*Upcoming Test Sessions* 

Bourne Skating Club TEST APPLICATION

BSC Test Information and Application Instructions 

DEADLINE:  Handed directly to Test Chair or postmarked two weeks (14 days) prior to test date.  If you hand your application to anyone other than the test chair, it may never get in the hands of the test chair.  Please mail to:  Bourne Skating Club, BSC Test Chair, P.O. Box 284, Bourne, MA 02532   Please be considerate of the deadline.  This is to allow time to put the schedule together or change the ice reservation if we need to.  Any application postmarked after the deadline will be subject to a $10 late fee. There is a $20 returned check fee.

ACCEPTANCE: Only complete and signed applications, with correct payment, will be considered.  Priority for testing will be given to home club members of the Bourne Skating Club.  

REFUNDS: Tests withdrawn prior to the deadline will receive a refund.  NO refunds will be  issued after the deadline.  Plan your tests accordingly.  If you are taking more than one test and you do not pass the pre-requisite test, you will not receive a refund for the remainder of your tests.  Exceptions:  Injury/illness, confirmed by a doctor’s note.  If the session is full prior to receipt of your application, you will receive a full refund.

SCHEDULE: The schedule will be completed seven (7) days prior to the test date and will be posted on the BSC website.  If you have provided an email address, an email will be sent to that address.   

ON TEST DAY:  You should arrive at the rink no later than 45 minutes prior to your scheduled warm up time; test sessions sometimes run ahead of schedule!  Please check in with the Test Chair upon your arrival at the rink.

ADDITIONAL TEST-RELATED INFORMATION

If a test is not passed, a skater must wait at least twenty-eight days before retaking the test. Skaters must reapply for the next available test session if they wish to participate in it. They will not be automatically entered on the next session.

Judges frequently include comments on individual test sheets that the skater, pro, and parents may find valuable.

What is USFS Testing?

United States Figure Skating (USFS) specifies a testing system that qualifies skaters to compete at various levels. Tests are a requirement for competition; skaters pass certain tests to be eligible for particular events. (This helps to sustain a fair level of competition among skaters in a group.)

However, the testing system may also be used by skaters who do not compete, as a means of measuring personal progress. The tests consist of required elements that a skater must perform before a panel of judges. In testing, skaters' skills are judged against a clearly outlined standard, rather than against the performance of other skaters. Because of this, skaters find passing a test to be a positive confirmation of the skills they have attained, and most skaters feel real satisfaction as they progress to more and more advanced test levels.

A skater must be a member of USFS, either through a club or individual member, in order to take these tests. Our Club has a test chair who is responsible for setting up and running test sessions. Depending on the test level, skaters perform in front of a single USFS judge (for lower tests) or a panel of three USFS judges. Judges mark each test as either "pass" or "retry." For a test to pass, the single lower-test judge, or two judges out of the panel of three, must mark the test as passing. If the majority of the judges mark the test as a retry, the skater may take the test again after twenty-eight days.

The USFS Rulebook (updated annually) should be consulted for the most accurate and current information on tests.

A skater's pro (coach) will suggest when the skater is ready to test.  BSC usually holds test sessions 3 or 4 times a year.  Test session dates will be posted on the website, as well as the club door, as soon as they are scheduled. 

TEST CATEGORIES

Moves in the Field: Moves in the field require footwork in patterns around the ice surface that involve turns and edges used in figures, freestyle, pairs, and ice dance. These tests are performed in silence, rather than to music. The first level, the Pre-Preliminary test, is followed by Preliminary, Pre-Juvenile, Juvenile, Intermediate, Novice, Junior, and Senior/Gold for a total of eight different test levels. (Adult moves in the field test levels are Pre-Bronze, Bronze, Silver, and Gold, although adults may additionally choose to participate in the eight standard tests.) Each test has several required moves in the field patterns that focus on power, edge quality, quickness, and/or extension. Once all patterns are performed, the judges may ask a skater to perform one of the patterns a second time (that is, if an error was made, but the remainder of the test was passing).

Freestyle: Freestyle elements such as jumps, spins, footwork, and connecting steps including moves in the field are required for freestyle tests. No music is used for the Pre-Preliminary level. Programs choreographed to music with specified elements are required for the following tests: Preliminary, Pre-Juvenile, Juvenile, Intermediate, Novice, Junior, and Senior/Gold. (Adult freestyle testing levels are Pre-Bronze, Bronze, Silver, and Gold, although adults may additionally choose to participate in the eight standard tests.) In order to qualify to take a freestyle test, the skater must first pass the moves in the field test at the corresponding level. A skater may be asked to demonstrate competency in up to two missed elements at the completion of a freestyle program. This decision will be made by the judge(s) only if the remainder of the test was passing.

WHAT TO WEAR FOR TESTING: You should be neat and clean when taking any test. Skating apparel for tests should normally be modest, with simple, clean lines. Girls and women should wear skating dresses or skirts with unblemished tights. Boys and men should have pant pockets stitched so that they do not gape open. Wearing a competition outfit, if available, is often a good idea. The same outfit can be used for all varieties of tests. Boots should be polished or recently taped, and laces should be new or at least clean. Hair should be neat and off the face. Makeup should be kept to a minimum. You do not need to have a special or decorated outfit made for testing if you have a nice-looking practice outfit.

MISCELLANEOUS: As mentioned above, detailed rules for all tests are described in the official USFS Rulebook, which is updated each year. If you want a copy of the Rulebook, you may order one online at www.usfsa.org