Advice on Figure Skating Levels

[sk8rchicky]

Hello,
I am a Novice level skater but I don't skate nearly as much as I used to skate. I skate collegiates in college now but my skating is just not Novice level anymore. I am skating test track and it helps a little but its hard to compete when you don't have the jumps you used to. Any advice on how to strategize a program without a ton of Doubles, say only including Double Sal, double loop, and Axel and still having a good chance at placing well? I know I'm not the only one with this problem in collegiates because I see it often but it would be nice to get some advice.

[Skittl1321]

How old are you?  If you are 21, you may consider skating adult. 
Don't think about adult skating as just those of us who can barely do single loops and started as adults.  It also includes many who skated as kids and have reached the level you skate at.  Adult nationals is not just a bunch of retired 'old ladies'- there are women there who are in their young 20s too.  It is for ALL kinds of adults, and a lot of transitioning college students don't know that.
There is a qualifying structure for 'championship' events at nationals, so you could try to qualify for nationals, or, if you don't want to do that there are non-qualifying national events where you skate only against your age class (21-30).  The level you would be in is Master's Intermediate/Novice.

To get an idea of what these skaters do, here are the protocols from last year:
Master's Int/Novice Ladies I (I means age 21-30) - http://www.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2011/68103/results.html 
Championship Int/Novice ladies (qualified through sectionals, no age class, except 'adult') http://www.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2011/68103/SEGM029.html
http://web.icenetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110416&content_id=17886408&vkey=ice_news

The leader in these events has 3 different doubles (so the ones you named but double toe), but you'd likely have a lot of fun, a bit less pressure, and be able to keep up your skills.

It would give you something to skate for, and possibly motivation to continue your tests through seniors without having to worry about quite so much of the rigor of skating against skaters who may still be going to regionals and keeping up their skills like they did in high school.

(Just for interest, here is what the Junior/senior ladies did at Adult nationals: http://www.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2011/68103/results.html, http://www.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2011/68103/SEGM019.html)

There is a rule that you cannot compete adult and eligible standard track in the same year in the same event.  Just something to note.

[sarahspins]

I would also suggest working on increasing your levels on other elements, like spins and footwork, since those can help increase the technical content of your programs without requiring more doubles.  Maybe all you need are some choreo tweaks.

[jamesleo629]

It is a good standard for figure skating to have a level by level process of getting experience and expertise in skating rink.The more practice it requires the more grace it shows to the public.

[blue111moon]

Look into collegiate competitions;  their requirements by level are little different and take into consideration the reduced time college students have to train.  If your school doesn't have a collegiate program, you can contact USFS for information on how to start one (you only need one person to be a "team").

[techskater]

There is a rule that you cannot compete adult and eligible standard track in the same year in the same event.  Just something to note.

To clarify, you cannot compete standard track Regionals and Adult Sectionals/Adult Nationals in an equivalent event in the same year.  If you compete at a local competition as a Novice Lady and Adult Nationals as a Masters Novice for example, that is OK

[icedancer]

The original poster indicated that she skates Collegiate already so these adult references don't really apply...
That's all I have to say about this thread.