Next Steps in Figure Skating Training

This question comes from reader Denise:

I’ve been an ice mom for about 4 1/2 years. DD takes lessons and is now in Freeskate 4. She has a private coach who works with her weekly and now DS is also working with the same coach. He’s in Basic 3. My question is that I basically don’t understand what comes after the lessons. DD has done a couple of Basic Skills competitions and also skated with the Basic Skills Synchro team (it’s a team that you don’t have to try out for, but just pay the fee and skate. They did compete in two competitions).

Could you please explain when a skater starts testing and when they should start doing regular competitions? What is pre-juvenile? What’s next? Okay, too many questions but I just don’t know what’s next.

Great question, Denise! I can only answer this from the perspective of a U.S. Figure Skating member, but I’m hoping that readers in ISI and other figure skating organizations can write from their group’s perspective.

Group lessons. In USFS, most skaters begin in Learn to Skate group lessons, but this isn’t mandatory. Toddlers through age five begin in Snowplow Sam. School-age kids begin in Basic 1 and continue through Basic 8. Learn to Skate programs might also have Free Skate (1-6), Adult lessons, hockey, dance, pairs, synchronized skating, speedskating, theater on ice, and artistry in motion classes. Some programs offer lessons for kids who have special needs, too.

Private coaches. Any skater can have a private coach, even if the skater is still in group lessons. Private coaches help a skater improve his skills, develop programs for competition, and prepare the student for testing. Private coaches coach a student before he gets on the ice at tests and competitions and serves as the family’s guide to figure skating.

Testing. USFS has eight testing levels, plus an adult testing system. The levels are: pre-preliminary, preliminary, pre-juvenile, juvenile, intermediate, novice, junior, and senior. Unofficially, there’s a No Test level, too, which is the level many skaters compete at after Learn to Skate, but before they land their Axel. Skaters test in Moves in the Field, Free Skate, Pairs, and Dance. I can’t speak about Pairs or Dance, but you’re welcome to add your experiences in the comments.

Skaters must complete a Moves in the Field test before testing any Free Skate tests. Some coaches prepare their students for the MiF tests while the student is still in Free Skate classes. Others wait. No idea why. Anyway, Moves in the Field are what USFS developed to replace the figures that skaters used to trace on the ice (Skating Skills in Canada, Field Moves in the U.K.). MiF represent the fundamentals of good skating: edge quality, power, quickness, extension, and posture are what judges look for during Moves tests. If a skater is very close to passing and has done poorly on just one test, the judges might ask the skater to reskate the test. Reskating is a good thing – it means that the judges want to pass the skater and just need to verify this one skill. MiF tests do not affect a skater’s competitive skating level.

---

Today on Ice Coach: Moves in the Field US Figure Skating Rule Change September 2010 – Intermediate and Novice
Today on Ice Mom: Next Steps in Figure Skating Training
Today on SynchroMom: Using Scrip Fundraising for Synchronized Skating Teams

---

Once a figure skater has passed the moves test at a certain level, she is eligible to skate the Free Skate test at that level. For example, if a skater passes the pre-preliminary moves test, she can then take the pre-preliminary Free Skate test. She can’t take the Free Skate test if she earns a retry on the moves test, though. Let’s say Mom signs up skater for the pre-pre moves test and the free skate test, both at the same test session. The skater must pass her moves test (we hope in the morning) in order to take the free skate test. If she doesn’t pass, that’s $40 or so that Mom will never see again. Sorry.

Free Skate tests are much easier than a skater’s competitive level. At pre-preliminary, skaters perform half jumps for the test, but compete with whole jumps in competition. That’s the difference between Test Track and Well Balanced, terms you might have seen on competition forms. Test Track skaters skate in competitions using the same skills that are needed to test into that level. Well Balanced skaters use more difficult skills. For example, you won’t see an Axel at Test Track until Juvenile; although, you’ll see them at Well Balanced at Pre-Preliminary.

The Free Skate test determines a figure skater’s competitive level. Skaters can test as many moves tests as they want without affecting their competitive level. The moves tests just make them better skaters. Ice Girl will be testing her Intermediate moves next month, but she competes at pre-pre.

For more information about test sessions, see my previous post: Ice Mom’s Guide to USFSA Test Sessions.

Competitions. You’ll know your skater’s competitive level by how high she’s tested. Most competitions will let skaters skate up one level, though. If your skater is considering moving up to the next competitive level, her coach might suggest that she try it for one competition to see how she does.

Usually, a coach decides which competitions her students will attend for the year. This isn’t always the case, though. I’ve asked Ice Coach if Ice Girl can skate in a competition in my hometown so Ice Grandma can come watch. Ice Girl hasn’t skated in every competition that Ice Coach has recommended, either.

Non-qualifying competitions. Non-qualifying competitions can be small like a Basic Skills competition, or pretty big, like a club’s multi-day competition. Skaters from all ages and disciplines (singles, pairs, dance, synchro, adult) might attend a non-qualifying competition. These competitions are an opportunity for skaters to receive medals and feedback about how they’re skating.

For lower-level skaters, these competitions give them an opportunity to learn how to compete. It’s good to know how to deal with nerves, mistakes, winning, and losing before they enter qualifying competitions. For higher-level skaters, this is the time to take their programs in front of the judges to find out the program’s strengths and weaknesses before qualifying competitions.

Qualifying competitions. Skaters in pre-juvenile and above can attend Regional qualifying competitions. Pre-juvenile skaters aren’t skating to qualify for anything, but the experience is valuable for them to learn what a Regional competition is like. Skaters who are 13 and over, but at pre-juvenile and juvenile free skate levels, may attend Regionals, but they won’t be qualifying for anything either and will be placed in an Open division. Juvenile and Intermediate skaters can qualify for Junior Nationals. Skaters in Novice, Junior, and Senior levels skate to qualify to move on to Sectionals. Skaters who qualify at Sectionals move on to the National Championship.

There’s way more to this, but that’s the simplistic version. The rules for qualifying for Nationals change for those skaters who skate internationally.

So. What’s next? Really, that’s a good discussion to have with your skater’s coach. You should ask your skater to develop goals for her skating and then sit down with the coach to discuss those goals and how to reach them.You also might want to check out this diagram from USFS: U.S. Figure Skating Pipeline.

Note from Ice Mom: Xan of Xanboni! posted a great companion piece to this post: Suzie’s going to Nationals! I think all she needs to do is skate in 10 ISI competitions, right? It’s a great post about the realities of competition and how to keep your head screwed on straight. I love Xan because she’s a been-there-done-that mom whose own daughter competed at Junior Nationals and is a current ice show skater. Xan is an adult skater, a coach, and someone who will tell it to you straight. Pin that post on the back of your front door. If you ever fear your head might be getting to big to fit through the doorframe because you’re convinced your skater is going to the Olympics after medaling at the Basic Skills competition, read the post. It’s that good.

Well, readers? How did I do? Please feel free to correct me if I have any information incorrect. Let me know if the testing/competitive system is different where you live. I’ve totally left out the adult testing/competing system, too. Are you familiar with the hickory hoedown and the other ice dances? Do you know anything about pairs? Terrific. Please share what you know in the comments!

---

Do you have a question for Ice Mom or the Advisory Board? Great! I tell you: you guys have been just terrific about sending in your questions. Thank you! Do you have an idea for a blog post you’d like to read? Better yet, do you want to write a guest post? Really? You are my new best friend. E-mail me at: icemom.diane@gmail.com

---

Photo Credits:
Amlux Toyota Showroom Ikebukuro: busyPrinting on Flickr.com Creative Commons
Vince: emotionaltoothpaste on Flickr.com Creative Commons
Crash Dummy: lincolnblues on Flickr.com Creative Commons
Ikebukruo, Tokyo: jinn on Flickr.com Creative Commons