Competitions
Participation in competitions is optional although many
skaters do compete in the Badger State Games in Wausau in February.
Notices of skating competitions and fees may also be found on the
club bulletin board or in skating magazines (your ISI and USFSA dues will include a
subscription to skating magazines.
For
skating competitions, your coach will be the person to
consult for various rules of dress, length of program
and appropriate moves for your level.
Your coach may or may not be at your competition
if it is out of town.
You will need to provide for your own
transportation and expenses.
Ask
your coach to see if you are ready to compete in some of
these competitions.
What to expect as a skater
Excited ???
-- You Bet !!
No
question about it, your first competition will be one of the
most exciting, most confusing, and most stomach-churning days
you will ever experience in skating! Just remember, you're
doing this for fun, so go out there, show off a little, and
enjoy the experience. Do your best job, but always remember to
keep an even perspective on the day... Parents, too, remember
how much courage it takes to get out there all alone on that
huge sheet of ice in front of all those people. Make sure your
child knows about that fluttery feeling of pride you feel in
your chest when you see them out there.
First, Just
a Little Bit of Philosophy
An
important thing to remember as you go into a competition is to
skate against yourself -- not the other skaters. It's
great to "win" or to earn a medal, and we all want to strive for
that as a goal, but if that is your only goal, you're bound to
come away disappointed very often. It's important to remember
that you can control how well you skate, but you have no control
over who you are competing against. At any given competition
you might face competitors who are more advanced, equally
advanced, or less experienced than yourself. Your final
position will be greatly affected by the level of that field.
You could skate exactly the same performance in 2
different competitions and end up in first place one day and
last place the next, depending on the abilities of the other
skaters. Strive instead to always "better" your last
performance. Every time you go out on that competition ice, try
to do just a little bit better than you did the last time. If
you do that, the medals will take care of themselves. If you
can come off the ice feeling good about your performance,
knowing that you've done your best job, then you should be
happy.
When
do I find out my event schedule?
Usually, you will get a mailing from the host club about 10-14
days before the competition. This mailing will list your event
day and times, and will provide a map to the rink, parking
instructions, and other necessary information. In general, it
won't help to call earlier than that, since they can't make up a
firm schedule until they have all the entries and go through a
huge scheduling effort to make it all work. They'll mail it as
soon as they know it's a solid schedule.
Who will you
compete against?
You
will compete against other skaters of approximately similar
experience. You may or may not be competing against skaters of
similar age. The basic separation is by test level. This means
you will be competing against other skaters who have tested "no
further" than you have. Many competitions allow skaters to
"skate up" one level (skate in a level that is one test more
difficult than they have actually passed), but no competition
will let skaters skate in a level below where they have
passed.
Of course, even within a test level, you will find people of widely varying experience and ability.
Generally, you will skate in a group of no more than 8 - 10 skaters. Most clubs try to schedule so that this can happen. If there are substantially more than 10 people entered in a single event, they will break up the group into separate "flights", which will then be considered completely separate events. Usually if this is done, the flights are grouped according to the skater's ages.
When should
you arrive at the Rink?
The
club mailing that has your schedule on it will tell you what
they expect of entrants. In general though, you should expect
to check in at least an hour before your scheduled event time.
When you get to the rink, they will usually have a "check-in"
table near the doors. You need to go to that table and say your
name and event (if there is an "event number" associated with
your event you should be prepared to tell them that also). They
will find your name on their list and "log you in". If your
event requires music, you should give them your tape at this
time (see elsewhere in this document for more information on
music). They will probably have "Program Booklets" available at
this table for a nominal charge. You'll probably want one for
your scrapbook. Once you're checked in, you can watch other
events until it's time for you to get dressed. The club will
provide locker rooms for you to change in, and you can usually
leave your clothes and skating bags in that room while you're
competing.
When should
you get dressed? When should you get on the ice?
Again, your host club or your pro may tell you their own special
expectations. However, the general rule is that you should be
fully dressed and ready to check in when the flight before
yours actually "takes the ice". Usually there will be an
Ice Monitor standing somewhere near the skater's "entry door"
(usually with a clipboard in her hand). You should find the Ice
Monitor at this time and tell them who you are and that you are
present and ready. Then don't go too far away, but don't hover
too close and bother everybody either... The Ice Monitor will
tell you when it's time for your flight's warmup.
Generally, you should say your "good-byes" to your parents up in the bleachers, then report to the Ice Monitor along with your pro. The pro can usually stay with you up to and during your event. Your parents should not.
What's a
Warmup?
The "Warmup"
is a short opportunity (usually about 3-4 minutes) for you to
get out on the ice and warm up your muscles before you compete.
Your pro may have a few specific somethings for you to work on
during this time, but in general you should use it to stroke
around and loosen your muscles. Do a couple jumps to get a feel
for the ice quality. Try to familiarize yourself with the size
and "look" of the rink so that you don't get surprised during
the competition if the rink is smaller or larger than your home
rink. Visualize where you will start, and where key elements
of your program will occur. You should probably not run through
your entire program, but you might want to try out a few of it's
key elements. The judges will not be judging your
activities during this period, although some will watch to help
them get a general feel for the "level" of skating that they
will see in the group.
They will generally sound a horn or make an announcement when you have 1 minute left in the warmup, then tell you to leave the ice when it's over. Don't go too far, and try to keep your muscles warm and loose. If you choose to watch the other competitors you may do so.
Skating
Order
Usually this will be posted on a convenient wall somewhere
around the "concourse" of the rink. When you first arrive at
the rink, you can ask the people at the registration desk where
the skating orders are posted. You will find a sheet for each
of your events that will list all the competitors in the order
in which they will skate. It will probably NOT be the same as
the order printed in the program booklet (which is usually just
alphabetic).
Warmup
Groups
Sometimes when your flight is large, it will be divided into 2
or 3 “sub-groups," each of which gets to warm up separately.
For instance, if you are in a flight of 12 skaters, it might be
broken up into 2 groups of 6. The first 6 would warm up at the
time listed on the ice schedule, then they would skate their
programs. Then the next 6 would warm up, then skate their
programs. All are judged as if they were one group, it just
ensures that the final skaters don’t get too “cool” waiting for
their turn to skate. It is generally done when the flight size
is greater than 9, and generally only at levels of about
Intermediate or higher (when the programs start to get long).
Your
"Skate"
When
it’s your turn, the Ice Monitor will give you instructions to go
on the ice. Skate out to wherever you will strike your initial
pose, and indicate your readiness to the judges and the music
person. If this is a competition with music, then they will
start it as soon as they know that both you and the judges are
ready. If your program is not done to music, you should wait
until they announce something like "skater, you may begin".
Take a deep breath, relax, and skate your best...
When you are done, take your bows then skate off the ice. If you are in a "half-ice" competition and someone else is skating on the other half, it would be courteous to wait until they are finished before you skate off the ice.
Results
Usually it will take about a half-hour or so for results to be
posted. You will generally find them posted in the same place
where the skating orders were. The results sheet shows your
final position, and shows the ordinal (position) marking that
each of the judges gave you. Usually, you can purchase copies
of the results sheet for about 25¢ from the host club.
Medals,
Ribbons
Different clubs do this differently, but usually if you are in
the top 3 positions you will receive a medal of some sort. They
will usually have award ceremonies scheduled periodically during
the competition to award these medals. They often take
"official pictures" at this time as well. If you have earned a
medal, you should check to see when the award ceremony is, and
whether or not pictures will be taken. If they do take pictures,
you will probably be expected to be in your skating outfit and
skates. At many competitions, those skaters who placed below
the "medal positions" will be eligible to receive a ribbon.
Check at the registration table to find out where you go to get
these.
Before you
leave the arena
Don't
forget to pick up your tapes (audio, and video)!!
Music Tapes
Most clubs expect you to bring your music on standard audio
cassette tapes. The competition announcement will give you
specific instructions. Usually, you should bring 2 copies of
your tape. Give one to the registration desk when you arrive,
give the other to your pro or someone else close to the ice for
emergencies. Your tape should be well labeled with your name
and your event. Your music should be the first and only song on
the tape, and it should be rewound when you turn it in. If you
can find the real short 5- or 10-minute cassettes, use those.
They generally have a "thicker" tape which works better in the
cold, damp environment of the ice rink. If at all possible,
make a "Brand New" copy of your music for the competition -- do
not use the same tape which you have played over and over again
during your practice sessions. Tapes do wear out and get
scratchy sounding, and you'd like to have the best possible
sound for your competition. If you do make a new tape though,
make sure you listen to it at least once, just to make sure it
recorded properly!
Dress
Appropriate dress for skaters varies according to their age and
level.
At higher levels, competitors will often have special custom skating outfits for each event.
At beginning levels, boys may be very appropriately dressed in dark pants, shirt, and turtleneck or sweater. Girls may be in a simple skating dress or skirt and sweater. Warmup suits, windsuits should not be worn during a competition program. Gloves or mittens may be worn during warmups, but usually are not worn during a competition. Warmup jackets or sweaters are appropriate during the warmup, but should be removed for competition (remember that pullover sweaters or sweatshirts may muss the hair when removed).
Skates should be cleaned and polished for every competition. Make sure your laces are in good shape before you get to the rink -- old laces tend to break at the most inconvenient times!
Hair should be done tidily and securely. Bobby pins, scrunchies, rubber bands, etc, if used should be very securely placed. These items present a hazard to skaters if they should fall off and lay on the ice.
Competition outfits at all levels are required by USFSA rules to be modest, and appropriate to athletic competition. Except for "Artistic Showcase" type events, they should not be theatrical in nature.
Many experienced skaters bring a "backup" outfit to every competition. Emergencies do happen and it's pretty nice to have an option available. If you don't bring a spare outfit, girls should at least bring a few spare pairs of tights, and all skaters should have spare laces available.
Competition
Conduct
Remember, every child competing is special to someone. Skaters
and families should be respectful of all competitors.
In the audience, refrain from entering, exiting, or wandering the bleacher area while skaters are performing. There's plenty of time in between skaters to move around. Be supportive of your skaters, but refrain from obnoxious calling and activities. Never "Boo" or otherwise harass other skaters. Be attentive to and appreciative of the efforts of all skaters.
Skaters, refrain from displays of temper or displeasure. Nobody wants to watch them.
Photography/Videography
For
the safety of the skaters, NO FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY is permitted
during competition events at any Figure Skating Competition.
Still photos may be taken with available light (use a "fast"
film). Video taping is usually permitted as long as courtesy
is observed.
At most competitions a professional videographer is available to take videos on your tape for a nominal charge. Their professional equipment and operators get better pictures than you can, and you can spend the time watching your skater perform. Many skaters keep an on-going tape that has their entire competitive history on it. They take it to every competition (pre-positioned to the end of the last prior event), and have their new events appended to the tape.