The amplifier., April 01, 2007, Page 6, Image 6

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Featured Local Events, Groups and People
Fast glides to Regional ice dance championship
J oseph M iller
Staff Reporter
Nathaniel Fast, freshman,
first skated because his
mother entered him at the
age of three into
group lessons
at the local rink.
But soon, he
developed an
affection for
the skates and
the ice. He has
continued with
great success.
Fast ice
dances, which is
a specific branch
in the sport of
Figure Skating.
It is literally
like a couple
dancing on the
ice. His recent
accomplishments
in ice dancing
include winning
the Northwest
Regional
Championships
two years in a
the weekends and skated
after school on some days.
He spent the rest of his time
studying for his school work
and his driver's permit,
eating and sleeping.
row in 2005 and
the skates, any additional
training, competition
fees, costs for going to the
competitions, the payment
for staying at hotels for the
competition, and the driving
fees to cap it off.
The person
who feels the
most stress from
this may be Fast's
mother, Barbara.
Barbara puts
as much effort
as Nathaniel
does into his
skating. She
drives Nathaniel
everywhere.
She pays for
everything, and
she feels the
mental stress of
competition.
"Transportation
and the money
are the hardest
things to deal
with. We have
to be at the rink
really early, or
really late, and
for a really long
2006 (making
time," Barbara
Nathaniel Fast, freshman, performs with his partner Heidi
Fast and his
said.
Henderson during a competition in 2005. Fast, who has been
partner the
But she is
skating since he was three, recently won the Northwest
best pair in the
still at the rink
Regional Championship for the second time in two years.
Northwest area),
Photo courtesy of Nathaniel Fast watching when
and a sixth place
Nathaniel skates,
Then
there
were
the
other
finish at Junior Nationals last
and is at every competition
difficulties
that
naturally
November.
to support him. Barbara sets
go
along
with
the
sport
of
However, this success
up the skating times, the
figure skating. Not only is it
came at a price for Fast
lesson times, and makes sure
one
of
the
most
technically,
and his partner, Heidi
physically, and mentally
Henderson, a 13-year-
difficult sports, it is also one
old eighth grader. For the
of the most expensive, and it
six months before both
requires vast amounts of time
competitions, in order to get
K aitlyn R agan
and effort. The costs include
enough ice time, Fast woke
Staff Reporter
the payment for being on the
up at 3:30 a.m. to skate with
ice, the coaching fees (which
No one likes tests. It's
his partner every weekday
can run up to $30 per half-
something most high school
except for Friday from 4:30
hour), equipment (decent
students naturally despise.
to 7:30 a.m. He would then
skates cost roughly around
The Scholastic Assessment
race to get to school on time.
$800), costumes, sharpening
Test will be held throughout
Fast also woke up early on
the spring with various avail­
able dates to sign up to take
it. This information will be
In i» » Irti!
about our country? Is it that
especially helpful to juniors,
continued from page 4
we need deceit and bogus
since many will need the
material to be presented in
scores from this test to send
"The reason why these
order to fulfill our lives and
to colleges in the upcoming
kinds of people watch
dreams? That our interest is
fall.
this show is because they
in the worst of people, and
The SAT Reasoning is a
see ordinary people like
requirement when applying
not the best? If this be the
themselves all of a sudden
truth, than this is morbidly
to most colleges and universi­
be in the center of attention,"
depressing. We put a lot of
ties in the United States.
wrote in
"If a student wants to, he/she
our efforts into this senseless
its studies. All of a sudden,
can take the ACT which is also
ridiculousness while 385
30 million pairs of eyes were
million people go hungry
accepted by all colleges and
on them, and in a matter
universities," Tom Swearin­
in the world (and that's just
of months, they've gained
gen, counselor, said. Most
the beginning). Out of all
popularity, status and power.
students in the Midwestern
the issues in the world, in
They've become superstars,
states take the ACT, whereas
which it takes barely a lift
as fake as they may be. And
those on the east and west
of a finger to fix, we choose
when viewers watch them,
coasts normally take the SAT,
to ignore them all for fake
they begin to believe that
according to Swearingen.
entertainment. No wonder
they can achieve such things
This means that whichever
America is one of the most
too.
jr*
students decide to take, the
hated countries in the world.
So what does this show
Nathaniel receives what he
needs in order to be the best
skater he can be, and in the
end, it is rewarding for her.
Watching him do well
and seeing him smile is what
she said motivates her to get
Nathaniel on the ice.
Then, there is the matter
of dealing with comments
Fast receives about being a
male ice skater. But there are
also fans and supporters who
look up to Fast for his ice
skating. According to Fast,
the hardest part about the
sport besides the early and
long mornings is the drama.
"The drama between
skaters, the parents, setting
up the skating times,
knowing that you're watched
all the time by the judges is
really tough," Fast said.
In the end, the Fasts are
happy to insert all of this
effort into the sport; it all
pays off.
"It was worth it," Fast
said, commenting on the
long and strenuous odyssey
which led to Regionals and
Junior Nationals. "Winning
Regionals was awesome."
The season for figure
skating's coming to a
break ("or more of a calm
point," Fast said), so Fast is
beginning to have more time
to do the other activities he
enjoys. On the weekends,
Fast likes to practice driving
with his mom in parking
lots, in preparation for.
acquiring his license, and
also because he feels the
enjoyment and freedom of
driving. A secondary sport
he also enjoys is basketball,
which he makes time to play
after and during school with
his friends. Fast also loves
listening to music (all kinds
except for classical), watching
TV, playing video games and
skateboarding. But skating is
at the top of his list.
With his hard-working
and dedicated attitude, Fast
is skating to his next season
of growth and success. For
next season, Fast and his
partner plan on taking a
break from competition to
take skating tests required
to compete at higher levels.
Then they hope to return
the season after that in full,
competitive force.
"We're going to try to let
people think we're gone (for
next season), but then come
back with rage and fire," Fast
said.
Fast also said that going^fc
the Olympics would be cool.
After that, Fast has other
career choices in mind. He
would like to become either
a landscape architect or
establish his own business in
dentistry. Whatever path Fast
chooses, he plans to glide
through with the same fire
and dedication that he puts
into skating.
SAT classes, tests prepare students
Idol too fake, going downhill
Psychology Today
scores from one or the other
are mandatory for college ap­
plication.
To sign up for an upcoming
SAT date, register on the Col­
lege Board's web site, www.
collegeboard.com. It might be
a good idea to take it sooner
rather than later because it can
be taken more than once in
hopes of improving scores.
The PS AT on the other hand,
the Preliminary SAT, is avail­
able for all high school students
to take. All students need to do
is sign up at the beginning of
the school year, pay a small fee,
and show up. It always takes
place on the second Saturday
in October, and can be great
practice for the real thing.
"I believe all college bound
students should take the test
(PSAT)," Swearingen said.
The scores and answer sheets
that are mailed show stand­
ings compared to other test
takers, and can be converted
into an estimated SAT score.
Anytime throughout the year,
the original PSAT test booklets
are available in the office for
students to take home and
study.
There are also many class­
es offered in and out of the
school for students to get
practice and helpful testing
tips. Whether they are useful
or worth the money is up to
the student, but they might
be worth looking into.
"Prep classes are listed
on our web site, under the
'Guidance' section. Each
class is strong and works for
students in different ways to
prepare for the SAT," Megan
Runyon, counselor, said.
Prices can range from about
$100 to $350, and there are
various classes that focus on
all or just specific subjects of
the test.
student needs to have
conversations with his/her
counselor to see if a class
would help," Swearingen
said. The last test date before
the end of this school year is
June 2, so be sure to sign h
as soon as possible!
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