to jump to Ice Contract FAQs.
So we will use this space to post the answers to common questions, give anecdotes and stories from the competitions & testing experiences of other skaters and their families. We'll also answer any questions you have and, to make it easier, you can click here to e-mail Q & A your questions. Soon, we will put up a blog for Questions & Answers, too and the best ones will be added to our list of FAQs. This page is for both skaters and their families (but, kids, you know you might have to help mom & dad - just a little).
With thanks to the USFS web site's Basic
Skills page, here are 3 documents the skaters and parents of new competitive figure skaters
should read -- they will answer the vast majority of your questions about
expectations, preparing the young skater, competitions and what to expect (and what is
expected of you). Here are some exerpts with links to the whole text:
Codes of Conduct give everyone a guide to what is expected of us if we are part of
an organization, participating in a sport, or as spectators at our child's events.
Preamble: The essential elements of character-building and ethics in sports are
embodied in the concept of sportsmanship and six core principles: respect,
responsibility, fairness, caring, trustworthiness and good citizenship. The highest potential of sports is
achieved when competition reflects these 'six pillars of character' ...
Mental Prep for Figure Skating Skate Great and Have Fun at Competitions by
Choeleen Loundagin begins: "There are many things you can do to make competitions a fun and
rewarding experience. Using mental skills to bring out your best physical skills is one
valuable method. The following key strategies can help you use the power of your mind to
skate your best and enjoy competitions."
Susi Wehrli's
"Preparing a Young Skater for
Competition" is as much for the neophyte skating mom & dad as for your skater.
Susi discusses such things as what the terms mean, what to do when you arrive
at the competition, what to do before, during and after your performance
and how to act and react, keeping in mind what is important to take with you from
the experience.
Q: If I pay the full amount of the Ice Contract all
at once, rather than in installments, do I get a discount?
A: At $10 / hour for up to 2.5 hours of ice time per week for the 2008/9 season,
you've received a built-in discount! This is an extremely competitive rate and in offering
all the Club-contracted sessions together, we have been able to save money for the members
and associate members who expect to take advantage of most of the weekly ice time available
every week.
Q: What happens if I've contracted ice
and the ice is full and my skater can't get on?
A: We've considered that possibility and do not expect it to happen often, but if it
does, we have put several plans into place to prevent or deal with those issues:
So that you get the most out of the time you've contracted, you should arrive at the
rink 15 to 20 minutes before ice time starts to put on skates, do off-ice stretching and prep,
so that you can step right onto the ice and make the most of the time.
Q: If CVFSC adds more time within a season,
how will that affect Ice Contracts?
A: Depending upon the times of day for the ice time we can get and
other considerations, implementation may be different and the CVFSC board will determine
what makes the most sense and gives the best value for our members.
Q: If my skater walks on to CVFSC Club Ice,
without a contract or CLUB Card, will I pay the $20 per hour walk-on rate?
A: Skaters who are members or Associate Members of CVFSC will NEVER pay the $20
walk-on rate. Only members of other clubs and ONLY for 2 walk-ons (or less, when they
become associates of CVFSC) pay the $20 rate. Once a skater becomes a regular or associate
member of CVFSC, that skater is eligible to take advantage of the lower Ice Contract or CLUB
Card rates.
If your CVFSC skater wishes to come to only one session, your skater will pay the $13 / hr CLUB Card rate and purchase either a 45 minute or 1 hour card (equivalent to a walk-on, but at the club rates).
Q: What is an Ice Contract? How does it benefit me?
A: The CVFSC contracts a certain amount of freestyle ice time from our home rink,
The Pond, for the primary benefit of our club members. This contract with the rink says that
for this / these hours, the club will guarantee enough skaters to pay for that time. This gives
our skaters a dedicated time to skate, to work with their coach(es) and Junior Pros and to
spend skating time with fellow club members on the ice, among other things. This cost is
NOT covered by the club dues you pay; the charge for this ice is just like any other
freestyle time you would take. The more club members who contract for and make use of this
ice time, however, the lower the cost to each individual skater. In signing an ice contract
and agreeing to pay for ice time for the season, the members give the club a better position
for negotiating with the rink; that is to say, if we can show the rink that we have
sufficient ice contracts to cover the ice costs, we have better leverage to select times and
can negotiate better rates. You can contrast this with the walk-on fees - which are
typically somewhat higher than the rate you pay when you sign an ice contract - they do help
the club pay for the ice time, but, because the number of walk-on skaters are variable, we
cannot use them in our negotiations with the rink. One of the reasons for becoming a member of
the figure skating club is for the support we offer one another - this is one type of support.
Q: What is Freestyle Ice?
A: Freestyle ice time is time set aside by the rink which is used by individual
skaters to practice their elements. On these times, only figure skaters are on the ice. Often
your coach will meet you on a freestyle ice session to give you a private or semi-private lesson.
Frequently more advanced skaters will be on the freestyle ice. It is especially on these times that
it is important to practice good "Ice Etiquette" - for your safety and the safety of those more
experienced skaters, as well as simple courtesy and common sense. The Figure Skater's Web Site
describes what this Ice Etiquette is, and safety aspects you may not have realized, very well -
click here to take a look.
Q: I want to compete and try to win
a medal. How do I do that?
A: Count on your coach. Your coach is your guide, your cheerleader and your
all-around best resource for knowing what needs to be done and how it should best be
taken on. Tell your coach what your goals are and what you want to do and he or she will
help you reach them, step-by-step, so that you don't take on a competition or a
level before you are ready. You will need to spend many hours working and
practicing to prepare for a competition and your coach will help you do the right things.
Q: How do I enter a competition?
A: You enter competitions with the guidance and approval of your coach.
Since you've told your coach your skating goals, he or she will know what competition you
are ready for (and when) and at what level you should compete. There are many things
your coach takes into consideration before taking the step to have you enter the
competitive arena, and when the time is right, your coach will suggest a
prospective competition and will tell you where to find the entry forms. We keep a short
list here at EVENTS and
SYNCHRO for Basic Skills and
Synchro competitions, but the Figure Skater's Website, the US Figure Skating site and
Greater Cleveland Council of Figure Skating Clubs (their links are on the
LINKS page) are good
resources too. Your coach and an officer of the CVFSC (your home club) along with you
and your parent or guardian must all sign the entry forms - the coach, to certify that
you are qualified (eligible) to enter the events selected; the CVFSC officer, to certify
that you are a member in good standing with the club. And you and your parent,
to agree that you understand that you will conduct yourself with integrity and
sportsmanship, with consideration for the coaches, officials, other competitors (and
other observers) of the sport and your conduct will reflect favorably on yourself, your
club and home rink and on the sport of figure skating.
Q: How do I decide on music for my program?
A: Not all music is best for skating, and not all kinds of music are permitted
for competitions. Your coach will provide you with some suggestions for music that will
be acceptable to the judges, to your experience level and that matches artistically with
your personality. Especially in the early stages of your figure skating career,
it is important to trust your coach in these areas, since it is usually
never as simple as it seems and he or she has your best interests at heart and
the experience to help you find music that will showcase you at your best.
Q: When do I need a choreographer?
A: Perhaps a better question is, do you need a choreographer?
A choreographer is a specialist whose fees for services are often 2 to 3 times that
of your coach. Early in a skaters' career the elements, artistry and footwork are
fundamental and do not require specialized services of the choreographer since every
coach has some experience in choreography. In many cases, your coach can develop
a wonderful program for you, and do it very quickly, because he or she knows
your strengths and weaknesses ... your coach will know what elements to emphasize and
which ones to minimize and may even show you other artistic movements to make your
overall performance show you at your best.
As you master more advanced skating elements, choreographing your program and coaching your elements may become more than one coach can handle alone. When that happens, your coach will recommend that it is time to bring in that specialist, to develop more complex programs for you and to work alongside your coach to polish your performance. Remember that even the best choreographer cannot make you look like Evan Lysacek, Sasha Cohen or Michelle Kwan if your skating skills have not yet reached the level of theirs. Trust your coach to know when the time is right to take that next step.
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