PSA Rating X

[AgnesNitt]

Poking around on PSA website out of curiosity and came across coach ratings. This one intrigues me:
CRITERIA FOR LEVEL X RANKING
1. Must be a current member of the PSA
2. Must have coached the skater for a minimum of one year
3. Must have been the skater’s primary coach only
4. Must have been the coach of multiple World or Olympic Champions in any discipline

So, that's Frank Caroll and Galina Zmievskaya, and that's all I can think of other than Gustav Lussi and he's been gone these many years. There can't be that many. It seems so special: 'COACH OF MULTIPLE WORLD OR OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS..."

I know some PSA member can just look it up, but I really was interested in who the living Level X rated coaches are. Maybe I'm misunderstanding the ratings, but it just seems that when you get to the tenth level that's like making general.

[Clarice]

I don't really have time right now to look this up, although I'm intrigued now, too. It's not really easy to do, since the directory doesn't list coaches by ranking. You have to go through the entire alphabetical listing.

I can tell you this much, though - while Frank Carroll is indeed listed as a level X coach, Galina Zmievskaya is not. This is because in order to list the ranking, you actually have to fill out the paperwork and apply for it. Many coaches don't bother. In fact, relatively few coaches have rankings of any level listed in the directory.

[Isk8NYC]

When discussing the PSA's grade systems, there's a distinction between Rankings and Ratings. It's a bit confusing:

Rankings are garnered through the Coach's, or his/her students', competitive achievements. The coach can apply for the ranking and it's his/hers for life.

Ratings are more complicated:
. Either the coach or his/her students have to pass a certain test level; and
. The coach must take the Sport Science and Ratings test for that level.
(There are several ratings levels within each discipline)
. The coach has to keep up with the continuing education credits or they lose their ratings.

To answer your question, the Level X Ranking is new-ish and yes, Frank Carroll is a Level-X Ranked coach. For some reason, I think the category was added because of his achievements, but I can't find the magazine article about it. I'll look later.

[AgnesNitt]

I didn't know finding out would be so much trouble. I thought that the information would be easily obtainable. Too bad PSA doesn't make giving Level X as a tribute rather than the result of filling out an application. An application would be anticlimactic. A tribute would be a nice bit for the news .

[Isk8NYC]

The PSA gives out several actual awards every year that require no application. The recipient is nominated/selected. I don't know the history of the PSA very well, but I think the Rankings existed before the Ratings. (I remember a coach saying that, since they themselves had skated in the Olympics, they would apply for the top Ranking instead of working their way through the Ratings exams to reach the top Rating. Ethics aside, they both sound impressive.)

The PSA has no real way to automatically track every member's achievements - their own and/or their students' - without access to ISU, ISI, and USFSA records or a lot of manual research/updates. Hence, the "here's what I did on my Natl/World/Olympic Vacation" ranking applications. It's like submitting an updated resume'. Rankings aren't really "awards" but I think I misled you with my comment that "X" was a new tier. IIRC, the PSA might have created it for Frank Carroll before the Olympics as an early "attaboy," but I could be mistaken.

I remember reading the article and thinking "Well, that's out of my reach" lol. Jealousy is as jealousy does - nah, Frank Carroll deserves the tributes. (One my all-time favorite coaches; I go out of my way to attend workshops when he's presenting.)

The PSA puts a lot of information in their magazine that never shows up elsewhere. They're making an effort to put back issues online - there are a few articles on the website - but it's coming in drips and drabs. I'd rather they publish the entire issue in a pdf like the ISI does with their magazines. I like to be able to do keyword searches.

Edit: I couldn't find the issue I'm looking for in the bottom bookshelf archive. I'll have to check the Skating Drawer of Horrors. I do save my PSA magazines because there are always tips and techniques that I like to refer to later on.

There are three ranking deadlines and they usually publish the approved ranks afterwards. I'll try to remember to scan a copy if it's published in the next issue.

[Clarice]

Richard Callaghan also has a Level X ranking. I haven't tried to look up anybody else.

[LWalsh]

But Frank Carrol only had one Olympic champion not multiple ones correct? How did he meet the criteria?

[Skittl1321]

But Frank Carrol only had one Olympic champion not multiple ones correct? How did he meet the criteria?

The criteria in the first post says multiple world OR Olympic champions. He has multiple world champions.
He has 3 world champions according to wikipedia (Fratianne, Kwan, Lysacek).