Utility class tonight

We did run-throughs at utility class tonight, and now I'm really wondering if we're going to be ready for the trials next week! (I think maybe I will lower my expectations.) There was a lot of activity in the building and adjacent rings tonight, which proved to be too much of a distraction for Jackson at times. I had trouble keeping his focus on me for the signals and the directed jumping, so I had to help him out. When I had his attention he did fine on the exercises, but I don't think a judge is going to let me wait 5 minutes until he looks at me :)

He was stressed on the articles too so it took him awhile to work the pile before he picked up the correct articles. The ring stress really takes a toll on his accuracy on pivots. He tends to end up out in front of heel position when he sits. Even though his pivots were not accurate, he did get the correct glove both times we did that exercise. His go-outs were good and the sits were not bad, but again the distractions kept him from focusing on me for the directed jump signal. The moving stand was the high point - he's got that down. Maybe because he is close to me, he doesn't get so stressed about that exercise.

I don't know how else to prepare him for the ring, except to just get out there and do it. The fun matches and run-throughs are really helpful. We have two fun matches this weekend, so we'll just have to see how things go.