2022 Skate America

[alizadavida]

I'm coming up from NY and will not book a hotel until I know.

They risk losing volunteers because they don't give enough notice of shifts for the volunteers to be able to accommodate them.

Yes luckily I would just drive to the rink but I have my own skating at 7ish so want to know if I can go to that or if ill be missing.

 

[Bouffantrex]

It's a sad statement on the culture of figure skating if taking athlete safety seriously is considered an "outrageous knee-jerk politically correct overreaction."

Ok

 

[Matryeshka]

I got an email from SKAM about my upcoming event! I'M SO EXCITED!!!! Shuttles, parking, suburbs, bah, it will work out. Show me the skating and show me the bar! Bring on the sparkles! Bring on the SNARK.

So besides my fangirl squeeee, is anyone getting in Thursday and if so anyone interested in getting together Thursday night for dinner/Friday afternoon for lunch? I know nothing about Norwood, but I just happened to look up an Irish gastropub that sounds promising. Guinness and French onion soup! Fries for dipping in the soup!

 

[GarrAargHrumph]

I may be getting in on Thursday. I don't know my schedule for Friday yet, or even if I'm scheduled to volunteer on Friday, so I am entirely unsure. However, if I do end up being assigned to Friday and thus drive up Thursday, I'd be happy to meet and eat Irish (or Boston Irish) food, or similarly, depending on my Friday schedule, to have lunch on Friday.

 

[Lanie]

I got an email from SKAM about my upcoming event! I'M SO EXCITED!!!! Shuttles, parking, suburbs, bah, it will work out. Show me the skating and show me the bar! Bring on the sparkles! Bring on the SNARK.

So besides my fangirl squeeee, is anyone getting in Thursday and if so anyone interested in getting together Thursday night for dinner/Friday afternoon for lunch? I know nothing about Norwood, but I just happened to look up an Irish gastropub that sounds promising. Guinness and French onion soup! Fries for dipping in the soup!

My flight gets in around 1:45! I'm down. I am staying with a friend at the Holiday Inn! I'd love to finally meet you after all these years!!! My volunteer shift is Friday 10am-1pm.

Love me some Irish gastropub food.

 

[Theatregirl1122]

I’m getting in on Thursday night, although I may be eating dinner with a family member. Going to practices Friday but definitely up for a hang out as well. I think my mom might be traumatized by Irish food after 8 days in Dublin though.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

I’m getting in on Thursday night, although I may be eating dinner with a family member. Going to practices Friday but definitely up for a hang out as well. I think my mom might be traumatized by Irish food after 8 days in Dublin though.

Looking forward to seeing you! Can’t believe it’s been six years since Boston Worlds!

 

[Firedancer]

We are getting in on Thursday and are staying at the Hampton Inn. We will definitely be interested in hanging out.

 

[Matryeshka]

I have two suggestions for a meet--up (and they're British/Irish Irish pubs, because I want the stereotype, damnit) Limey's Pub has really good reviews and it just looks like somewhere fun. The most convenient is Mick Morgan's, which is attached to the Hampton Inn where all y'all except me are staying, but the reviews are awful. But I can go either way and am totally open to suggestions, or someone else taking over organizing a meet and greet.

Maybe a late lunch on Friday? Around 3:00ish? Plenty to time to mingle and then head to the stadium.

I cannot wait. The last skating event I saw live was Worlds in 2009 (Los Angeles).

 

[YukiNieve]

I got this email about FOFS VIP experience that will be in place of the breakfast session, and they will invite not only competing skaters but also others such as Jason and Mirai... so Jason will be at Skate America, then?

 

[Gusmom]

In case anyone had applied to volunteer I got an email today asking me to keep an eye out for sign-ups for shifts!

Catching up because I stopped getting notifications.

I had tech issues so didn’t get to the volunteer page until a few days later. They basically had ice monitors (letting people on/off ice), music, & dining room at hotel that time.

Did they have other positions earlier?

 

[Gusmom]

There are multiple major strip malls with a lot of restaurants and food choices. Also, there is a huge Wegmans (supermarket) with many food takeout options. I also think that you meant University Avenue.

TY for mentioning the Wegman’s. Great for lunch or to make your own snack packs etc.

 

[Gusmom]

Bag policy has been updated. Basically the same as last year's SA and Nats: https://scboston.universitytickets.com/w/CustomPageView.aspx?pageID=7

And as someone who has managed volunteers for my club's comp for more years than I want to count, I think it's crazy, not to mention inconsiderate, that they aren't notifying vols of their shift times until the day before.

It is also poor practices in volunteer management. People may need to arrange childcare or time off work to accommodate certain shifts.

 

[Gusmom]

I'm coming up from NY and will not book a hotel until I know.

They risk losing volunteers because they don't give enough notice of shifts for the volunteers to be able to accommodate them.

And if people have to cancel for some reason (covid etc) others of us won’t have a chance to go back in either. :/ I live close enough I’d be happy to be on a stand by list for certain things but I don’t feel qualified for the things I can see at present so I guess I’m shut out.
I’ve sent a couple of questions to the volunteer coordinators listed and not heard back in last week. Also unusual.

 

[Gusmom]

I got this email about FOFS VIP experience that will be in place of the breakfast session, and they will invite not only competing skaters but also others such as Jason and Mirai... so Jason will be at Skate America, then?

Ahh. If I hadn’t just spent a small fortune on parking (I have asthma so I did get the pass) I would join FOFS just to meet them.

 

[Aceon6]

From what I’m hearing from SCOB, a lot of the cluster is due to USFS and has their hands tied on a lot of things.

 

[Lacey]

Bag policy has been updated. Basically the same as last year's SA and Nats: https://scboston.universitytickets.com/w/CustomPageView.aspx?pageID=7

And as someone who has managed volunteers for my club's comp for more years than I want to count, I think it's crazy, not to mention inconsiderate, that they aren't notifying vols of their shift times until the day before.

RE: BAG POLICIES ANYWHERE

I purchased see through bags meant for any egress into sports stadiums.

I thought it would be a glance and through.

Found that to not be the case, the "checkers" still went through the entire contents of bag, piece by piece.

I get wanting to be safe and 100% support the concept of see through bags, but going through more than one "check" (think Phillies and Eagles, I can't remember specifics) it took the same amount of time as not having a clear outside bag.

 

[GarrAargHrumph]

Catching up because I stopped getting notifications.

I had tech issues so didn’t get to the volunteer page until a few days later. They basically had ice monitors (letting people on/off ice), music, & dining room at hotel that time.

Did they have other positions earlier?

When I went to the sign up site, they had ice monitors, music, announcing, hospitality and registration.

 

[Debbie S]

To do music or announcing at a comp at the level of SA, you really need prior experience. Club comps are a good place to start. For a first-time vol, ice monitoring and hospitality are the more likely (to be assigned) options. I'm partial to ice monitoring b/c you get a view of the action.

 

[GarrAargHrumph]

I volunteered to do announcing at practices. I hate doing music, but announcing, I enjoy, although I get cold.

I don't know if I've been picked. I haven't heard anything at all back, since they had me sign up for my options. I've emailed them, and nothing. I'm assuming, at this point, that I'm not volunteering at SA, and scheduling accordingly.

 

[Gusmom]

When I went to the sign up site, they had ice monitors, music, announcing, hospitality and registration.

Darn! I could do registration & hospitality. Maybe next time.

 

[Gusmom]

To do music or announcing at a comp at the level of SA, you really need prior experience. Club comps are a good place to start. For a first-time vol, ice monitoring and hospitality are the more likely (to be assigned) options. I'm partial to ice monitoring b/c you get a view of the action.

I volunteered at Worlds in Boston (various jobs w volunteer services/Check in, hospitality & general misc filling in )

 

[alizadavida]

I just got an email with info on the shifts but there is no shift listed on EMS... as well as how to get accreditation and info on the zoom call. Two of mine are red on the shift selection and one says remove request so maybe i got one of the 2 red ones?

 

[Yuri]

I was able to volunteer to be rinkside at two Skate America's as I had already reached the level of Sectional Accountant within the USFSA. Normally one needs to be a National Accountant to be rinkside which included operation of the scoreboard, but Skate America was a great opportunity to get this experience.

I also volunteered at two US Nationals back in the day and they were awesome experiences, especially for the one near my hometown when I supervised the main practice rink for five days. Actually it was also the competition rink for all the figures events, so I even had the opportunity to help USFSA officials put on the press conferences. I also got to drive legendary coach Carlo Fassi from the practice rink to the main arena in my car and deliver extra family tickets personally to Christopher Bowman (RIP) in his hotel room, so you never know what may happen in a volunteering shift.

At my other US Nationals as a volunteer, I had shifts in hospitality and ice monitoring. I didn't enjoy hospitality because it was away from the rink, but the ice monitoring in the main arena was very cool. However it became stressful when a Worlds level competitor became injured during practice and declined to leave the ice even as the Zambonis appeared. It didn't help that the coach also coached World and Olympic Champions and refused to have the skater leave the ice. This very famous competitor ultimately withdrew but received a controversial bye, so one always must be prepared when your volunteering experience includes unexpected developments!

 

[SaSherka]

These stories of lack of communication and information regarding volunteering make me glad I was not chosen! It's strange that ice monitoring shifts are still available as that's the easiest and most convenient shift and I'd thought it would be picked up by club members first. Heck, that's what I had signed up for!

Then I read about the clear bag policy and that you cannot even bring a full water bottle?! Or an umbrella?? Or noisemakers? I think I may leave my flags collection at home.

Still waiting on @ioana re: parking pass we'd be splitting among 4 ppl.

All this is not helping create a welcoming atmosphere for spectators.

 

[alizadavida]

These stories of lack of communication and information regarding volunteering make me glad I was not chosen! It's strange that ice monitoring shifts are still available as that's the easiest and most convenient shift and I'd thought it would be picked up by club members first. Heck, that's what I had signed up for!

Then I read about the clear bag policy and that you cannot even bring a full water bottle?! Or an umbrella?? Or noisemakers? I think I may leave my flags collection at home.

Still waiting on @ioana re: parking pass we'd be splitting among 4 ppl.

All this is not helping create a welcoming atmosphere for spectators.

The fact that we have the email saying we have shifts with a meeting and accreditation but still haven't told us what shifts is crazy! Like did i get a shift? did i not? will they reply to the email i sent? will they not? all of the shifts look open to select on my end. Like since I only selected shifts on Sunday should i go to the info meeting and still show up on Sunday? Did they accidentally send the email out to everyone who didn't get shifts? Like this is a s...show and having 2 separate EMS doesn't help at all

 

[Gusmom]

These stories of lack of communication and information regarding volunteering make me glad I was not chosen! It's strange that ice monitoring shifts are still available as that's the easiest and most convenient shift and I'd thought it would be picked up by club members first. Heck, that's what I had signed up for!

Then I read about the clear bag policy and that you cannot even bring a full water bottle?! Or an umbrella?? Or noisemakers? I think I may leave my flags collection at home.

Still waiting on @ioana re: parking pass we'd be splitting among 4 ppl.

All this is not helping create a welcoming atmosphere for spectators.

I looked last night because they had added some new positions. I think a couple of practice ice monitor (at the door to ice) were still left and timing maybe. Mostly transportation & accreditation.

I signed up for accreditation 2 sessions. I think I’ll miss a couple of practices but that’s to be expected. I’m trying to watch all phases of the competition though.

Also has anyone heard about dress? I know at Worlds they had a pant color and we all had vests or shirts. They haven’t asked our size for anything but I always worry about that because I’m plus size.

 

[Gusmom]

The fact that we have the email saying we have shifts with a meeting and accreditation but still haven't told us what shifts is crazy! Like did i get a shift? did i not? will they reply to the email i sent? will they not? all of the shifts look open to select on my end. Like since I only selected shifts on Sunday should i go to the info meeting and still show up on Sunday? Did they accidentally send the email out to everyone who didn't get shifts? Like this is a s...show and having 2 separate EMS doesn't help at all

As a volunteer management professional it has never made sense to have decentralized USFS contacts for volunteers. You need to be local. There are sometimes accommodations & things that don’t fit the schedule. It’s all a bit frustrating.

 

[alizadavida]

As a volunteer management professional it has never made sense to have decentralized USFS contacts for volunteers. You need to be local. There are sometimes accommodations & things that don’t fit the schedule. It’s all a bit frustrating.

I am 30 miles from SCOB just on the other side of Boston. It’s just a busy season at work so for scheduling they want to know if I’m working or if I’ll be at the event. Tempted to say I am so then I’ll have off to watch it on peacock and go to my own skating classes.

 

[Matryeshka]

Errr...it says no non-prescription meds. So I can't bring my Advil?