Halloween Classic 2009

[LWalsh]

Does anyone know what's going on with this comp? There was a cryptic message on the club's website about the comittee being disbanded and we should stand by for more info. Having chaired competitions myself I would think by now there would at least be an announcement.

Lara

[Skate@Delaware]

I hope they have it this year; if I didn't enter I was going up to watch & cheer on everyone.

[Debbie S]

I just got the following e-mail from Ice Works (looks like they sent it to all past comp entrants):

Hello,

This year the IceWorks Skating Club is excited to announce a new version of the Halloween Classic (an all adult event) combined with the Dance Classic (an all Dance event).

The Halloween Classic has typically attracted those adults interested in Freestyle Skating events. The Dance Classic, which many adults also attend, had been a separate event. This year we have combined these two events into one IceWorks Skating Club Fall Classic. We hope that you will enjoy the format.

We have attached a copy of the announcement and have included a discount to skaters entering 4 or more events. The dates of the Competition are October 22nd through October 25th. A test session will be held as part of the event. The test application can be sent in with the competition application. We look forward to having you and all of your friends participate.

Please join us for a fun new Fall Classic with many added Trophy events as well as a Meet and Greet session with some our Past and Present Olympians.

Thank you
The IceWorks Skating Club


The announcement and entry form is attached but has at least 1 error - the deadline is Feb of 09. :roll:

I'm less than enthused about this. It starts on a Thurs, and it wouldn't surprise me if they scheduled some adult events on Thurs or Fri. They took out MIF events (and one of the reasons I would do this comp is to be able to compete some of the Gold MIF to get practice for the test). Given LWalsh's post above and the fact that the e-mail is from Lisa Shaw, an IceWorks employee, leads me to believe that the club's adult skaters are not involved in the planning or mgmt of the comp. Which means the adults will be an afterthought. I think I'll just wait for NYI, if I do decide to compete at all this year.

[herniated]

I've never gone to the Halloween Classic but since it is during the week I know I can't go to this one either.

[sexyskates]

I received that e mail also, and I'm not enthused about the comp starting on Thursday either. Also, does this mean it will not be an all adult competition? The fact that it's just for the adults is what makes it extra fun.

[Skate@Delaware]

It does say you have to be 21 and older although on the entry page there is a block for a parental signature for those under 18????... not sure why it starts on a Thursday though, most people have to work!

[sexyskates]

Seems as if there will be parents and kid ice dancers. I miss the MITF also.
I will be choreographing a new freestyle program in the fall, so I'm not sure I'll even be ready to compete freestyle by Oct. 22nd. I'm looking at NYI.

[flo]

We'll probably be skipping it this year. We'll be working on our program and want to take our time this year as we were so rushed last year.

[hippo]

As someone who has competed in every Halloween Classic held, I have to say I'm really disappointed that it is no longer an all-adult event. That was the main allure of the competition. I'm not thrilled with the fact that the competition starts on a Thursday. There's no guarantee that they are going to keep all the adult events on Saturday and Sunday. I'm going to have to think about this one long and hard. I don't want to pony up $80 only to find out that I can't compete because my event was scheduled on Thursday or Friday. Seeing what they have done with the Halloween Classic, I can't say that I'm in the mood to give the Ice Works Skating Club an $80 donation.

Having said that, I don't think that the organizers really thought things through. They are combining the Halloween Classic with the Dance Classic which used to be held in March. The Dance Classic was never nearly as successful as the Halloween Classic. In fact, last year, they had to cancel it because they only got 8 entries. Only the dance portion of the Fall Classic is open to kids. Did they actually think they are going to get a ton of kids for it? The dates of the Fall Classic is right in the middle of regionals. Did they seriously think that they would get THAT many more people that warrants extending the competition by 2 days?

[sexyskates]

I have to agree with hippo. I too have attended all of the past Halloween Classic competitions, but do not plan to attend this year for all the reasons mentioned. When the Skating Club of Wilmington mixed their previously all adult competition with a kids comp, there were pushy mothers in the disignated adult locker room hogging the mirrors, and yelling at their crying kids. The adult events were mixed in throughout the day from 9AM -7PM, and I swore never to travel to another mixed competition again.

[patatty]

That's too bad about this competition. I'm taking a break from competing this year, but that competition was one that I was still considering doing, since it is only a 3 hour drive from home. I'm not going to enter it now, because I can't do any events on Thursday or Friday, so I would be out of luck if they scheduled the adult events then. I had such a good time last year, which was my first year doing it. It's a shame they changed the format now.

[LWalsh]

I was afraid something like this was happening. What a shame that they messed with the format so much that now it seems that what was previously a terrific competition is going to suffer. I'm not sure that I will do this one given the removal of the MITF which was one of my favorites along with the date possibly falling during the work week. It does fall right during Regionals which this year is in Hackensack, so I may opt to go watch that instead.

lwalsh

[Terri C]

I only competed in one Halloween Classic, that being the inaugural one in 2004. However, I saw enough issues that first year (one ladies locker room, c'mon!) that made me question coming back. Then two years later they tried to have their own WBP requirements for Pre Bronze FS that were in no way consistent with the rulebook , so I then decided to stay home and work on my Bronze moves test. Last year, I saw that the Bronze FS event was like 2pm on a Sunday afternoon, which for adults like myself, really need to be on the road home at that time.
I've done mixed competitions before and I'm doing one at the end of September.... I usually don't have a problem with them. I see it as the best of both worlds... I can cheer for the kids I skate with on a regular basis and see some of my adult skating buddies at the same time.
But with events starting on Thursday at this one, nope I'll sit this out. See everyone at NYI in January!

[scarecrow]

Hi,
I am a member of Iceworks and also was a member of the Adult Committee that organized the previous two Halloween Classics. Unfortunately, the Iceworks Board of Directors shut us out of an important board meeting where they took control of this competition from us. I found this out by reading the minutes of their meeting. I would have attended, but there was no posting of when the meeting was. There is now no Adult skater representative on their board. They have little understanding of what Adult skaters require. For instance, one board member asked me why we needed so many medals, I had to explain the age category breakdowns. They also don't seem to understand that there was a reason we held the competition on the weekend. They cannot guarantee for the new competition that all adult events will wind up on the weekend. I work full-time myself and will skip this competition because I cannot get this guarantee. The Dance classic was a competition that received limited entrants in the Winter and was not held. I was surprised to see it resurrected in the fall, perhaps it will do better. I am sad, but not defeated. There is a market for Adult Competitions, this I am sure.

[sexyskates]

Well, scarecrow, if they bring back the old Halloween Classic next year, I will be sure to come!

[stacyf419]

I definitely won't be doing it - not going to be able to take off work if my events aren't scheduled on a weekend, I LOVE doing the moves in the field event and am really ticked that they're removing them, and the adults only atmosphere was incredibly cool. Oh well. Maybe travel to another one? There's always NYI and Carolina Classic/Easterns...
:cry:

[LWalsh]

What a shame.:cry: I really liked this competition because I could drive there and didn't have the added expense of hotels. I loved the MITF events as well!

[sexyskates]

I really loved it too. But it's not worth taking two days off from work and staying 3 nights in a hotel, if it's not going to have that all adult comraderie.

[pairman2]

A note of clarification about the schedule has been posted on the website home page

[scarecrow]

Well, what do ya know. Someone listened! :halo:

[stacyf419]

I guess I'll be doing this after all! (Even though I'll still miss moves in the field:x...) Looking forward to it.

[pairman2]

I made an inquiry as to whether IJS might be extended to freeskate events. It is being looked into. Nothing definite yet. The 'paper' IJS procedure is being used for dance.

[flo]

Poor form for the club board to exclude the adult club members form the planning. If I have a choice to go to a mixed event or all adult event, I will go to the all adult event. I've been to too many mixed events where the adults were an after thought or the events were not conducted to address the needs and difference between the groups. I like practicing with some of the kids, but I prefer the competition events separate. And once having the kid and adult pairs event mixed was enough!

[hippo]

A note of clarification about the schedule has been posted on the website home page

A word of caution: If it's not in the official announcement, it's not guaranteed. I learned that the hard way too.

A few years back, a friend of mine was told that if there were at least two adults entered a Compulsory Moves event that didn't include adult test track levels, we would be given our own group. So, my friend and I promptly signed up for the event. We were in for a big surprise when we saw our names mixed in with 6 other kids! We asked the ref about it, and that's when we were told that they go by what's in the announcement. We even had an e-mail to prove what was told to us, but no dice. It's the chief referee that sets the schedule and not the competition organizer. There is a chance that the chief ref would honor the clarification on the website and schedule the adult events on the weekend for the Fall Classic. However, it's still perfectly legitimate that they don't too.

[scarecrow]

Hippo, my poor friend asks beforehand that if there are no guys for him to compete against that they not put him with the Women. But time and time again he winds up with the Women. It doesn't matter who guarantees this, the ref sets the groups.

[rlichtefeld]

Hippo, my poor friend asks beforehand that if there are no guys for him to compete against that they not put him with the Women. But time and time again he winds up with the Women. It doesn't matter who guarantees this, the ref sets the groups.

It depends on the ref and competition organizer. When this happens at the Peach Classic, I contact the man and ask if he wants to 1) skate up (if possible), 2) skate with the ladies, 3) skate by himself (will probably warm up with the ladies), 4) get a refund.

Rob

[singerskates]

Too bad that they are changing your competition on your without your input. But here in Canada there are very few and maybe only one competition each year that is an all adult skating event; Skate Canada Adult Championships. It's sad that you lost that all adult event but at least you have competitons in which you can compete in the fall as an adult. The only way we Canucks (at least in my area: Sun Parlour Region, Western Ontario Section, Skate Canada) can compete in the fall is if we travel across the Atlantic or go compete in the USA. Our first competition of the skating year is in January and it is in corporated with kids for the most part. But there is one thing we are guaranteed is that we won't be competing against kids unless we enter not as an adult skater. See, we have StarSkate (kids to 24 mostly) and Adult StarSkate (25+). We have the Competitive route too but no real adult category adult skater would compete in that because we'd be slaughtered. Once you choose to compete StarSkate in one competition though you have to stick it out for the year. Same with Adult StarSkate. They won't allow you to swing back and forth between StarSkate and Adult StarSkate. Hence no mixing of kid and adult skaters unless the adult signs up as a kid skater.

I'd say that my adult skater buddies in the USA are so blessed to have the adult only skating competitions that they do have and blessed to have competitions to which they can compete in the fall.

Count your blessings.

[scarecrow]

I've never been to the Peach Classic. I have to get there sometime. I've heard good things about it. That's nice that you give people a choice. :halo:

[rlichtefeld]

I've never been to the Peach Classic. I have to get there sometime. I've heard good things about it. That's nice that you give people a choice. :halo:

Being a male skater myself, I try to make things work for they guys out there. Some years we have tons of guys, and some years, like this year, we have only a few.

You can see the results and schedule for this year's event at:
http://www.gafsc.org/peachclassic

You need to come to the Peach. We do have a great time.

Rob

[stacyf419]

Resurrecting this.

I'm registered - anyone else?
I'm doing pb compulsory & free, interp & maneuver team.

I am extremely nervous, as my free is a new program and I am about 3 years away from being ready for it. 8O

[scarecrow]

I am skipping this year. I was waiting to hear if the Ref would allow the paper IJS for Gold and above, but I've seen nothing posted on the Iceworks website. I think this would entice people to come. I've never seen paper IJS in action ,but I assume it adds on considerable time to the event. The President of Iceworks said the Ref was against paper IJS for all adult events perhaps because of this reason. IJS is needed for the competitive dance events because this is the standard judging for them and wouldn't be worth their time to enter and be judged with the 6.0 system.