Can anyone tell me what is typically thrown into a program at each usfsa level? I know that the testing standards are different than what you see at competitions. Which doubles do Preliminary and PreJuv usually have.. etc.. I'm just curious.

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Generally, most skaters at each USFSA level do (or at least attempt) the maximum difficulty that is allowed. In other words, at Pre-Prelim, where the hardest jump allowed is an axel, most skaters have an axel in their program in addition to all the single jumps and combos (ex: lutz-loop). In Prelim, where skaters can do an axel and up to 2 different doubles, most have a solid axel and at least 1 double (usually 2 sal) and usually a second double (2 toe or 2 loop). Pre-Juv I think allows 4 different doubles - usually these skaters are doing up to 2 lutz (I don't think 2 axels are allowed) and I've also seen a few double-double combos at this level. I will say, though, that a lot of the "doubles" in Prelim and Pre-Juv tend to be a bit cheated.

At Juv, the hardest jump allowed is a 2 axel and if you want to make it to the final round at Regionals, you'll probably need one, and all your jumps need to be strong and fully-rotated. Intermediate-Senior are unrestricted levels, meaning all jumps through triples are allowed. Generally, if you want to advance out of Regionals to the next level (Jr Nationals for Int and Sectionals for Novice and up), you'll need them. Obviously, the jump repertoire expands as you go up in level - most top Intermediates have a 2 axel and maybe 1 or 2 triples, and then the Seniors are doing all the triples. At the higher levels, the difficulty of elements varies depending on the venue. At most club comps, the Seniors tend to be skaters who don't go to Nationals (major summer comps like Liberty are an exception) and don't have the highest skills for their level - you might see a few triples attempted and not always done well. Generally, Novice is the most competitive level anywhere, b/c the kids are usually attempting most of the triples - plus, they're in the mode of trying to make a name for themselves and trying to qualify for the "big" Nationals.

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

Although, around here, at the local comp level, among your non-elite skaters, novice is actually less competitive than intermediate. This is your older skaters - you can hang around intermediate until you are 18 and so most kids who are trying to get to regionals stay there - and the non-elite novice kids are the ones who've gone just about as far as they are going to go in free style. You will usually see better skating at this level. At the non-elite level around here and I've heard that from spectators at other regions that even at regionals the intermediate level is better skating.

Also we had a girl at intermediate who had a clean triple and she never seemed to get any credit for it and at a critique the judges told her they were more interested in seeing clean doubles and good spins. So she changed her program around and did the triple after some good doubles and other elements and all of a sudden with that only change she started placing higher.

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Thanks for the information!

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http://www.anchoragefsc.org/competit...m_elements.htm