ISI competitions

[Logan3]

We are exploring to switching to ISI. How are their competitions? Do you think they are "true" to a recreational level? Any info will be great, thanks!

[Petlover]

I mostly skate in ISI competitions since they are half the cost of USFSA competitions here in Florida. Both ISI and USFSA have their good points. One thing I really like a lot about ISI is the Interpretative program, where you hear the music 3 times before you skate to it, you have to make up a program between the first time you hear it in warmup and when you skate to it, you cannot watch the skaters who go before you, and you can't have a coach. It's one of those events you either love or hate, but if you enjoy quick choreography, it's really fun!

[AshBugg44]

As a coach, I greatly prefer ISI for the "basic skills" level students. It is much more encouraging than USFS. There are many more event options, enabling kids to try many different things. I would say about the FS 5 level, when kids get an axel, then it's good to switch to USFS, but I will not have any of my students do USFS basic skills competitions.

[SynchroSk8r114]

I prefer USFSA competitions, which is what I competed before becoming a coach. Ironically, my students compete ISI (even though they skate USFSA), which has both its ups and downs. For starts, ISI is much more relaxed than USFSA competitions - every child is made to feel special via ribbons and medals awarded through 6th place because the competition level groups are relatively small. Like AshBugg44 mentioned, ISI is good for skaters just starting out, because it offers Tots - Delta in addition to freestyle levels. ISI also offers some interesting events that USFSA competitions do not offer, such as Interpretive/Dramatic/Light Entertainment Spotlights, Family Spotlights, etc.

On the down side, ISI does not foster the competitveness that is necessary in the figure skating world. Perhaps "competitveness" is not the right word - I meant something more along the lines of helping to develop a tougher skin, which helps skaters in every aspect of this harsh skating world - from testing to competitions to putting up with crap from parents and other skaters. USFSA is nice because it encourages you to constantly push yourself to become a better, stronger skater (like when you have skaters landing axels at the Pre-Preliminary level). This is the exact reason why my students' parents refuse to put their kids in USFSA competitions - they know they'd get creamed. It's nice that the parents want to protect their child, but they are not always doing the most beneficial thing by leaving them unexposed to the competitive nature of sport. It's not always going to be rainbows and butterflies if you don't skate well - you must work hard to have success - no one's going to hand you a ribbon because well, "you tried." ISI really fosters that "can-do" attitude and produces higher self-esteem for younger/beginning skaters.

ISI also has a reputation for being a bit of a beauty pagent on ice. Regardless of whether the skater can actually skate, parents doll their children up do much that the cuteness factor plays a large role, especially sicne many of the judges are also ISI members themselves (i.e., coaches!). With USFSA competitions, you are guaranteed that a skater is going to be judged by educated judges/referees/officials, and not just another coach who took a 50 question, multiple choice, open-book test. While some parents and skaters may complain about USFSA judging, it's a heck of a lot more solid in regards to what judges are looking for and the standards that skaters must skate. I'm not saying this doesn't happen at USFSA competitions, but I've judged on ISI panels where other judges miss a move by not paying attention, miscount rotations on spins, incorrectly identify a jump, etc. It's quite scary actually...

So, ISI and USFSA competitions both have their ups and downs...I would say that it depends on the skater, the skater's ability/personality (can they handle true competition?), and overall goals. If a child wants to compete for fun and fun alone, ISI is the way to go. But if he or she desires to ever make it to Regionals, Nationals, and so on, they definitely should take the USFSA competition track. It may be tough, but it's soooo worth the experience of getting a true taste of figure skating's "real world."

[CanAmSk8ter]

Up until about the Freestyle 4 level (in both programs) I consider ISI and USFS to be very similar and about equal. But ISI competitions, even at the higher levels, bear little resemblance to competitive skating. Remember, ISI is about "participation, not elimination,"- they want everyone to have fun and feel good about themselves, while the goal of a USFS competition is to name the three best skaters in each group. (USFS Basic Skills competitions are more similar to ISI, in that generally everyone gets a medal and the goal is to get dressed up and have fun). The overall goal of USFS is to promote figure skating as widely as possible and ultimately to produce skaters who will be successful in international competition. Obviously the vast majority of Skate With U.S. skaters will never get to this level, but USFS's goal is to produce the best possible skaters; the fact that thousands of other skaters will train, test, and compete within their organization is a bonus since those skaters often continue to be members of USFS long after they're done skating, especially if they go on to become coaches, judges, club board members, etc.

The main difference between ISI and USFS after Freestyle 4 or 5 is that ISI continues to limit a skater's program to elements in that level, while this (presuming the skater has tested pre-pre) is where the sandbagging starts in USFS. As a coach I'm curious to see my skater's reaction to what his/her competitors are doing, particularly if my skater didn't place. Obviously, a skater who aspires to be competitive (Regionals/Sectionals/etc.) is going to have to get used to the idea of competing and focusing on his/her performance, since you can never count on placing where you'd like to. This takes some practice for a lot of kids, which is why I like to see aspiring competitors doing USFS events sooner rather than later.

As a general rule, I think the idea of trying your best and hoping for the best is a better life lesson for kids than the idea of, well, even if I skate badly, I'll come in third and get a medal. I have no problem giving everyone a medal in Basic Skills, or even in Freestyle for the younger skaters, but the fact of the matter is that losing is part of life. If three people run for senior class president in high school, two of them are going to lose. If 3,000 students apply for 1,000 slots at a certain college, 2,000 of them aren't going to get in. If there are 10 candidates for a certain job opening, nine of the candidates won't get the job. Skating- or any sport- is a great way to teach kids about winning and losing and sportsmanship, but it doesn't work if no one ever loses!

[sarahmom3]

. I have no problem giving everyone a medal in Basic Skills, or even in Freestyle for the younger skaters, but the fact of the matter is that losing is part of life. Skating- or any sport- is a great way to teach kids about winning and losing and sportsmanship, but it doesn't work if no one ever loses!

We only skate isi. My dd is a FS 7 level and competes at FS6. Last competition out of 5 skaters she places 3rd, even though she got a medal, she does realize she lost. So she doesn't buy into the "no one ever loses in isi" idea. They still lose, and it's still a good lesson to have.

[luckeylasvegas]

My DD has only skated in ISI so far also. I will agree that from what I have seen that the skill level of the skaters in USFSA seems to be much better although here the sand bagging is rampant. But she still loves to compete , knows that just like in USFSA that judging is subjective and to be happy with the way she skated regardless if she gets a medal or not. Her coach is her toughest judge of all so a "good job" from him is worth more to her than any first place trophy on her shelf. We are considering doing her first USFSA competition this year and then we'll see if she has what it takes or if she should just stay with the ISI competitons