athletes

Champs Camp

Established in 2007, Champs Camp is an annual three-to-four-day conference attended by U.S. Figure Skating athletes who are asigned to an ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating event and their primary or secondary coaches. It traditionally has been held in the late summer at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. At it's inception, the purpose of the camp was to familiarize the attendees with U.S. Figure Skating's policies and procedures in order to enable them to create strategies for achieving their personal and performance goals leading into the Olympic Winter Games. However, in 2010, Champs Camp switched to a performance based camp to prepare the athletes for the upcoming season.

Presentations have been given to the athletes and coaches on a variety of topics, including media training, anti-doping procedures, nutrition, international selections, planning and motivational suggestions. Presenters have included former national, World and Olympic competitors and coaches, ISU judges and technical specialists, U.S. Figure Skating committee chairs, United States Olympic Committee administrators, strength and conditioning experts, sports psychologists and members of U.S. Figure Skating's Athlete High Performance Department.

An accomplished person in the world of athletics is brought in each year to be the camp's keynote speaker. These have included John Nicks (2007), Paul Wylie (2008), Peter Carruthers and Dorothy Hamill (2009), USOC Managing Director of Sport Performance Alan Ashley (2010), Olympic speed skater Dan Jansen (2011) and Michelle Kwan (2012)..


Who: All athletes assigned to a 2013 Grand Prix Series event

Where: Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center/World Arena

When:Aug. 19 - 25, 2013 (tentative)

Champs Camp is performance based. Athletes perform their short program and free skate programs (ice dancing teams: short and free dances) in a simulated competition environment. The camp also included technical feedback sessions, pre-participation physical exams, mental training sessions and nutrition seminars. Primary coaches of an athlete assigned to a 2013 Grand Prix Series event are required to attend.

• (8/25/10) - Fourth Annual U.S. Figure Skating 'Champs Camp' Set for Aug. 26-29
• (6/11/09) - Third Annual U.S. Figure Skating 'Champs Camp' Underway
• Icenetwork.com's 2008 Champs Camp coverage
• (6/12/08) - Second Annual U.S. Figure Skating Champs Camp Gets Underway Friday
• (6/27/07) - Top U.S. Skaters Attend Champs Camp in Colorado Springs