clarify what "masters" means?

[treesprite]

I'm confused about what this term means in adult skating. Does it mean just level, does it mean past a certain age, or what?

[Clarice]

The answer is different depending on what you're talking about.  In testing, it refers to age. You need to be at least 50 to take a test on the Masters standard, and you get a little bit of a break on speed and power.

For competition, it's a skill level thing.  Those adults who have passed beyond the Gold level compete in events designated as Masters Novice, Junior and Senior, to differentiate them from the standard track events.

[treesprite]

So it sounds like masters applies to age. Adult gold leads to standard intermediate, so would Masters, meaning old person, include intermediate?

[Clarice]

Adult Gold leads to standard intermediate, or, in adult competition, Masters Intermediate, Masters Novice,  or Championship Masters Intermediate/Novice (those levels get combined for the qualifying competitions, and all those levels have a minimum test level of standard intermediate).  It's not an age thing, though.  Any adult skater who has passed the intermediate test can compete in those levels.  A 21-year-old who has passed the standard intermediate test goes straight into one of those Masters categories.  Within the adult competitive categories we subdivide by age class if the number of entries warrants.

For Moves in the Field or pattern dance testing, on the other hand, Masters means you are age 50 or older.  For example, you can take the intermediate (or higher) Moves test on the standard track, the adult track if you're at least age 25, or the masters track if you're at least age 50.

This is all spelled out in the Tests portion of the Rule Book, which is available for anyone to read on line at US Figure Skating.

[sarahspins]

For competition, it's a skill level thing.  Those adults who have passed beyond the Gold level compete in events designated as Masters Novice, Junior and Senior, to differentiate them from the standard track events.

Yes, and to make it even more confusing, skaters are placed in groups by age (when there are enough entries) for competitions.

The age groups are:
Group I: 21-30 years
Group II: 31-40 years
Group III: 41-50 years
Group IV: 51-60 years
Group V: 61 and older

[ChristyRN]

I'm confused.  I will be 50 this year. (Yikes! How did that happen??) I know I'll compete as a Group III.  I plan to test Bronze MITF early next year.  Will I take that at a Master's level, or will it be considered Adult?  I'll work just as hard either way, but realistically, what will be the difference?

[AgnesNitt]

I hate to be snarky, but this is so typical of USFSA.

There's gold here, gold there, master's here and there, every track has practically the same name, and you have to read a friggin' rule book to figure all of it out, since USFSA has about 6 words in its vocabulary and keeps naming everything practically the same.

Rant over.

[sarahspins]

I plan to test Bronze MITF early next year.  Will I take that at a Master's level, or will it be considered Adult?

It's your option to take it either as adult or masters (you have to tell the judges or mark on the test application if you want it scored as masters - though they might ask if you don't), just as it is your option with the standard track tests (at least intermediate and above) to be scored as standard track, adult, or masters.  I don't personally think the judges judge to a dramatically different standard if you elect masters - they know what they are looking for and will still mark down whatever the "passing" scores are, and they might not score up if you do better than they expect so there's still not much more wiggle room for mistakes.

[treesprite]

I'm confused.  I will be 50 this year. (Yikes! How did that happen??) I know I'll compete as a Group III.  I plan to test Bronze MITF early next year.  Will I take that at a Master's level, or will it be considered Adult?  I'll work just as hard either way, but realistically, what will be the difference?

I don't know how it happened to me either! I guess in March I would be in group IV.

I wonder if any adults purposefully wait to pass over into the next age group to take tests, so they can pass with a lower score. 

[sarahspins]

I wonder if any adults purposefully wait to pass over into the next age group to take tests, so they can pass with a lower score.

I used to skate with someone who joked that she she was, but I think it's more happenstance, not intentional   I don't know if she's even taken her next moves test yet since she moved last summer.

[ChristyRN]

I don't know how it happened to me either! I guess in March I would be in group IV.

I wonder if any adults purposefully wait to pass over into the next age group to take tests, so they can pass with a lower score.

I'll be Group IV in April '14.  I just started learning Bronze MITF last week, so I'm not waiting.  I think it will take me that long to learn everything.

So, it sounds like I should just skate normal Adult and not Masters?  I'll have to be pretty confident in my skills to let my coach talk me into testing (and it won't be both tests the same day this time!) but should I take advantage of every slim benefit that comes my way?

[techskater]

It's personal choice.  I am getting ready to take my Novice moves and I am not currently planning on taking it adult track (I have a few years before I would be Masters) because I enjoy the challenge of having to get a few more points to pass

[treesprite]

It's personal choice.  I am getting ready to take my Novice moves and I am not currently planning on taking it adult track (I have a few years before I would be Masters) because I enjoy the challenge of having to get a few more points to pass

For older adults there is no time to waste on not passing tests over one or two points.

[ChristyRN]

I asked my coach what she though and she said I'm "too good" to need to test to the Master's standard.  She said to save that for one of our LTS skaters (she's 60)

I found it humorous that she thinks I'm "too good"   

[techskater]

For older adults there is no time to waste on not passing tests over one or two points.

  That would be why I started out saying it's personal choice...