There are many competitions offered through out the year and your coach can help you decide what events will be best for your skater.
Competitions should be a fun and positive experience for skaters and their parents. Through our experience we have found these tips to be helpful to both parents and skaters:
- Registration forms are usually available in the RFSC office. The forms are the parent’s responsibility to fill out and send in (check deadline). Check for all necessary signatures.
- If it is an out of town competition, make hotel reservations early.
- As soon as you receive your competition skating schedule, please let your coach know your schedule.
- Talk to your coach about competition attire. Dresses/outfits should appropriately fit the skater’s level, music etc. If possible, skate in the outfit at lease once before the competition. A zip front sweater or jacket is ideal for warm-up.
- Hair should be pulled back away from the face. Practice fixing hair in advance and also skate with it at least once while you are jumping, spinning, etc. to make sure it will stay in place.
- Make sure your skates are polished and your laces clean.
- You or your coach should have an extra copy of the music available at the competition in case of problems with the original copy.
Once you arrive at the competition:
- The first thing you should do is go to the registration desk, turn in your tapes (rewound and labeled) and receive any updated information.
- Practice ice is sometimes included in your fee, but more commonly not. It can be arranged in advance or purchased at the registration desk. Music cannot be played on practice ice.
- Know your surroundings and "place" your program on the rink you will skate on.
- Arrive at least one hour before your event is scheduled.
- Locate where results will be posted and check your skating order. The order in the program is not the official skating order.
- Check in with the ice monitor usually located where skaters enter and leave the ice.
- Discuss with your coach how and when to warm up.
- Always enter and exit the ice as if it is the best you have ever skated. Don’t forget to smile!
- If you are in a "half-ice" competition and someone else is skating on the other end, it is courteous to wait until they are finished before you skate off the ice.
- Remember that you represent the Rochester Figure Skating Club whenever you participate in a competition. Be supportive of all skaters and especially other skaters from our club.
- Results are usually posted within ½ hour. If you don’t understand the result sheets, quietly ask your coach to explain them to you. Remember to show good sportsmanship whether you place or not. Skating is a subjective sport – most importantly HAVE FUN!
Things to bring:
Skates (don’t laugh)
Extra laces, screwdriver, jump rope, sewing kit
Dress bag, soakers, skate guards,
Brush/comb, hairspray, scrunchies, hair clips, curling iron, make-up
Extra tape of your program
Dresses (competition and practice)
Sweater, warm-up suit, gloves, tights,
Camera, film, video recorder/tapes, batteries
Submitted by Carol Schomburg and Ann Johnson