Adult MIF and FS testing

[flying~camel]

I am 24 yrs old. I just skated in my first competition in 6 yrs and had to do Pre-Prelim. After this experience, I am REALLY eager to start competing amongst the adult ranks (no offense to the younger skaters, but its really weird when most of your competitors are around 10 yrs younger than you are!)

Anyway, my question is will I be able to test in the adult levels before I turn 25, or does the USFSA require you to be "of age" in order to test as well as compete? Also, my coach isn't sure, but thinks that I won't have to test Pre-Bronze MIF/FS because I've passed Prelim MIF and Pre-Prelim FS - is this true? I know they recently changed the rules on this, and figured that someone on here would be able to straighten this out! :)

Thanks!
Jen :)

[Clarice]

I don't have my rule book right here, and am too lazy to go find it right now, but I'm fairly sure that you do need to be 25 in order to take adult tests. And, yes, you will have to begin with the Pre-Bronze tests regardless of the standard tests you have already passed. They are two separate test tracks. As I understand it, at this time, the only crossover is at the end of the adult test structure - once you pass your Gold tests, you can pick up the standard track at Intermediate.

[sk8er1964]

Ok - this is from the 2002-2003 book:

TR 19.02

A. To qualify for any adult moves in the field test, the candidate must be twenty-five (25) years of age or older and must have passed the preceeding moves in the field test.

So, you can't test adult track until you are 25.

As far as being able to skip adult tests, I didn't see anything specific to that in the rules (I'm sure it's in there somewhere), but I was told by the adult chair that I had to take all the USFSA adult tests even though I was required to skate at Gold level per the rules based on my ISI test level as a kid. (To which I replied - wait a minute - you are requiring me to skate at this level because of what I did as a kid, but are also requiring me to test the adult tests anyway? What if I don't pass - I'd never be able to compete? The answer was, basically, yes, unless I got to a level where I could skate up in competitions that allow it, but not ANs. That could be a real bummer for somebody coming back at, say, 50 who is required to skate Gold but can no longer do an axel.)

Anyway, I'd suggest you email your adult section chair to ask that question. Their emails are available on the USFSA website under Programs, Adult.

[skaternum]

USFSA will not allow you to take Adult tests until you're 25.

There is no grandfathering from the standard tests into Adult tests. In other words, you are required to begin testing at Pre-Bronze MITF and take ALL the adult tests to get to whatever level you have to compete at. So if the Adult Nationals competition requirements require you to skate Gold because of your standard track freestyle level, you must take:

Pre-Bronze MITF
Pre-Bronze FS
Bronze MITF
Bronze FS
Silver MITF
Silver FS
Gold MITF
Gold FS

It's not ideal, but them's the rules!

The only exception is if your standard track FS test level is high enough (Intermediate), then you skate Masters when you turn 25 and you don't even take the Adult tests!