A Mini US Nationals in the Fall

[haribobo]

I wonder if this would be possible to have- like a less-pressure but all-inclusive event to allow skaters to shine who have improved over the summer and/or were ill or injured during US Nationals? The current system with all the summer competitions doesn't really take the results of those too seriously. The event would be optional for those who want to start their season later but would serve as a springboard for international assignments for junior and senior level skaters. Maybe just expanding a bit on one of the current summer competitions, giving it more weight for assignments, thusly attracting more skaters.

[Jarrett]

What is champs camp exactly?

[stjeaskategym]

I wonder if this would be possible to have- like a less-pressure but all-inclusive event to allow skaters to shine who have improved over the summer and/or were ill or injured during US Nationals? The current system with all the summer competitions doesn't really take the results of those too seriously. The event would be optional for those who want to start their season later but would serve as a springboard for international assignments for junior and senior level skaters. Maybe just expanding a bit on one of the current summer competitions, giving it more weight for assignments, thusly attracting more skaters.

I have mentioned something similar to this here before, and I think your idea is excellent.

[barbk]

Why not just use summer competitions? Most of the skaters in this "improvement" category are probably in school, and missing yet another few days of school is a problem. Summer comps have a lower impact.

I don't think that the fundamental issue is a shortage of competitions -- it is that USFSA does not seem to heavily weight summer comps for JGP and Senior B assignments for singles skaters. (Indy Pairs and Lake Placid Dance both seem to have some real influence.)

[Skittl1321]

What is champs camp exactly?

I thought only skaters with international assignments (Team USA) were invited to Champs Camp. I think this idea is to give lower level skaters more exposure to break through for Senior B/JGP assignments.

Picking a few summer comps (Liberty, for example) and giving weight to it would be a good idea.

[Jarrett]

I thought only skaters with international assignments (Team USA) were invited to Champs Camp. I think this idea is to give lower level skaters more exposure to break through for Senior B/JGP assignments.

Picking a few summer comps (Liberty, for example) and giving weight to it would be a good idea.

I was thinking they could convert that to be open to more skaters.

[Skittl1321]

I was thinking they could convert that to be open to more skaters.

I don't think they have the money to do that. USFS funds champs camp. With a competition, it would be the skaters paying to participate, and usually at least a break even, if not a money maker for the LOC.

[stjeaskategym]

Why not just use summer competitions? Most of the skaters in this "improvement" category are probably in school, and missing yet another few days of school is a problem. Summer comps have a lower impact.

I don't think that the fundamental issue is a shortage of competitions -- it is that USFSA does not seem to heavily weight summer comps for JGP and Senior B assignments for singles skaters. (Indy Pairs and Lake Placid Dance both seem to have some real influence.)

Summer competitions tend to be much more local/regional than national. I think it's very difficult to justify handing out international assignments based on regional competitions where the atmosphere is often lackluster and the scoring is often lax. If USFS could make one of the summer competitions more national in scope, I think it would be great, but how would they decide which one to chose? It's much easier to chose one event for pairs and dance because there aren't many teams. But for singles, it may just be easier to make a separate national event. Perhaps the skaters could qualify to this national event based on their participation in local summer competitions. But fat chance of any of this happening.

[aliceanne]

One argument I have heard as a reason skating is so stressful is that the full-time training has become year round, unlike other sports, there is no off season.

Wouldn't having a serious competition in the late summer/early fall just increase the pressure, both physical and financial?

[Susan M]

I was thinking they could convert that to be open to more skaters.

Champs Camp isn't a competition, so that really doesn't address the original suggestion. Champs Camp originally did include more skaters and was held earlier in the summer. I think maybe about 4 years ago they moved it to the end of summer, limited it to skaters with GP assignments, and asked skaters to come prepared to exhibit their programs for USFS officials. When you look that the things they are trying to accomplish here, it makes sense to focus on this group.

I think there may be a place for a late summer competition for folks the next tier down from the Champs Camp attendees, but it would cost a lot of money. While the skaters might like it, I'm not sure the benefits would ever justify the expense from a USFS perspective.

[stjeaskategym]

One argument I have heard as a reason skating is so stressful is that the full-time training has become year round, unlike other sports, there is no off season.

Wouldn't having a serious competition in the late summer/early fall just increase the pressure, both physical and financial?

I actually think the offseason can be too long at times. For the skaters who don't qualify for Nationals, there is a LONG wait for the next big competition. And even for most of the skaters who do qualify for Nationals, there is still quite a long wait before the next big competition. Yes, training continues year round, but that will always happen regardless of the competition schedule. It's just one of those sports where you can regress quickly if you take extended time off. I don't think replacing yet another local summer competition with something a little more important would be much more grueling, except perhaps financially.