Back to insurance thing. Thanks for the info (love to skate).
I know they are afraid of getting sued. Of course, I don't take lessons. I'm my own coach. Can't sue myself.But the club does rent out the ice for that time period, so they may in some way be legally responsible for the people using it somehow....
Thank you! Maybe next time it won't be so crowded and I won't have to be so cautious, I can go faster, etc etc. Morning sessions seem to be more ideal since (most) kids are at school during that time. ^^
You're welcomeOriginally Posted by bondgirl
Back to insurance thing. Thanks for the info (love to skate).
I know they are afraid of getting sued. Of course, I don't take lessons. I'm my own coach. Can't sue myself.I thought the ice you used was rented out by the rink? If it indeed rented out by the club I would be extremely surprised if there wasn't a waiver or insurance policy involved. Considering the States has much more lenient laws in respect to suing somebody. You might want to look into it - maybe ask one of the coaches or somebody involved in the club.
There really isn't a club. It is just the rink, itself.(Mainly a hockey complex with several rinks.) So there isn't a club involved. Only problem is they are closed to figure skaters on the weekends (hockey, you know :sheesh: Can't really blame them. It's where they make their $). Due to work, I can't skate on Mondays. So I go Sat-Mon with no ice time.Would like to find a "walk on" (at a different rink) for one of these days. Only problem is all of the walk on time is club ice. Don't want to join club/USFSA for one day a week's practice. Can't skate rec sessions. Too many kids for my level of freestyle. Too dangerous.
It might make the most sense for you to just join a club then if you want to be able to practice. I don't know the cost in the States but it's only around $35 here - very reasonable for a year. Might be a good investment.
Sometime in the future I may actually have to end up joining a club, after how the public skate was last night. The rink I go to is the only one in a 50mi radius... and public sessions are pretty much overrun by speeding hockey players and the employees do nothing about it. Only way I can get into Freestyle sessions is if I pass "Basic 4". Any idea of where to look up what skills are at each level? As in, what level I am at and what I need to do to pass this Level 4. I'm guessing that joining a club is the only way to advance through the levels
Last edited by midori78; 10-24-2009 at 01:43 PM.
midori,
Here is a link.http://www.usspeedskating.org/pdf/Ba...llsProgram.pdf
If you want, I can see if I can throw together a quick video of the skills so you can see them. (But it will take a few weeks.) Also, you will need to pass Basic 1, 2, and 3. Even if you can pass 4, I think you need to start at the beginning. You may need a coach to pass you. (Some kind of test session or something.) Know what you mean about the rec sessions. Might even break down and join a club myeslf.....(as i love to skate suggested)....
Last edited by bondgirl; 10-24-2009 at 02:15 PM. Reason: added stuff
Aww you don't have to go to all that trouble
You're probably talking about the US Figure Skating Basic Skills program.Only way I can get into Freestyle sessions is if I pass "Basic 4". Any idea of where to look up what skills are at each level? As in, what level I am at and what I need to do to pass this Level 4. I'm guessing that joining a club is the only way to advance through the levels
You can click on "Curriculum" to see all the skills that are taught under this program. Many rinks include only the Snowplow Sam for little kids and Basic 1-8 and at least some of the Freestyle 1-6 classes. Next most likely would be hockey and/or adult series, depending on demand.
This is usually a good deal for skaters at those levels. You join USFS as a Basic Skills member, which is generally a lot cheaper than joining a club, and then you pay for a series of group lessons that often include some practice time, probably on public sessions, during the week as well. So for not much more than the cost of that much practice time, you also get instruction.
Talk to the skating director at your rink for exactly how they work things there.
In most cases signing up for group lessons under the Basic Skills program is not the same as joining a skating club.
If the freestyle ice is contracted through the local club, then you may need to join the club to skate on their ice time. If the rink holds its own freestyle sessions that you can pay for directly through the rink, then you shouldn't need to be a member of the local club or might not even need to be a member of USFS to skate on those sessions.
However, for safety reasons they do want to make sure that beginners who don't know what they're doing don't skate on freestyle sessions. So they'll want you to prove that you have a chieved an appropriate skill level and have learned the etiquette of skating on freestyle sessions before allowing you on those sessions. If you can prove that you've passed their minimum test requirements, you would qualify to skate on the rink freestyles. It sounds like your rink requires the USFS Basic 4 skill level.
If you want to sign up for lessons, they may test you to see what skills you already have to decide which class you should start with, if you haven't taken Basic Skills classes before. They might do it during the first day of group lessons, or they might ask you to set up a private evaluation session with an instructor or something like that. They can probably pass you through the lower levels if you've already mastered all the skills at those levels. Of course, if you haven't been taking classes in that program, you may have some skills from higher levels and be missing some skills from lower levels. You'd probably be placed in the lowest class level that includes any skills you can't do yet.
A figure skating club might have a similar or higher minimum standard for skating on club sessions.
Often beginners who skate below that level are allowed on freestyle sessions with an instructor if they're taking private lessons but not allowed to practice on their own until they develop more skills.
If you can test to Basic 4 or higher, then they would let you practice on the freestyle sessions.
But you might find it useful to sign up for a series of lessons at your appropriate level anyway to learn some new skills in a structured way. I did some adult freestyle classes (mixed levels) at times when I was too broke to take private lessons, even though I already had basic skating skills beyond what's taught in group lessons from when I took private lessons as a kid.
I think I'll look into the basic skills program (they have a figure skating academy at the rink), but it might be a good idea for me to get a "good" pair of skates first....the ones I have just plain hurt in the ankles and they're too narrow, and I can't return them to where I got them from. I believe that's what is holding me back since I remember doing much better when I first skated...
My rink's only requirement for freestyle is "able to do back crossovers" OR working with a coach (if you can't). There have been kids working with a coach that can't skate backwards that end up staying on the session...we just look out for them because we are a bit less "killer" than other rinks, more recreational. Keep working on your skills so you can hop onto the freestyle sessions-its worth it!Sometime in the future I may actually have to end up joining a club, after how the public skate was last night. The rink I go to is the only one in a 50mi radius... and public sessions are pretty much overrun by speeding hockey players and the employees do nothing about it. Only way I can get into Freestyle sessions is if I pass "Basic 4". Any idea of where to look up what skills are at each level? As in, what level I am at and what I need to do to pass this Level 4. I'm guessing that joining a club is the only way to advance through the levels
My rink runs in two sessions... one for beginners (no tests need to be completed), but you are only allowed to do skating skills, spins, and single jumps. The second rink is freestyle for those who have passed the Novice test and above, but there is a loop hole. You can skate for one of the rink's official coaches, and if they say your skating seems to be the appropriate level. Otherwise, too many people would be held back from practicing certain elements while waiting for testing.... they don't advertise this little back way, you just need to ask and have health insurance. You never know what rinks might have similar policies...
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