New MITF tests; any feedback?

[Sk8tmum]

The loops are the "killer" on the Canadian Junior Silver Skills tests. We have all 8 on the test, which is just one part of 3 different patterns, and skaters must skate 6/8 loops correct at a minimum; and they do have to be clean and "loops" not what I usually refer to as WHEE ! and Swing! loops.  If these are new to your MITF tests - my sympathies - our kids know they have to do them and are usually eyeing them for quite some time before they even begin formally working on them.

[drskater]

Do I detect a trend? It seems that the Figure section of the new MITF tests is causing some headaches. Frankly, I'm not suprised. I've seen too many kids practice these like they are a form of edge-work. They tend to be naive about what a figure is supposed to look like and how it should be skated.  Are the judges trying to send a message?

[Sk8Dreams]

But why does the figure need to be 3 times the skater's height? Because now my circle is HUGE.

We had a test session mid-November and there were several Prelim and Pre-Juv tests skated.  On every single test, the circles of the 8's were ridiculously tiny and often not of equal size.  Although I didn't see the judges' scoring sheets, I'm sure that no one failed for that reason alone.  There were a few failures, but the reasons were obvious and far more significant than the sizes of the circles on the 8's.

Sierra, I wouldn't worry about not passing pre-pre moves. I know of no one who has not passed pre-pre moves the frst go around. If you are ready to pass yourprelim moves in addition to your pre-pre moves, you will pass your pre-pre moves. good LUCK!!

I actually do know of a few who got retries on Pre-Pre MIF.  One was not the skater's fault and was very unfair (long story and I don't remember all the details) and one was because the mom, who is a coach, taught her kid some of the moves only the week before and then communicated such anxiety to her child that the poor thing was a nervous wreck.  It was very painful to watch.  She didn't even get to finish the test because she got so confused on the edge patterns.  ITA with isakswings, that if you are ready to test Prelim, you have nothing to worry about with Pre-Pre.

[Sierra]

Thanks I've been working on these moves for quite a while now so I guess the only way I could possibly not pass is if my blade falls off or I faint or something.

But now I need to take three tests in one session. The moves and Pre pre freestyle.

[isakswings]

Well, we had our test session today and the new moves did not go so well. We had 2 senior moves, 5 intermediate, 4 juvenile and a bunch of pre-juv and prelim. None of the higher level tests passed. Most of the skaters got retries over the twizzles and loops. I asked one of the judges what they were looking for and she said the twizzles need to be even, and not checked. She said the loops need to be loops - not scraped, not skidded. Lack of power at the end of the new senior step pattern got both our senior testers. The judges really worked with one of the pre-juv skaters on the back 8s - let her do a couple of retries even. They finally passed her. They were really concerned with the lobes of the 8s being the right shape. The lower level tests were fine, and most everyone passed.

That is good to know about the pre-juv test. That is dd's next moves test. Those backward circle 8's look like a pain! LOL. DD will get them eventually!

[drskater]

I apologize if I sound spacey--I'm writing with a fever, cough, the whole spring crud...

My husband passed his Bronze MITF and Bronze FS! I was too sick to go the test session so I'm just going on what he told me and what the coaches said.

The test session had lots of fails, especially on the moves. Loop patterns on the Intermediate test caused grief (skated too fast to be true loops) and the kids struggled with the Pre-Juvenile back Circle Eight. Most of the retries were Pre-Juvenile, Juvenile, Intermediate.

The judges were tougher this session than in the past.

[jumpingbeansmom]

Seems like quite some time since somebody posted test results. I'm curious about the new MITF tests. Has anyone taken one yet? Perhaps you've seen or heard something? I'm wondering how the judges are responding to the new moves. Any feedback would be much appreciated. Thanks!

My 10 yo dd is getting ready to test Intermediate moves....she needs to fix her outside edge swizzles a bit...we will let you know how it goes.

[jumpingbeansmom]

I apologize if I sound spacey--I'm writing with a fever, cough, the whole spring crud...

My husband passed his Bronze MITF and Bronze FS! I was too sick to go the test session so I'm just going on what he told me and what the coaches said.

The test session had lots of fails, especially on the moves. Loop patterns on the Intermediate test caused grief (skated too fast to be true loops) and the kids struggled with the Pre-Juvenile back Circle Eight. Most of the retries were Pre-Juvenile, Juvenile, Intermediate.

The judges were tougher this session than in the past.

Which one is the loop pattern?

[Clarice]

There are no loops on the Intermediate MIF test.  There are forward twizzles.  Forward loops and backward twizzles come on the Novice test.

[drskater]

Thanks for the correction. So sorry--I'm feverish, ha ha. Yes, the problem was with the Intermediate TWIZZLES not loops (I don't know why I said loops).

[Debbie S]

At my club's test sessions this year, I've noticed the judges being strict with the circle 8's on Prelim and Pre-Juv. What these judges had issues with was that the circles were on unequal size and not lined up, meaning that the sides of each circle were not parallel with each other. I believe that the guidelines for that move say it does not need to look like a patch figure, and it's obviously difficult to teach kids to line up circles when they're practicing it on an FS session with 20 skaters all around. Have others encountered this expectation?

At my club's test session in January, there was a Senior MIF and a Junior MIF that both got retries. The Senior MIF skater put her foot down on the last pattern and the judges thought the double 3-double rocker patterns weren't powerful enough. The judges were very tough on the Junior MIF, particularly the new patterns. Another club in my area had a test session a few weeks ago and most of the Juv and Int MIF tests were retries. And there was a Junior MIF retry and most watching were surprised b/c they thought she looked good. My coach had 2 Int MIF tests there and said the judges were tough on the new moves, and also tough on the brackets.

[MimiG]

The circle 8s were explained to me as having to look, in general, like the patch figures - equal size circles, lined up on the axis, and circles 3x skater height in circumference - but the print doesn't need to be quite to the same standard as used to be expected - that is, the second set of circles doesn't have to trace the first as closely, center doesn't have to be as exact, the push/strike for the new circle doesn't have to be as clean, etc.

[PinkLaces]

My DD is working on her Intermediate Moves and will probably take them in May. She is having the most difficulty with the spiral pattern and the twizzles on one side - so 2 of the 4.

[Elsa]

At my club's test sessions this year, I've noticed the judges being strict with the circle 8's on Prelim and Pre-Juv. What these judges had issues with was that the circles were on unequal size and not lined up, meaning that the sides of each circle were not parallel with each other. I believe that the guidelines for that move say it does not need to look like a patch figure, and it's obviously difficult to teach kids to line up circles when they're practicing it on an FS session with 20 skaters all around. Have others encountered this expectation?

Yes, short of finding an empty public session, how are we supposed to get these down?    

Have I mentioned lately how much I miss patch?  *headdesk*

[icedancer]

I think you CAN practice figures or the new Moves that look like figures on crowded sessions - I have done it myself while preparing for figures competition.  You can't have the expectation that no one is going to skate across your figure, and you might have to stop to get out of someone's way but it can be done and should not be an excuse for not getting those circles somewhat lined up on the new back 8 pattern.

Yes I miss patch but you can't always get what you want, LOL

[lindafmb]

I just have to say that I LOVE the new 8-step mohawk sequence done in a figure 8 pattern on the Adult Silver MIF test. I am very fortunate that the local rink where I practice (NOT where I take lessons/get coached) has a Monday through Friday public from 11 am to 3 pm that always has at least a few hours of very light, if any, traffic. I usually practice 45 minutes of figures every time I skate there, and I do them from layouts, not with any marks. At both rinks where I skate, you can still make out the patch numbers, so I do get a lot of opportunity to do actual patch without anyone skating over my figures.

And because I do figures, the counterclockwise to clockwise transition on the new 8 step is easy for me. My only problems on that test had been (1) the first left outside mohawk itself, and since I got ripped on so badly on my 5-step during my Bronze MIF testing experience, I wanted these to be superb....my dance coach stepped in and made them super pretty for me =), and (2) the back RI/RO 3 on the second 3's in the field pattern. For the latter, I used a technique that JoJo Starbuck taught me at Dorothy Hamill camp, and that is simply to "spot" yourself in the glass as you turn to maintain alignment...worked like a charm and there's been no struggle ever since.

I will be the first adult to test Silver moves at our rink under the new requirements. I'll let you know how it goes. As far as other skaters' experiences with the new moves, and especially the new figures, the ones who took figure class over the summer do fine, and those that don't, don't. I loved that I taught a Junior level skater how to do a loop figure...and I haven't even passed my Bronze FS yet because apparently my "edge control" isn't good enough...one judge yesterday even suggested that I do edges off the line at the beginning of each practice session...um, okay ;-)

L

[jumpingbeansmom]

There are no loops on the Intermediate MIF test.  There are forward twizzles.  Forward loops and backward twizzles come on the Novice test.

Thanks, I didn't remember my dd mentionin loops....

[jumpingbeansmom]

Thanks for the correction. So sorry--I'm feverish, ha ha. Yes, the problem was with the Intermediate TWIZZLES not loops (I don't know why I said loops).

Ah yes, my dd's coach is being very precise with her on those...her issue area is the outsides. 

[Skittl1321]

I just relearned the 8-step mohawk.  Guess I should just be happy there is one fewer mohawk on my bad side (and my good side really, but it's good, so who cares.)

The biggest issue with the pattern: it seems HUGE.  My coach is looking at the figure in the test book, and having me go like 3/4 of the way to the wall (which is indeed how it is drawn).  It's going to be forever before I can keep a march cadence while taking steps that far out -on my good side- on my bad side, I'm still trying to do the mohawk at all...

[AgnesNitt]

on my bad side, I'm still trying to do the mohawk at all...

Sister I share your pain.
I can almost dance my right mohawks (okay, it's a clog dance), but the left one is awful

[sarahspins]

The biggest issue with the pattern: it seems HUGE.

Truthfully I wouldn't worry about it yet... get the steps down w/ correct turns and edges, then work on the speed/confidence and holding edges longer, and the size of the pattern will come naturally.  If you start off worrying about how much ice you need to cover, you almost set yourself up to be disheartened about working on it at all.

Personally I love the mohawk patterns.. the 5 step on the bronze test is fun - especially when skated with a lot of speed, and I love the 8 step on the silver, but the back 3's in the other patterns are what I struggle with right now.  I never had trouble with back 3's as a kid so it's super frustrating to find myself "unable" to do them well now.

[Skittl1321]

Well my coach has deamed the good size good enough to set on pattern, so I have to start worrying about it... when it used to go around the circle 1 1/2 times it didn't seem nearly so far to cover... this is skating halfway to Kansas.

[lindafmb]

Truthfully I wouldn't worry about it yet... get the steps down w/ correct turns and edges, then work on the speed/confidence and holding edges longer, and the size of the pattern will come naturally.  If you start off worrying about how much ice you need to cover, you almost set yourself up to be disheartened about working on it at all.

For the 8-step, the biggest tip I found for making the pattern bigger is to PUSH on every step where you can, and that's pretty much every step. My dance coach just has to remind me of that (which of course gets you deeper into your ankle and knee bend, too), and immediately my pattern becomes bigger, stronger, and faster. Same thing applies to dance patterns.

L

[Isk8NYC]

Any further updates or tips?

[Purple Sparkly]

I'm planning on taking Intermediate supplemental this summer, so I'll post the feedback I get afterwards.  My coach looked at my circle 8's and the new eight step pattern today and said they all looked good for the test.  She comes from the figures era, so we worked a little on the backward eight to be more figure-like because that's the way she likes it.  She said forward inside twizzles should be fine, also.  Forward outside twizzles are more difficult, plus I have been doing inside twizzles at least occasionally for years and I have only started playing with outside twizzles for the last few months.  However, with a little practice, they should be just fine in a few weeks.