Silver MITF test details

[Frumpy]

Sorry it has taken me this long to give you all details about my Silver MITF test last Thursday. (I’ve been trying to play catch-up at work since the test and competition last week…):frus:

In a nutshell…I was a little nervous when I took the ice, but my the judges really liked my 8-step mohawk sequence and my back cross strokes, which was good because my coach and I were a little concerned about how those would turn out.

I had to redo the RFO to LBI 3-turns because I apparently touched down on the last LBI-3 (although I really don't remember doing it). But, they passed me. I was SO RELIEVED. I was actually pretty calm, up until I took the ice for the test. My coach (and apparently the judges) thought I did better than I thought I did...so that's good.

Here are the details. The passing average for Silver MITF is 2.7, passing total is 16.2:

8-Step Mohawk sequence: This move went OK for me. My pattern was fairly circular, was larger than the center hockey circle to the blue lines, and was at least even-tempo ( although I don’t know how “marching beat” it actually was). My coach and I worked a lot on strong “marching” arms and curving the Mohawk to keep it from being too scratchy.
Judge #1: (2.7) CCW-OK, CW-OK
Judge #2: (2.8) CCW-OK quickness, flow good. CW- Mohawk good. Good cadence.
Judge #3: (2.7) CCW-good cadence. CW-same.

Forward & Backward Cross Strokes: My forward xstrokes have been consistently smooth and easy in practice. No problem there. Chest up, chin up…yadda, yadda. My coach and I had to really work on the backward xstrokes a lot, though. I tend to break at the waist forward, and they get toe-picky and choppy – and rushing it turning them into cross steps. So, we worked at LEANING BACK and “riding” the edge, taking my time on each stroke. For the test, I tried to build up good speed around the corner, and tried to think “calm” on each back stroke. I guess it worked.
#1: (2.8) Fwd-nice cross strokes, Bk-strong-nice edge control
#2: (2.7) Fwd-should be cross strokes, not crossovers (Wha?! My coach thought that maybe I held the inside edge too long for the judge’s liking.) :?? Bk-good!
#3: (2.7) Fwd-good stroking with even power, Bk-same

FO-BI 3-Turns In the Field: Here’s where things got a little dicey. The LFO-RBI 3’s were fine. I was hanging on to the RFO-LBI 3’s, and the last LBI-3 was very yucky. I thought I hung on to it, but apparently not. Had to redo that side – AND MADE THE SAME MISTAKE AGAIN on the last 3, but not as bad. :oops:
#1: (2.5/2.7) LFO-RBI – well done. RFO-LBI – left foot weaker than right – Touchdown
#2: (2.7-Redo) LF0-RBI – OK edges, Check OK. RFO-LBI – slight subcurve out –Touchdown
#3: (2.7) LFO-RBI – good placement of turns. RFO-LBI – BI strikes not always on the true edge, reskate-good

FI-BO 3-Turns: These were better.
#1: (2.7) OK.
#2: (2.7) RFI-LBO – OK. Check & Edge. LFI-RBO – edges fair.
#3: (2.7) RFI-LBO – three placement good. LFI-RBI – strikes good.

Forward L & R Spirals: I’m not entirely sure why these are on a Silver test and not Bronze or Pre-Bronze. That being said, I was VERY happy to have these on my test…Go at it with some speed and stretch like you would in a program.
#1: (2.8) Solid
#2: (2.8) L-good extensions, R-good position
#3: (2.8) Excellent positions

Fwd & Back Power Pulls: I like doing the back ones, although I do need to watch that crazy free-leg. My forward ones are a little weaker than the back ones. My coach and I focused on counting 1-2-3, 1-2-3 for each pull to make sure that I give it a second to get a nice deep edge. Again, I tried to build up a little speed around the corners without being obvious about it.
#1: (2.7) Fwd – weak power. Bk – OK
#2: (2.7) Fwd – OK. Bk – OK. Ripping!
#3: (2.8) Good flow.

So, there you have it. Our strategy was to “wow” the judges with my spirals and power pulls to make up for my weak BI-3’s.

I hope that helps everyone with their Silver moves! Good Luck! :lol:

[Debbie S]

Thanks, Frumpy! I've just started working on these moves and they all (well, except for the spirals) seem very daunting.

2 questions:

1. It sounds like your 8-step circle was pretty big - do you mean that the "sides" went past the blue lines on either side?

2. I know this is hard to describe in writing, but how much extension do you get on your spirals? I would love to be able to get extra credit on this move. Maybe you could describe the extension in terms of your free leg angle?

Congrats again on a great test!

[Frumpy]

I "aim" for the blue line on my circle at the top and bottom of my pattern, where the mohawks are placed, to make sure that it is bigger than the hockey circle. If the rink is shaped like a rectangle, the blue lines are the ones on either side of the hockey circle extending across the short ends of the rectangle. (In my rink it is the lines toward the Zamboni and snack bar, not the penalty box and the bleachers.) Does that make sense?

If I hold each edge of the pattern, while keeping an even pace (not necessarily fast), then it is easier to get a larger circle and gives the pattern more "flow". I think the quickness of the cadence comes with practice, but concentrate on an EVEN count with smooth steps first.

My free foot on my spirals are slightly above my hip, I'm going to guess about 110-degree angle. I'm certianly no Sasha Cohen, but I do maintain a strong back, with my head and chest up. I think what is just as important is some speed going into the spirals - gives the impression of sure edges and flow.

[flying~camel]

I've only worked on these sort of half-a$$ed, but if I end up taking lessons from the coach I'm planning on (my current coach is moving out of state next week), I'm sure we'll start working on these for real.

[newskaker5]

I have a question about testing/ passing average. Do all judges need to give you above the 2.7 to pass? Or does it need to average out to 2.7 or more (ex. if judge1 gave a 2.6 and judge #2 gave a 2.8 would you pass?).

Thanks - I am new to this ;)

[Ellyn]

I have a question about testing/ passing average. Do all judges need to give you above the 2.7 to pass? Or does it need to average out to 2.7 or more (ex. if judge1 gave a 2.6 and judge #2 gave a 2.8 would you pass?).

The total for each judge needs to average out to 2.7 for you to pass the whole test by that judge. There are six moves on the silver test, so a judge needs to give you a total of 16.2 to pass you. That could be because s/he gives you 2.7 for two moves, 2.6 for two, and 2.8 for two, for example.

Then you need at least two of the three judges to pass you for the test as a whole to pass.

[doubletoe]

Congratulations, Frumpy!!! Good job!!!! :D

[Frumpy]

Thanks! I am really glad that it's over. :D

(now I get to work on the axel...again...:frus: )

[Debbie S]

You know, I just noticed something - each judge had you marked above the passing average on 2 moves. I wonder why they asked for a reskate, since even if they wanted to take 2 tenths off the problem move, it still would have been a passing test. I always assumed the judges only asked for a reskate if it could make the difference between passing or failing. :??

[sk8er1964]

Never mind. I can't count.

[newskaker5]

Thanks! That clears that up :)

[Frumpy]

I wonder why they asked for a reskate, since even if they wanted to take 2 tenths off the problem move, it still would have been a passing test. :??

I wondered the same thing...

I believe that there may have been a little miscommunication between the judges during the test,. The one judge told me to redo that side of the 3-turns - and I quickly skated off to go do it and tell my coach what he wanted redone. Then they started talking to each other again, the same judge asked me if I was going to practice it again, I said "no, I'm just going to do it", and I just went ahead and redid the 3-turns anyway. (I really just wanted to get them over with.) :oops:

So, I think that either they wanted to see it again since I touched down and that move would have had less than a 2.7, even though I probably would have passed based on the other moves, or the one judge didn't realize that the others had given me passing scores. :roll:

Otherwise, it's a mystery to me.

[mikawendy]

Hmmm, that is odd. But it is interesting--the section in the 05-06 USFS rule book is vague on *why* a reskate of an element in a moves test, though they specify *how* reskates are to be requested:

TR 23.01 At the completion of any test and before any other test is conducted, the judge-in-charge shall ask the other two (2) judges individually if they wish any element reskated before they turn in their judging sheets. Should the judges wish a reskate, they shall indicate to the judge-in-charge what they wish to be reskated. This shall be done privately without conference....

It would follow that a judge requesting a reskate would have awarded total marks lower than the passing total but high enough that an element reskated well would be enough to increase the total to passing total or higher. But it's interesting that the rule book doesn't specify this.

And it's possible in your case that one judge had made a math error in his or her head and was thinking that the marks he or she had initially awarded were not high enough for passing total....

Anyhow, congratulations!!!!!!!!

[techskater]

A touchdown is sometimes considered a serious error and a need for a reskate of at least that part of the move is required, even if the rest of the test is passing in the same way if you fell on a certain move in the middle of it (not on the very finish-I saw someone pass when they finished the move with the gliding outside edge and slammed into the boards and went down). They must have thought the touchdown was to keep you from falling since the following link :

http://www.sk8stuff.com/f_rules/mif_errors_and_reskates.htm

[Hannahclear]

Thanks for all the details and congrats on passing!

May I ask you how long this test took you to master and how often you skate?

[Frumpy]

I passed my bronze moves in March 2005 and we started my Silver MITF about a month after that. I kind of stopped and started with them, depending on if there was competition coming up, Christmas travel, etc.

So, I'm going to say about 9 months, give or take. I really worked on them intensively the last 4 months.

I try to skate 4-5 times a week for about 45 min to 1.5 hours a day, depending on the afternoon freestyle schedule at our rink. (I'm lucky that I work about 2 miles from our rink, and they usually have sessions after 4pm.) I have a 30-45 min lesson once a week.

[Debbie S]

A touchdown is sometimes considered a serious error and a need for a reskate of at least that part of the move is required, even if the rest of the test is passing in the same way if you fell on a certain move in the middle of it That's interesting - I've seen and heard about several tests where the skater fell but passed anyway w/o a reskate (however, these were all either Pre-Prelim or Pre-Bronze MIF, so perhaps at that level, there is more leeway), and I saw a Prelim MIF test recently where the girl touched her free foot down at the line on the alt 3's (and in the process came to a complete stop) and was marked a tenth below for that move, but was marked a tenth above on another move and passed w/o a reskate. But maybe for the lower-level tests, judges are less strict about required reskates.