USFSA coach requirement

[skateflo]

I just read the USFSA Report of Action from the Fall BOD meeting (Oct31-Nov1) and noticed:
Approved to add a new rule to the Competitions Commiittee rules as follows:
CR8.71 Any coach being credentialed for a U.S. Figure Skating qualifying competition is required to be a member of both the USFSA and the PSA......

What will the skaters do who have coaches like Tarasova and others from foreign lands? Prior to this new rule, was there a problem? What instigated this new rule?

[Clarice]

Foreign coaches can join the USFSA and PSA, so I don't see that this will be a problem.

[Trillian]

I was told earlier this year that at least one coach banned by the USFSA was mistakenly issued credentials at nationals (which were apparently confiscated once someone realized what had happened). Perhaps this has something to do with preventing situations of that sort in the future?

[blades]

8-)

actually, as i understand it, there is pressure (originating from the olympic comittee...so that u.s. figure skating can say "don't blame us!...the olympic committee is making us do it!") to get all coaches under the umbrella of u.s. figure skating and the p.s.a. so that they may control coaches ala skate canada...iow a coach would have to be a certain level of certification in order to be able to be credentialed and be rinkside with his/her student at competition...annnnnnndddd...if said coach didn't "play ball" with the powers that be, certification and membership (and therefor the coach's livelyhood) would be denied...

all this for the "protection of the skaters"...which is bogus...it's a control issue...all the credentials, certifications and training didn't protect skaters from someone like mr lowery...the protection issue is simply a smokescreen for gaining more control of the sport...

[blue111moon]

It is my understanding that this is an effort to give USFSA some authority over coaches in the event of ethics violations. By becoming a member of PSA and USA coaches (theoretically) agree to abide by their regulations; should a coach be found in violation, then they can be banned from the organizations. This is, in effect, the accountability people were demanding USFSA demonstrate over the several years.

Blades, your paranoia is showing again. :)

[Skatewind]

USFSA has taken steps during the past several years to monitor coaches & I think the USFSA membership requirement is a good idea so the organization can seek recourse when problems arise. However, I don't think PSA has been very effective at all when it comes to policing their own members. It's going to take a lot more than the USFSA requiring a PSA membership to convince me otherwise.

[blades]

8-)

moonmullins...it's the "slippery slope"...just one look at the control skate canada has over it's coaches and their livelyhood and you can see where this can go if unchecked...

paranoid of the "powers that be"...you'd better believe it...[and don't even get me started on the "(un)patriot(ic) act"...]

[blue111moon]

I went back and checked my notes and found a report from Governing Council of several years back (the year it was in Newport, RI; I didn't date the page, but it's on Doubletree Hotel paper). During a discussion on the definition of athlete, it was mentioned that, in order to receive funding from the US Olympic Committee, it would be necessary for USFSA to also establish a coaches' training an certification program. GC members eventually decided that it would not be cost effective to develop a separate program and voted to establish relations with PSA for that purpose.

So this has actually been several years in the making.

Since my club (and a lot of others) already require our coaches to be both members of USFSA and PSA (for insurance purposes, mainly), I don't think this is a bad move. It will certainly make things easier for the club president, since all she'll have to say to whining coaches is "Hey, it's a USFSA rule now."

But it doesn't become a rule until after it's approved at Governing Council in May 2004, if it is approved.

[blades]

8-)

yes...you're right...and i've been speaking out against it for several years...not a johnny-come-lately to the cause...

cfsa (now skate canada) used the same reason...funding from the olys...

there's no reason for the usfsa to fight against the olympic com. on this...for they get more control over the coaches...(pretty cool eh?)...however...if they wished to fight...what is the olympic com. gonna do?...find another group to represent figure skating?...cut off funding to the group that gets them the most money from television revenues???...c'mon!...you have the tail wagging the dog here...if u.s. figure skating wanted to say "no" they could...

i still maintain that if a coach is good enough to get a skater to the competition...the coach is good enough to be with the skater at the competition...

[sonora]

Coaches do not have to belong to both organizations to get insurance. We have several coaches who do not belong to PSA and have their insurance through the USFSA.

I am in favor of the PSA in principal, but in reality I find their standards sadly lacking. Some of the coaches who have been given master ratings and what not are a joke. I hate to see gullible parents taken in by it.

Also, some part time coaches who do a perfectly good job with their level of student may have financial and/or time difficulties in complying with PSA continuing ed requirements. An example would be college students who coach part time.

[Skatewind]

I agree sonora. I could even go along with the USFSA giving an option for training criteria at certain levels, like specific USFSA or PSA seminars, or a bachelor's degree in sports medicine or something similar, or a PSA rating, or some kind of USFSA rating. But I don't think it's going to be a good solution to completely turn this over to PSA because they simply aren't accountable enough at this time.