Go to a pattern contest. You will learn a lot from that experience and I'll bet you meet a lot of very helpful people. I practiced and practiced and when I went to my first meet I found out everything that I was doing wrong and how to correct it...not that it instantly made me better but now my practice is much better.

My $.02

BTW - I fly Sportsman this year and I'm quite sure I'll be flying it for most of next year. Flying straight lines and making round loops is a lot harder than it seems.