ISI & USFSA Tests

The other thread got me thinking. I know what the USFSA offers adults in the way of testing - what does the ISI do?

the USFSA has:

4 adult moves in the field tests
4 adult freestyle tests
4(?) adult dance tests (that include multiple dances on each)
Adult figures tests (although I have heard that those are going away - I don't know).

You must have passed the MIF test at any level where you want to take a freestyle test. This encourages the development of strong skating skills, and in fact replaced the figures requirement of my childhood.

The adult tests combine parts of the first 4 or 5 standard tests, and the elements chosen were based on an average adult's ability, not an average kid's ability. For example, the highest jump on an adult test is the axel.

For freestlye competitions, there are actually 5 levels because skaters who have passed the Intermediate freestyle or above will compete at Masters (although in non-adult competitions they are usually put with the Golds because of the low numbers of competitors).

Then, if we pass all of the adult tests, we can cross over to the standard track - in fact that is what I did when I took my Intermediate Moves in the Field test.

I understand that the ISI does not have an adult-focused system. Is that correct? If I were to want to compete at an ISI event, would I have to compete at Freestyle 6, even though I can no longer do all of the elements on the test? I really am curious because I've wondered if I could compete at my old childhood rink's annual ISI competition.

sk8er1964 said:

I understand that the ISI does not have an adult-focused system. Is that correct? If I were to want to compete at an ISI event, would I have to compete at Freestyle 6, even though I can no longer do all of the elements on the test? I really am curious because I've wondered if I could compete at my old childhood rink's annual ISI competition.

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My understanding is that, yes, you'd have to compete at the level you'd passed. My friend had the same problem. She'd passed FS8 and no way can she still do everything required for that level, lol. However, this was told to me by a longtime ISI coach/judge/ref, if you wanted to retest, say under your married name (if that applies), then you could do so and test only up to the level at which you can now skate. I don't know how true that is, but it might be worth looking into.

The ISI has never had adult tests because they have such restrictions on what you can do at each level and always group people (in Freestyle events) by age so you're not only not going to compete against a 16 year old if youre 35, but you're not going to find anyone in your level doing a triple when you only have an axel. In events like footwork or spotlight I've seen them vary the age range because there are no skill requirements for programs in those events.

ISI also has Artistic in Freestyle 1 level and up, which is basically just like a Freestyle program but there are no required elements, and you can do elements from a higher level or lower level. I'm opting for Artistic this year just to have more freedom to do what I do well in the level and outside of it and less pressure with the requirements of the level.

By the by, MANY adults were not happy with the requirement that you now must take the corresponding MITF test prior to the Freestyle test in USFSA, but my coach was always going to have me start with MITF (would have been pre-pre prior to the intro of the adult track). I think solid MITF are necessary for competitive skating, so I have no problem with this. Not everyone agrees--I know a skater who frantically got her pre-bronze freestyle test in prior to the change (two tries before passing) because she has trouble with three turns and absolutely didn't want to have to take the moves test.

Yaz, thank you, lol, I forgot all about Artistic.

Yazmeen said:

By the by, MANY adults were not happy with the requirement that you now must take the corresponding MITF test prior to the Freestyle test in USFSA, but my coach was always going to have me start with MITF (would have been pre-pre prior to the intro of the adult track). I think solid MITF are necessary for competitive skating, so I have no problem with this. Not everyone agrees--I know a skater who frantically got her pre-bronze freestyle test in prior to the change (two tries before passing) because she has trouble with three turns and absolutely didn't want to have to take the moves test.

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Yeah, I know. I took my pre-bronze, bronze and silver freestyle all at once to make the grandfathering deadline. That was not to avoid MIFs, though - it was because I needed to get through my Gold freestyle to be able to skate at the last AN and simply didn't have the time to do MIF's.

I think that MIF's will do really good things for adult skating. I can really tell the difference in my own skating just from doing the Intermerdiate MIF for the last several months. My knees actually do bend . Whenever you have a drastic rules change such as the MIF requirement, you will get lots of grumbling.