I started with a new coach a few months ago. Her name is Pam. She coaches exclusively on the big girl rink, but she was nicer to me when I told her I had almost gotten flattened. The name of the girl who almost killed me is Alice. She is around five years older than me and is the best one on the big girl ice. Everyone is ranked… something I didn’t know before. I see it now, though. Some are better than others, and I quickly learned I am at the bottom of the food chain. All the big girl coaches don’t like each other either. They sit in little boxes and all have their own personal corner to themselves. Coach Debby sat in the very back and was the only one who didn’t glare at me, but watched me with good intent. She only took the highest-level girls on the rink… like Alice. I don’t see them talk to each other, and the other coaches and their girls glare at Coach Pam and her girls. After skating five days a week for a year with Coach Pam, I finally land my double sal. It was the first and last time any of the other girls and coaches were happy for me. They all clapped, and when I got off the ice, my mom was beaming proud. We called my dad on the way home, who pumped my jam for the rest of the week. I started having to leave school just a little early in order to make Coach Pam’s lesson. I was a little bummed because my friends at school stopped talking to me as much. I realized no one could take the joy of this jump away from me… that is, except for the fact that I didn’t land it again for a month.