PSA Ramblings

[Phuket]

Anyone know what is on the agenda at the PSA meeting this week in Hartford, CT? Anything of interest?

I've always been interested in the ratings process. I'm not sure how that works. Is there anyone here who could explain how the standard is established? What does it really mean to be "rated"? I'm a patron member of PSA and the May/June 2003 magazine I received had a column written by the Ratings Chair that I found puzzling. Has anyone else seen it? Comments?

I hope one item addressed at this meeting is the ethical conduct of coaches and how it relates to the athletes. The issue of coaches sexual misconduct with skaters must be addressed. I realize it has been discussed in the past, but this topic must continue to be addressed until a real working solution has been achieved.

[vesperholly]

Funny, I just talked to my coach about this last night!

Ratings are as follows (lowest to highest): Registered, Certified, Senior, and Master. You have to take written tests for each and there are also oral exams for some of them. The tests are cumulative. You can get them in Moves, Freestyle, Figures, Dance, Choreography, Sports Science & Medicine, and a few others.

As far as I know, most parents looking to hire coaches don't really look at PSA ratings or know what they mean.

The PSA also just established a ranking system, for coaches who have competitively successful skaters.

You are ranked ... if you take a skater to...

1 - Regionals
2 - Sectionals
3 - Junior Nationals
4 - Nationals
5 - Internationals/Worlds/Olys

I am not sure if it is weighted, for instance if you take one or one hundred skaters to Nationals. Obviously there is a difference in the coach there but the ranking would be the same? But then there is a better probability of getting one of those 100 skaters to an international than if you only ever took one skater. I think also if you medal that plays a part in the ranking too.

I think it is interesting, but I also know several coaches who are rated 4 for taking skaters to Nationals in figures, and that is deceiving to people who are looking at rankings, since figures are essentially no longer taught. It is much harder to get a skater to Nationals in the other disciplines. I don't believe the rankings are divided by discipline (ie 4 in figures, 2 in freestyle, 3 in dance etc).

Also, the PSA is really in bed with the USFSA and I think before long they are going to start forcing coaches to join the PSA and take the tests (which are $$) if they want to coach within the USFSA.

Jocelyn

[dbny]

Originally posted by vesperholly
Ratings are as follows (lowest to highest): Registered, Certified, Senior, and Master. You have to take written tests for each and there are also oral exams for some of them.

There is no test for Registered, but it does qualify you to test for Certified. The written test for Certified includes a lengthy portion on Sports Medicine. A study guide is sent with each application, so part of the fee is to cover that. PSA associate membership (coaching less than 6 hrs a week) is not expensive and could be easily made up in a year with professional discounts on equipment and maintenance.