My 7 year old daughter just started skating and is in an ISI pre alpha class. I am wondering how long skaters usually spend in the various levels. Will she take several classes in each level before she can progress to the next, or do skaters usually move up after each class ? How much practice time should she have outside of class ?

Thanks for your input.

Mark

Most rinks do lessons in sets of six to eight once-a-week classes, with the kids being evaluated on the last day of the session. This is when the instructors decide who's ready to move up to the next level for the next set of classes. For Pre-Alpha, generally six to eight weeks is sufficient for skaters to move from one level to the next. Alpha and Beta are slightly harder (for Alpha, a lot depends on whether the instructor insists on the crossovers being done correctly without toe pushing, which they should but some don't) and I personally wouldn't expect Gamma or Delta to necessarily be passed in one session. It depends on the skater of course, and also the rink. Some rinks would rather pass a kid who really shouldn't be moving up than insist that they repeat a level and risk having them get discouraged and quit or go to another rink. Other rinks insist that skaters be able to do the elements and do them to a reasonably high standard before they may go to the next level.

At Pre-Alpha, I would suggest that your skater be practicing once a week outside of her lessons. I wouldn't put her on a freestyle session yet- hopefully your rink wouldn't allow that anyway, mine does and it's truly scary- but bring her to public skate once between classes. Obviously she won't "practice" the entire time, but as long as she goes through what she needs work on, letting her have time to enjoy skating is the best thing for right now.

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Shae-Lynn and Victor: We knew you were champions, and on 3/28/03 the whole WORLD found out! Thank you for twelve wonderful years!

Skating is an incredibly individual skill. There is no way to predict how long a skater may take to progress to any given level. In my own classes and private lessons I have three year olds who progress steadily with new skills learned or current ones refined every week, and others who take months at the same skills. There are kids who are naturally very talented but who are not interested or focussed enough to become accomplished skaters, while there are others with no special talent who get there through desire and hard work. Almost anyone can become a good skater, but not everyone wants to.

I second CanAmSk8ter's suggestion of practice (just take her to a public session) once a week in addition to her lesson. If your daughter is wild about skating, and you can afford it, then more is better, of course.

The important thing, IMO, is that a child enjoy skating and enjoy the lessons. Then whatever she/he is capable of will become apparant as time goes by.

Spoken as both a coach and the mother of skaters.

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ITA

I had one young lad in my Sam 2 class for four series of lessons. He made slow but methodical progress. You should see the terrific form and speed he has now. Nothing like a good foundation in the basics.

This might be a good time for you to help and encourage your daughter to start a notebook of the elements she is learning. After each class, she should write down what she learned new allowing her to refer to her notes when she goes for practice time.

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Many go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. - Henry David Thoreau

I agree, its real hard to pick a time frame for advancement.All kids are different. I know we have some skaters here who stay in low levels for a long time.My dd went from pre a last march to passing fs one but she skates daily.
Practice really makes a huge difference, but some kids dont want to.keep it fun!!!

Also remember that the higher the class level, the harder the skills get. So while most kids may go through pre-alpha in one session, it's less likely they'll get through gamma in the same amount of time. The harder skills also take more practice, so the higher they get, the more practice time they'll need.

Pre-Alpha requires the kids to master these skills:

2-foot glide (distance equal to skater's height)1-foot glide (distance equal to skater's height, R&L)Forward swizzle (3 in-out; distance equal to skater's height)Backward wiggle (4 zig-zags; distance equal to skater's height)Backward swizzle (3 in-out; distance equal to skater's height)


If your daughter has good balance, can shift her weight easily from foot to foot, and bends her knees when she does the maneuvers, she'll probably pass Pre-Alpha in one session. (Depends also on the teacher/coach's idea of "Passing" and how well your daughter skates on "Test" day.)

But, each kid is different, and the amount of time they PRACTICE these maneuvers in addition to their lesson time will help them master it sooner. Some kids have natural balance and ability, others are terrified to lift their feet off the ice. Kids often go to the public sessions and hang out talking or just skate around with no form. It's not enough to just go to the session -- they have to actually practice the maneuvers.


Be aware that registrations often drive the classes offerred. If no one signs up for Alpha, your daughter might pass Pre-Alpha, but end up next session in a combined Pre-Alpha/Alpha class. I know parents that have signed the kids up for two lessons a week, or combined a group lesson with a short private lesson. These are mainly people who don't skate themselves and can't "supervise" the child.

But, don't rush her: they really do have to master the basics before they move up or the students develop poor control and form. It's much easier to learn it properly at first than it is to "undo" bad habits and form.

Welcome to the Board and the Wonderful World of Skating. Hope your daughter loves it as much as we do!

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Just curious - is this from the ISI rulebook? My kids are in pre-alpha right now, and the required skills at our rink are:
one foot glide (count of six)
forward stroking (alternating feet, count of 3)
snow plow stop (right or left)
forward swizzles (min 10 w/o stopping)
dip (count of 8)
back wiggle (says width of rink!)
forward pumps on circle, both right and left (min 10 each direction)

Alpha is almost the same, with:
one foot glide
forward stroking
snow plow stop
backward swizzles
forward crossovers
back pumps

Anyone have a current ISI rulebook?

yes and I think so. will check in the am but pretty certain that is what is says.
Some coaches pass kids fast.My kids coach doesnt.Big difference with knowing how to do it, and doing it well enough. The steps needed are used for skating.. ie the dip in tots works into the shoot the duck in gama which helps with the sitspin in fs 4.

I've taught at a couple of rinks that added their own elements to the learn-to-skate requirements. I'm pretty sure the rink where I took learn-to-skate did too. If you look at the requirements for each badge, they're pretty bare-bones; I think the kids who do some "extra" stuff along the way are much better prepared for Freestyle, especially if they're not in private lessons.

Also, some things just plain get skipped- for example, in ISI Beta, the back crossovers are done with both feet picking up. Nowhere, last I knew, are back crossovers taught the "real" way, yet can anyone imagine passing a kid through the Freestyle levels not knowing how to do back crossovers the right way? It's not as if they'd pass a moves in the field test picking up both feet.

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Shae-Lynn and Victor: We knew you were champions, and on 3/28/03 the whole WORLD found out! Thank you for twelve wonderful years!

ISI teaches back crossovers by picking up the crossing foot specifically to insure that the skater can get on a BO edge and hold it. I don't like that method either, but there are some kids it works for. If you watch the elite skaters, there is sometimes a little pick up just as the foot comes in to cross over, which I think makes for a faster transfer of weight.

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This IS from the current rulebook -- the lower-test elements haven't been changed in years and years. (Any member can order a rulebook.)

Skating schools often break up tests into different levels. Sometimes, they do this to allow students to pass in 1 or 2 sessions, thereby allowing the student to "progress" while still learning. They also add "next level" preparations, so that when the student moves up, they're prepared to learn the new elements faster. In addition, you may see an instructor "repeat" earlier elements if he/she sees a need to re-teach before proceeding. Again, every kid is different. Sometimes, you'll have a student doing perfect edges for example. Next session, they buy new boots and the skill becomes a struggle. Then, you reteach because many skills are foundations for higher-level maneuvers.

I remember those nasty "lift your foot" crossovers. You're right: they're really not useful as crossovers, but they're great for edges and knee bends!

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I asked my coach about this in my lesson today, and she said it is strictly a matter of style, and is primarily Russian. I think that unless one is exceptionally smooth, it just looks clunky, and that goes for some of the elite skaters too (after watching Europeans this weekend).

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