To save money, our synchro team will be coached by one of the team skaters who is a high level Canadian ice dancer and synchro competitor.
We expect to compete at sectionals.

Can you help us estimate the cost to purchase the required memberships and insurance for her? Is there anything that we have to look out for?

Thanks!
Helen

PSA: Membership can run as high as $120.00 for full membership ("refers to all ice skaters 18 years & older, who teach more than 5 hours per week and are interested in the general advancement of the profession and to Program Directors who are employed by a rink or club to direct skating programs") or $75.00 for associate membership ("refers to an ice show skater, a coach not currently teaching who has been a member of the PSA for the previous 5 consecutive years (application for transfer must be made in writing), a part-time coach who is teaching 5 hours a week or less, or a coach whose main occupation is not figure skating but whose expertise is in off-ice training in fields such as dance, conditioning, biomechanics or sports physiology"). So, membership costs would depend primarily on how many hours a week your coach will be working with your team.

USFS: Usually the membership is determined by your club, so I'd start there first. Find out how much your club membership is and if there are any professional memberships (specifically for coaches), which are often cheaper than full memberships. At my club, coaches pay $70.00 for a professional membership.

USFS Coaches Registration: $40.00 for background check/registration* and USFS rulebook, which is done over the Internet through the NCIS (I believe that's the background check organization). Your coach absolutely has to do this in order to coach your team at competitions (like Sectionals) and has until September 1 to do so, if I'm not mistaking.

*Do this as soon as possible, too. I registered 6/30 and just appeared on the registered coaches list 7/14. The USFS says it can take up to 10 days, but with the mass amount of last-minute registrations coming into the USFS, the proccess is taking a bit longer.

Insurance: This can be purchased through the PSA, USFS, or ISI. Check to see what one is cheaper for your team. The USFS insurance (coaches liability coverage) last year (2006-2007) was $120.00 and cannot be pro-rated. I'm not sure how much it is this year, if the cost even increased.

My insurance is through the PSA. They have a pretty good policy. Insurance through them cost me $95.00, so it's a bit cheaper than the USFS.

Total estimated cost: Between $210 and $280 (depending on which insurance policy you go for and the different PSA membership. This does not include whatever your club's membership costs, so add that number into this estimate.)

Helpful websites:
Professional Skater's Assoc. www.skatepsa.com (insurance/membership info.)
USFS: www.usfsa.org (insurance, registration/background check info.)

Thank you so much, Skating Jessica for your comprehensive info!

If I recall correctly, ISI insurance is less expensive then that ($75 a year is what I think the magazine said). However, if this skater is not already an ISI member, I think you need to be an ISI professional member to purchase their insurance- and then that would make it more expensive then the PSA option.

__________________
-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

That's not entirely correct. USFS membership and club membership are two separate costs. USFS membership is $40 flat fee, IIRC, and is never determined by a club.

Many clubs will include it into their membership categories, since clubs almost always require members to be USFS members as well. So, a club might list a pro's membership as $70, but $40 goes to USFS and $30 to the club — if you join USFS through that club.

Joining as an individual members costs $85 and includes a rulebook. There is not an option/discount to not recieve the rulebook (though a coach would need one anyway). It's $40 for each additional family member (and perhaps what clubs have to pay USFS for each member? But a individual person wouldn't have the option to just pay $40- unless the club agrees to not charge their fee. IIRC our club only charges coaches $50)

__________________
-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

Yes, you're correct. Thanks for clearing up my mess of information! Perhaps a little too much sun today, LOL!

Yes, I just wanted to be clear that USFS and club membership are two separate entities. You can join a club without paying for USFS, provided you're already a USFS member through another club or individually. Many coaches teach at different clubs and must join each club, so I thought the distinction was important.

For example:
Mary Sue joins Skating Club as a home club member and pays $50 — $40 USFS and $10 club membership.
Mary Sue also joins Ice Club, and pays only their $10 club membership.

versperholly- I see what you're saying, that makes sense. I guess it was just in the context of my club that I didn't understand. The rate for coaches is the same whether it is home-club or non-home club (the discount comes from PSA member vs non-PSA member). A skater gets a $15 discount if it's non-home club. So the club clearly pulls in extra money on these memberships if they aren't having to give anything to USFS

__________________
-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

Don't forget that in order to coach at sectionals she needs to be a PSA member.

To coach at any quaf event even regionals, they are to be PSA as well. Our coaches have been checked before going to the board to coach.

__________________
http://www.youtube.com/user/alaskanmom