Basic Skills Parents
Figure skating is a sport one can participate in individually or as a member of a team, recreationally or competitively, throughout one's life. It is fun, creative and challenging. It involves the development, practice and execution of skills that one progressively learns and builds on over time.Learning skills and mastering those skills is an important part of child development. Over the years, U.S. Figure Skating, through the expertise of its skaters, professionals and judges, and in collaboration with figure skaters throughout the world, has developed practices designed to assist individuals of all ages in learning and mastering skating skills.
Figure skating provides a wonderful opportunity for children of all ages to learn physical and mental skills to engage in a sport that is creative, challenging and fun. As parents supporting our children in their development, we look for information that will help us make informed decisions as we support our children in their activities. We hope the information we make available will provide a useful and helpful resource about figure skating and the basic skills of the sport.
Watch the video below of B.L. Wylie, the Parents Committee's vice chair for Basic Skills, explaining what parents can do to ensure their child has the best experience possible in the Basic Skills Program.
If you are new to figure skating, the following information gives an overview of how U.S. Figure Skating and its member clubs approach teaching individuals, young and old, how to skate, and provides an introduction to the structure of testing and competitions within U.S. Figure Skating:
- 1. Learning the Basic Skills (PDF)
2. Figure Skating Programs and Development/Pipeline of Figure Skating (PDF)
3. Tests and Skating Levels
If you are looking for a quality opportunity for your child to learn how to skate, or if you have a child learning the basic skills of skating, the following address some of the figure skating basics for parents:
- 1. Clothes and Equipment for Children Learning to Skate (PDF)
2. Choosing a Basic Skills program
3. Making the Transition from Group Lessons to Club Membership (PDF)
4. Working with a Coach
5. Supporting Your Child's Enjoyment of Skating
6. Tips for Parents (PDF)
The following provide basic information for parents with children learning to skate:
- Parents Survival Guides Overview (PDF)
- Parents Survival Guide Order Form (PDF)
- Preparing Young Skaters for Competition (PDF)
- Parents Code of Conduct (PDF)
