Types of Competitions
No matter a skater's goals and skill-level, there is a competition for everyone including recreational, non-qualifying, and qualifying. Basic Skills competitions are often held at local rinks and do not require extensive travel or prior competitive experience. These events present excellent opportunities to ease into competitive figure skating and help build strong sportsmanship in aspiring athletes of all ages.
Once the skater feels they are ready to graduate to non-qualifying competitions, they will first seek membership at a of an official figure skating club and begin testing Free Skate and Moves in the Field (MIF). Skaters may only compete in the level they most recently passed. Non-qualifying competitions are held at hundreds of USFSA-affiliated clubs across the nation annually. Once a skater has reached Juvenile, they may begin entering qualifying competitions.
Qualifying competitions include Regionals, Sectionals, and Nationals. Competitors must place in the top four of their discipline at Regionals to qualify for Sectionals and the top four at Sectionals to qualify for Nationals. Skaters who achieve a minimum technical elements score (TES) in their discipline at Nationals are then elected by their member nation of the International Skating Union and must be at least fifteen years of age prior July 1st of the previous year to qualify for the World Figure Skating Championships. Skaters who achieve a minimum TES in their discipline at the World Figure Skating Championships are then considered for selection by the National Olympic Committee to represent their country at the Olympics. Depending on the country's competitive performance, countries may earn up to three entries per discipline totaling 18 athletes (9 men and 9 women).
Once the skater feels they are ready to graduate to non-qualifying competitions, they will first seek membership at a of an official figure skating club and begin testing Free Skate and Moves in the Field (MIF). Skaters may only compete in the level they most recently passed. Non-qualifying competitions are held at hundreds of USFSA-affiliated clubs across the nation annually. Once a skater has reached Juvenile, they may begin entering qualifying competitions.
Qualifying competitions include Regionals, Sectionals, and Nationals. Competitors must place in the top four of their discipline at Regionals to qualify for Sectionals and the top four at Sectionals to qualify for Nationals. Skaters who achieve a minimum technical elements score (TES) in their discipline at Nationals are then elected by their member nation of the International Skating Union and must be at least fifteen years of age prior July 1st of the previous year to qualify for the World Figure Skating Championships. Skaters who achieve a minimum TES in their discipline at the World Figure Skating Championships are then considered for selection by the National Olympic Committee to represent their country at the Olympics. Depending on the country's competitive performance, countries may earn up to three entries per discipline totaling 18 athletes (9 men and 9 women).
Testing
Testing is essential for skaters aspiring to take on non-qualifying/qualifying career tracks. Moves in the Field (MIF) and Free Skate must be tested individually in levels: Pre-Preliminary, Preliminary, Pre-Juvenile, Juvenile, Intermediate, Novice, Junior, and Senior. While skaters may test as high as they would like in Moves in the Field, they may only test Free Skate if they have passed the corresponding level in MIF.
Moves in the Field |
Free Skate |
Moves in the Field focuses on the skater's ability to complete elements, specifically footwork, with accuracy, correct posture, strength, power, extension, edge quality, continuous flow, quickness and turn execution. Each level includes four - six set patterns often demonstrated both clockwise and counterclockwise, on the left and right foot, as well as on the inside and outside edges.
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Free Skate highlights a skater's ability to perform particular elements such as jumps, spins, and step sequences. Once a skater reaches Preliminary, they will be required to showcase the elements they have learned through a routine choreographed to music. As the skater progresses in level, the number of required elements and length of their program will increase.
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Training
Formal instruction is essential in finding competitive success. Those competing in Basic Skills and other recreational competitions should be clocking in about 1-2 hours of lesson time per week. This time includes group lessons and private instruction. Non-qualifying competitors should be taking at least 3 lessons per week with each lesson being 1-3 hours in length depending on the skater's skill-level. Qualifying competitors commit approximately 3-5 hours of on-ice instruction and 2-3 hours of off-ice training a day with a single rest day per week. These skaters are often sponsored and opt to hire multiple instructors for performance, skills, and choreography. As a general rule of thumb, skaters of all recreational, competitive, and performance goals should follow-up their lesson time with double the practice time to achieve quicker results and prevent losing progress.