The USFSA just posted the lists of proposed rule changes to be discussed and voted on at GC. I only looked at the technical items list, but I noticed several items of interest to adult skaters. First, it looks like they are changing the figure test qualification/elimination for Bronze through Gold FS.

They are also instituting well-balanced program requirements for Pre-Bronze. Specifically, the number of jumps is unlimited (only 3 combos) but lutzes are disallowed along with axels and doubles. Music limit is 1:40 and at least 2 spins (no more than 3) are required, along with "connecting steps". The rationale stated is that there is a need to standardize requirements b/c currently there is wide variation in the rules competition organizers use for this level. I agree and think this will be positive. Now, if only more club competitions would actually offer Pre-Bronze!

Also, there is some info about the implementation of CoP. Next year, it will be used in novice, junior, and senior qual comps, but the long-term plan is to use it for all qual events at juvenile level and higher (not sure how they're going to do this b/c the system to ISU set up is designed for elite-level jr and sr comps) and selected events at AN. I guess that means Masters events, maybe Champ Gold?

This is the doc I'm referring to:
http://www.usfigureskating.org/conte...-technical.pdf

(links to others are on the USFSA home page in the shaded blue box on the right side)

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Terri C is a Bronze lady!
Gold Moves, here I come!

Debbie,
At least we were ahead of everyone else this season on the well balanced program concept. I also feel that they need to go one further and not allow camel spins in Pre- Bronze (sorry!).

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

ACK!!! They're proposing that I age another age class this year. I'm gonna go from Class II to Class III in one fell swoop!!!

Quote:

318. Competitions Committee

Quote:

Rule 3292 Qualifying rounds – Adult (page 85)

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Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

That would make me class V...sounds like a drug category.

Does part of my program include skating with a walker and eating strain beets through a straw.

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Keeping School Figures Alive!!

Rule 3292, Qualifying rounds – Amend to define the age groupings as follows:
Class I 21 years through 28 years
Class II 29 years through 35 years
Class III 36 years through 45 years
Class IV 46 years through 55 years
Class V 56 years and over
Rationale: The revised age classes will allow for the younger skaters to compete together and will continue to accommodate adult skater’s skill depreciation due to age.
----------------------------

Hmmm, weren't we having problems getting people into Class I, especially evident at this year's AN? Class II (which in this amendment used to be Class I) is only spanning *6* years. Wonder how that might affect turnout. (I also cringe at the thought of another Skateguard campaign and "how many angels can dance on the head of a pin" argument!)

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Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.
"Do what you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
-Haha, I've *arrived*! I am listed as a reference on Wikipedia.

Great, I'm aging up five years early.....I'm really going to need my birth certificate, because people think I'm still in high school! Good bye, dream of competing Gold I at AN's.....

No campaign yet...but I think splitting Class I is a very, very bad idea. Not a big deal for me, 'cause I'll just dance (no age groups ). But I have a feeling that this will have a lot of opposition without one of my "pointless" campaigns....all I want is skating to win....

Thanks for the vote of confidence, though...nice to know what you think of me. And btw, the answer is 72 angels...I'm Catholic!

I've never seen any strength in the YA group...it's mostly a couple skaters here and there. Actually, I've been one of the youngest I's every year in bronze at AN's....most of them are over 30. (And I didn't start until 28...even the eligible bronze skaters in this proposed Class I don't go much now.) The YA's, with the current state of the economy, often cannot afford ($$ or vacation) to go to ANs. (I sure couldn't until last year...when I would have been in the proposed Class II.) Heck, 50% of the current I's can't afford to go. So we'll end up with binky Class I's, half of whom will be sent home anyway (see my last "pointless" campaign) and small Class II events.

IMO, they need to expand the collegiate to accomodate all YA's and develop the numbers there before moving them over to Adult skating. Or don't split the I age class...the numbers just don't justify it at this point. If the numbers come back, then they can split it up.

Another thought...what is the level of skating for the average 18-22 y.o. prelim? pre-juv? juv? I'm just wondering if the competitive YA in prelim might be way ahead of bronze (axel, flying spins, doubles??) This may start to squeeze out the adult start skaters.....I don't want to be exclusive , but I think the rule is out there before fully thinking it through....

IMO...."I have a bad feeling about this...."

How about dividing it so that Class II is 29 to 37 and Class III is 38 to 45? Makes it even between Class II and III at least. (Though it still doesn't help me since I'll STILL be in Class III at AN 2006...)

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Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

I don't think your campaign (um, cam-PAIN?) was pointless, but when you started to villify the lone dissenter, I just thought you were out of line. And then getting castigated on the USFS board; well, kudos to Laura for calling you on it.
No, I don't know who you are, but your actions have spoken louder than anything else. To be sure, I'm not against you, just how far your campaign went, 'K?
In fact, I wish you much luck at adult nationals ... (oh, the answer is 100, btw )

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Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.
"Do what you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
-Haha, I've *arrived*! I am listed as a reference on Wikipedia.

Changing the age categories seems like a bad idea to me, too. Hasn't there already been discussion about how many skaters need to be accommodated at nationals? Now they want to expand the age limits further? So there's more people? And from what I have read anyway, it seems like there are relatively few skaters in some of the skill levels at the younger ages. I also agree with the concern that those YA skaters are likely to be way ahead in skill level of the true adult-onset bronze skaters. On the other hand, I hope they wouldn't be skating below their level. Then again, I could end up competing against a 21 year old in a club competition, and I think that is so not fair!

It just seems like another move in the direction AWAY from encouraging true adult-onset skaters, and towards keeping people who have skated extensively as kids. Nothing wrong with trying to keep people in the sport, but let's not make it even harder for the other adults.

Pat

Riddle me this, riddle me that. If they can have a well balanced program requirements for Pre Bronze, as well as allow 21 year olds to compete, then Pre Bronze free should be offered at AN!

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

The problem is that there is a finite limit on time and size for a competition like Adult Nationals. Unless TPTB plan to either eliminate events or split AN into 2 separate competitions (similar to "big" nationals and Junior Nats for the kids)...

If the age group adjustments pass (which they probably will), it will be interesting to see how many individuals in the lower age categories actually show up. If they keep AN at about the same time of year as it is now, the number of younger skaters (thinking college junior/seniors) may not be that many, since it's after most spring breaks have ended.

I can't comment on the levels that these younger skaters would compete at. I've seen at least one skater who just turned 25 start at the bottom of the Adult test series, even though the individual had tested through Intermediate MIF and Juv FS. My guess is that depending on how they cross over, that they might end up either at Gold or Masters. But that's based on what I've seen at my rink in terms of the "older" young skaters.

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American Waltz... Once, Twice, ???? ...

Q: How many coaches does it take to fix Jen's Dance Intro-3 Problems
A: 5 and counting...

It looks like we could use a few more in Gold Mens and Masters anyway so it could be a good idea to add the age changes.

I totally agree. For the last few years, every time I've heard a USFSA official other than an adult skating committee member (chairperson, whatever) refer to "adult skaters," it became obvious that they meant "returning skaters." The initial thrust of the adult skating movement was to give adults learning to skate a chance to compete with peers. I really hate to say it, but I feel like the adult-onset skaters are getting pushed aside by the PTB. It's still pretty subtle, but I sense it happening.

Weren't they looking at voting on the proposed changes to the adult MITF structure at GC? Maybe I'm just missing it but I didn't see it in there anywhere???

Taz (praying that they put the slide chasse in Gold where it belongs anyway otherwise I will never pass that stinkin' test! )

I have the same question about the MIF. I was really looking forward to the removal of the slide chasis pattern from the silver moves.

If that's the case, then why include the 21-24 year olds anyway? If the TPTB (or whatever it is), can do that I still argue that there can be Pre Bronzers at AN!

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

Also anxious to see if changes will be made in Silver Moves, but hoping that they KEEP the slide chasse.....I HATE power pulls!!!!

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"The first rule of pair skating is that the two shall skate as one."

-Dick Button

So does that mean for champs they would allow 21 + in those groups? Maybe they should have champ gold/masters/ladies/men w/ two age groups 21-34 and then 35 and up. It's hard enough skating against a 26 year old @ 40. Then the gold YA's have passed their intermediate FS do we make it the same as the regular gold criteria? And what about those 21 year olds who were sr ladies usually making it to sectionals that come on the scene in masters? Isn't this an interesting query?

On the fm thing, I would guess that the Novice move will be taken off the gold and the slide put in and then the slide off the silver. The purpose of the moves is to make them doable, even though the novice 3's just take a lot of practice and a lot of nerve especially if you do them to close to the wall.

la

I'm not particularly thrilled with the idea of competing with people who are almost 20 years younger than me. My coach thinks it's a horrible idea (and he's young!)

Heck, I bounced off the wall on those things so many times when I was doing Gold moves! Can't wait until I visit them again this summer for Novice

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"The only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary." -- Vidal Sasson

"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." -- Unknown

I'm disappointed because this was one pattern I could do really well.

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Champagne in 2005, 2008, 2009 - who's next out of the pre-bronze club...?

Wang chung!

It's not a Request for Action because it was already approved by the Board of Directors last October. It just needs to be ratified at GC.

Well, it'll be sitting and waiting for you once you reach gold MIF!

And concerning the slide chassé pattern, I always hated it, but in all my 3 times taking the silver moves test, I always passed it. It's those damn back inside 3-turns that methinks are the bêtes noires of the test!

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Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.
"Do what you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
-Haha, I've *arrived*! I am listed as a reference on Wikipedia.

Neither am I. Then again, I did beat someone who's 16 years younger than me at one competition once, so who knows... *shrug*

Speaking of competing against the young guns... any thoughts on this? Gut feeling says it's kinda wimpy. It doesn't say anything about the "newly minted Class I" skaters competing at Championship Adult Gold or Championship Adult Masters. If they're allowed as well, the old fogies (like me) would definitely have a disadvantage. (Well, if I ever get up to Adult Championship level...)

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Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

Considering that consistantly the average age of those who make the top 4 at Sectionals and therefore compete at Champ, Levels tends towards late 30s, I don't consider it an issue. I'm 33 and get regularly beaten by the 35 to 43 year olds in Champ. Masters.

Wasn't last year's winner of Ladies Champ Gold a class III skater? Hardly a "young gun"!