Your US Figure Skating Basic Skills membership is an introductory membership into U.S. Figure Skating. That membership allows a skater to participate in learn-to-skate activities sponsored by the program and also in Basic Skills competitions.
A parent needs to be aware that there is a different type of membership in U.S. Figure Skating that enables a skater to participate in all U.S. Figure Skating activities and also includes a subscription to SKATING magazine.
The best way to be a part of U.S. Figure Skating is to be a member of a U.S. Figure Skating-affiliated club, in other words. Membership in a USFS figure skating club includes a full membership in U.S. Figure Skating.
You may notice a display or bulletin board at The Schmitz-Maki Arena with information about joining the Tri-County Figure Skating Club (TCFSC), which is the skating club at the Farmington Arena.
Once your child has passed the Basic 4 or higher in the skate school she or he can join the Junior Club and be a FULL member of the U.S. Figure Skating.
Some skating clubs will have monthly or weekly club sessions. Tri-County FSC has ice on Monday nights and Saturday mornings each week at the Farmington Arena from September through March. In the spring and summer months, sessions are generally held at the Lakeville Ames Arena.
Tri-County FSC will hold skating tests occasionally. In order for your child to take skating tests, he or she must be a FULL member of the U.S. Figure Skating.
Farmington Skate School and the City of Farmington sponsor an annual Basic Skills/Test Track competition each year a the end of March, that include the Snowplow Sam skaters to Juvenile/Open Juvenile skaters and all the skaters in between.
Your child began a skating class a couple of years ago and since then has passed several Basic Skills tests and earned badges. You are so proud to see your child make progress and you have even begun to supplement group lessons with private lessons so you child passes the test before class test day.
These tests are a great way for you and your child to see that basic skating skills are being mastered, but you do need to know that U.S. Figure Skating has an entire test structure that is beyond Basic Skills. This test structure will make it possible for your child to be eligible to compete in certain competitions. It is the one that "means something" on a skater's resume.
The first test all skaters entering "advanced" figure skating will take is called the pre-preliminary moves in the field test. This test is described in the U.S. Figure Skating Rulebook and includes stroking, edges, spirals and a move called a Waltz 8. If your child passes this test, he or she will now be eligible to take the pre-preliminary free skating test, which includes a waltz jump, salchow, toe loop, half flip, half lutz and one foot spin.
The pre-preliminary test and the test beyond that are not administered in a casual manner. They are usually taken at official test sessions where the skater may be the only one on the ice surface and is judged by highly qualified judges appointed by U.S. Figure Skating.
The first tests your child takes may not take long to pass and prepare for; however, each child will master the required skills differently. Some skaters may take six months to prepare for a test, while it can take others a year or more.
As time passes and your child progresses through the test structure, the tests get more and more difficult. Be patient. Don't expect him or her to pass every test on the first try.
Most likely your child will begin as a singles skater and so his practice and performing alone. The tests required for singles skating are moves in the field and freestyle tests.
Moves in the field tests must be passed before taking corresponding freestyle or pairs test. For example, the preliminary moves test must be passed before being eligible to take the preliminary free skating test or the preliminary pairs test.
USFS test levels include Pre-Preliminary, Preliminary, Pre-Juvenile, Juvenile, Intermediate, Novice, Junior, and Senior. Olympic-level skaters have passed their Senior Freestyle test.
Figure skating first got its name because of "school figures". Skaters spent hours and hours on the ice each day skating perfect circles on the ice, tracing lines, circles and turns.
Today. figure skaters no longer do figures. Instead, to master positions and edges and turns necessary for figure skating, skaters do moves in the field. Many of the things done in moves in the field tests are similar to what figures were.
The quality expected to pass moved in the field tests is high. Take the time to watch skaters testing at test sessions so you can fully understand what it takes for your child to prepare for a moves in the field test.
Your child should be encouraged to take the time to practice the elements in the moves in the field test they are working on every time they have a practice session. Your will find that your child will be much more interested in jumping and spinning, so one suggestion is that your child practice his or her moves in the field test for at least one-third of their practice session.
The key to "dressing for success" in figure skating is to look nice and neat. Do not allow your child to come to the rink for practice looking messy ot sloppy. If your child is running to the rink directly from school, allow some time to change before skating practice.
Rule of thumb: Form-fitting clothes that stretch are better that tight, restrictive or oversized cloths that restrict movement. An instructor/coach needs to see a skater's body alignment to give proper advice and feedback about technique, so form-fitting clothing that allows for movement is better.
Girls should wear skating dresses and beige-colored tights for practice. Try to keep boots clean and polished, or wear boot covers or over-the-boot tights to protect the boot's finish.
Leggings and leotards have become acceptable for skating practice in recent years, but check with your coach first before allowing your child to wear something different than a skating dress for practice.
A nice sweater or snug sweatshirt can be worn over a skating dress: stay away from baggy "hoodie" sweatshirts. Even if it is very cold in the arena, do not allow your child to practice in a heavy or bulky coat. If possible, stay away from baggy sweatshirts and baggy clothing in general.
Boys should wear black skating pants and a neat, plain-colored, long or short sleeved shirt and a nice sweater.
Gloves or mittens of a plain color are also a good idea.
A girl's hair should be tied back or put up. It is very important that hair be away from the face. If you are in a hurry, it is fine to quickly put your daughter's hair in a ponytail. If her hair is very long, you may want to braid her hair or put it in a bun so that a long ponytail doesn't distract your daughter as she spins and jumps. If your daughter has bangs, make sure they are short, curled and pinned back.