Monitoring / Critique Sessions

[FigureSpins]

I didn't know that teams offered monitoring / critique sessions for synchro teams.  I've seen a few before/after competitions, but I never realized that it could be offered as an open event.  I think that's a great idea!

[FigureSpins]

Here's an example called "The Capital Critique" - it takes place on November 13th, 2011 from 11am to 6pm. 

The Capitol Steps Synchronized Skating Team http://www.capitol-steps.org (Skating Club of Northern Virginia) is the sponsor.  The event takes place at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Arlington, VA.

The entry deadline has already passed, but if anyone's interested in contacting the coordinator or watching, here's the link:

http://www.capitol-steps.org/index_files/Page6758.htm

[Schmeck]

I didn't know that teams offered monitoring / critique sessions for synchro teams.  I've seen a few before/after competitions, but I never realized that it could be offered as an open event.  I think that's a great idea!

What do you mean by teams offering?  Clubs?  The critique sessions my daughter's team attended were sponsored by USFSA, not by any individual team.  That was 4-5 years ago though, has it changed?

[FigureSpins]

What do you mean by teams offering?  Clubs?  The critique sessions my daughter's team attended were sponsored by USFSA, not by any individual team.  That was 4-5 years ago though, has it changed?

The Synchro team itself is offering the critique session to other teams - check out the link.  Of course, it's sponsored by their Club because of the USFSA membership rules.

ETA: Maybe it's just this team, because there's a note on the link that reads:

U.S. Figure Skating has conferred official status to the Capitol Critique as a Sectional Monitoring Session in the South Atlantic region for IJS teams. As in past years, non-IJS teams will be critiqued by a panel of judges under the 6.0 system.

I've seen a great deal of cost-cutting in our synchro program, so perhaps this is a valid move by the USFSA to cut down on team travel and expenses?  The high-level IJS teams really do need an official critique before the qualifying season.  For many teams on the East Coast, Arlington's within reach.

Our synchro teams had an informal evaluation done in conjunction with our synchro open competition last year.  We did a program run-through in front of judges, but I thought it was just an informal "what do you think?" not a formal evaluation. 

It's a good idea, if the ice time and judges are available.  Nice to open it up to other teams, too.

[aussieskater]

For the first time our State association ran a synchro skills seminar this weekend past, and at the end of the seminar teams were offered the opportunity for a runthrough and critique in front of a panel of accredited callers who gave feedback about levels and GOE.

Fabulous idea - everyone raved about it.  Hope they do it again!  The seminar was very well attended so hopefully they will.

[Schmeck]

I'm sorry - I forgot to put in my post that the link wouldn't open for me!  Thank you for the additional info - I've never heard of a club or team offering the critique outside of a competition.  We've had them alongside a competition (Thanksgiving Classic) and we've had them as a USFSA sponsored event, but never had a club do it just as a critique.  Nice to see it happening, it's so good for the whole synchro environment.

Also, please pardon my fuzziness, 7th day on cough medicine, my brain is mush.