"On the USFS Website, when you are asked in the "Members Only" section to describe yourself, it is defined that a "Competitive Adult Skater" is a adult skater who competes in the Adult Qualifying events. What about the rest of us that attend the yearly non qual adult competitions (e.g. Pre Bronze skaters), as well as AN at the Bronze and Silver levels? What are we, chopped liver?"
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Interesting - I'd not seen this. Perhaps this can be brought to the attention of the adult committee for revision to better represent the "Competitive adult skater".

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Terri C: I agree with you; these definitions are too narrow and leaves a hole that many of our SF members fall into: the "Adults who compete, but not in Adult qualifying events." (Don't forget, many adults skate in ISI competitions as well.) You should be able to choose 1) Adult Skater and 2) Competitive. I never read those definitions since I had to scroll down to find them on my internet browser window.

The USFSA should use the actual Adult qualifying event registrants for the past years to find those skaters and gather that information; that's far more accurate than this method. I don't think the USFSA really has the resources to build accurate, reliable information gathering, which is why we see holes like this appear.

When you update profile or renew your membership online using that link, the form asks you to select from these roles:

• Parent/Guardian
• Club Officer/Board Member
• Coach
• Other
• Competitive Skater
• Adult Skater
• Recreational Skater
• Synchro
• U.S. Figure Skating Officer/Official
• Collegiate

You can choose a primary activity, then as many secondary activities as you desire. I usually choose coach as my primary, and parent/guardian + adult skater as my secondary.

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I'm on the adult committee and I appriciate the viewpoints that everyone is expressing. I think all of them are valid and make a lot of sense.

I have two view points that may seem to work against one another but each peice is an important peice of the whole.

One the one hand, I tend to not like the phrase 'all inclusive' although I cannot really disagree with it. It's broad enough that it can mean anything that you want to ascribe to it. In the case of people who think, overtly or not, that adults will never rise above the level of 'recreational', another word with varying definition, 'all inclusive' can become a code word for widespread limitations.

But as far as adult committee goes, or any entity all the way down to your local rink, you cannot leave out any group. I think it should be within the mission on the adult committee to promote recreational/beginner skating as much as all the other subgroups. It's all one big pipeline! There isn't an elite skater out there that did not first step on the ice as a 'recreational' skater. So this merely describes the gateway entry that feeds all skating, adult and elite. The adult committee would do well to be mindful of that.

Embrace recreational skaters! If you feel like your competitve catagory is static and you never seem to see anyone except the same faces, competition after competition, year after year, then reach out to everyone coming up through the system and tell them they will be dearly welcomed!

For some reason I have yet to receive my skating mag or read Mr Edge this time, but I can say that I don't think that he is going to define adult skating for us. We define ourselves, as high as we want to go or as elementary as we wish to remain.

Well-put and clear!

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Actually, looked at in context, what that must mean is that if you are a competitive skater, the only qualifying events you enter, if any, are adult events. I.e., you're over 21 and not competing in novice-junior-senior qualifying events.

So it would be better worded "Adult – You are over the age of 21 and are either a competitive or recreational skater. If you are a competitive skater, you compete in adult events" or "If you are a competitive skater, you compete only in adult events at the qualifying level."

It seems that for the general skating population, they want to distinguish between skaters who compete at all and skaters who just test or just skate for their own enjoyment, but they don't distinguish between skaters who compete only in local interp competitions and those who are trying to get to Nationals.

For the adult category, they're putting all levels are participation together, competitive or not.

And the "recreational" and "competitive" categories don't specify age or specifically exclude adult tests and competitions, so there's no reason not to choose one of those if you're over 21 and identify more by the fact that you compete or the fact that you skate for recreation than by the fact that you're an adult.

So choose the primary activity that you identify with most. I think I said Adult Skater first and then official and either recreational or competitive. I do compete sometimes, but rarely (actually only once, back in 1999) in an adult qualifying competition, because I don't have the money to travel to competitions regularly and often don't have the time to train programs, e.g., if I'm directing a play with rehearsals during the competitive season. So competing is a recreational activity for me.

I didn't believe the definition of "competitive adult skater" till I had to read it myself. Whoa! I agree with the above posters, "competitive adult skater" certainly includes pre-bronze, bronze, & silver competitors, as well as gold and masters skaters who only compete in non-qualifying events. If you don't believe me, hang out near rinkside right before Bronze Ladies final round begins in Chicago.

While we're talking about Skating magazine, I won't bring up the topic of recreational vs. competitive skaters but I do wish the magazine would be more informative and less a series of personal profiles (be they of adult skaters, competitive skaters, or past skaters). I would like to see more articles on common MIF errors, figuring out the COP, maybe have a "skill of the month" that they focus on, etc. And maybe have the occasional point/counterpoint type articles (e.g. "Should there be jump limits at the XXX freestyle level?" or "What defines a cheated jump landing?").

As it is, I realize Skating magazine is geared towards a younger audience (read: Axel Annie), and I accept that. But I think Skating magazine has the potential to be a much more useful resource to its readers, not just in terms of promotion of adult skating, but in furthering the sport at ALL levels.

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Whatever!

I agree. I think the editors of Skating should look at "specific" magazines like Pointe (for ballet)-- that magazine has history, current information, interviews, "fashion" spreads for the latest clothing/shoes (I'd love to see articles on the latest features in skates, blades, bags, accessories), "What's in Your Dance bag?", dancer's diaries, music and book info (occasionally), nutrition information/body info (an article every month that covers some dance-related health issue-- from food to turnout).

Skating has Mr. Edge. *sigh* And a crossword for kids. *double sigh*

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When asked what his "secret" to success was, Wayne Gretsky said: "Skate to where the puck is going and not to where it has been."
Is the figure skating version of this: Skate as if you're doing an axel and not just learning how to hop?

I finally read the article online (I let my club membership lapse!). It kind of cracked me up.

"Ego: I can't wait to get out on the ice today.
Body: Do I really have to go skating? I was out way too late last night." is totally me on Sundays! I had a hangover lesson about 2 months ago and it was a disaster. Spinning was out of the question. I was sweating like a horse.

I am proud to be a recreational skater.

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"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

I, too, am proud to be a recreational skater.

Just because I'm not a competitive skater doesn't mean that I work hard too. I don't think it's necessary to have a label attached to my skating status just so that i feel better about my status. I don't think anyone said that it was easy to learn novice moves or to land double jumps but I have. And I started as an adult. And I have never competed. And I certainly don't think I'm chopped liver, no not even close. LOL

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