When do you talk with your coach about testing, etc

[newskaker5]

I just started skating at the end of March. I am pretty much through the Delta moves and working Freestyle 1. I know Im not ready to test yet, but I also want my coach to know Im interested. When is a good time to have a conversation about this with a coach? I dont want to bring it up too soon where he thinks Im rushing ahead or anything either. Any advice?

[Terri C]

Do let your coach know that you are interested in testing, so lessons can be geared towards the elements on the test, with emphasis on passing technique.
Now when to take the test is a different story. I know I've tried Bronze moves this past spring and got a retry, but I want to ensure that the next time out is a passing one, with no questions asked.

[jazzpants]

I would talk to your coach and tell him that you're interested so he can gear your lesson towards testing. As for when you're ready to test, that's really up to you and your coach once you've decided to test. ;) There's also the factor of whether you want to test USFSA or ISI too, of course...

[Rusty Blades]

Funny but this has been a recent issue between my coach and I. I started re-learning in January. In March, I mentioned I wanted to shoot for Nationals next year and she laughed. This month, I said I am GOING and will change coaches if I have to. She has decided that if I am THIS stubborn, she will suport me - LOL!! 8O :mrgreen: (Of course we are both adults and she has come to recognize how "driven" I am, which makes it all possible!)

Express interest early in words and demonstrate your determination by working your a@@ off on the ice and it will all come together. It is the people who say they are going to skate in the Olympics in 4 years and are only willing to skate a couple of hours a week who inspire doubts - LOL!!

[NickiT]

I've always waited for my coach to suggest I go for my next test. Same for my daughter. I hate those pushy mothers who dictate to the coaches that their little ones should go for a test. At the end of the day it's the coach's job to train the skater to the right level and they are better at judging whether a skater is ready to test or not.

Nicki

[Mrs Redboots]

I've always waited for my coach to suggest I go for my next test. Same for my daughter. I hate those pushy mothers who dictate to the coaches that their little ones should go for a test. At the end of the day it's the coach's job to train the skater to the right level and they are better at judging whether a skater is ready to test or not. And, of course, here the coach has to sign our test papers, so we can't test without our coach's knowledge and consent.

Having said that, of course, I find that, while the kids are expected to test regularly as a matter of course, we adults do need to tell our coaches that we'd like to work towards our next test. Or not - I do want to pass level 4 compulsory dances, but have no idea of testing level 5 for a long time, as if I did, I'd have to compete up a level, and I'm not ready for that yet. Anyway, it won't happen - it will take more years than I probably have left as a competitive adult skater to get my Foxtrot testable!

[kateskate]

And, of course, here the coach has to sign our test papers, so we can't test without our coach's knowledge and consent.

Having said that, of course, I find that, while the kids are expected to test regularly as a matter of course, we adults do need to tell our coaches that we'd like to work towards our next test. Or not - I do want to pass level 4 compulsory dances, but have no idea of testing level 5 for a long time, as if I did, I'd have to compete up a level, and I'm not ready for that yet. Anyway, it won't happen - it will take more years than I probably have left as a competitive adult skater to get my Foxtrot testable!

And they are changing the dance tests in January. Level 5 will be 14step and willow waltz, level 6 will be European waltz and foxtrot and Level 7 will be American waltz and 22 step

So I asked my coach if i can try level 6 before it changes as I don't want to do the foxtrot AGAIN! And that way I also avoid the European waltz (but get the American waltz which I hear is evil!)

[Mrs Redboots]

And they are changing the dance tests in January. Level 5 will be 14step and willow waltz, level 6 will be European waltz and foxtrot and Level 7 will be American waltz and 22 stepWhat has happened to my favourite Prelim Waltz, or have they dropped it completely? Also, do you have a link to the new test requirements?

I don't know what it is with the Willow; when they first introduced it to the test system, it was what's now level 4 (I think it was called something like Elementary 2, or something), and then it went to level 6, and now.....

I don't plan to test higher than level 4 at the moment, but I do want to test it, although it would be silly to do so just yet, and I definitely want to get my level 3 Dance Moves before the system changes!

[mintypoppet]

I just started skating at the end of March. I am pretty much through the Delta moves and working Freestyle 1. I know Im not ready to test yet, but I also want my coach to know Im interested. When is a good time to have a conversation about this with a coach? I dont want to bring it up too soon where he thinks Im rushing ahead or anything either. Any advice?

Well, I managed to do this this morning. My coach always asks me what I want to do in the lesson, so today I told her I'd like to provide some direction: I want to pass my Passport (the end of basic skills - I guess that's like your Delta level?), and then start working on the NISA test levels.

She then became terribly excited and started talking about competing, and ensuring that I don't take tests that mean I have to compete up a level, as she isn't sure how adult competitions work. Then she came back down to earth and started helping me with my toe loop :roll: :lol:

[kateskate]

What has happened to my favourite Prelim Waltz, or have they dropped it completely? Also, do you have a link to the new test requirements?



Looks like the prelim waltz is gone. Funnily enough when I was practising for my level 5 last winter my free skating teacher saw me doing the prelim waltz and asked me what test I was doing. She was very confused. She thought the prelim waltz was at level 1 or 2 or something and couldn't understand why I was practising it. (She doesn't teach dance but knows her stuff - she has taught dance in the past and her daughter was very high level ice dancer - she's just not familiar with new test systems). She thought it was a very easy dance for level 5. I'm not sure it is easy!

As for the link, if you go to the NISA website and click on the link to previous bulletins (should be on the first page) and click on bulletin 23 and the new test stuff is on there. New dances are towards the end of the document.

I can't find a list of the moves for the new field moves tests which is a shame as I would like one! (Having said that I can't find a list of the current ones!) I've seen the dvd though. They are all a lot harder I think.

[Mrs Redboots]

Looks like the prelim waltz is gone. Funnily enough when I was practising for my level 5 last winter my free skating teacher saw me doing the prelim waltz and asked me what test I was doing. She was very confused. She thought the prelim waltz was at level 1 or 2 or something and couldn't understand why I was practising it. (She doesn't teach dance but knows her stuff - she has taught dance in the past and her daughter was very high level ice dancer - she's just not familiar with new test systems). She thought it was a very easy dance for level 5. I'm not sure it is easy! Well, way back when it was in the then 2nd dance test, which was called Prelim, along with the Canasta Tango and a solo Prelim Foxtrot. If you'd got your Prelim, you were credited with today's level 4 or 5, forget which. Think it must have been 5, though, because people who got their old Prelim have to skate at Intermediate (Under Level 7), which is why you get people in there who aren't as competitive as some.

The old Prelim was judged a lot less harshly than today's level 5, mind - it was mostly the chasses they wanted to see you do, not the 3-turns - you could get round any-old-how as long as you didn't get out of time. I mean, you had to do 3-turns, and on one foot, but they didn't have to be beautiful!

I'm actually glad I wasn't quite ready to do Prelim when the system changed - I'm only just about competitive at Elementary, never mind at Intermediate!


As for the link, if you go to the NISA website and click on the link to previous bulletins (should be on the first page) and click on bulletin 23 and the new test stuff is on there. New dances are towards the end of the document.

I can't find a list of the moves for the new field moves tests which is a shame as I would like one! (Having said that I can't find a list of the current ones!) I've seen the dvd though. They are all a lot harder I think.Massively harder! Hence why I'm trying so hard to get my level 3 moves before it changes. Thanks for the link.

[kateskate]

Massively harder! Hence why I'm trying so hard to get my level 3 moves before it changes. Thanks for the link.

Yes - I'm going to try (emphasis on try) to get my bronze before the change so I can be credited with level 6.

I guess I could try and get 4, 5 and 6 dance moves instead but I think it will end up costing more. Don't even know what level 6 dance moves are actually. I did work on level 4 about a year ago before I changed dance teachers but haven't worked on test dance moves officially since.

Hopefully you can get your level 3. I think that means you get to avoid the forward outside change feet back inside and forward inside change feet back outside threes. I remember thinking they were incredibly hard for level 3!

[newskaker5]

Im hoping my coach gets as excited as well. I just am not sure if I bring it up too soon (Im like at the level of a very bad freestyle 1 haha) I dont want to look like Im pushy or one of those people who thinks they are better than they are (cause I know Im not good yet). He seems to think Im making great progress when I ask how Im progressing - so thats a positive sign. But I was thinking of maybe discussing this next week. I got the MIF videos and Im excited because I can do almost all the pre-pre and some pre moves so Im close to at least learning all the pre-bronze moves so hopefully he'll be excited at the idea too :)8O

[mintypoppet]

Im hoping my coach gets as excited as well. I just am not sure if I bring it up too soon (Im like at the level of a very bad freestyle 1 haha) I dont want to look like Im pushy or one of those people who thinks they are better than they are (cause I know Im not good yet).

I'm sure he will be! If you were *telling* him that you're ready to test, that would be pushy, but it can't hurt to say that it's your eventual aim :D

I just wanted to add some structure to my lessons. Now, my coach knows that I'm serious about improving, rather than just playing around on the ice, so she's trying to improve my speed and technique and get my current elements up to a passable standard.

[Skate@Delaware]

I talked to my coach about testing last year when I hired her. After some give and take and restructuring of my goals into realistic attainable objects; we re-visit them every so often.

Now that I will be having ice in a month, it's time for me to re-visit my goals for the upcoming year and look over the ones I've achieved the past year (hence the training journal...just a quick look over the past year and I can see what was on track and what was missed).

I have long and short term goals. Sometimes my short term goals run week to week (or even for the session!). For a goal (or goals) to be successful, they must be: reasonable, realistic, and obtainable. I know it isn't realistic for me to think, as a relatively new skater at 44 years of age, that i can make the Olympics. I'm aiming for other competitions instead. :D

[Mrs Redboots]

Hopefully you can get your level 3. I think that means you get to avoid the forward outside change feet back inside and forward inside change feet back outside threes. I remember thinking they were incredibly hard for level 3!They're the ones that our American friends will know as "3s in the Field" in their standard test track. That is certainly one of the reasons - I could probably do them eventually, but not soon. I do plan to work on them once I've passed level 3; at the moment my coach is making me work on the level 2 BI swing rolls. But what I'm almost sure I wouldn't be able to do is the spiral sequence.....

[mikawendy]

Im hoping my coach gets as excited as well. I just am not sure if I bring it up too soon (Im like at the level of a very bad freestyle 1 haha) I dont want to look like Im pushy or one of those people who thinks they are better than they are (cause I know Im not good yet). He seems to think Im making great progress when I ask how Im progressing - so thats a positive sign. But I was thinking of maybe discussing this next week. I got the MIF videos and Im excited because I can do almost all the pre-pre and some pre moves so Im close to at least learning all the pre-bronze moves so hopefully he'll be excited at the idea too :)8O

I don't think there's any harm in telling your coach you are interested in taking tests eventually. It won't be "too soon" because everyone starts somewhere, and if your goal is to test, as another poster has said, I think, this will help your coach know what your goals are. This will help your coach also think of things that you can work on now that will help build the foundation for the elements of the tests you will eventually take. This can help bring focus to your training. I always think of it as useful for student and coach to have some discussion of goals. After all, you are paying for a service.

Also, it helps to have that open communication in general for the times in which one is working with a coach whose teaching approach or philosophy may not be fully in line with one's goals. (I'm not saying that's your situation, just saying it's good in general to have open communication with one's coach.)