Haa haa... I am joining dd's club

[isakswings]

I'm going to take advantage of the introductory membership and join. I am mostly joining because I am thinking of becoming the test chair. The current TC is changing clubs and coaches, so we are in need of a new TC. Another mom and I will likely team up and take this on. So, in light of this, I am joining dd's club. I also am figuring I can then skate on club ice if I want to, too. LOL! Sooo... I will be an official member of USFS. Kinda funny but fun too. I guess the nice thing is, should I decide I want to try and learn moves well enough to test, I can do so. Now to search the couch cushions for money so I can think about taking lessons beyond LTS! Esp since 9 y/o ds would like to take some LTS lessons too. EEK!

[Isk8NYC]

Good luck!

[isakswings]

Thanks. I think it will be fun. Not sure how often I will skate on club ice since I am intimidated by the kids. HEE! More so, my lack of knowing what to do and look out for. I like to skate on near empty freestyle sessions. Once they begin to fill up, I am off the ice. Same with club. I would rather skate the second hour as there are less people on that session(1st hour is included with a full membership but we have to pay for the second hour).

Anyway... another mom wants me to skate with her. We shall see! Dd's coach is in charge of the Christmas show... I may do that if other adults are willing to skate too. I certainly won't opt for a solo! LOL!

[icefrog]

You get free club ice with a club membership? I want to join your club haha!!

[isakswings]

Yeah... but only with the full membership. Dd's first hour of club ice is included in her membership fees. We can contract ice time for the second hour or we can pay as we use it. Dd typically skates the second hour since she has lessons on that session. It is 7.00 for her second hour of club ice. I have thought about contracting her second hour, but I would only save .50 a session, so we pay as we go. Anyway, so that is why the 1st hour is busier then the second hour. I will have the basic introductory membership which will not include the first hour of club ice. If I want that hour included, I will have to pay a higher fee. I don't know how often I will skate on club ice, so I think I will opt for the cheap introductory membership and pay as I go. It's a difference of 66.00 which right now, is enough of a difference that I am not sure I can justify spending. I am planning on doing it next week... so I will make my final decision then. I figure, if I end up skating on club more then I think I will, I will buy the full membership next year.

[isakswings]

Oh and I thought of something "scary"! If I ever end up testing I will have to wear some kind of skating skirt or dress, right??? AAACCCCKK. I do NOT have the body to wear such things. I am ummm "fluffy". LOL!

[MadMac]

Actually you don't have to wear a skirt or dress for testing. I've seen several adults recently testing & competing in nice leggings or fitted jazz pants and a top.

[isakswings]

Oh... good! I could do that! At least it would be covering my body and helping to hide some of the beautiful flaws on it. LOL! I certainly do not have a "skater" body! lol

[techskater]

Actually, for the not-so-small adult a really nice fitting dress/skirt with black leggings and fitted top looks better than without.   

[aussieskater]

Actually, for the not-so-small adult a really nice fitting dress/skirt with black leggings and fitted top looks better than without.   

Serious question so don't laugh - without what?  The skirt (so all you have are the leggings) or the leggings (so you have the skirt with flesh tights under)?

[icefrog]

I think its without the skirt? I hope. I think its against the law to go without the shirt...

[techskater]

A female skater looks better with a skirt, especially a well fitting one on a not-so-small adult.  Of course, a circle skirt looks ridiculous, but a nice flat skirt that is a little longer than what you would see on a smaller girl, say mid thigh.  The important thing is to get one in the appropriate size.

It is not against the rules to wear pants or leggings for testing or competing.  I just caution that you have to have the right body type to wear a unitard/leggings/pants for a test/competition as something that's not flattering can distract in such a setting. 

[FigureSpins]

Most clubs have USFSA membership categories for underage skaters with a parent - I think it's called the "Junior with Parent" category.  The skater can't vote or hold office, but I believe the parent can do both.  (Our Club allows the voting rights and I know that most of the officers aren't skaters.)

It might be less expensive at your club than the two introductory memberships with ice time.  Since you're not planning on testing anytime soon, you might want to save your introductory membership for later.

[amice]

Way to go Isakswings!  I just joined my kids' club this fall too, partly inspired by the adult skaters on this board! (Thanks!)

As for clothes, I just wear stretchy pants at this point, but I did notice a more advanced woman wearing a black top and leggings with a semi-sheer, drapey tie-on skirt.  It was just opaque enough to hide any bumps underneath, but flowed very nicely when she skated.  Pretty without being juvenile (as in young ).

[isakswings]

Most clubs have USFSA membership categories for underage skaters with a parent - I think it's called the "Junior with Parent" category.  The skater can't vote or hold office, but I believe the parent can do both.  (Our Club allows the voting rights and I know that most of the officers aren't skaters.)

It might be less expensive at your club than the two introductory memberships with ice time.  Since you're not planning on testing anytime soon, you might want to save your introductory membership for later.

Thanks! It's only a 5.00 difference to join as an introductory member. Plus, in order to be the test chair, I do believe I need to be a USFS member too. Our club has the parent membership you are speaking of. It is 30.00 and would give me voting rights but I do not think it would give me a USFS membership number and as I understand it, I need that in order to be the test chair. I technically have a number already(from learn to skate) but I think I need to be more then a LTS member to be the test chair. Thanks so much for the suggestion! The introductory membership I am going to get, is only 35.00. I will be a full member. It won't include ice time. if I want the first hour of ice time, I would have to pay more. Since I don't think I would use the ice time enough to justify the extra money, I will get the basic intorductory membership. Then if I want to skate on club ice, I can... I just have to pay each time I choose to skate. No biggie!

[Isk8NYC]

It sounds to me like you want justify your membership in the Club and the USFSA.  You're already excited, even without touching Club ice!  Do it! 

Make it a present for you from your daughter instead of feeling like you're spending money on yourself.

However, the USFSA does NOT require test chairs to be members.  Clubs have been run for years and years by parents and guardians.  Most join the club to show their support. 

Some Club Presidents are non-custodial grandmothers that are not Club members.  Some clubs might have that clause in their bylaws, but the boilerplate template the USFSA provides does not require this.  I doubt your Club has this requirement unless there was an incident in the past that made them change the bylaws to include it.

One club that I was a member of found that their annual competition raised a ton of money one year.  The president's skater-daughter needed a new skate bag, so she ordered customized skate bags for every club member.  No meeting, no vote, just charged it to the Club.   The bags were too small for adult-sized skates, but they had our names on them so we couldn't even give them away.

The adult skaters were furious, saying that much money should have been put to a vote before being spent.  I could see both sides because the kids looked really sharp walking into competitions with matching bags.  We didn't have a synchro team. 

They mounted a successful election campaign to put one of the adults on the Board.  (As an associate member, I couldn't vote.  Nor did I get a bag, which was for the best anyway.)  The bylaws were changed to include a rule about disposing of assets or making purchases over $x only with a Board vote.

[isakswings]

Thanks! I was told that I had to be a member. Hmmm. It's part of the reason I did not step up before when the past TC wanted to step down. At the time, dh was unemployed and I was having a hard enough time figuring out how to pay for dd's club membership let alone adding me into the mix(this all happened before the intorductory membership came about). Even at the board meeting on Wednesday, I was still led to believe that I had to be a member to be the test chair. Other members asked if getting an intro membership was ok or if I had to get a different one. Not sure why it would make a difference since I would be a full member. Anyway... interesting! Maybe it is in the club by-laws? If I could find dd's directory, I could read them! LOL!

I am definately joining... just not pre-paying for any club ice. 35.00 is do-able. To be honest, I do feel guilty spending money on me! It is a large part of why I am not taking private lessons myself. It seems to me it is time to add in some jump lessons. But that is another post in and of it's self!

[amice]

I am definately joining... just not pre-paying for any club ice. 35.00 is do-able. To be honest, I do feel guilty spending money on me! It is a large part of why I am not taking private lessons myself. It seems to me it is time to add in some jump lessons. But that is another post in and of it's self!

I don't like spending the money on myself either, but I figured I paid to join, so I should get a little guidance.  I took a few lessons from a coach when one of her other students was away.  That way, I didn't commit to private lessons, but still have some pointers to work on, plus the coach could fill her empty spot.

[isakswings]

I have been taking learn to skate and really I am not very good. I am not terrible, but not to a point that I want to spend money on lessons just yet. I'd probably see more improvement but I can't justify it yet. When I get to that point, I know who I will take lessons from tho! My daughter's dance coach! I had originally planned on lessons from her primary coach, but she has gotten quite a few more students since then and I would eventually like to focus on MITF and/or dance. Plus, I have her for LTS right now and I was very impressed with her teaching style. I think it would work for me! Maybe by my birthday(march) I can award myself with a few private lessons.

[amice]

That sounds like a great plan!