Your children get only one childhood.
37. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
38. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
39. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
40. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
41. The best is yet to come.
42. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
43. Yield.
44. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.


God bless yall, see ya in a few weeks at NIRA and the US10K!

The long day.....

This has been a long day.. first thing this morning, around 9:15 I watched as once again, we were denied the Olympics... denied the chance to win an Olympic medal in the sport that i have basically dedicated my life to. I live and breathe inline skating. My job is skating, when i go skating, i feel freedom. When i talk on the phone, its almost always something about skating. Most of my friends are skaters, or involved in skating. When i go on vacation, its to a race. So, needless to say, my life is skating, and family of course.

Now that i have said that, that i absolutely love skating, here is what i think about the decision...

We have been skating for decades, without being in the Olympics, do we NEED to get in to survive? no, we don't. We have proven that every four years that goes by that we don't get in, we still skate. The skaters that are "lifers" will continue to do what we do. I think that we will loose some of the fastest skaters to ice, but that will let a new breed in for a new face of skating. There will still be races, indoor, outdoor, track and road, and we will all still love the fact that we can strap on our boots and go for a skate. I'm still going to build boots for inline skating, and will try to get a small hand(or foot) in the ice market also. Will I go to ice? nah, its too cold for me. I will still enjoy heading to bluegrass where we skate, and do loops to clear my head, and enjoy the outdoor air!

I have said this before, as others have.. Inline skaters are some of the most fit, in shape, and healthiest athletes in the world! We will still strive for the top spot in the greatest sport in the world (ours), and that is being a world champion. A WORLD CHAMPION.. wow.. that is big, seriously, how many of your friends can say they are a world champion? That's a big deal! Even if you will never get to that point, whatever you want in your skating career is still great! a regional champ? that is awsome.. if you win your local league meet? congratulations!!! whatever you can do, is a personal best and that will live with you for the rest of your life.. you strive to be the best you can? That will teach you to be the best in your future job. So, we didn't get in.. again.. oh well... we still have a bunch to skate for!

Now i don't have the answer to "grow" our sport at all.. to be honest, I'm not sure anyone does.. The way that we would eventually get in the Olympics would be to be in the media, TV, movies, papers, etc.... The way to get in the media is to have major sponsors that pour tons of cash into advertising. To get sponsors to see us is to be on TV.. see what I'm getting at here? we are stuck between a rock, and a really hard place. I hope that everyone can work together to build up skating in the public eye, we could use it..

So, we aren't in the Olympics.. eh, whatever.. do i wish we got in? yes, very much so! do i think that we will still continue to do what we do? yep, of course!



Well, I think my wife wants me to get off here, yall get out and tell some people about the greatest sport on earth! Go skate, stay healthy, safe, and God bless ya!!!!!!

ODN is over, IDN is soon, Team is picked!

Well, its been awhile.. a really long while really.. Ive been busy with work, family and alot of injuries this year.. Let me tell you, injuries SUCK! i wont bore y'all and "complain" about all of them, but the latest one is really keeping me down in skating, and just life in general.. it sux tearing a rotator cuff..

So, IDN is right around the corner, like 12 days away? wow.. this year has seriously flown by. It seems like yesterday we were at Greensboro! I hope everyone is ready for Indoor Nationals, and even if you aren't, its gonna be fun anyway, you get to see all your friends that you haven't seen in months... So, if you are getting excited, AWESOME, nervous? don't be! skating is fun, remember that!!!

Outdoor Nat's just finished up, the world team is picked, and i must say, there are ALOT of new faces this year on all the teams, SR women especially. I hope for all the best for the team, and i hope that they will do the US proud!


That brings me to my next thoughts... and i have talked to alot of people about this, some agree, alot don't. Outdoor nationals, what is it? is it simply the time to pick the SR/JR world team? or is it actually a United states Outdoor nationals? why do we put so much emphases on Indoor Nationals(upwards of 800-1000 skaters), but not on Outdoor Nationals(150-175 skaters)? I know that there is more divisions, etc in indoor, but there still should be allot more skaters going to ODN!!! Justin Stelly made the SR world team again this year. He deserved it, he skated awesome for it, he earned it, but he turned the spot down to focus on the 2010 Olympic games in Feb.

Now this is where people don't agree with me... Do it think Stelly would make the SR team more of a force? yes, he has the experience to bring. Do i think it was a bad decision NOT to accept the position? No, i don't.. ODN is just that, a outdoor NATIONAL competition! The world team is just picked there by who does the best overall. Its not called the "World team tryouts", but that is what it is looked at now, simply the event to pick the world team.

I think more coaches need to get there skaters to go to ODN, because that is where you are going to move forward in this sport. being a national champion is awesome, trust me, but being an indoor AND outdoor national champion? that's great!! Plus, if you do well enough, you can earn a spot to represent this country at worlds!!

Corey Gahan (sp) won the 500m on the road of I'm not mistaken. He is a SR world team alternate also. But here is the kicker.. he is already a NATIONAL CHAMPION, and "nationals" has not even happened yet!

To me, going out to ODN, is just like going to IDN. you are trying to be the best against your competition.. if you win, place, or even get a top 10 finish, you can be proud of that... I haven't gone to outdoor nationals in years, as I haven't had the extra money, time off of work, etc, but every year I wish i was out there.. not to "make the team", but just to have a blast skating on a great track, and enjoying the competition... That is what this sport is all about....


Coaches, get your skaters to ODN next year, the sport needs you to..

God Bless all of ya, and see ya in a few weeks!

Spring time

Well, i haven't had a chance to write anything lately, and i have a few things on my mind, but it will have to wait for a few days.. I just have a few min right now.

Its spring! its getting warmer up north, its finally steadily warm here, it was 71 today, and i love it!! I cant skate still due to a pulled groin, but I'm itching to get outside.. i hope everyone had already had there outdoor wheels on a few times, next major race is regionals, but there are a few outdoor races between now and then.. GET TO THEM!!!

I hope i can get skating soon, I'm gonna try tomorrow.. we will see!

Take care, enjoy the warm weather, and skate safe!

God Bless, Jimmy

Sponsership... Then... Now...

Over the past few days this has been brought up a few times on a message board, in person, e-mail, etc.

A long time ago, USAC (now USARS) did not allow skaters to have known sponsors. There were many reasons, and some are seen today. The mid to late 90's were FILLED with sponsorships from all kinds of company's, ranging from product, all the way to paying skaters large amounts of money for a paycheck. Geo/Rollerblade, Hyper, EC Beast, Rollerblade, Terminator, Miller, Labeda, Ultimate,.. I could go on ALL DAY on past sponsors that have thrown in tons of money to athletes. I was lucky enough to see it happen then, but I am also lucky enough to BE a sponsor today. Let me tell you, its ALOT different today, than it was 10-15 years ago.

As everyone knows there just is not as many skaters skating in the US now, less at the races, less at practice, less on the road and trails. Less skaters, means less profit for company's to put back into the athletes. I wish that I could do more for my skaters, but especially now, less people are going to races that means less product is getting sold.

Today's sponsorships in the US (save for a few elite skaters), are product only, and minimal product at that. Gone are the days of getting hotel rooms, plane tickets, perdium, gas money, and more, getting taken care of. Now with the company's making less profit, they cant pay for all of that. Skaters are lucky to get what they can now. Don't get me wrong, some are very grateful for anything that they can receive, but some others i guess saw what it was years ago, and don't understand now..

I wish I could pay for some flights for my skaters, I wish i could take care of all the rooms at hotels, but its different nowadays. Skaters don't get a "paycheck" now, but what they can do is sell product for there sponsor. If you sell product for your sponsor, you could get a kickback for the profit made. If you do your job, perform on the track, and sell product, then you are doing what you need to do for the person/company that is helping you.

I'm not trying to pick on anyone, just wanted to give a little insight to what most "sponsorships" are now.

God bless everyone, and I hope all of you are healthy and skating.

Don't forget to turn your clocks this Saturday night!

Roanoke, skating, disease, and more!

Roanoke, as said by many others, the biggest meet of the year, yep, 430-450ish entries, lots of parents, lots of kids, and even more skaters!! Once we got back home, i thought that it would take me about a day to catch up, sleep, brain, you know, just to get my marbles back. Boy was I wrong! It seems like every year after Roanoke, people get sick, it might be the amount of people in there, it might be the dust that the fans draw in from outside, whatever it it, its NOT fun. I have heard of quite a bit of people that have come down with something this year from VA, I hope that everyone is getting over it and back to skating by now!

The Races...

Could there have been closer, more exciting races? I dunno, but I know there was ALOT of them!!! IT seemed like every division was close this year, from the young kids, all the way up to the "older" divisions. Some of the races were SO exciting to watch, awesome effort by the skater in first all the way to 6-7th place. I was going to throw some names up her that impressed me, but there were so many, it would take me all day, so I will just say this, EVERYONE skated GREAT this year!!!

The Products...

Yea, I'm talking wheels.. I skated on Hypers and loved them. I saw alot of people skating on atoms, they liked them it seemed also. I did hear from some people that the Hypers felt faster, but the atoms were holding the floor a little more. I dunno, but i think that there is a reason that Hypers sold out the first day!!! I'm glad that wheels are back on track, the past year has been a hit and miss, so I'm excited that wheels are not going to hold us back any more!

The Location...

VA, the middle of the east coast, a great place to hold a meet, and it shows! The rink and its owners were more than hospitable, parking was cramped, sitting was cramped, but hey, you cant push out the walls, you get what you have!! The floor was pretty good, except the dust that is a problem every year, the floor held good when it was clean.

Overall, Mary, you did it great again this year! Next is Wichita, then Lawrenceville,GA (another big one you DONT want to miss), and then the 4 races over Easter. Regionals is coming up fast, keep your head straight, and you mind focused for the end of the year!!

I will say this, because this is me, and what i believe, God bless, and may he keep everyone safe!

The delayed blog post...

Well, where do i begin? Welcome back! "as the wheel turns", I think that is what we need to start calling this lovely sport that we are all stuck in! LOL Don't get me wrong, I live, and breathe for skating. Besides my family, this is what i live for... Skating.... I don't think that I would change ONE thing about my life, i do what i love to pay the bills, i see my son whenever i want (even though 24 hrs a day isn't enough), I travel to races, see my friends, and make new friends at the races, and most of all, I skate, and in my opinion God has blessed me to be as good as i am, with very little training.

That brings me to my next point..

Humility... Its a strong word, but not a word that gets brought up enough, or shown enough. I have had my fair share of NOT being humble, i regret EVERY single one of them when i look back. Is it called confident? maybe cocky? just plain good? whatever you call it, at the end of the day, its nothing without being humble. God gave you the ability, he has the right to snatch it right away.

Humble.. "From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Humility, or being humble, is the defining characteristic of an unpretentious and modest person, someone who does not think that he or she is better or more important than others. The opposite of humility is pride"

I try to think that i have learned, by doing, I try to be one of the most sportsmanlike, humble, God-fearing skaters on the floor, and i learned by my parents teaching me(thanks dad, mom!), and by my actions in the past that have embarrassed me by doing stuff i regret.

I skated against someone in Roanoke that got 4th place in our division. He was the only one that placed in both races, but was just off of the podium in 4th. Even still, he was the most cheerful, nicest (as he is always), and was just what you want a champion to be, win, lose, DQ, fall, no matter what,.. still humble.. Nick, Keep doing what you do.. You are a champ in my eyes!

I have read alot of stuff over the past few days, some of what floored me, some didn't surprise me, some i was just appalled by. I won nationals this past year (yes in the old classic division), but i will be the first to admit that God helped me, a little natural ability, and the love for skating had alot to do with it. I try to be the best on the floor, off the floor, and to the kids that i can possibly be, and i know that if got cocky, confident, whatever, people would start to "hate" on me, and rightfully so. One of the thinks that i read was that to be a champion, you have to think you are a champion, and i agree with that, but it goes back to what the little wiki dictionary said..defining characteristic of an unpretentious and modest person, someone who does not think that he or she is better or more important than others.

As a national champ even I know i can get beat, heck, i did in Greensboro. But i know that with my accomplishments, comes alot of responsibility, and alot of kids looking up to myself, and others. If humility means you are weak, because you don't think of yourself better than others, then please, call me weak next time you see me, it would be a compliment.

A Roanoke review will be next.. (yea, another one) LOL

Until them, God bless, and PLEASE, stay humble, for the next generation of skaters!!!