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KIDS' QUESTIONS
October 2005
Kids' Questions with U.S. Figure Skating New Judging System Implementation Coordinator Mary Cook
In the new judging system, which is rewarded more: a technically strong skater with limited artistry or an artistic skater with average technical ability?
Bianca Rivera, 15, New Jersey
The new judging system rewards all aspects of a skater's performance. The skaters you describe could end up with similar points because one is strong in one area and weak in the other, so overall skills may balance. The first skater could potentially have high difficulty and grade of execution points but far weaker scores on the five components - skating skills, transitions/linking footwork and movement, performance/execution, composition/choreography and interpretation. The second skater may score the opposite. The best advice is to become a well-rounded skater. Work on your basic skating technique no matter how easy or difficult your technical elements are. Work on your ice presence and musicality, and challenge yourself with choreography that contains connections between your program's technical highlights.
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| Mary Cook |
If a skater does a double or triple Lutz on the wrong edge (the inside edge) but it is a high, tight and clean jump, will that person get more or fewer points than a person who does the Lutz on the correct edge but does the jump sloppier?
Calli Wachowski, 13,
Two Rivers, Wis.
The change of edge on the Lutz is a flaw in the takeoff phase of a jump element. This error will receive from -3 to -1 in the grade of execution (“GOE”) mark from the judge depending upon how long the inside edge is before the takeoff. This assumes that the skater has done a satisfactory job on the three other phases of the jump: preparation (approach), rotation and flight (air) and landing. If the skater takes off on a true outside edge takeoff in the takeoff phase of the jump, but the rest of the jump is “sloppy,” the judge will assess the problems on each of the three remaining phases to determine what GOE to give the element. If the skater has minor problems on all three of those phases, the judge will be obliged to give a -3 even though the takeoff phase is satisfactory.
In the new system is it smarter to do a cheated triple-double combination or go with a double-double combination that you know you can do?
Emily Slaven, 16,
Bozeman, Mont.
In the new system, a triple jump in which the rotation is more than a quarter turn short will be identified as a double by the technical specialist and will receive the points of a double. In addition, the judge will mark the jump as a double with an overrotated landing. If your triple is not around enough, you have a chance for higher points with the double/double combination. Discuss this with your coach. The neat thing about the new system is that a skater and coach can work together to develop a strategy to maximize the skater's possible points.
It seems to me that with the new system, the main goal is to be 100 percent on everything. For instance, with the old system, inconsistent jumps were rewarded for the attempt, even with a fall. Does this still apply with the new system?
Sam Drysdale, 13,
Salt Lake City, Utah
The main goal should be to do what you can do the best you can do it. You do not have to be 100 percent on everything. Few of us ever are. In the new system, the judges will be watching you as a total skater, not just as a jumper. Spins, footwork and overall skating technique will be very important. Jumps that are cheated will not be rewarded. The new technical officials will be watching very carefully and at sectionals and the U.S. Championships, they will have instant replay to see if a skater really deserves credit for a triple. If the skater is short on the rotation, it is not fair to credit that skater with a triple. That is the advantage of the new system - it is more precise.
Does the new judging system have any affect on the lower levels, like the preliminary level?
Emily Baker, 15,
Feeding Hills, Mass.
This is a very important question, Emily. U.S. Figure Skating has been thinking carefully about developing its younger skaters for success in the new system when they move up to higher levels of competition. We feel strongly that the time to start preparing is when you are first learning your skating technique - and below. Work on your general skating skills and your turns, steps, edges and posture. Work on your power. Moves in the field are very important and provide all the skills you need to train your body positions and skating foot. Next season, we will be introducing the new system at the juvenile and intermediate level. We continue to study how soon we should introduce it to beginning skaters, but right now we have to move slowly while we are all getting used to it. We have asked the judges to evaluate all skaters using the same principles they use for the upper level skaters in the new system to make sure all our skaters are being judged with the same standards.
If you do cool arm movements in a jump, like the “hand over the head” in the Tano Lutz, does that earn more points?
Christopher Argodale, 12, Nashville, Tenn.
The judges will judge all phases of a jump - the approach (preparation), the take-off, the rotation and flight (air), and the landing. The entire jump will be evaluated and the judges will assign a grade of execution mark or “GOE” from + 3 to -3 to score its quality. The Tano Lutz arm position will be a plus in the “air” phase of the jump and may gain you a +1 if you also complete the remaining phases of the jump in a satisfactory manner.
