Have you ever skated in a Learn to Skate Competition?

[FSWer]

Say,I've heard there are Competitions for Learn to Skate Skaters. So I was wondering if anyone here has ever been in one? If so,please tell about what it's like.

[Mrs Redboots]

I can't speak to what happens in the USA or other countries, but in the UK these are usually "Hop, step and jump" competitions, aka "Step, spin, spiral". They can be offered at a variety of levels, but for those under Level 1 (i.e. still in Skate UK or Passport), skaters tend to be asked to do a 3-jump (waltz jump) or cherry flip (toe loop), a forward spiral (edge not specified) and a basic upright spin. These are usually organised by the local club, on club ice, and you have to be a club member to compete; the judges are normally not qualified, although usually experienced skaters, and it is closed marking - the judges don't announce each skater's marks, but just write them down, and the winners are announced at the end of the competition. Each skater comes out and skates the named element, then goes to the back of the queue while the rest of the entrants skate, then goes out and does the next element, and finally the third.

I found watching the last competition very interesting; you could tell who knew exactly what to do with their body to make a spin happen, and who just did an unchecked 3-turn and hoped for the best!

[Mel On Ice]

I haven't entered a Basic Skills comp in 5 years, and even the one I entered was as a favor to a friend and I only found out it was BS afterwards when I wondered why the fee was so inexpensive.

[techskater]

Never entered but I typically judge one a year.

[luckykid]

ISI has a lot of these competitions right? Like pre-alpha to delta solo, spotlight, jump and spin, etc. But no, I've never joined one.

[blue111moon]

I've been the accountant at lots of US Basic Skills competitions (the accountant is the person who sets up all the paperwork and computes the results, usually on a laptop). US Figure Skating has set rules for those competitions so they're all pretty much the same. The groups are divied by level and age, there are no more than 3 or four kids in a group so everyone gets a medal, and the moves that are allowed are spelled out exactly. The levels go from Snowplow Sam through all the badge levels with compulsory elements and programs with and without music. Basic Skills comps can also include events up to the Preliminary test level. But they're intended to be an introduction to competition with the emphasis on fun and demonstration of mastering skills for your level.

They're fun to account because of that.

[RachelSk8er]

I don't think they had these back in the 80s when I was in LTS, at least not where I live. The lowest level you could compete at was pre-preliminary. I'm pretty sure that if they did, I would have been all about it. I was always that little kid in the LTS class who showed up in cute little skating dresses (my mom/grandma made me tons of them), and was always a show-off and had to do everything better than everyone else or I'd get bored and sneak off to the next class or two higher and try to learn what they were working on. (Are any of you who know me actually surprised by this? Ha ha.)

[Isk8NYC]

I've been to a few LTS Basic Skills competitions that were only for skaters at that rink. That's called an "in-house competition." They kept the competition very simple: no music and programs. Just elements and skills. The Club kept the groups really small so that everyone received a medal.

I helped with getting the kids warmed up/queued up for their events. The hockey circles near one end were coned off for a practice/warmup area. I posted the list of elements for each level and made sure the kids practiced them before they went to skate.

Another coach brought the skaters to the judging area on the ice and guided him/her through each of the elements.

A runner took the judges sheets to an accounting office, where they tallied the scores.

Another runner would post the score sheets with the results for everyone to see.

The Club set up a podium area and every hour, they gave out the medals by event for 1st - 4th place.

[londonicechamp]

Hi

No, I have never been in these competitions before, though my coach did cherograph me a program to work on, when I was in FS 1 and FS 3.

londonicechamp

[flo]

Hi,
I've judged them before and they are really a lot of fun. The skaters really get to show their skills and do very well. I like that the skaters come up right in front of the judges.

[sk8ryellow]

when I was in learn to skate I would to the competitions and they were a blast. I would love to skate and I felt just like "the big girls" and it was a very special time for me!

[Kat12]

As an adult, I wouldn't do it--for many reasons--but I bet they're fun for kids.