1. Welcome to the Miami FSC! We are member club #4956 of US Figure Skating and the most southern club in the United States. We are committed to the development of all levels and areas of Figure Skating. We provide USFS testing, support and social activities for the greater Miami Figure Skating community. Competition, USFS Testing and Social Activities Competition Stars On Ice Outings Club Dinner/Bingo Night

2. Parenting Essentials “When you reach for the stars you may not quite get one, but you won’t come up with a handful of mud either.” ---Leo Burnett

3. Figure Skating Programs and Development / Pipeline of Figure Skating U.S. Figure Skating Basic Skills Program/ KIA Skating Academy Bridge Program / KIA Skating Academy Advanced Figure Skating Program U.S. Figure Skating Club Membership / Miami FSC TESTSTESTS Pre-preliminary Preliminary Pre-juvenile Juvenile Intermediate Novice Junior Senior N O N Q U A L I F Y I N G C O M P S. QUALIFYING SYSTEMQUALIFYING SYSTEM U.S. Junior Championships: Reach for the Stars U.S. Championships: Team 2010, NACS Sports Science U.S. Championships: International comp., Worlds, Olympics SYNCHRONIZEDSKATINGSYNCHRONIZEDSKATING Synchronized skaters also follow a qualifying track that leads to Worlds. The competitions are separate, and there is not test track. Passing skill tests advance the skater to the next level. Skaters test in moves in the field, free skating, pairs and dance. Pre-preliminary Preliminary Pre-juvenile Juvenile Intermediate Novice Junior Senior Skaters of all levels compete in non qualifying competitions. Juvenile Intermediate Novice Junior Senior This is the pipeline for singles, pairs and dance to advance to the U.S. Junior Champ., U.S. Champ., and international, World and Olympics x Juvenile Intermediate Novice Junior Senior Collegiate Adult Preliminary Pre-juvenile Open juvenile Open junior Preliminary – Open Junior go to the first level of qualifying comp., but cannot go to U.S. Championships Development & Education programs held for all levels of synchronized skating. U.S. Synchronized Championships: International comp., World Junior, World U.S. Synchronized Championships: Juvenile - Adult Collegiate Programs Adult Programs Collegiate Champ. Adult Champ. Adult Test Program

4. Test Structure TESTSTESTS Pre-preliminary Preliminary Pre-juvenile Juvenile Intermediate Novice Junior Senior Passing skill tests advance the skater to the next level. Skaters test in moves in the field, free skating, pairs and dance. Adult Test Program Basic Skills Program, Snowplow 1,Basic 1, Hockey 1, Adult 1, Special Olympics 1 – FUNDAMENTAL SKATING LESSONS Basic Skills Advanced Programs: FS, synchro, dance, pairs, AIM Limited Beginner / Beginner / Bridge Program Pre-Preliminary: 3272 Preliminary: 2346 Pre-Juvenile: 1857 Juvenile: 1506 Intermediate: 931 Novice: 531 Junior: 368 Senior: 239 Over 100,000 skaters are in the Basic Skills Program each year. Retention rate from year to year is about 35% Free skating tests passed by U.S. Figure Skating members in calendar year 2006. On average it takes a skater one year to progress one level. The test structure is the base of U.S. Figure Skating. All skaters must participate to advance to the next level. Each level has specific required elements that the skater must perform in a program for a panel of 3 qualified judges. The pass rate decreases as the level increases. 99% of skaters taking the pre-preliminary test passed, while 59% of skaters taking the senior test passed. There were a total of 402 Adult free skating tests taken; 26 gold.

5. Basic Skills to Senior - Non Qualifying Competitive Free Skating Structure Competitive Test Track New event for non-qualifying restricted competitions Limited Beginner Beginner Pre - Pre Test Preliminary Test Pre- Juvenile Test Juvenile Test Intermediate Test Novice Test Junior Test Senior Test Competitive Test Track New event for non-qualifying restricted competitions Limited Beginner Beginner Pre - Pre Test Preliminary Test Pre- Juvenile Test Juvenile Test Intermediate Test Novice Test Junior Test Senior Test Free Skating Track Well Balanced Program Requirements No Test Free Skate Pre-pre Free Skate Preliminary Free Skate Pre- juvenile/Open Pre-juv. Free Skate Juvenile/Open Juvenile Free Skate Intermediate Free Skate Novice Free Skate Junior Free Skate Senior Free Skate Free Skating Track Well Balanced Program Requirements No Test Free Skate Pre-pre Free Skate Preliminary Free Skate Pre- juvenile/Open Pre-juv. Free Skate Juvenile/Open Juvenile Free Skate Intermediate Free Skate Novice Free Skate Junior Free Skate Senior Free Skate No Axel Allowed Snowplow Sam – Basic Skills 1-8 Music Programs Snowplow Sam – Basic Skills 1-8 Music Programs Please note: A Basic Skills approved competition can include all events above the line. A sanctioned competition can include all events in both tracks. A Basic Skills approval is still necessary to cover the Basic Skills events.

6. Nonqualifying system N O N Q U A L I F Y I N G C O M P S. Pre-preliminary Preliminary Pre-juvenile Juvenile Intermediate Novice Junior Senior Skaters of all levels compete in non qualifying competitions. Collegiate Programs Adult Programs Basic Skills Basic Skills Competitions: Approximately 25,000 skaters participate per year, Pre-preliminary: 4,000 Preliminary: 3,000 Pre-Juvenile: 2,200 Juvenile: 1,500 Intermediate: 1,000 Novice: 550 Junior: 425 Senior : 240 All skaters may compete in non-qualifying competitions, held by member clubs around the country. The approximate number of skaters competing in singles free skating at each level is indicated. Collegiate Programs: 500 Adult Programs: 700

7. Qualifying Structure QUALIFYING SYSTEMQUALIFYING SYSTEM Juvenile Intermediate Novice Junior Senior This is the pipeline for singles, pairs and dance to advance to the U.S. Junior Champ., U.S. Champ., and international, World and Olympics x Collegiate Champ. Adult Champ. U.S. Junior Championships: Reach for the Stars U.S. Championships: Team 2010, NACS Sports Science U.S. Championships: International comp., Worlds, Olympics Juvenile: 674 * skaters must be under 13 to participate Intermediate: 822 Novice: 512 Junior: 318 Senior: 234 REGIONALS: 2,560 JR. NAT’L / SECTIONALS NATIONALS 155 INTERNATIONALS 200 WORLD CHAMP. 16 OLYMPICS 16 The qualifying system is where competitive figure skating and the “road to the Olympics” starts. The total number of entries at the regional level is 2560 (1,963 girls/ladies 77%; 350 boys/men 14%; 116 pair teams 4.5%; 131 dance teams 5%).

8. Qualities of a successful skater Technical ability Quality edges Presentation- carriage, expression, artistry Involve the audience Passion Confidence Strong and healthy body Athletic Drive (hungry for the challenge) Work ethic

9. Ten Commandments for Skating Parents 1. Don’t impose your ambitions on your child 2. Support your child…remember skating should be “fun” 3. Let the Coach coach! 4. Offer positive comments or none at all 5. Acknowledge your child’s fears 6. Do not criticize the officials 7. Honor the bond between your child & coach 8. Be loyal & supportive of your child’s team 9. Help set realistic goals -stress success in the process not the outcome And above all… 10. Accept your child’s abilities & limitations

10. Triangular Relationship Skater Parent Coach

11. Role of a Parent  Provide financial & emotional support  Determine the best coach/program to fit your needs  Teach and develop good sportsmanship  Balance skating with your life  Keep skating in perspective  Help your child keep the sport in perspective  Work with the school to support your child  Do not shortchange education for skating  Support coach & child relationship

12. Responsibilities of a Parent  Maintain balance & cohesion between parent, coach, & skater  Clearly communicate your financial limitations to the coach  Discuss with the coach the necessity of off-ice training and programs  Fill out competition forms & send them to the LOC in a timely manner  Help set goals with your child & coach on a periodic basis  Determine with the coach which competitions the skater will attend  Provide a nutritional diet for your child  Get involved by volunteering to show your child that their sport is important to the family  Reinforce sportsmanship  Find the ‘optimal push’ for your child

13. Characteristics of Supportive Parents...  Focus on skill mastery rather than competition placements  Decrease the pressure to win  See sport as an opportunity for self- development  Communicate effectively to child, coach and club  Understand your role in supporting your child

14. What Parents Want...  Parents want what’s best for their child  Parents have the right to ask questions and be informed about their child’s activity  Parents deserve to be treated with respect  Parents want to know how to best help and support their child

15. What Coaches Want...  Parent agreement  Clearly defined coach & parent roles  For parents to understand the natural growth and development of their child  Have realistic expectations for child  U.S. Figure Skating to provide parental role models at programs  To support the whole team and all participants  No gossiping or undermining program

16. What Skaters Want….  To have fun  To learn and improve skills  To be with their friends  To compete  To succeed  To be supported

17. Money Pay the bills. Not only is the team missing the balance of his input, he is missing some of the best parts of his skater’s life Communication Second hand information or not at all Communication should be more consistent than balancing the checkbook The Dad’s Place is on the Team!

18. Not every child is going to be an Olympian. In fact, your child’s chance of making the Olympic team is slim! HOWEVER, the life lessons learned from skating far outweigh any material rewards your child may receive. Consider this…...

19. Are You A Supportive Parent? Skater Parent Coach

20. Are You a Pressure Parent? Skater Parent Coach

21. Are You A Supportive Parent or A Pressure Parent…. Is winning more important to you?  After a poor performance is your disappointment obvious?  Do you feel you are the only one who can “psyche up” your child?  Is winning the only way your child can enjoy sports?  Do you conduct post mortems after competition or practice?  Do you feel you have to force your child to practice?  Do you think you could coach your child better?  Do you dislike your child’s opponents or their parents?  Are your child’s goals more important to you?  Do you provide material rewards for performances?

22. Support Coach & Skater Relationship

23. Sportsmanship Parents are first moral educators of their children Coaches share in character development of athletes Parents are responsible for developing and encouraging good sportsmanship Competition is an opportunity for the development of good character (reveals it) Good character in the athletic arena should be integral part of the competitive spirit Sports culture pushes in the opposite direction Commitment of parents to sportsmanship is essential

24. Sportsmanship Ten Ways to Raise a Good Sport 1. Expect respect 2. Be a role model 3. Reinforce good sportsmanship 4. Encourage a wider perspective 5. Use language of sportsmanship 6. Discuss the two sides of sports 7. Look beyond the headlines 8. Promote reflection about sportsmanship 9. Encourage personal responsibility 10. Help your child remember to play

25. DEFENDING FIGURE SKATING Figure Skating is not a sport Figure Skating doesn’t look difficult Why does figure skating take so much time? Is your skater going to the Olympics? The judging is fixed

26. Specific Athletic Demands of Figure Skaters Supramaximal Effort in a Cold Environment Heart rate during program is 195 beats/minute At its max 200 beats/minute Skaters will sustain this heart rate in a 3-4 minute program equal to an 800 meter runner

27. Specific Athletic Demands of Figure Skaters Athletic Demands Spins/jump rotation = 2-300 pounds of centrifugal force to hold arms/legs in position Jump force = 2-4 times the body weight (power to lift off ice) Landing force = 8-14 times the body weight (impact on landing) Stroking force = 1 times the body weight

28. Specific Athletic Demands of Figure Skaters Jumping Facts for triples Air time is.6 -.7 of a second Turn rate in air 5 times per second Arms pull in at.1 of a second Feet cross at.08 of a second Jump height 22 - 32 inches All jumps landed on one leg versus two legged landing in other sports All jumps land backward on blade 1/8 inch wide

29. Specific Athletic Demands of Figure Skaters Injuries Effect is overuse injuries in 90% of cases due to muscle fatigue and increased loads Figure Skating Injury Type: Acute50%vschronic 50% Non-serious90%vsserious 10% Overuse90%vsone-time 10%

30. Specific Athletic Demands of Figure Skaters Injuries Cost of Injury: TypeOff-IceFull Skating Competition Compatible Strain0-2 weeks1 weekyes Tear2-4 weeks2-3 monthsyes/no* *tear can be 2-3 months before they can compete Bone contusion0-2 weeks1-2 monthsyes Stress fracture2-4 weeks2-3 monthsyes/no Fracture2-3 weeks3-4 monthsno

31. SkaterCoach Parent Nutrition Sleep & Rest Financial Commitment Competitions TestingIce Time Off Ice Training Conditioning Goal Setting Career Planning Siblings Health Issues Team Sports School Church Family Fine Arts Peer Pressure USFS Skating Club Equipment

32. Benefits of Skating in College There are many benefits of skating in college, even though scholarships are not yet available. Students and parents should look at the non-financial benefits to be satisfied with a collegiate skating career. Continue participating in a sport you love is a supportive environment – train and compete with other students in your same situation. Helps adjust to college life. Joining a skating club helps new students to immediately find a group of friends they can relate to. Provides a sense of belonging on a large campus. Teaches time management skills. Student athletes are more likely to have better grades and attendance than non-athletes. Teaches leadership, organization and responsibility. Clubs are student run and athletes must learn how to run and manage their own teams, including hiring coaches, budgets, running practices, travel arrangements, working together to reach a common goal.

34. U.S. Figure Skating Parents Code of Conduct 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

35. Sportsmanship Michelle Kwan "The one who wins all the time is great, is powerful. But the one who has been trampled on and fallen and is injured and is able to get back up and stand up and fight - that's who I admire the most." – Michelle Kwan

36. Thanks for stopping by! Membership and club information can be found on the Club’s Website at: miamifsc.org Club & USFS News Tests, Competition Information, Photos Social Activities Announcements