New Australian Pattern Tests

[can'tsk8]

And sadly AusTechSpec I do know what I am talking about because I have seen many brilliant skaters from Australia held back because the family finances crumbled. I also know the sacrifices that are being made by the team training overseas- 6 hours training 5-6 days/week, working 3-4 days week, university study and currently looking for another job because 20th at worlds does not ensure OWI funding beyond "services".

I am shocked that OWI does not provide funding for Dani and Greg, they are the only skaters who have done what is needed to hopefully get a shot at Olympics! Do you know what the criteria is to get funding from OWI and how much is available.

I agree with ozskatemom regarding the scholarship I think there is a great diversity in who has been given the scholarship, the only people who appear to have abused it are the Queensland Dance team. Is anyone able to explain who decides who gets the scholarship? Also yes who is on ISA now I know there was an AGM in April but there has never been any news or minutes posted as to the changes, it strikes me that there is quite a lot of conflict within ISA.

[sk8ingcoach]

Sk8ingcoach Callum and Maggie never won a Scholarship - Maybe you should get your facts right before you so publicly talk about something that is not correct!!

OK, sorry Oz-sk8ing-mum. However you still put your forms in for scholarships and they were shortlisted even though you knew that Maggie was quitting pair.

[AusTechSpec]

The only way to improve skating in Australia is to follow the lead of our number 1 dance team.........
We do not have the number of skaters to support true elite training programs
We do not have skaters with skills high enough to interest top coaches moving here.
We will always be minnows in the world of figure skating.
Few (not none) of our coaches have the skills and connections to keep skaters at the levels they need to move over top 10-15.

We can quibble about mixed ice sessions, segregated sessions, whatever....but the skaters who train here continue to juggle school with training- this will continue to impede their progress.

The scholarship program is a joke- lets hope a few of the new ISA committee members can get some legitimacy into selection criteria, selection panel and the whole process.

And sadly AusTechSpec I do know what I am talking about because I have seen many brilliant skaters from Australia held back because the family finances crumbled. I also know the sacrifices that are being made by the team training overseas- 6 hours training 5-6 days/week, working 3-4 days week, university study and currently looking for another job because 20th at worlds does not ensure OWI funding beyond "services".

Top skaters all over the world manage school work and much more with their skating, some even manage to start their own family at the same time.
Anyone who tells you that leaving school to skate full time is needed is not thinking in your best interest.
Majority of skaters who do do this end up being overwhelmed by the sport and lose their love for it. Not to mention lose all the benefits of going to school with other kids as well.

You are right though, skaters need to experience training over seas, and THAT is what the ISA scholarship was all about when it first started. It was about giving skaters who DO NOT have the finances/opportunities to train over seas the chance to do so. Thats why people like our top dance team aren't looked at for it because they are already overseas training.

In most cases bar one or two instances the recipients of ISA scholarships have used their money for the intended purpose. The program certainly isn't a joke.

On that note, you may be talking about a OWI scholarship, in which case i can't comment because I really don't know what I am talking about there.

[Aussie Willy]

Isn't using someone's name a breach of forum rules?

[AusTechSpec]

Isn't using someone's name a breach of forum rules?

Good luck enforcing that one when this forum is based on talking about skaters and their coaches etc

[Aussie Willy]

Good luck enforcing that one when this forum is based on talking about skaters and their coaches etc

Yep that is why there are moderators of this forum.

[AusTechSpec]

Either way we are supposed to talk about the pattern tests in here...

[WindSpirit]

Good luck enforcing that one when this forum is based on talking about skaters and their coaches etc

Hi there. You don't know me but I know you. I approved your registration yesterday or the day before. Already 50 posts, I'm glad you're finding our board so interesting.

As a new poster, though, there's a few things you need to know.

There is a difference between talking about coaches and skaters because of what they do, and posting FSU members' real names on the board. As in, talking about Michelle Kwan, the famous skater, is all of course allowed, saying the poster by the user name of XYZ is Michelle Kwan would be against the rules (that was just an example, MK has nothing to do with it). Only the member herself/himself has the right to reveal their real name, if they so wish. You have the right to reveal your own name, and that's it.

Interestingly enough, sk8ingcoach didn't see a big deal in revealing someone else's name, but hasn't provided his/her own. If no one cares, why don't you tell us your name, sk8ingcoach?

Last but not least. Sorry to disappoint but every FSU member has the right to post their opinion about anything. If you don't agree with what they have to say, you can discuss it (and prove them wrong if you think they are) or you can ignore it. You can't tell anyone to not present their opinion.

I hope this thread is not going to mimic the British skaters thread because if it does, it will meet the same fate. For those of you who are new: using FSU as a battleground for your personal issues with someone is not going to fly.

[sk8ingcoach]

Hi there. You don't know me but I know you. I approved your registration yesterday or the day before. Already 50 posts, I'm glad you're finding our board so interesting.

As a new poster, though, there's a few things you need to know.

There is a difference between talking about coaches and skaters because of what they do, and posting FSU members' real names on the board. As in, talking about Michelle Kwan, the famous skater, is all of course allowed, saying the poster by the user name of XYZ is Michelle Kwan would be against the rules (that was just an example, MK has nothing to do with it). Only the member herself/himself has the right to reveal their real name, if they so wish. You have the right to reveal your own name, and that's it.

Interestingly enough, sk8ingcoach didn't see a big deal in revealing someone else's name, but hasn't provided his/her own. If no one cares, why don't you tell us your name, sk8ingcoach?

Last but not least. Sorry to disappoint but every FSU member has the right to post their opinion about anything. If you don't agree with what they have to say, you can discuss it (and prove them wrong if you think they are) or you can ignore it. You can't tell anyone to not present their opinion.

I hope this thread is not going to mimic the British skaters thread because if it does, it will meet the same fate. For those of you who are new: using FSU as a battleground for your personal issues with someone is not going to fly.

Pretty sure i edited my posts so that the names were gone. And i dont believe i told anyone that they cant present their opinion ???? so i have no idea what you're talking about there

[AusTechSpec]

We should be getting back on topic anyway, that being the Pattern tests...

Has anyone been to any of the pattern test days to have a look yet?

[sk8ingcoach]

We should be getting back on topic anyway, that being the Pattern tests...

Has anyone been to any of the pattern test days to have a look yet?

I went to a test ( included patterns) last week. Went very successfully, much easier than i originally thought it would be.

Most skaters doing patterns were very low level ( elementry ). Highest level was Novice doing a pattern and i believe he/she failed the loop-twizzle pattern

[AusTechSpec]

I went to a test ( included patterns) last week. Went very successfully, much easier than i originally thought it would be.

Most skaters doing patterns were very low level ( elementry ). Highest level was Novice doing a pattern and i believe he/she failed the loop-twizzle pattern

Seems to match with the observations i made in my original post about these patterns...
http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/show...5&postcount=62

[sk8ingcoach]

Seems to match with the observations i made in my original post about these patterns...
http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/show...5&postcount=62

I was also present for the pattern camp in queensland and for the filming

I agree with your comment that Lochran was woeful. Although lochran is a senior level dancer, he is also a senior level syncro, so i did not expect his turns to be good, even for the novice pattern

However the other senior skaters ( kranjec, Dodds ) were absolutely great at ALL the patterns. It took an hour to get through the novice because there was so much arguing amongst coaches and judges about silly things like where your free leg should be on different turns. Also that the senior skaters were learning the patterns on the day ( except for senior pattern ) which took a little extra time.

Although the Novice boy failed his test the other week, i do believe that the difficulty of the novice pattern is set correctly. Last week a was teaching one of my students ( who has just moved to novice this year) the novice patterns and she was really good. Her turns clearly showed that she is novice level. The young boy who went for his novice was not ready and is still IMO a primary level skater

[GarrAarghHrumph]

But you don't have right of way over the primary to senior genre.. But you do have a right to the ice...

If my music is playing and I'm in program, absolutely I have right of way, and the other skaters are very polite about it (most of the time). If their music is playing, absolutely they have right of way.

As misskarne explained, she absolutely does have the right of way at certain times in the session. This has nothing to do with her level of skating, and everything to do with the "rules of the road".

The skater whose music is being played always has right of way, whether that skater is age 5 "learn to skate", or senior level ladies. So yes, Ksenia Makarova had to give way to my five year old daughter when they were both on the same session, if my daughter was on music in her lesson. That's how it works.

In general, the right of way rules work like this:
1. on music in a lesson
2. on music, not in a lesson
3. in a lesson, without music (I've seen rinks reverse #2 and #3)
4. not in a lesson

More advanced skaters must watch out for lower-level skaters.

[AusTechSpec]

I was also present for the pattern camp in queensland and for the filming

I agree with your comment that Lochran was woeful. Although lochran is a senior level dancer, he is also a senior level syncro, so i did not expect his turns to be good, even for the novice pattern

However the other senior skaters ( kranjec, Dodds ) were absolutely great at ALL the patterns. It took an hour to get through the novice because there was so much arguing amongst coaches and judges about silly things like where your free leg should be on different turns. Also that the senior skaters were learning the patterns on the day ( except for senior pattern ) which took a little extra time.

Although the Novice boy failed his test the other week, i do believe that the difficulty of the novice pattern is set correctly. Last week a was teaching one of my students ( who has just moved to novice this year) the novice patterns and she was really good. Her turns clearly showed that she is novice level. The young boy who went for his novice was not ready and is still IMO a primary level skater

These being relatively new tests a lot of coaches don't yet understand the standard required to pass yet. So we are likely to see skaters who are not yet capable of passing the tests going for them. The system was designed for the testing to be very strict, and people aren't used to that in Australian tests yet.

[WindSpirit]

Pretty sure i edited my posts so that the names were gone.

Yes, with a comment "Used Oz_sk8ing_mum's real name ???? who cares" so I was happy to explain.

And i dont believe i told anyone that they cant present their opinion ???? so i have no idea what you're talking about there

I was talking about the beginning of this thread.

I find it offensive that a skating mother can criticise the high level skaters when she probably doesn't have any idea about skating skills ??????

But as i am an Australian coach, with high level students ( not naming ) i find it offensive that u can critisise my students.

As im pretty sure i know who OZ_skating_mum is, i know that she is JUST a parent. [...] i just didnt think it was appropriate for a mother to comment about high levels skaters saying that their standard isn't high enough.

So it wasn't "HOW DARE YOU criticize high level skaters?!" but "I may not agree with what you say, but I shall defend to my death your right to say it" type of thing? My bad then. Must be an Australian version.

BTW, anyone with an account can criticize high level skaters. Welcome to a message board. And if you take offense to someone merely saying that their standards wasn't high enough, better buckle up. Or avoid message boards altogether. This is the kind of talk that you should be giving to your students. I guess I'm just surprised that you needed to have it explained to you.

[AusTechSpec]

Yes, with a comment "Used Oz_sk8ing_mum's real name ???? who cares" so I was happy to explain.

I was talking about the beginning of this thread.


So it wasn't "HOW DARE YOU criticizing high level skaters?!" but "I may not agree with what you say, but I shall defend to my death your right to say it" type of thing? My bad then. Must be an Australian version.

BTW, anyone with an account can criticize high level skaters. Welcome to a message board. And if you take offense to someone merely saying that their standards wasn't high enough, better buckle up. Or avoid message boards altogether. This is the kind of talk that you should be giving to your students. I guess I'm just surprised that you needed to have it explained to you.

Well that was entertaining hahahaha

[Oz_sk8ting_mum]

OK, sorry Oz-sk8ing-mum. However you still put your forms in for scholarships and they were shortlisted even though you knew that Maggie was quitting pair.

Oh Sk8Coach ...
But as you open your mouth to change feet once again you just prove that your knowledge is very limited. I love it

The reason Maggie and Callum were short listed is because THEY withdrew their application after had an interview and they realise they were in the running.

Fancy that! Your knowledge has just been increased.

[Aussie Willy]

Windspirit - your contributions to this thread are much appreciated.

The other thing is if some of these people who are posting are involved in either judging, technical panels or coaching in Australia, some of these posts would definately go against the code of ethics for those roles. It doesn't matter if you are under a moniker on this forum, it really isn't proper behaviour if you are in those roles. And being in writing it can be quoted and kept.

[sk8ingcoach]

Yes, with a comment "Used Oz_sk8ing_mum's real name ???? who cares" so I was happy to explain.

I was talking about the beginning of this thread.


So it wasn't "HOW DARE YOU criticize high level skaters?!" but "I may not agree with what you say, but I shall defend to my death your right to say it" type of thing? My bad then. Must be an Australian version.

BTW, anyone with an account can criticize high level skaters. Welcome to a message board. And if you take offense to someone merely saying that their standards wasn't high enough, better buckle up. Or avoid message boards altogether. This is the kind of talk that you should be giving to your students. I guess I'm just surprised that you needed to have it explained to you.

Yes, people can criticise skaters as much as they like. I just find it funny that a mother who doesnt know anything about high level skaters as she doesnt have a high level skater as a child can criticise them so much.

SO now that we have gone off topic again, can we go back to actually talking about the pattern tests like Me and Austechspec were