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For a while I thought I understood it, but test track now confuses me even more. :giveup:
Hmmm, it really sounds like USFS's attempt to compete with ISI competitions, maybe that's the point? Get as many possible entrants for a competition? To be more democratic and inclusive? To try to actually make some $$$ at non-qualifying competitions?
Not exactly. You competed No Test right? You could easily make that program Prelim Test, add a full length step sequence and one more spin and its Pre-Juv test. When your axel is competition ready you can go for Juv and once you get some doubles ready you can try intermidiate.
As bluemoon said, this is only the 2nd year of test track competitions. USFS is concerned that a lot kids are dropping out of figure skating, because they aren't competitive. They are also pushing introductory memberships and collegiate memberships. They want to keep the membership up.Test track is very well excepted here. Lots of kids compete at it, but I live in a cold weather state where just about everyone learns to skate. You don't have to like or skate it. It might not be right for you or your child. Don't bash it. It gives kids that want to do other things in addition to skate an opportunity to compete on a more even playing field. It makes more money for clubs that hold competitions. It makes clubs that test more money, because kids take those FS tests instead of holding off on them. It makes USFS more money, because more kids stick with it longer (i.e. more memberships and test fees and pin sales).I'm not sure why being inclusive is threatening to some people. If you are a star, you will still shine. You will just have more people to admire you.
I'm actually really psyched for an upcoming ISI comp I'm doing because nobody can do anything higher level than a camel sit.
Same with me. I'm pretty sure my double loop is going to be landed first & will be better than my sal. I can do a dbl loop in Prelim ST, which plays upon my strengths, not many people in Prelim have double loops. Not to mention the third spin- I don't think I have three good spins.
Sierra,I know this may seem rude to ask, but given your Mom’s reaction to your last competition, why are you doing ISI Freestyle 5? This level requires an axel. Your competitors should have this jump and you’ve noted numerous times that it is a problem for you. Since it seems like a great opportunity to “prove” to your Mother that you are competitive, why not do Freestyle 4 instead?
And why on earth are you working on doubles if you don't have three good spins?? Even to pass Preliminary free you need three solid spins, upright scratch, sit, and backspin. Could your spins be why you're not placing higher at competition?
I'd also suggest that you might want to consider slightly less - ambitious - spins and master the camel, the camel/sit, a flying spin absolutely, before venturing off into things like laybacks and haircutters ... I'm baffled, like the other posters, on why you are focussing on doing double jumps when you haven't got all of the basic spin positions - under the points system, spins can and do often count for more than jumps ... which is why mastering them is critical to succeeding.
We are trying Prelim test track for the first time in the Florida open. From what I understand the TT scoring uses the 6.0 system? I think this will be a big help, as the other judging system is all over the place. In the last competition a girl had one judge place her 1st and one 8th! My DD is 12, passed ppm and ppf and is starting to work on pm. She is just starting to get her Axel. The pre-preliminary Free skate at the Florida open did not break down into A/B like our local competitions do (without and with Axel), so I felt she would be the only girl without an Axel. her program from pre-preliminary A (single jumps and combos that included lutz/flip) fit into prelim Test track best. She spins better than she jumps, so it makes sense.The question is, do we then continue in the Test Track route, or go back to traditional. I think the next local competition doesnt offer TT. Also, we might have an Axel by then.
You're not locked in to one or the other for an entire season.
No, but if you've opted to go test track and have tested up, you probably won't be competitive in standard track... that's the downside, I think.
6.0 is that scoring system-- the skaters are merely ranked and yes sometimes it is all over the place. I have even seen some weird stuff in IJS-- like one of dd's friends got +1 from 3 judges GOE on one element that another judge gave her -2-- SAME element. I have had my own dd take a MITF test where one judge upgraded her on one move and another actually criticized it.. You can go back and forth between test track and well balanced if needed.
I had a judge explain 6.0 judging like this: judges want an entire basket of fruit. When you have large groups, a lot of times you have a skater that offers an apple, a skater that offers a banana, a skater that offers an orange and a skater that offers a grapefruit and it will depend on what fruit the judge likes best where each skater is placed. When a skater is able to offer a grapefruit AND an apple, that skater does better. Same for testing - some judges will reward good posture and others are looking for depth of edge and speed.
I love this analogy, thanks so much for sharing it with us. I really think skating speed is critical, as long as it's done properly, so let's make that the apple.What ELSE should the basket o' skating fun include for a full fruit salad?
Usually skaters have little bit of everything to varying degrees. So skating competition = well-balanced large fruit platter competition? lol judges assign different weights to each skill and then add them up?<snip>Sounds like weighted PCS score... (runs away and hides)
Yeah, I understood the analogy. As I suggested, let's let the Apple be "skating speed."What ELSE should the basket o' skating fun include for a full fruit salad?7