New USFS collegiate membership

[RachelSk8er]

Last year USFS unleashed a collegiate membership option that allows skaters to sign up for a 4 year span at once. It's a one-time option that can be exercised at an point as long as you're taking some college/vocational courses (so if you're a college freshman or I was able to do it since I'm in law school and obviously never did it before since it's new).

How are clubs hadling this? I saw that 3 local clubs here that I looked into joining were charging $90 to cover all 4 years of USFS/Club membership and that's it (essentially club membership is free then). That's the way I thought it was supposed to be--the clubs aren't really supposed to make any $$ off of these skaters.

My home club (which I re-joined despite wanting to switch since my coach is doing my lessons there on club ice) charged $100 up front (which was actually more than our regular membership for the year, which is $90), but then for every year over the three following we have to pay $50. I'm confused why the $50 is even necessary....I guess it's to join the club, but since all 4 years of membership goes to the USFS at once, I'm a USFS member for the next 4 years. So I guess I technically don't need to join my club after this if I don't feel like it, I'd just be an individual member?

How are other clubs handling this?

[Isk8NYC]

Our Collegiate membership has been in force for some time - at least two years. This year, it's $150 for a four-year membership. (Our Senior membership is $120/year right now.) It's a one-time per person use, so for school stays longer than four years, the skater would have to switch to a different category.

The clubs should be receiving some dues from the collegiate skaters if the students are part of the club. Those monies are what allow the clubs to cover the expenses, but I doubt anyone's profiting from it.

I think the "one-time membership" is being tracked by US Figure Skating, not by the individual clubs. I would think that, if a skater tried to beat the system by registering with a different club after four years, they'd be found out since your USFSA ID number is always the same. If they took a new number, they'd lose their test records.

After it expires, skaters can join as an individual member, or join any USFSA Club in the US.
I understand that you joined this one because of ice privileges.

[twokidsskatemom]

Our Collegiate membership has been in force for some time - at least two years. This year, it's $150 for a four-year membership. (Our Senior membership is $120/year right now.) It's a one-time per person use, so for school stays longer than four years, the skater would have to switch to a different category.

The clubs should be receiving some dues from the collegiate skaters if the students are part of the club. Those monies are what allow the clubs to cover the expenses, but I doubt anyone's profiting from it.

I think the "one-time membership" is being tracked by US Figure Skating, not by the individual clubs. I would think that, if a skater tried to beat the system by registering with a different club after four years, they'd be found out since your USFSA ID number is always the same. If they took a new number, they'd lose their test records.

After it expires, skaters can join as an individual member, or join any USFSA Club in the US.
I understand that you joined this one because of ice privileges.
USFSA does rolls over the membership for 4 years, then its over.However you still should have to pay your club,as that is what helps cover clubs expenses.We have 2 college members, and they have to pay a small additional fee to the club.Clubs or at least our club, needs the money:}

[Skate@Delaware]

My club denies any knowledge of this membership...now what?

[twokidsskatemom]

My club denies any knowledge of this membership...now what?
Do you mean they dont know about it or arent offering it?They should be just like the new intro rate for brand new members.

[tazsk8s]

USFSA does rolls over the membership for 4 years, then its over.However you still should have to pay your club,as that is what helps cover clubs expenses.We have 2 college members, and they have to pay a small additional fee to the club.Clubs or at least our club, needs the money:}

I just signed my daughter up for the collegiate membership. Is she locked into membership with her original club for the whole 4 years? Or, if she gets to school and decides to join a club closer to campus for whatever reason (ice time, or testing maybe) can she just switch her club affiliation at the beginning of year 2, for example? I know there is a process to switch clubs partway through the membership year, or join the other club closer to school as a secondary club, I was just curious.

For that matter, if she decided not to re-up with the club at the end of Year 1, does she just become an individual USFS member?

[Skate@Delaware]

Do you mean they dont know about it or arent offering it?They should be just like the new intro rate for brand new members.
When I asked them about it they said they weren't aware of it but they thought it sounded like something only offered at colleges with rinks...??? I said "no, but you can call USFS to find out because three of us are in college"

So that's where it stands right now. They aren't aware of it and it doesn't sound like they are interested in finding out in order to offer it (club packages are due the end of the month for our discount). I'm not surprised by their lack of information.

[twokidsskatemom]

When I asked them about it they said they weren't aware of it but they thought it sounded like something only offered at colleges with rinks...??? I said "no, but you can call USFS to find out because three of us are in college"

So that's where it stands right now. They aren't aware of it and it doesn't sound like they are interested in finding out in order to offer it (club packages are due the end of the month for our discount). I'm not surprised by their lack of information.

http://www.usfigureskating.org/About.asp?id=6#collegiate
They should offer it, maybe print this out for them?

Hope that helps.

[Isk8NYC]

For that matter, if she decided not to re-up with the club at the end of Year 1, does she just become an individual USFS member?
I think coordinating a home club change would be complicated since the initial home club would be collecting the four-year USFSA fee as well as the club's own four-year fee.

One thing to note: it's four CONSECUTIVE years, so you can't defer or take a year off from club membership.

S@D - this would be great for your return to school. Since you can't skate as much, the cost break will be appropriate. The membership chair should know about this option. Sorry you have to enlighten them, but if you need some backup, our membership chair is very knowledgeable. I could ask her to help if needed.

[tazsk8s]

I think coordinating a home club change would be complicated since the initial home club would be collecting the four-year USFSA fee as well as the club's own four-year fee.



So the money I paid covers her USFS ***and*** club fees for 4 years? That would be sweet, maybe I misunderstood what was said upthread about collegiate skaters should still pay the club fees (see posts #2 and 3). I read those posts to mean that collegiate skaters USFS fees are covered for 4 years but they have to re-up with the club annually.

[Purple Sparkly]

It would depend on the individual club as to whether the fee you paid covers all four years or just the first year. I looked online at some of the college clubs and some of them had an annual club fee of $15 or so in addition to the US Figure Skating dues and some had a four-year club fee of $180 or so including the US Figure Skating dues. If what you paid was just for this year, you should be able to change your club affiliation year to year if you wanted to.

[RachelSk8er]

It would depend on the individual club as to whether the fee you paid covers all four years or just the first year. I looked online at some of the college clubs and some of them had an annual club fee of $15 or so in addition to the US Figure Skating dues and some had a four-year club fee of $180 or so including the US Figure Skating dues. If what you paid was just for this year, you should be able to change your club affiliation year to year if you wanted to.


Yeah that's the way I understand it, too. The club you initially join pays 4 years worth of dues to USFS up front, so you should be able to change clubs at any point. Or not be a member of any club but still have your USFS membership in place.

I think the "one-time membership" is being tracked by US Figure Skating, not by the individual clubs. I would think that, if a skater tried to beat the system by registering with a different club after four years, they'd be found out since your USFSA ID number is always the same. If they took a new number, they'd lose their test records.

USFS is tracking it, but interestingly no proof of college enrollment seems to be required, it's pretty much on the honors system (since it's only a one-time option anyway). I didn't have to give my club my class registration, the name of my school, or any other proof. None of the other clubs I looked at joining had requests for proof or anything on their applications, either.

So the money I paid covers her USFS ***and*** club fees for 4 years? That would be sweet, maybe I misunderstood what was said upthread about collegiate skaters should still pay the club fees (see posts #2 and 3). I read those posts to mean that collegiate skaters USFS fees are covered for 4 years but they have to re-up with the club annually.

Yeah, that depends on the club I guess. Like I said, some clubs here are only charging once up front and that's it for 4 years. You're a club member and a USFS member. Others have a "returning home club college" membership on their form that's a smaller fee than regular membership. At my club, it really doesn't wind up saving you a whole lot of money over the four years because the returning home club fee is basically the regular annual membership minus the USFS membership fee.


When I asked them about it they said they weren't aware of it but they thought it sounded like something only offered at colleges with rinks...??? I said "no, but you can call USFS to find out because three of us are in college"

So that's where it stands right now. They aren't aware of it and it doesn't sound like they are interested in finding out in order to offer it (club packages are due the end of the month for our discount). I'm not surprised by their lack of information.

This is specifically designed for regular, non-college clubs. Most college figure skating clubs were already cheap to join because they don't cost much (if anything) to run compared to regular clubs. The club just exists as a formality to skaters can test/compete. They don't hold their own sessions or anything like that. At both of the college clubs I belonged to, we didn't pay anything over the cost of USFS membership. But a lot of skaters who compete singles and are in college didn't previously have that advantage because they don't go to colleges where there are clubs, or they wanted to stay registered with the home club where they had been a member for years.

[Isk8NYC]

So the money I paid covers her USFS ***and*** club fees for 4 years? That would be sweet, maybe I misunderstood what was said upthread about collegiate skaters should still pay the club fees (see posts #2 and 3). I read those posts to mean that collegiate skaters USFS fees are covered for 4 years but they have to re-up with the club annually.
Our club charges a one-time fee for the full four years. That includes both the USFSA and the club dues. The collegiate members are eligible to vote, can request for a free rulebook and can benefit from the skater support program. You have to read each club's membership rules to be sure - someone else pointed out that their club charges a small annual fee in addition to the USFSA fee.

The USFSA specifically says (in the link twokidsskatemom provided) that they won't require any proof such as transcripts. It's strictly honor policy. This is wonderful for skaters returning to college since it can be a good cost savings and because the only age restriction is "18 or older."

[RachelSk8er]

The USFSA specifically says (in the link twokidsskatemom provided) that they won't require any proof such as transcripts. It's strictly honor policy. This is wonderful for skaters returning to college since it can be a good cost savings and because the only age restriction is "18 or older."

Yup. That's why I was able to do it as a 29 yr old law student. It doesn't even matter that I'm only part-time. A bunch of the other adults at my rink who are older than I am are back in school for various things since that's the trend these days (an RN, an MBA, and a few other programs) and they are doing this, too. It's nice, since a lot of other things intended to help students (like a lot of clubs' scholarships and such) are aimed at the traditional 18-22 undergrad crowd.

[tazsk8s]

Yeah, that depends on the club I guess. Like I said, some clubs here are only charging once up front and that's it for 4 years. You're a club member and a USFS member. Others have a "returning home club college" membership on their form that's a smaller fee than regular membership. At my club, it really doesn't wind up saving you a whole lot of money over the four years because the returning home club fee is basically the regular annual membership minus the USFS membership fee.


Looks like it depends on the club. I looked on our current club's website and it does say "one-time 4 year membership" on their membership form. It doesn't specify any breakdown of club dues vs USFS fees so I am taking it to mean that the fee I paid covers both the club and USFS for the next four years. It was a surprisingly dirt-cheap fee which seemed too good to be true and we ALL know what that usually means! :)

[CaraSkates]

Our club charges a one-time fee for the full four years. That includes both the USFSA and the club dues. The collegiate members are eligible to vote, can request for a free rulebook and can benefit from the skater support program. You have to read each club's membership rules to be sure - someone else pointed out that their club charges a small annual fee in addition to the USFSA fee.

The USFSA specifically says (in the link twokidsskatemom provided) that they won't require any proof such as transcripts. It's strictly honor policy. This is wonderful for skaters returning to college since it can be a good cost savings and because the only age restriction is "18 or older."

This is what my club does. It's $100 for the four years and you are a full home member with that. Our membership chair hadn't heard of it till I asked her about it but she called USFS and asked about it and essentially offered it for me. It's a great deal for me as I skate at my home club over all my school breaks and test their in the summer. I only have two years left of college but to be a USFS member for the next four at $25 a year is a great deal!

[Skittl1321]

IIRC my former club decided that there would be no additional fee for collegiate membership beyond what USFSA charges.

It's a great deal.

I can understand why some clubs would charge more though. They have to cover their fees somehow- and if they have a lot of collegiate members, the loss of income could really add up.

[twokidsskatemom]

IIRC my former club decided that there would be no additional fee for collegiate membership beyond what USFSA charges.

It's a great deal.

I can understand why some clubs would charge more though. They have to cover their fees somehow- and if they have a lot of collegiate members, the loss of income could really add up.

We are a club that is charging.We are trying to mantain our club, and have serious money issues. So we need every penny..

[Skate@Delaware]

http://www.usfigureskating.org/About.asp?id=6#collegiate
They should offer it, maybe print this out for them?

Hope that helps.

I think coordinating a home club change would be complicated since the initial home club would be collecting the four-year USFSA fee as well as the club's own four-year fee.

One thing to note: it's four CONSECUTIVE years, so you can't defer or take a year off from club membership.

S@D - this would be great for your return to school. Since you can't skate as much, the cost break will be appropriate. The membership chair should know about this option. Sorry you have to enlighten them, but if you need some backup, our membership chair is very knowledgeable. I could ask her to help if needed.
Thanks for this-I'll send them the link and ask them how they want to process it...I could have used this last year as well (I've been in school for the past 3 years taking prerequisites). I agree that the membership chair should know about this option, but she doesn't know much (or cares to know-take your pick).