PSA BA test prep?

[Lsk8]

I'm getting ready to take the PSA Basic Accreditation test. I'd appreciate any preparation hints. I did get the study guide, but what else should I review. I was thinking about using some of their online courses, but after looking at a posting about some of those courses I get the impression it may be a waste of money. (I have don the group teaching course and it was not impressive).

Specifically, what type of basic skating questions do they ask? That is the part that worries me. I am an adult skater, have passed silver moves, but just bronze freestyle. So far I teach beginners (adult level 1-3, basic skills up to level 5)

thanks in advance for your help--Linda

[RachelSk8er]

I took it 3 yrs ago and from what I remember, the guide pretty much covers it all. It's all pretty much common sense. I think just having bronze free you're fine, it doesn't get too terribly specific in terms of freestyle because it is taken by people coaching in every discipline (dance, freestyle, synchro, etc)--the only free experience I had when I took it was the pre-pre free test that I had taken as a kid. Just knowing the takeoff foot and edge for each jump should be more than enough (i.e. for a right handed jumper, a flip takes off on a left back inside edge whereas a lutz takes off on a left back outside edge), but I don't think it even asked stuff like that.

One thing I do remember is that there were questions with diagrams of ice tracings...i.e. which of these diagrams is a correct 3-turn, which is a correct mohawk (I don't think it got as specific as counters or rockers).

If you go on to other exams after this, the sports medicine exams (which you need before you can do the oral exam for each level) go straight from the study guides, too, they were pretty easy (did the first two).

I can't speak for oral exams for all disciplines but the synchro ones were actually kind of fun and not terribly stressfuul (I have the first two)...my panel consisted of coahes I already knew through conferences and networking, and they didn't really ask anything too off the wall.

[Isk8NYC]

Good thing I wrote my notes down because I really don't remember now.

We had compared notes about this exam and the preparation a while ago.

http://www.skatingforums.com/showthread.php?t=20205&highlight=psa+exam

[Isk8NYC]

The one thing that really was a pain was identifying tracings. There were no diagrams in the study guide, but I HAD reviewed my ISI/USFSA manuals for all the turns. (You only needed Three Turns and Mohawks, IIRC.)

The problem is that PSA uses different "sketches" than the ISI and the USFSA.

For example, a three turn is usually drawn like this:

http://www.sk8stuff.com/f_recog/images/three_c.gif


The PSA draws it with no point - just two lines that curve towards each other but don't meet. Their reasoning is that you aren't supposed to use the toepick, that close examination of the 3T tracing shows that you roll up and switch edges as you change direction. The lines DON'T meet.

They explained this using a whiteboard right before before the exam. It unsettled me because I then started worrying about what else could be on that test that wasn't in the study guide.

check out that thread and you'll see a few other notes.

[sk8lady]

The one thing that really was a pain was identifying tracings.

For example, a three turn is usually drawn like this:

http://www.sk8stuff.com/f_recog/images/three_c.gif


The PSA draws it with no point - just two lines that curve towards each other but don't meet. Their reasoning is that you aren't supposed to use the toepick, that close examination of the 3T tracing shows that you roll up and switch edges as you change direction. The lines DON'T meet.



I got this right on the BA as it was multiple choice--but then got it again on my orals, where they wanted me to describe a 3 on the ice and then draw it, and I drew it the way every other one I've ever seen looks--like a 3 with a point in the middle. I assume that's why it's called a 3. The examiners went NUTS. I think they almost didn't pass me because of it. They drew one for me afterwards with the space inbetween. So I went back and did a bunch of 3 turns after and they all have a point. Then I had my coach do one. Her first one had a point and then she did another one that she said didn't have a point, but you know, my eyes are so crap these days I couldn't tell!
My coach says this was a big deal when everyone did figures.

[Isk8NYC]

If it's on the tests and it's a big deal to PSA ratings judges, why keep it a secret? Is this the PSA's version of a secret handshake for "elite members only"?

I'm only half-joking and I'm certainly not expecting answers from here.
Maybe it is to separate people who've been "groomed" by PSA master coaches from the riff-raff like me. I hadn't thought of that before.

Since it's not the standard illustrations - the ISU, USFSA and ISI all use the PSA-unapproved version - then it should be communicated to all their members, and it absolutely should be addressed in the study guide.