Which level? Help!

[Ceres]

Well I have really set my mind on taking lessons but I am not sure what Basic level I would be in. (I'm almost 12 years old in August for your info. 0.0) Could someone help?

Elements (if you can call them that) I do are:

Forward crossovers, backward swizzle and glide, bunny hop, two foot spin (maximum 5 rotations), one foot spin (maximum 4 rotations..*sob*), snowplow and hockey stop, one foot glide, forward lunge, forward mohawk..

I'm not sure what Basic level I'll be in...What do you think? By the way, I have never taken lessons before (I learned these all by myself) and I got no idea if I should take Basic Skills lessons. But I do love skating! >.<

[Debbie S]

You may want to contact the skating director (or whoever's in charge of group lessons at your rink) and ask them to look at your elements and evaluate your skating. That person would be the best person to tell you what level of lessons to sign up for. It's hard to answer that w/o seeing your skating. Don't be upset if you are placed in a level where you might have to re-learn some things b/c you haven't yet mastered all of the skills in a particular level.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

[Ceres]

Alright, I was just really curious to find out beforehand... 8O

[dbny]

If you're in the US, you seem to be somewhere around Basic 4 or 5. Sometimes a new student will have skills spread across several levels and be missing skills of some of the lower levels. In that case, it's up to the skating director to decide where to place the skater. Often such skaters go into the lowest level and then move up quickly as they aquire the missing skills.

[Casey]

...one foot spin (maximum 4 rotations..*sob*)...
Don't worry, they'll get better before you know it, it just takes practicing them a few thousand times. :)

I used to think I would be a lousy spinner, stuck at a 4-5 rotation barrier for ages, but here I am a year later getting 20-25 (still imperfect form and nowhere near what I'd like, but getting better all the time). As long as you keep working on it nothing can stop you. :D

Best wishes,

[beachbabe]

well, you could just sign up for basic 1 and your instructor is supposed to move you up the first day after they see how everyone is doing.


I don't know really how your rinbk works it, but at my rink the coaches don't really pay attention to what the basic skills outlines are...they just kind of teach what is approximately at your level and move you up accordingly, even when they get to jumps, some coaches teach in a different order, for example, salchow before toeloop or flip before loop. Don't worry, if your group is not huge, your instructor will see your level and move you up.

[dbny]

well, you could just sign up for basic 1 and your instructor is supposed to move you up the first day after they see how everyone is doing.

As a basic skills coach, I beg you not to do that! Please see the skating director and tell her/him what you told us. Every school is different, and in those schools that are not well run, getting a Basic 5 student in your Basic 1 class can mean misery for both the coach and the student. One little private student of mine was kept in Basic 1 almost all season because the skating director placed her by her age, and the teenaged coach was too inexperienced to deal with it. Finally, the mom complained to me, and I got my student into Basic 4, where she belonged.

[beachbabe]

As a basic skills coach, I beg you not to do that! Please see the skating director and tell her/him what you told us. Every school is different, and in those schools that are not well run, getting a Basic 5 student in your Basic 1 class can mean misery for both the coach and the student. One little private student of mine was kept in Basic 1 almost all season because the skating director placed her by her age, and the teenaged coach was too inexperienced to deal with it. Finally, the mom complained to me, and I got my student into Basic 4, where she belonged.


I guess i wasn't aware it was such a problem at other places, cos our groups aren't really crowded at all so the coaches can usually tell when someone needs moving. But if you don't know your own level, how can you place yourself in one?


I mean for the freestyle levels everyone here automatically gets placed in freestyle 1 , and then the coaches decide on the first day who goes where and it has never been a problem. I guess we jsut don't have a big number of kids starting.

[Isk8NYC]

But if you don't know your own level, how can you place yourself in one?That's a good question. For skaters returning to a program after a hiatus, they can refer to their test booklet (USFSA) or their ribbons/achievement certificates/patches (ISI.) If you're coming back to the same rink, the school can look up the last test level for a student. (They might need some time to pull the records.)

I've been lucky to be an instructor in really good lesson programs where the director or an assistant will take the time during the first two weeks to reorganize the groups properly to challenge, but not overwhelm, the students. One of the rinks I've worked at gives each newbie student a quick evaluation and assignment when they join a session after the first lesson.

If you've taken private lessons, your instructor can evaluate your skating and tell you the correct group level to put on your registration form.

Finally, if you're self-taught, your best bet will be to ask to be evaluated. While you may be 'doing' the maneuvers, they may be incorrect or not up to test standards. And as Debbie S pointed out, you may only know how to do some of the elements in each level. You have to master everything before you move up since the basics are your foundation.

Here's the link to the USFSA Basic Skills curriculum. LINK (http://www.usfigureskating.org/Programs.asp?id=120)

[AshBugg44]

At my ice rink we require that you start in Introductory (our first class) if you have never had any lessons. The coach will move the student if they feel they are better suited for a higher level. If you don't want to do this, than we offer that you can do a 15 minute private with a coach to have them evaluate you.

[Ceres]

Thanks guys for the advice! =')

[Ceres]

It's hard to answer that w/o seeing your skating.

Here I just uploaded a video here:

http://www.matmice.com/home/ceresvideos/

[beachbabe]

Here I just uploaded a video here:

http://www.matmice.com/home/ceresvideos/


omg i almost thought you were going into a sitspin there. and i couldn't really tell, but were you going in to that with back crossovers? That seems really good for someone in basic classes. i remember I couldn't spin at all when I started and I really picked up the pace when I got past basics ( i started about your age-ish too). and you actually checked out of the spin properly. Thats amazingly good for someone who has never taken lessons.


And I am so jelous...i'm guessing that was a public sessions and it was so empty8O . I'd love to practice at publics but they are so crowded over here, you can't even work on spins without people hitting you...nvm jumps or heaven forbid doubles. You could slice someone's head open since they have no clue where they are going. You are very blessed to have ice time thats not completely packed.lol :P

[Ceres]

omg i almost thought you were going into a sitspin there. and i couldn't really tell, but were you going in to that with back crossovers? That seems really good for someone in basic classes. i remember I couldn't spin at all when I started and I really picked up the pace when I got past basics ( i started about your age-ish too). and you actually checked out of the spin properly. Thats amazingly good for someone who has never taken lessons.


And I am so jelous...i'm guessing that was a public sessions and it was so empty8O . I'd love to practice at publics but they are so crowded over here, you can't even work on spins without people hitting you...nvm jumps or heaven forbid doubles. You could slice someone's head open since they have no clue where they are going. You are very blessed to have ice time thats not completely packed.lol :P

Thank you so much for the compliments!! That video was taken yesterday actually. I fell like 3 times before that…=0 And yeah it was weird there was like barely anyone… Plus, my dad is the one who taught me how to exit out of the spin. :P :P :P

[Leda]

you seem to be at my level!:P I am in level Gamma but other rinks go by level1,2,3 etc... so yeah.

[Ceres]

you seem to be at my level!:P I am in level Gamma but other rinks go by level1,2,3 etc... so yeah.

Huh? What level is that?