2019-20 USFS changes qualifying pipeline

ice coverage · May 14, 2019

Re the new TES minimums, per the USFS 2018-19 Combined Report of Action (p. 16):

70. APPROVED the following Required Minimum Technical Element Scores (combined short program/rhythm dance and free skate/free dance) to compete in the championship (senior) events at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in the 2019-20 season: 65.0 for ice dance, 68.0 for pairs, 75.0 for ladies and 92.0 for men.

(I think someone in a GS thread a while back was asking what exactly the minimums would be, but I don't remember which thread.)

ETA (on May 24):

The TES minimums now have been published in USFS Technical Notification 229 as well:

https://www.usfigureskating.org/content/TN 229 Minimum TES for Championships.pdf (May 23)

Off topic for this thread, but I also was interested to read this new language in the Combined Report of Action (p. 10):

ICR 3.01 International Committee
A. … The goals of the International Committee are:
1. To select athletes and teams that win the maximum number of medals at ISU competitions in the current season.
2. For Team USA to earn the maximum number of berths at ISU championship events.
3. To identify the best qualified future prospects for achieving podium results at World Championships and Olympic Winter Games and support them by strategically providing international experience.

ETA (on Sep 25):

For posterity, posting a link to the USFS "2020 Qualifying Competition Season General Announcement As of July 15, 2019" (the first nine pages at the link):
https://cdn1.sportngin.com/attachme...096.586657041.1569464950-458946059.1569464950

natsulian · May 14, 2019

I like the new language, even if overly optimistic since our pairs and ladies are still in the developmental phase. As for the new pipeline, I like it because those who are very talented but suffer from the late-season syndrome actually have an opportunity at qualifying for Nationals. Also, since the levels below Junior will not be at Nationals, I think they should increase the amount of people who qualify to Nationals based on Sectionals.

gkelly · May 14, 2019

natsulian said:
I like the new language, even if overly optimistic since our pairs and ladies are still in the developmental phase. As for the new pipeline, I like it because those who are very talented but suffer from the late-season syndrome actually have an opportunity at qualifying for Nationals.

What do you mean by "late-season syndrome"?

What National Qualifying Series pipeline will help is skaters at all levels who skate very well in at least one summer competition but might have a bad day at regionals. So they'll have more than one opportunity to qualify for Sectionals. And the sectional fields will be larger.

Also, since the levels below Junior will not be at Nationals, I think they should increase the amount of people who qualify to Nationals based on Sectionals.

Well, the junior events will be larger because they will also invite the top 2 novice men and ladies from each section to compete junior at Nationals. There should be up to 18 entries (or more, pending JGPF byes) in the junior events.

Senior events will still be in the 18- to low-20s range, 12 from sectionals and all same byes as before based on last year's placements or fall internationals. There might actually be fewer, given the introduction of minimum technical scores. But those won't keep out anyone who is nationally competitive this season and who does otherwise qualify.

natsulian · May 15, 2019

gkelly said:
What do you mean by "late-season syndrome"?

What National Qualifying Series pipeline will help is skaters at all levels who skate very well in at least one summer competition but might have a bad day at regionals. So they'll have more than one opportunity to qualify for Sectionals. And the sectional fields will be larger.

Well, the junior events will be larger because they will also invite the top 2 novice men and ladies from each section to compete junior at Nationals. There should be up to 18 entries (or more, pending JGPF byes) in the junior events.

Senior events will still be in the 18- to low-20s range, 12 from sectionals and all same byes as before based on last year's placements or fall internationals. There might actually be fewer, given the introduction of minimum technical scores. But those won't keep out anyone who is nationally competitive this season and who does otherwise qualify.

By late-season syndrome, I’m referring to those who do well during the beginning of the season, but lose steam as the season progresses. For example, a few skaters who were in top novices last season failed to qualify for Nationals this year as juniors even though they had respectable to great scores during the summer. By enabling these skaters to have multiple opportunities to qualify, one bad skate at regionals will no longer determine whether or not they make it to Sectionals should they skate well during the summer. Everyone has those days where the jumps just aren’t there, so I’m glad the skaters will now have multiple opportunities to qualify now.

VegMom · Sep 4, 2019

Does anyone know about this "National High-Performance Development Team Camp" and what happens?
I heard that last year there were multiple injuries! It sounds like it was worse for some skaters than competing. It definitely made the family I spoke to decide to change directions with skating and do it more just for recreation and not competition, that is, it had the exact opposite of the intended effect.
As a mom, the idea of serious injuries really scares me.

frida80 · Sep 4, 2019

VegMom said:
Does anyone know about this "National High-Performance Development Team Camp" and what happens?
I heard that last year there were multiple injuries! It sounds like it was worse for some skaters than competing. It definitely made the family I spoke to decide to change directions with skating and do it more just for recreation and not competition, that is, it had the exact opposite of the intended effect.
As a mom, the idea of serious injuries really scares me.

?

There’s a camp that happens every year at Broadmoor in June. There will be a new camp after nationals in January. I’ve heard nothing about massive amounts of injuries.

It’s a highly select group. Scouted with many skaters with serious talent in the country. Even then, only a few of them will even be considered for a JGP spot at all. There are about 50 skaters invited in June, many that I don’t recognize at all. The camp is super fun for the kids. However, the ones going on to international competitions have already been decided before hand. Maybe 10-15 out of the group.

el henry · Sep 4, 2019

According to USFS, the National High Performance Camp debuts in January 2020, after Nationals.

https://www.usfigureskating.org/Events/story?id=84090

and requires qualification by finishing in the top four at sectionals for singles or top nine nationwide for pairs and dance. Skaters at that level have already made a pretty serious commitment to competition.

Is there some other camp that this parent was talking about? Or is the website mistaken?

VegMom · Sep 5, 2019

frida80 said:
?

There’s a camp that happens every year at Broadmoor in June. There will be a new camp after nationals in January. I’ve heard nothing about massive amounts of injuries.

It’s a highly select group. Scouted with many skaters with serious talent in the country. Even then, only a few of them will even be considered for a JGP spot at all. There are about 50 skaters invited in June, many that I don’t recognize at all. The camp is super fun for the kids. However, the ones going on to international competitions have already been decided before hand. Maybe 10-15 out of the group.

Ok maybe that's the one. They had to qualify to attend the camp. It's Juv and up. And they had to go to at least Sectionals I think.
I didn't say "massive", I said multiple injuries.

I think everyone has a different idea of "super fun for the kids." This parent said their skater was too young for this camp. I have personally experienced that with my skater at a camp before. They just didn't really take into account that younger children aren't going to be focused all day long and willing to do things like a boring edge class at the end of the day or a bunch of situps.

Good to know this was a different camp. But still, it had the effect of changing this parent's mind about the direction of their skater. They are changing sports entirely and turning skating into something just recreational. It got me thinking about how so many skaters quit at the Juvenile level after gaining some success there. They often don't continue on up... and that problem was one of the rationales for this new system to have a camp instead of Nationals. For this family it was a combination of things but probably the biggest thing was just that getting to a high level at Juv sort of made reality hit for them and they realized it would take a lot more money and effort and sacrifices to go further. They know they can get a lot more financial assistance in other sports so that's the direction they're going with their athletic child.

concorde · Sep 5, 2019

Juv and up and had to qualify. My guess is the "Jump on It" camp which is held late Spring in Colorado Springs. Skaters have to earn at least 1 bonus point at Regionals and when to sign up is based upon Final placements. Skaters going to Nationals get first dibs, skaters going to Sectionals then sign up 1 week later. Skaters not advancing out of Regionals sign up a week later than those going to Sectionals.

We have gone 2x and my daughter loved it both times. The camp includes a parent track that I found very beneficial. We would have gone again this year but non-skating commitments got in the way

We have not seen injuries from resulting from the camp but several skaters did arrive injured. Those slaters attending are just learning triples so I would expect alot of injuries from that group.

frida80 · Sep 5, 2019

VegMom said:
Ok maybe that's the one. They had to qualify to attend the camp. It's Juv and up. And they had to go to at least Sectionals I think.
I didn't say "massive", I said multiple injuries.

I think everyone has a different idea of "super fun for the kids." This parent said their skater was too young for this camp. I have personally experienced that with my skater at a camp before. They just didn't really take into account that younger children aren't going to be focused all day long and willing to do things like a boring edge class at the end of the day or a bunch of situps.

Good to know this was a different camp. But still, it had the effect of changing this parent's mind about the direction of their skater. They are changing sports entirely and turning skating into something just recreational. It got me thinking about how so many skaters quit at the Juvenile level after gaining some success there. They often don't continue on up... and that problem was one of the rationales for this new system to have a camp instead of Nationals. For this family it was a combination of things but probably the biggest thing was just that getting to a high level at Juv sort of made reality hit for them and they realized it would take a lot more money and effort and sacrifices to go further. They know they can get a lot more financial assistance in other sports so that's the direction they're going with their athletic child.

Juveniles are not inviting to the June camp. You must be taking about the skating skills camp earlier that spring.

USFS is trying to create more competitive athletes for international competitions. It’s their hope that kids will learn from these camps and it motevates them into being higher level competitors. They also help them scout high level talent early as nurture it. If parents don’t like boring edge classes and conditioning, it’s probably best they quit. Most skaters quit around juvenile and intermediate, it gets pretty hard when the little ones aren’t getting the triples.

2019-20 USFS changes qualifying pipeline

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natsulian

gkelly

natsulian

VegMom

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el henry

Go have some cake. And come back with jollity.

VegMom

concorde

frida80

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