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ranks, and make sure that the judges were still focused on her blossoming talent. But she admits she started this year with lowered expectaâ€" tions. After all, the first year in any jump to a higher level usuâ€" ally means starting over at the beginning, while trying to capâ€" ture the attention of the right After a string of successes last year, culminating in the silâ€" ver medal at the Canadian Junior Nationals in the Novice Ladies single competition, the member of the Kâ€"W Skating Club proved that she belonged with Canada‘s best upâ€"andâ€" coming skaters. So the challenge this year was to carty that momentum into her jump into the junior Waterloo‘s Erin Scherrer is looking to continue her strong skating at the Canadian Championships terloos Erin Scherâ€" Wer has learned the art of making an impression. Skater makes an impression wEVE movED "You‘re no longer the top of (next to Swiss Chalet) Phone 886â€"2830 Fax 886â€"9383 sales@waterloochronicle.ca _ editorial@waterloochronicle.ca By Bos VrBana Chrorucle Staff But as other skaters faltered Scherrer rose to the challenge. "It was a very big surprise but I‘ll take it," said Scherrer, who has thrived under the pressure of big competitions the last two years. "We didn‘t want that success to stop, the barrel, you‘re at the bottom of it again," said the 16â€"yearâ€" old St. David‘s student." one else who‘s there has either been there for a while and are "We didn‘t go to win we just wanted to place in the top group." said Scherrer‘s coach Kim Biddiscombe, who has guided Erin since she was eight yearsold. "We wanted to be in the top 12." "You start out as a nobody." But that won‘t be the case for Scherrer as she takes part in her first Bank of Montreal Canadian Championships in Edmonton starting next week as a Junior competitor Not after she won the West em Challenge in earty Decem P has moved its office to > = 279 Weber St. N. (upper Level, unit 20) Waterlo0, N2J 3H8 WATERLOO CHRONICLE "But I‘m going to take it as a positive that people are watchâ€" ing, not as a negative that I have to perform." And Scherrer laughed that she also has a plan to handle that pressure, and it includes a typical teenage pastime â€" shopping. You can‘t go wrong with the West Edmonton Mail nearby. "It will help distract And despite the big splash she‘s alreacy made in her jump to Junior, she is keeping both her skates planted to the ice. "It‘s hasn‘t changed our game plan, or our training," said Biddiscombe. "We were just looking for exposure." when you get there. but we thought of it as a build But the win comes with some expectations. "Now it‘s very different." said Scherrer about the presâ€" sure that comes with the win. "It‘s definitety a lot more presâ€" sure now because you‘re the kid they‘re going to watch SPORTS Servi "My conditioning has improved along with my techniques." But maybe they should have put the holidays off for a while after taking a possible five of six points in their final three games of 2003 to reclaim third spot in the Midâ€"Western Junior B hockey standings. The only blemish on what would have been a brighter Christmas was a 4â€"3 overtime loss to the Kitchener Dutchâ€" And although the 20â€"yearâ€"old Bluevale grad returned home in November, he brought a lot back with him from his judo journey. "The best of the best trains there, and you can‘t get any better training in Canada. If you want to improve your judo training you have to go there." men Dec. 23. The Siskins‘ Richard Weiler punishes a Kitchener puck carrier But the Siskins showed _ ing the tying goal with 1:19 to _ positive for us in the new year," signs of their former seives durâ€" _ go in the game. said Siskins‘ head coach Dave ing that game, including scorâ€" "I think it‘s going to be very _ Officer. Zettl tests his mettle aterloo‘s Andy Zettl‘s Olympic Wdleams took him to the site of the 1967 summer games in Montreal. A member of the new Kaizen Judo Club in town, founded by his father Bob, he moved to Montreal in July to be closer to the Canadian National Judo team training cenâ€" He trained in the former Olympic city four or five times a week picking up the nuances of the sport from the athletes trainâ€" ing for the 2004 Summer Games in Athens, Greece. "I was training under Sensai Nakamura, the Canadian National team coach, and learned a lot from him." said Zettl. "I also learned a lot from just being there and trainâ€" ing with the best of the best. _ _Zettl, a bronze medallist at last year‘s Canadian Nationals, has already seen an improvement in his abilities. "I placed at the Quebec Open (Novem:â€" ber) and picked up some national team points there," said Zettl. "I‘ve really improved my ground fighting, and overall become a stronger and smarter competitor. The physical training that Olympic hopeâ€" fuls go through also made an impression on Zett "I learned what I had to do to be successâ€" ful," he said. "I have to train harder, longer the Siskins reeting W:1m the injury bug, they couldn‘t wait for the Christmas break to come Siskins get back on track By Bos Vrmanx Chrorucie Staff By Bos VeBanac Chronicle Staff Andy Zett! returned from a recent stint at the Canadian National Judo team training centre and with bigger guys. With Senior nationals being held at Conâ€" estoga College May 8â€"9, 2004, Zettl said he hopes to put on a show for the home crowd. "My birthday‘s May 7 so I‘m looking to earn myself a big birthday present," he said. "That‘s the only way you‘re going to get better."