Competing in both junior & senior competitions.

[Inside Edge]

Why can skaters compete in both Junior and Senior competitions in the same season? For example, last season Ann Patrice participated in senior Nationals, senior Grand Prix, and junior Worlds. On the other hand, I recall that in 1994 Frank C. was angry with Michelle for taking her senior test while he was on vacation. He wanted her to remain eligible as a junior for a little while longer.

[Arsenette]

From what I understand.. once you "test" to Senior (USFSA rules) you can only compete in that level.. but Internationally you compete via your age.. that's how some skaters can compete in Junior International Circuits that are governed by age restrictions.

[Artistic Skaters]

Eligibility to compete at Junior Worlds is based on the age of the skater. They have events for both Jr & Sr skating (test) levels. There is an overlap of several years where a skater is age eligible for both Jr Worlds & GP series. Skaters can remain Jr FS level & skate at Jr Worlds & Jr GP events, or they can test up to Sr FS level if they want to qualify for the regular GP. Criteria is based on both test level & age for events.

[Trillian]

[quote:6854e8bdfd="Inside Edge"]On the other hand, I recall that in 1994 Frank C. was angry with Michelle for taking her senior test while he was on vacation. He wanted her to remain eligible as a junior for a little while longer.[/quote:6854e8bdfd]

Michelle took her senior test after the 1992 nationals, but she was still eligible for junior international events--in fact, she won the 1994 junior world title. Her eligibility was based on her age, since singles skaters can compete in junior events until age 18 (or 19 after July 1st) regardless of their national test level. In fact, since Michelle turned 13 AFTER July 1, 1993, she'd actually have been too [i:6854e8bdfd]young[/i:6854e8bdfd] for junior worlds the year she won under the current age rules! :) And technically, she'd have been eligible for junior international events as late as the 1999-2000 season. (Lots of countries whose senior national champions are ranked much lower internationally will actually send them to both junior and senior worlds in the same season, in fact.)

The reason her coach was upset was because he wanted her to remain on the junior level nationally, since she was 12 years old and had only placed ninth as a junior in 1992. Obviously her move up worked, since she was sixth as a senior in 1993 and medaled a year later, but he didn't think she was ready for the senior level when she tested.