At what level/ranking do skaters get competition team jackets representing their club? (I know most clubs you can buy a club jacket when you join, but I mean the ones that are for higher level skaters that you can't buy - they have earned them).
What about Team USA jackets?
I think that would be up to the individual club. My club doesn't even offer these.
Some big clubs, like SCNY, will give their high-level qualifiers a gift before they head off for Nationals, so a jacket wouldn't be out of the question.
At Nationals, there's skater swag, like at the Oscars. Skaters receive clothing, samples, gifts, etc. that usually have a sponsor's name or logo on them. Ditto for Worlds and the Olympics; I don't know about other competitions. None of that would show a club name, though.
The skater might order a Sectionals or Nationals jacket as a souvenier. The USFSA had a booth at US Nats last year where they had all kinds of clothing available. A specially-embroidered/printed one for competitors would make sense. I think they use credentials (on a lanyard) to identify competition skaters for security.
"Team USA" jackets are part of the uniform for the elite international team members. You have to qualify at Nationals for an international event.
I don't know of club-level jackets for specific competitions. Most clubs that offer jackets will let any member order one for themselves. Sometimes, skating parents order them as well.
However, synchro teams often require skaters to purchase a team warmup suit because of the nature of the sport. (Every skater has to look the same at all times; hair, makeup, skate color, tights, etc.)
Thank you - that was very, very helpful!
Quote from: Isk8NYC on April 19, 2012, 02:01:14 PM
The skater might order a Sectionals or Nationals jacket as a souvenier. The USFSA had a booth at US Nats last year where they had all kinds of clothing available. A specially-embroidered/printed one for competitors would make sense. I think they use credentials (on a lanyard) to identify competition skaters for security.
That is true about the credentials on a lanyard. I know the skate tech for the US team at the olympics. He has a couple of dozen lanyards hanging on a nail in his shop, and off-ice pictures of him with skaters. Many of those pictures show skaters with lanyards.
Quote from: AgnesNitt on April 19, 2012, 08:39:28 PM
That is true about the credentials on a lanyard. I know the skate tech for the US team at the olympics. He has a couple of dozen lanyards hanging on a nail in his shop, and off-ice pictures of him with skaters. Many of those pictures show skaters with lanyards.
I saw people wearing them at Adult Nationals.
At Qualifying competitions, credentials are given to skaters, coaches, officials and sometimes the volunteers. At Nationals, the credential has the individual's photo on it and is color-coded for the type of access the bearer has - where in the arena the person is allowed to go.
The only Team USA apparrel that isn't for sale (that I know of) are the jackets awarded to the Scholar-Athletes at Nationals. They used to be black leather with USA embossed across the back but I don't know if they've changed the style in recent years - or even still give the jackets.
At our rink you can buy the ACT jackets, but the skaters going to Nationals are given them. It's the same jacket, just on the back it has "National Representative" on it under the ACT.
I'm still iffy at the idea of wearing my state association jacket without having earned it...
At our club, you have to earn your jackets. There used to be generic ones members could buy, but they were different than the competition team jackets. Generally, earning them means you are competing at Regionals (juv/open juv or higher), or you are competing at Adult Sectionals/Nationals. Once you have your jacket, you get patches (chevrons for the arm with the competition/year) to add to it for each one you go to.