how can I compete?

[axelkid]

Maybe some of you (especially AEHodman) can help me out. I want to try to compete. I'm 24, but I don't know what I'm eligible for. I have my single jumps. Trying a couple of doubles. Working on getting better spins (I travel like crazy). Can I compete at the bronze level? How do I go about doing this?

[Skwilla]

Hi!

I don't know how much I can help!! but here is a list of things you need to pass Adult Bronze!

*At least 3 differnt single jumps...one has to be salchow, and one has to be a toe loop
*one jump combo consisting of a waltz jump abd a toe loop (no turn or change of foot between)
*one foot upright spin (min 4 revelutions)
*one foot back spin (min 3 rev)
*sit spin (min 3 rev)

and it needs to be in a program. I got that from the USFSA rulebook! From what you've said you seem ready! You can compete in adult nationals in bronze level!! Happy skating and competing!

[aehodman]

Sure you can compete! There is a special adult division called Introductory Adults for skaters aged 18-24. The larger adult competitions and larger USFSA competitions in general often offer these divisions in concert with the regular 25 and ups in Bronze, Silver and Gold. Your best bet is to e-mail or phone the club having the USFSA comp you want to attend and ask them about whether or not these events will be available. With more and more adults skating every day it will be more likely that you will find these events at your local competitions.

As for your level, if you have all your singles including the axel, that is pretty consistent with Silver, but if you aren't particularly comfortable with your spins (I fell your pain there, my sit spin is horrendous and I don't have a proper camel (it's more like a dive-bombing guppy), Bronze would be the way to go, but you will not be allowed to do an axel at that level. Most of the top people I have seen at Bronze competitions have a lutz in their program -- most have it in combination -- and with at least one combination spin, typically a camel/sit.

For example, at State Games last May, here are the elements I remember seeing the top 3 ladies in bronze doing:

GOLD medal: lutz; flip/toe, camel/sit, scratch, a loop combination, single flip, sit. She was very fast across the ice and comfortable with the music.
SILVER medal: (my favorite of the programs!) lutz/toe, lutz, also had flip, loop and maybe a flip combination, I can't remember. Camel/sit and sit, scratch. Great position in sit spin.
BRONZE medal (this was my program!): lutz/loop, flip, waltz/half loop/toe, sit, scratch, side spin (kind of in layback-esque position).

So, based on this and other comps I have observed while on skating hiatus, the lutzes and especially good combination spins are what you should strive for in a Bronze program. A lot also has to do with your speed and confidence. I was rather slow and nervous (also injured with a strained ankle) and did not have a combination spin. Still I was pretty proud to finish where I did, especially skating in the second biggest group of skaters I ever have! ;)

When I get back on the ice (8 days and counting as long as I get the okay from the doc on Monday!), here's what I am hoping to put in my Bronze program:

lutz
lutz/loop
flip/loop
layback (you don't see many of these -- the lady who finished 4th at State Games had a GREAT layback spin combination!)
sit spin (hopefully upgraded to camel sit at some point)
scratch or side spin

You only have 1:40 max, which isn't a lot of time to get a lot of stuff in. I'd recommend at least one lutz with at least one solid spin combo -- and don't forget speed speed and more speed! ;)

I hope this helps! :)

[susan ba]

AeHodman: congratulations on your bronze medal!!!
and thanks for the extra info. it's good to know the real level of competition at that level (that's not to say you shouldn't compete anyway if you don't have a lutz)

i'm waaaaaaaayy far from your level but it's something to really aim for!

by the way, what music did you use for your program and when do anticipate competing at the silver level?
and is there only one program or is there also a short? (not that i think a program can be much shorter than 1:40 lol)

[susan ba]

ps, thanks for your info too skate517!

[aehodman]

Thanks for the congrats Susan! State Games was a tough competition for me (first time ever I skated in an arena that seated over 1000+ people!) and with my frazzled nerves and injury I was really happy with how well I managed to skate. It was also great getting to see the other ladies skate -- the woman who won the silver at SG made the final Ladies Bronze I group at last year's AN and besides being a really great person to talk to I also learned a lot just from watching her skate. If I do get to go to National State Games I'll be using an old tried and true Spanish flamenco style piece of music from an ISI program I am very comfortable with. I hope that will help!

I skated to one of MK's tried and trues -- her Salmone's Dance from King of Kings, which I love but IMO it's just too fast for my rather slow and ploddy skating, a big reason I think I am not presenting it as well as I could or should. I hope I'll get to use it once I get a little faster and have better skills because I like it so much.

As for competing at Silver, that's a loooooong way off! I will need a heckuva lot better spins -- probably at least a flying camel -- and an axel, preferably in combination, before I'm ready for that! Right now I am aiming for better spins and a good camel which I can build into a camel combination. I also need a MUCH better sit spin. Mine resembled a geriatric Magilla Gorilla pre-pregnancy sabbatical and I can't imagine it will be better once I am back on the ice! :( So I have my work cut out for me for at least one more season at Bronze. I'd love to win one competition before I move up, but we'll see. It's really competitive down here and the groups are usually at least 5 ladies so I'm happy with just a medal!

You're very right about not necessarily needing a lutz -- the lady who does the layback spin in combination did not have a lutz in her program last seasin but she always scored very high because of the solidness of her spins and the flow of her overall skating, and her great footwork. She has even gotten first place ordinals over other skaters WITH lutzes from some judges. :)

And yep, there is only one program. USFSA competitions do have shorts and longs but they are only at the higher FS levels like junior and senior. I like to stick around and watch those, they are so fast and amazing skaters! :)

I am also a big fan of ISI competitions -- I did about 2 years of them before starting in USFSA and it really helped me to get comfirtable with being judged and out on the ice in front of lots of people. I started competing at ISI level FS1 and have kept at it until I stopped testing at FS3. I will be going to ISI Adult Nationals but will be in FS3 since I am having such a hard time with that rassin frassin footwork sequence in FS4. Several friends of mine went to the last few ISI ANs and had a great time. I am looking forward to attending! If you are thinking of going please let me know so we can plan to meet up!

[susan ba]

you crack me up... yes, i would love to compete...but i'm soooo far away from that in terms of skill. i will be buckeling down this month though...

please give me inspiration and tell me that you are over 25 since you are talking about adult comps... because i'm virtually 28 (i started last year)and i'm basically starting for real this year

anyway, so competing is far off (i can do a watze and a sal and just started on my toe-loop) but i would love to watch you compete though...or to get together with a fellow fan to watch the higher ups do their amazing things. which part of the country do you live in?
it's not that i live and breath skating, but my non skating friends don't understand how i could spend a 9 hour round trip talking only about skating with another skater.

ok...i'm going to go to this other site i know to check out what FS1 to FS3 is....

[aehodman]

I'm actually right smack in the middle of the 'I' USFSA adult divisions -- I turn 30 this October (note: eeeeek!!!) and I am also going to be getting back into skating after just having a baby (which I think you knew already, but this is gonna be hard as I have those 20 extra pounds I still need to get rid of (I love how everyone told me 'oh, that weight will just go away'. Uh-HUH. ;) ) So I more than have my work cut out for me! :/ The good news is that most adult skaters I know who I admire the most and whose quality of skating I think is the best are over 30. The two Bronze ladies I admire most are both at least 30, and the most amazing adult skater I have ever seen is over 40, has a teenaged daughter and is working on perfecting all her doubles. They are great role models for me and really prove that skating has nothing to do with age (well, I guess in the quad jump department, but there ya go). Hey, and don't forget that you and Elvis Stojko (silver medalist at Worlds last year) are exactly the same age. I try to remind myself that there are elite skaters still performing well in the amateur side of the sport who are our age. Todd Eldredge is a month older than I am, and Kristi Yamaguchi is still landing perfect triple lutzes and she's also almost the same age I am. All that combined kinda helps me to keep going when my body doesn't necessarily do the things I want it to do.

I live in a state you wouldn't normally think is a hotbed of figure skating -- Florida -- but I've found an even more active adult skating community here than in the Northeast where I first took Basic lessons. I am hoping to go to my State Games but since my event will be the day before baby Sammy's christening I am not too sure I'll be able to go. The only out of town comps I am doing is (maybe) National State Games of America in St Louis -- I qualified for it last year but they don't have any specific adult events, so I don't know yet -- and the Peach Classic sdult USFSA comp in Atlanta in September.

I would highly recommend ISI comps, and if you feel ready by then, the Adult Champs here in Tampa. I attended two Winter Classics -- one of ISI's 3 big national events -- two years in a row and had a great time. :)

Hmmm....it sounds like you are somewhere around FS1 to FS3. FS1 is a two foot spin, forward spiral, waltz jump, and uhm, some other things (sorry my memory is not terrific). FS3 consists of a salchow, toe loop, change foot spin (this is a royal pain -- you do a forward spin, change feet to a backspin, then back to a front spin with a minimum of 3 revs on each one), a dance step sequence that is pretty easy, a backward spiral, and a pivot. Something that helped me get ready to compete was just to have a program choreographed at FS1 that I practiced several times a week, just to have one and to feel comfortable with it. Then, when I got the nerve up to actually compete, it wasn't as nerve warcking as I though because doing the program was like old hat. It was a pretty cool feeling of accomplishment just to have done one (and most importantly for me to have remembered to do everything!) ;)

And like I said, with ISI you can start competing right from the start if you want to -- at an ISI comp I volunteered at this summer, there was a lady who did an Alpha program and spotlight, which basically consisted of her just doing forward swizzles and crossovers, but she had a great time and I think she inspired some of the skating moms there to maybe give it a try. :)

Let me know if you are thinking about ISI Adult Champs -- there's still plenty of time because it's in September if you want to get a program ready! -- it will be a great competition. My friend will be probably be competing at FS4 (one of the adult skaters I admire) and she's a joy to watch and really inspiring, not to mention another lady from my rink who skates FS5 and at the Gold level in the 'II' division (35-44).

[axelkid]

Thanks so much for the information everyone! I will have to save this thread. I'm hoping that there may be an opportunity to compete this summer. I'm working on a program with music to "gladiator" but I'm scared since I know it's VERY DIFFERENT when you string a whole bunch of elements together as opposed to doing them individually. Can't wait to try though. Conquering my nerves will probably be the greatest obstacle.

AEHodman - how many people do you usually compete against? Is it just like 2 people or is it like 50?

Thanks!!

[aehodman]

Once you start competing in USFSA you won't be able to stop yourself, it's as addictive as chocolate! :)

As for how many people I'm usually against, the past 3 competitions I have done had a minimum of 3 people in the division I was in. State Games was 5 total and my open USFSA from last winter had 9 of us total. Competitions at the start of the season (February/March) usually have more skaters because everyone wants to get their programs out there and judged, and start getting comfortable with them for the rest of the season. Overall I have found that I always skate against more people in USFSA than I did in ISI -- the most people I ever skated against in ISI was two. I do know that for the Introductory events there are usually fewer people in a group, mostly because (I think) the division is still not all that widely known about in the 18-24 age group.

Good luck with your future competitions and be sure to keep us all up to date with what you are doing! :)

[susan ba]

AE... let me tell you why i'm so excited...first, because you are my age and secondly, because you live in FL...that's where i live too....but up north. i was expecting to hear that you're from CA or something like that. definitely, i would love to meet you sometimes to either watch you or just watch with you.... it's midnight now but i definitely want to explore the poss some other time.

axel, don't be shy to tell us how your skating is going... i remember you were one of the first person on this site to tell me all about your personal skating and i am still interested in your progress. isn't it a comfort to know that you won't have to compete against like 50 poeple?

[aehodman]

Another adult Floridian skater -- yahoooooooooooooooodles!!!! :) :)

A site you will definitely want to check out is www.floridaskating.com (http://www.floridaskating.com)

It lists all the upcoming statewide USFSA competitions, almong with links to results from previous years and entry forms, deadlines and the like. It also has a comprehensive list of upcoming test sessions and links to all the rinks' websites and clubs' websites as well. I check it every week or so to see what's going on and how all my fellow adult skaters are doing at the various competitions in our area.

And since you live in Florida I will DEFINITELY be pestering you about ISI Adult Champs now! ;) Usually they are held all the way out on the West Coast and it's a pretty big rarity for them to be here in our neck of the woods. If you feel comfortable enough and up to doing it I think you should participate in it. I'll be there for moral support if that helps at all! Also, you don't have to do just a technical program, or even do one at all for that matter. ISI has artistic events that are judges on spins and footwork only (no jumps allowed) at each of the levels, as well as footwork and show-like spotlight numbers. I've never attended the Adult Champs but I went to Winter Classic when it was here in Florida and had the best time. Food for thought.....:)

[axelkid]

I have to say that 50% of my friends are made at school and the other 50% at the ice rink. Adult skaters are just wonderful and I love it when I make new friends at the rink. Too bad you guys aren't in the metro DC area!! It would be so much fun to get together and skate and offer little bits of advice!

Susan, as for my skating, it's going pretty well. Thanks for asking!! I haven't been doing much new stuff, just modifying old stuff. But I am falling less nowadays which is probably an improvement. My axel is consistent enough that I've tried to tack on loops (and sometimes double loops) to the end. I've got a camel (finally) but unfortunately, it's so slow that I rotate one time and then the public session is over. And yesterday we learned butterflies! That was a lot of fun, though my attempts make me look like ostrich on hallucinogenic drugs. As for the doubles, I've been working on double salchow, double loop, and double flip. My best right now is probably the double loop, though I have problems with overrotation. My goal is to improve my spins and get consistency on my jumps. It's all about control.

AEHodman, I'm hitting spring break next week and I'll put all my energy into choreographing! How long are the programs that you do? I'm trying to figure out how to cut the music.

[aehodman]

Wow axelkid those are pretty darn impressive jumps! Once you get the spins you want you'll be kicking some serious booty at AN in the Silver and Gold divisions! :)

As for program length, the max allowed in Bronze is 1:40, although I am now using some old ISI FS3 music that is 1:30. They do not penalize you for going under the 1:40 mark but they do if you go over, so if you have music close to 1:40 you might want to make sure it's about 1:35 or so to adapt for change in tape player speeds at various events. I got a music deduction once and was very crabby about it as I skated one of the best programs I'd ever done only to get points taken off for that! grrrrrrrrrr! :/

Good luck with your programs -- keep us updated with what music and costume and theme you decide to go with! :)