end of summer rink testing?

[jjane45]

I have never learned about them until lately. They are ran by park district rinks, not USFS clubs. The application structure is much looser, the testing fees may or may not match the club testing fees.

A local rink is hosting two sessions about one month away from each other. Registration deadline is like ten days before test date, processed by rink skating director. The "in rink" testing fee is $5 cheaper per test than "out if the rink" fees, status determined by amount of summer freestyle ice used. During non summer times, testing rather seems limited to club sponsored sessions.

The test session at my rink this past weekend was somewhat different but also was not organized by club.

Do you have such rink sponsored sessions in your area?

[Skittl1321]

Do you have such rink sponsored sessions in your area?

Nope, nothing like that here.

Our rink has nothing to do with USFSA, so they couldn't host a test session, there would be no way to register the tests.  I have heard it is possible for a coach to ask a judge to come to do a test without a session, but I don't really know how that works. 



Additionally, we have no local judges, so it is considerable expense to bring them in.  Our club can only afford to do that in conjunction with our annual competition, so that is our only test session each year.

[jjane45]

I speculate that in such sessions a club is still involved somehow to bridge the rink and USFS. It's just the rink handles the logistics and the cost of ice...

[blue111moon]

A USFS club has to be involved somehow, even if in name only, because only the club's test chair can register the tests with USFS.  If I wanted to test, I'd be sure to ask first which club is hosting the session, even if the rink is the one managing it.

[VAsk8r]

What is a "park district rink" — is that a rink run by the local Parks & Rec department?

I cannot imagine our rink ever wanting to host a test session. It's easier and probably more profitable for them to just sell us the ice. We have the same issue as Skittl's rink with hardly any local judges. Neighboring clubs have been known to fly them in from halfway across the country.

[jjane45]

Yes, rink run by park district recreation division. Looking at nearby clubs' testing schedules, August thru October there is usually nothing going on (ok maybe we are spoiled). I imagine people also skate less in July and August, doing outdoor activities or vacationing. The rink test session then utilizes underused ice maybe? Pure speculation on my side, I have no first hand experience, just thought this pretty interesting!

As to lure judges to your area... Offer attractive vacation packages!

[techskater]

Typically peak testing is between May and August 31 to get moved up before Regionals cut offs (that's why there are few tests in Sept/Oct timeframe - most people are gearing up for Regionals which are in Oct and test cut off is 9/1)