University of Delaware Figure Skating Club October 2004 Newsletter

Welcome to all current and new members as we begin the new competition season. I hope that this year brings all of you much enjoyment and success in your skating.

As many of you are aware, we are beginning to see some significant changes in the way the sport of figure skating is judged. US Figure Skating continues to offer frequent communications about program standards, both through SKATING magazine and its web site (WWW.USFSA.ORG). I urge you to consult both for further clarifications on rules. The US Figure Skating web site is also a wonderful source of information on various athlete programs.

Did you know the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club also has a web site? The web site is a good source of information pertaining to the Club including Club Ice schedules, Test Schedules, Test Application due dates and Newsletters. The Club's web address is www.udel.edu/udfsc. There are links on the web site to the University of Delaware Ice Skating Science Development Center.

As part of our efforts to improve communication to Club members, the Club would like to begin sending out newsletters electronically. We have email addresses for a majority of our skaters. In some instances, the email address is for the skater only. If you are a parent of a skater who would also like to receive an electronic copy of the newsletter, please send an email note with your email address to ud-fsc@udel.edu noting that you would like to be added to the email list. For those who do not have email addresses or the capability to access the newsletter from the UDFSC web site, we will continue to mail printed copy of the newsletters.

Did you know that you could earn free ice privileges for Club Ice (5-6:30 p.m. on Sundays)? For each 45-minute Club Ice session that you monitor, you earn a corresponding free Club ice session for you or for your family member who skates. We currently have a regular monitor for Club Ice, but we are in need of backup monitors to fill in for our monitor when she cannot be there. If you are interested in becoming a monitor for Club Ice, please contact the Club Office at (302) 831-4686.

Join us on Sundays in the Rust Ice Arena for a dance- preferred session from 5:00 - 5:45 p.m. and a freestyle- preferred session from 5:45 - 6:30 p.m. Members: $11/session or 10-session card for $100. Nonmembers: $12/session.

Please Note: If your US mail or e-mail addresses change, please notify the UDFSC as soon as possible. This will ensure important documents as well as the newsletter; get to you in a timely manner. Also, remember to use the UDFSC web site whenever possible. Our site has links to the University of Delaware Ice Skating Training Center as well as the e-mail addresses of board members who can answer your specific questions.

Club Ice is now available at The Pond on Monday evenings from 5:30 – 6:30 pm. Members: $8. The Pond presents The Harvest Show at 7pm on October 30th.

The following test sessions are scheduled. If you plan to test, be sure to get your application in by the deadlines listed below, as these sessions are likely to fill quickly. Applications and fees must be in the lockbox by 5:00 p.m. on the application due dates below.

Please be aware that the policy for submitting applications for US Figure Skating testing has been revised. The role of test chair is a voluntary position, which requires a considerable amount of time and effort in order to organize, schedule and run the test sessions. While I would like to be as accommodating as possible I find that it is simply not feasible to schedule and then have to reschedule the sessions. I have done this numerous times only to find out that I had wasted a great deal of time, so after one year as test chair, the UDFSC board and I have decided to institute some standard policies.

• Applications may not be submitted contingent on a testing time. When you submit an application you must be prepared to skate at any time during the day of the test session. You are more than welcome to make requests about testing time, but be aware that it is not guaranteed.
• Applications submitted without payment will not be accepted. No exceptions.
• Late applications will not be accepted. No exceptions.
• Once you submit an application there will be no refunds.
• In cases of serious sickness or injury, the test will be forwarded to the next test session.

Please be aware of these changes, as this message serves as notice of the policy revisions. New test applications reflecting these changes will be available soon. Thank you for your understanding and help to make these sessions run smoothly.

• It is important that your coach's name be listed on the application so that every effort can be made to have coaches free for each of their student's tests.
• Please be at the rink one hour before the scheduled test time. There is always the possibility of a last minute scratch, and the session will not be postponed if you are not there. You may risk forfeiting your test. (We will not run the session more then one hour early.)

If you wish to contact the test chairman, send e-mail to UDTestChair@aol.com.

Congratulations to the following UDFSC members who passed the following tests held recently at UD. Jerry Santoferrara, Testing Committee Chair

June 2004

July 2004

August 2004

Parents may want to screen skater fan mail to be sure there is no inappropriate content. Fan mail sent to the USFSA will be forwarded to the skater with a warning letter attached.

If you are interested in attending judges' school, the UDFSC may be able to offer some financial assistance. Write to us at ud-fsc@udel.edu or call (302) 831-4686. Information on judging is available at the USFSA web site at www.usfsa.org.

Interested in UDFSC synchronized skating teams? Synchronized skating is a choreographed routine skated in unison by 12-24 team members. Teams are assembled by skill level and USFSA age restrictions. Come out and see what it is about! Contact the UDFSC (302) 831-4686.

Please note that volunteers man the UDFSC club telephone answering service. We will make every attempt to retrieve your telephone calls promptly and forward your questions to the appropriate board member or training center staff. Thank you for your patience in this matter. Please send e- mail to ud-fsc@udel.edu whenever possible.

Congratulations to the following UDFSC competitors. If you competed in an international event that is not listed, please let us know by calling (302) 831-4686 or writing to us at ud-fsc@udel.edu.

Courchevel, France, August 26, 29, 2004

Kimmie Meissner - 2nd place

Long Beach, California, September 9, 12, 2004

Kimmie Meissner - 2nd place

Serbia & Montenegro, September 22, 25, 2004

Shaun Rogers - 2nd place

Traighe Rouse - 4th place

Campbell's International Figure Skating Classic, Oct. 1, 2004

Kimmie Meissner - 5th place

Feel free to send comments regarding this newsletter to ud-fsc@udel.edu or leave a message at (302) 831-4686.