Testing Question

[Sbh]

So, my coach wants me to test for adult skating, but I'm not too sure on how I feel about that. I've read the 2018 rule book and I saw that there was no age limit for testing the normal track for figure skating, nor competing age limit for my age, 20. As of now, I'm not really interested in competing due to college and everything else that could happen my senior year. I do know that I want to coach - I love to help with learn to skate at my local rink at college and at home (two separate rinks). So, I feel like testing the normal track would help me gain a better feel and understanding for my future career and mentees/students. But, my coach said that I couldn't master the normal testing track in time and that I'd need 20 years; on the flip side, my coach wants me to test for adult pre-bronze, adult bronze, and adult silver ASAP - like she's planning on getting a judge to come to the rink for adult pre-bronze and adult bronze, then to go test location in Ohio in a few weeks for adult silver.

Mind you, I started official lessons with my current coach early March and have only had 5 lessons, all either 30 minutes (2) or an hour long (3), with her; I practice an additional 4-6 hours on my own throughout the week, and on occasion the other coach will give me pointers when she's giving lessons and we're both on the ice at the same time. Other background knowledge: I've been skating since I was a kid, learning from an past Olympic hopeful and her ice dancing father, so my coach and I have been refining my skills and tuning them to my coach's expectations. Leading up to the Ohio test date, it's been planned that we'll be going over adult gold and working on jumps, seeing that doubles and axel are next on the to do list with various spins.

I'm wondering if I could test for both adult figure skating tests and the normal test route (preliminary, pre-juvenile, juvenile, intermediate, novice, junior, and senior tests). Just curious if I could do both, nothing else.

Please: no rude comments or anything.

 

[jf12]

You have to be 21 to take adult tests I believe, so you would have to wait until your birthday if you wanted to do that. There won't be much of a difference in the amount of time it takes to pass Adult Pre-Bronze-Adult Gold than it is to pass PrePrelim-Juvenile. The passing standards aren't THAT different, especially, depending on what judges you get, for a young adult that's obviously at the bottom of the age range.

There's only 1 or 2 moves that are on the standard track that aren't on the adult track (Bauer 3's and continuous back 3's), and the tracks match up again at Intermediate level anyway. I would NOT do both, given your age and depending on when your birthday is, I would just go for standard.

It doesn't really make sense that you would be ready to take Adult Silver in 3 weeks and she thinks it would take you 20 years to do the standard track.

 

[JSM]

You could do both, but you'll be paying the fees for both. It's ultimately up to you which way you'd like to go. The adult tests are tailored for late starters, which you are not, and you're still only 20, so it's very possible to start and finish on the standard track. It will take lots of practice, yes! But I don't think it would take you 20 years if your background is strong and you practice consistently.

I've not seen you skate, but if you really feel standard track is the way to go, have a good talk with your coach and/or other coaches that you know about your skating/goals and a realistic time frame.

 

[Sbh]

I'll be 21 in a few days. So, my coach has the judge planned to come in mid-late April before the Ohio testing in May. Like I said in the original post, I've been skating since I was little with help from a past olmpic hopeful and her ice dancing father; and my coach is helping me refine techniques, as well as balance issues (attributed to a past injury).

 

[treesprite]

If your plan is to teach only group learn to skate lessons, doing the adult track would be okay. However, if your plan is to teach private lessons in freestyle to students who are not adults, I think you really should stick with the standard track.