How Much Is Your Figure Skating Club Membership?

In the United States, it’s figure skating club membership season again. I’m not sure how other countries or associations do it, but United States Figure Skating Association’s annual membership lasts from July 1 of one year until June 30 of the next. Many clubs have increased membership fees, which is usually an unpopular thing. For my current club, it was unavoidable. We wouldn’t have been able to meet our expenses without increasing fees.

Here’s what reader SuperSkater wrote:

How much does everyone pay for a USFS/Club membership? Everyone here at our club is quite unhappy; without any notice our club has decided to increase the membership by $55 – even before this they were the most expensive club in our area!

In our area one club is $80 per year, another is $85, and ours now costs $162 – $182!!! We do skate at another rink once a week and I’m seriously considering joining their club; at $80 it’s looking like quite a good deal!

I’d be interested in others’ input. Do they all belong to the club/rink where they skate the most? Do some of them belong to other Clubs, what are their reasons for belonging to their chosen club? Would also be interested in how much other clubs across the country cost. Input appreciated!!!

I have to say: I like what SuperSkater suggested. If you feel comfortable naming your figure skating club, that’s fine. Otherwise, giving a state or region is good, too. I performed a quick Google search for figure skating club. I clicked around the figure skating club websites in the top ten results and found that each site listed the club’s membership rates. I don’t think you’d be in violation of anything for writing which club charges what, but do what you feel comfortable reporting.

You should also know that in my quick check of Google’s top ten results for figure skating clubs, the membership dues for the adult member and skater ranged from $93 to $260 annually (the $260 could be reduced to just $100 with a 40-hour volunteer commitment. Ah, volunteering. Another fine post to come. ).

Copy this into the comments area (Include the weird HTML. Trust me.)

Figure Skating Club (optional):

State, region, country:

Home club parent member/adult skater fee:

Home club skater fee (usually the kid member):

Total home club membership fees:

Associate club parent member/adult skater fee:

Associate club skater fee:

Total associate club membership fees:

Do you belong to the club where you skate the most?

Are you an associate member at another club? Why?

What reasons do you have for joining your home club?

Other comments:

Do you have a question for Ice Mom or the Advisory Board? Do you have a post you’d like to see? People have been sending me great ideas – keep ‘em coming! I love your e-mails! Drop me a note and let me know what you’re thinking and what you’re concerned about. icemom.diane@gmail.com

Photo credits:
George is Keeping an Eye on You!: peasap on Flickr.com Creative Commons
Pot of Gold: Jeremy Schultz on Flickr.com Creative Commons
$10 and the US Treasury: Ryan McFarland, www.zieak.com, via Flickr.com Creative Commons

http://twitter.com/skating_howto Gigi

Well I just can't fathom over one hundred dollars for club membership?! Seriously!!? What does the club do, provide free daily patches and an annual banquet dinner? Jeez. Wow. I had no idea US clubs were so expensive (I even find 80 dollars steep).

My UK club takes around £30 for the year. There are sessions every saturday which last 2 hours, that you have to pay for ontop of your membership fee to get into (albeit you get a reduced “membership” rate). The session is usually polluted with 35+ people and I never go.

I pay the membership to be able to represent my rink at competitions. That's it.
Jessi

Figure Skating Club (optional): Eastern Iowa FSC

State, region, country: Iowa, Upper Great Lakes (I think- I don't skate qualifying), USA

Home club parent member/adult skater fee: $75 individual, $100 family (2 people)

Home club skater fee (usually the kid member): $8 for addition to the family membership

Total home club membership fees: Nothing additional to the above

Associate club parent member/adult skater fee: $60 individual, $85 family (2 people)

Associate club skater fee: $8 for additional family members

Total associate club membership fees: nothing extra

Do you belong to the club where you skate the most? I only join clubs when I have tests to put out that year (a practice I started when I lost my job…) I was a member of this club, but am not any longer. But no- I didn't skate there almost ever. Only for show rehearsal. I also didn't take lessons from a club coach. My coach is not a USFS member, just a basic skills member.

Are you an associate member at another club? Why? No

What reasons do you have for joining your home club? I wanted a club that had test sessions available more than once a year.

Other comments:
Collegiate home club membership (4 years) $70
Age 60+ home club membership $60
Special Olympics home club membership $30
Jessi

I'll also put in the information for the club I think I'm going to join this year (this is my home rink. They do 1 test session a year, but are apparently planning on doing more- which is why I hadn't joined previously. I'm mostly interested in joining for exhibitions now, since I can't do much else due to injuries.)

Figure Skating Club (optional): Hawkeye Skating Club

State, region, country: Iowa, UGL, USA

Home club parent member/adult skater fee: $75

Home club skater fee (usually the kid member): $25 (noted as “additional family member”

Total home club membership fees: no additional fees

Associate club parent member/adult skater fee: $60

Associate club skater fee: not noted

Total associate club membership fees: no additional fees

Other comments:
First time member fee: $25 (An officer told me this was a first time club member, the website says “LTS special” so I don't know if previous USFS members are eligible or not.)
Senior Skater: $50
College Skater: $40
Special Skater: $0
icebethy

ok
Figure Skating Club (optional):coventry international ice skating club (england)

State, region, country: england

Home club parent member/adult skater fee: £10 per year for any member

Home club skater fee (usually the kid member): same as above

Total home club membership fees: £10 however fee for club lesson lasting an hour at £6 per week

Associate club parent member/adult skater fee: cannot for coventry club but the other rink i skate at which is (£100 for full membership) is £40 for associate

Do you belong to the club where you skate the most? yes

Are you an associate member at another club? Why? no looking at one but its the one at £100 per year may go as an associate however still feel this is a lot for nothing as they have no lessons and in the uk nisa rules mean u can test anywhere even if not a club member

What reasons do you have for joining your home club? club lessons are good value and add fun into skating as get to talk to others and help each other
skatergirl

Figure Skating Club (optional): Red Rose FSC
State, region, country: PA, South Atlantic, USA
Home club parent member/adult skater fee: $55 for the first person in a family, $40 for the second
Home club skater fee (usually the kid member): ditto above.
Total home club membership fees: If you are just one person it's $55 a year. This includes test session discounts (at our club and three others in the area), discount ice, participation in Ice Theater and participation in ice shows.
Associate club COACH fee: $35
Associate club skater fee: $75
Total associate club membership fees: depends if you are a coach or skater wanting to use our ice/test sessions/Ice Theater.
Do you belong to the club where you skate the most? Yes.
Are you an associate member at another club? Why? No.
What reasons do you have for joining your home club? Ice fees – I can buy a punchcard that gets me $8 ice. Also, I test there and sometime am in the shows.
Other comments: Other memberships:
Collegiate: $100 (4 year membership)
Introductory: $40 (first time joining USFS only)
Non Skating Membership: $40
Board of Directors Membership : $15 (for secondary family members that are on the board)
http://icemom.net Ice Mom

State, region, country: Upper Great Lakes

Home club parent member/adult skater fee: $113

Home club skater fee (usually the kid member): $40

Total home club membership fees: $153

Associate club parent member/adult skater fee: $38

Associate club skater fee: $30

Total associate club membership fees: $68

Do you belong to the club where you skate the most? Yes.

Are you an associate member at another club? Why? Yes. It's a struggle to get ice in the winter during hockey season, so Ice Girl needs an associate membership to get enough ice.

What reasons do you have for joining your home club? Flexible ice hours.

Other comments: I'm not sure that I'm going to renew Ice Girl's second club membership. We just don't skate there very much.
niuiceprincess

State, region, country: Chicago western suburbs

Home club parent member/adult skater fee: Parent only: FREE (mandatory parent member for families with at least 1 junior skater). Adult skater: $70

Home club skater fee (usually the kid member): $90 – they call it junior skater

Total home club membership fees: $70 (just me)

Associate club parent member/adult skater fee: doesn't say on our form

Associate club skater fee: $40

Total associate club membership fees: $40

Do you belong to the club where you skate the most? No.

Are you an associate member at another club? Why? No

What reasons do you have for joining your home club? My secondary coach (who team teaches with my primary coach) is a member of this club, and I think she knows the test chairs, etc and she steers her other students to join this club. Interestingly our primary rink is not the home rink of this club. Another club “resides” in our primary rink. But the other rinks for our club is close by my house, I just don't take my lessons there.

Other comments: After looking at all these other club fees I thought ours at $70 isn't bad at all. Also our club offers a Collegiate Member fee for college students at the great rate of $125 for a four year membership (must be enrolled full time in university/college). Wish they had this when I was skating!
guest

Figure Skating Club (optional): Wilmington Skating Club

State, region, country: Wilmington Delaware

Home club parent member/adult skater fee:$160 per family

Home club skater fee (usually the kid member): none

Total home club membership fees: $160

Associate club parent member/adult skater fee:n/a

Associate club skater fee:n/a

Total associate club membership fees:n/a

Do you belong to the club where you skate the most? yes

Are you an associate member at another club? Why? no

What reasons do you have for joining your home club? discounted ice, use of members' locker room, and because we felt membership would make us feel more a part of the rink “community”

Other comments: Our club is one of only a few in the nation that own our own rink. As a result, we've got lots of ice time available for figure skating (limited sale of ice for hockey), but the flip side of that is that the club bears the expenses of running the rink, maintenance, etc.
ChelleDG

State, region, country:Central Iowa, Upper Great Lakes, USA

Home club parent member/adult skater fee: $65 individual adult

Home club skater fee (usually the kid member):2 Family Members $100; $20 for each additional family member

Total home club membership fees:see above

Associate club parent member/adult skater fee:$35

Associate club skater fee:$55 for 2 family members; $20 for each additional family member

Total associate club membership fees:see above

Do you belong to the club where you skate the most?yes

Are you an associate member at another club? Why?no

What reasons do you have for joining your home club?Only club members can contract ice purchased by the club which is offered on a regular schedule and is utilized by most coaches for lessons. Our rink offers figure skaters additional ice time for purchase but the ice time is not offered on a consistent schedule. Club members have the option of participating in more numbers than non-members in the spring ice show.

Other comments: $5 early bird discount. $25 discount for first year family membership. Discounted membership rate for college students – $75 first year; $15 annual renewal.
Beth

Figure Skating Club (optional):Carolinas Figure Skating Club

State, region, country:Charlotte area, NC, USA

Home club parent member/adult skater fee: $115 (includes USFSA membership)

Home club skater fee (usually the kid member):$120 adult plus one skater, $10 ea add'l skater

Total home club membership fees:$130 for me because I have 2 skaters

Associate club parent member/adult skater fee: $50 (must have USFSA & club elsewhere)

Associate club skater fee: same as above

Total associate club membership fees:

Do you belong to the club where you skate the most? yes

Are you an associate member at another club? Why? no

What reasons do you have for joining your home club? ability to participate in USFSA test sessions, volunteer hours = discounted ice time

Other comments: Club offers $65 family membership for first time members (1st yr only)
l8rsk8r

Figure Skating Club (optional): FSCC

State, region, country: Cincinnati OH

Home club parent member/adult skater fee:$25.00 for parent to join (mandatory)/adult $80.00

Home club skater fee (usually the kid member):same as adult $80.00; each additional person is $25.00

Total home club membership fees:$105.00

Associate club parent member/adult skater fee:n/a

Associate club skater fee:n/a

Total associate club membership fees:n/a

Do you belong to the club where you skate the most? My daughter splits her skating time between 3 rinks (2 with clubs) so club ice isn't where she necessarily skates the most.

Are you an associate member at another club? Why?yes, assoc membership is only $20.00 at the other club and we do it because of the testing. Main club does not have testing in the summer but assoc club does.

What reasons do you have for joining your home club?discount for testing

Other comments:best thing about the club is NO mandatory volunteer hours. Club offers an Intro Package for $100.00 which includes 10 hours of ice time as well as membership fees. Collegiate Package is $100.00 for 4 years of membership.
Guest

b>Figure Skating Club (optional): Will talk about the 3 we use

State, region, country: Eastern Mass

Home club parent member/adult skater fee: 200 / 200 / 50

Home club skater fee (usually the kid member): nothing additional for any

Total home club membership fees: 200 / 200 / 50

Associate club parent member/adult skater fee: 100 / na / na

Associate club skater fee: 100 / na / na

Total associate club membership fees: 100 / na / na

Do you belong to the club where you skate the most? yes

Are you an associate member at another club? Why?No because it is not allowed. You are either a full member, you can pay the walk on fee, or you don't even walk in the door for ice or class.

What reasons do you have for joining your home club? Location & skater's friends.

Other comments: Only one of the 3 have mandatory volunteer hours which makes belonging to 3 possible. It does bother me that there is no associate, in this case, non-resident fee when all skater wishes to do is take a higher level class. All that said, add up our fees and it does not come close an area high level club with more volunteer requirements.
Silver Blades

Funny you should ask. I just went club shopping in my area (north of Boston). I have been an individual member of USFSA for the last two years which costs $85/year. The main reason I did this is that I am an adult and have a schedule that shifts from week to week so contracting ice didn't make sense for me. I also managed to skate twice a week on uncrowded public ice for $5/2hrs which is way cheaper than even club member contract ice. Anyway, here are the numbers from the two local clubs I looked into. Note hidden fees and not so “volunteer” hours.

Figure Skating Club (optional): North Shore Figure Skating Club

State, region, country:MA, USA

Home club parent member/adult skater fee:supporting (non skating) member $90/adult skating $200

Home club skater fee (usually the kid member):$300

Total home club membership fees:

Associate club parent member/adult skater fee:(I am taking this to mean non representing member) na/$160

Associate club skater fee:nonrepresenting skater $250

Total associate club membership fees:

Do you belong to the club where you skate the most?No

Are you an associate member at another club? Why?No

What reasons do you have for joining your home club?Reducing expenses

Other comments:
Hidden costs:
3 dinners for judges
$60 case of fudge for mandatory fund raising (and no this isn't the only fundraiser)
Not so volunteer hours:
10 (kids)/ 5 (adults) for regular season or $250 (kids)/$125 (adults)
5 additional if skating in show
5 additional if skating in club sponsored competition
contract ice starts at $13 for fs and $6 for MIF(20min sesion)

Figure Skating Club (optional):Stoneham FSC

State, region, country:MA, USA

Home club parent member/adult skater fee:parent included/adult skating member $85

Home club skater fee (usually the kid member):$200

Total home club membership fees:

Associate club parent member/adult skater fee:parent included/adult skater $85

Associate club skater fee:$200

Total associate club membership fees:

Do you belong to the club where you skate the most?

Are you an associate member at another club? Why?

What reasons do you have for joining your home club?

Other comments:
no hidden costs
Not so volunteer duties:
Sell $100 of advertising in the program if skating in show
Kids (not adult skaters) must do 10 hours of work or pay $100
Contract ice starts at $12 for fs sessions
Denise

I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to answer all of your questions correctly. I do know that we have one of the cheapest club memberships in the area (lucky me). So I will stick with our club.

SC of CNY (Skating Club of Central New York)(optional):

Cicero, NY

All Fees are the same! See Below….

All Fees are the same, see below….

First Family Member is $50. Each additional family member is $25. Skating professional is $50. Full Time college student $120 (3 year membership). First time member is $35. We don't break it down by adults and kids.

Do you belong to the club where you skate the most? Yes!

Are you an associate member at another club? Why? No. Don't see a need. But I do know of others that skate at other clubs but only remain members at our club.

What reasons do you have for joining your home club? Convenience and Cost.

Other comments: Our fees are low but don't expect to get a lot of ice time in. It's a private rink that makes most of it's money from Hockey. We get hours between 4:00 – 8:00 pm during the week. Most of the time we get Fridays but during busy seasons we don't. Never get ice time on the weekends. For most of the kids around here, the hours work great. I have a homeschooler so I would love to have some during the day. Weekends would be nice for when you don't want to cram everything in during the week.

We have one hidden cost. You must provide a $100 deposit at the beginning of the skating year. If you volunteer 10 hours during the year, you will get your check back at the end of the year. (still waiting for mine!!) No real hidden costs outside of this. They ask for donations of food for judges and bake sales during the competitions but that's it.

Club ice is $10 per session or $14 for walk on (aka – non-club member). The only other thing that costs besides all of this is coaching (ranges from $17 for a 20 minute lesson to $40 for a 30 minute lesson). Synchro will cost you more and lessons will cost you more but since you didn't ask for these, I'll leave them out as it's lengthy!
niuiceprincess

whoa…those are EXPENSIVE
Mcatsmith

As a skater at a rink in Northern Colorado, my club's dues are $30.00 for a Basic Skills Skater, $10.00 for a parent of a Basic Skills Skater; $40.00 Test track skater, $10.00 for test track parent.

and Club ice is $5.00 per 45 minutes but i always buy the pass, $51.00 for 12. (4.25 a session)
skating sisters

Figure Skating Club (optional): MI

State, region, country: South east MI

Home club parent member/adult skater fee:

Home club skater fee (usually the kid member):220

Total home club membership fees:220

Associate club parent member/adult skater fee:

Associate club skater fee:65

Total associate club membership fees:

Do you belong to the club where you skate the most?no

Are you an associate member at another club? Why?yes

What reasons do you have for joining your home club?coach recommended and our rink does not have fsc

Other comments: I hate this time of year. When I hear the soccer parents complain about paying the yearly fee, I want to scream. To pay one fee once a year for membership and the season would be a blessing. Their yearly fee is my monthly check to our coach! I just hate the membership fee and paying for my non volunteering. .
Guest

Yes, but typical to what is seen in the more populated New England States.
PrettyBowtie

Figure Skating Club (optional): Icehouse Figure Skating Club
State, region, country: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Home club parent member/adult skater fee: $30 annually, $10 if you're first year Aussie Skate
Home club skater fee (usually the kid member): $30 annually
Total home club membership fees: $30 per year
Associate club parent member/adult skater fee: N/A
Associate club skater fee: N/A
Total associate club membership fees:
Do you belong to the club where you skate the most? Yes. I was invited to join at the club/rink where my coach is, but it's too far to travel and has outdated facilities.
Are you an associate member at another club? Why? No
What reasons do you have for joining your home club? Honestly? Cool jackets, the new adult synchro team, and the Christmas show. I'm not planning to represent my country or anything.
Other comments: My club is only 3 months old, so we're haven't really got a board/volunteer requirements/etc yet.
Isakswings

I forgot to add that my daughter’s club added an introductory membership this year. It is 35.00 for the entire year. That allows the skater to attend club activities and they can represent the club at competitions. It’s a good deal and I probably would have signed my daughter up a year earlier had this membership existed when she was just starting out. I am expecting there to be more new members this year with the introductory membership.
Isakswings

I forgot to add that my daughter's club added an introductory membership this year. It is 35.00 for the entire year. That allows the skater to attend club activities and they can represent the club at competitions. It's a good deal and I probably would have signed my daughter up a year earlier had this membership existed when she was just starting out. I am expecting there to be more new members this year with the introductory membership.
guest

State, region, country:UGL
Home club parent member/adult skater fee Family $120 one parent/one skater. each additional skater same family $25. Individual $90.
FYI USFS receives $40 for first family member (includes Skating Magazine) subsequent family members are $15. Your skating club pays this out of the fees that are collected.
Associate club skater fee:$35
Do you belong to the club where you skate the most?yes
Are you an associate member at another club? yes fee is $60 Why? Synchro team
What reasons do you have for joining your home club? Testing, Social
Other comments:Other places that club fees are spent. Board insurance, State Skating Councils Subsidizing Club Ice and Test Sessions. Often fees charged at club ice and test sessions do not cover the
expense of the event.
guest

State, region, country:UGL
Home club parent member/adult skater fee Family $120 one parent/one skater. each additional skater same family $25. Individual $90.
FYI USFS receives $40 for first family member (includes Skating Magazine) subsequent family members are $15. Your skating club pays this out of the fees that are collected.
Associate club skater fee:$35
Do you belong to the club where you skate the most?yes
Are you an associate member at another club? yes fee is $60 Why? Synchro team
What reasons do you have for joining your home club? Testing, Social
Other comments:Other places that club fees are spent. Board insurance, State Skating Councils Subsidizing Club Ice and Test Sessions. Often fees charged at club ice and test sessions do not cover the
expense of the event.