From: jkaplenk@lucpul.it.luc.edu (Joe Kaplenk)
Newsgroups: rec.skate
Subject: Adult Figure  Skating (Ice) Concerns - update 4/15/92
Summary: Governing Council proposals
Keywords: ice
Date: 15 Apr 92 14:26:51 GMT
Article-I.D.: lucpul.jkaplenk.703348011
Organization: Loyola University Chicago

Happy Tax Day!

Please share this article with as many people as possible.

The adult ice figure skating survey results have been tabulated
and should be available in a week or so. Hopefully this weekend. Our tabulator	
was apparently hit with the 'Great Chicago Flood  of 92'. She works in the
Chicago loop area. Some of the results included strong support for organizing 
adults and for adult competitions to go to the National level.  The
USFSA officials I talked with support the latter also. However, they would like
it at a  separate competition, whereas the adults would like it to be
with Juvenile-Intermediate Nationals. I asked the officials where the
$25,000 to run a separate event would come from and there was no definite
committment. Adult competitors can't foot the bill.

We  will be making three proposals:

1-   That an Adult Athletes Advisory Committee be formed. This will consist of
    adult athletes and will have regional subcommittees. Any volunteers?
    This is widely supported in the USFSA and just needs a proposal to the 
    President of the USFSA.

The  following recommendations will be made from the floor of the Governing Council:

2-   That Adult Seniors in both freestyle and dance be included in the 
     Juvenile-Intermediate Nationals. While adults may eventually want and 
     need a separate national competition, we would need to work in that direction. 
     Currently  we can't afford the costs, nor are there enough competitors or
     events yet.
 
     The Adult Junior level skaters are not on a par with the other younger
     competitors at this event and including Adult Juniors at the J-I Natitionals
     wouldn't be accepted by the USFSA, but the Adult Seniors can match any younger
     skater there.
   
     Some people feel that adults would use ice time that could be used for
     the other skaters, but the event is short anyway, so another half day should
     not matter. It is also cheaper for the adults because they can share coaches
     with some of the other skaters thus decreasing the costs for everyone.

3-   That Adult Juniors be restored to Sectionals. Many adults were furious when
     they found out it had been dropped. They were even more upset when no one
     had told them before the competition that they could not go on. It was left
     out of the changes listing in Skating magazine. It was dropped because it
     was  felt that the Adult Juniors were not on a par with the other skaters.

We need someone to present proposals 2 and 3 from the floor of the Governing
Council since it is too late to get listed in the agenda. Another need for
volunteers. If we cannot get a volunteer we will need to do a petition.

The Governing Council is in Anchorage, Alaska, which really was a dumb move if
they are looking at getting wide participation. I hope I don't offend an Alaskan.
Most clubs will not be attending. This also makes it hard to get proposals presented.
I heard rumors that the reason for choosing Alaska was so that they could propose
dropping figures altogether and they did not want widespread opposition. As a result
they chose the most difficult place in the US to meet. Many clubs can barely afford
to send a rep to a local meeting let alone send one to Alaska.

All Board of Director members will get copies of our proposals and survey
results before they go, and may discuss it at their meeting prior to the
Governing Council. If you know someone that is going please encourage them to
support our proposals.


Joe Kaplenk
jkaplenk@lucpul.it.luc.edu

-- 
Joe Kaplenk
jkaplenk@lucpul.it.luc.edu
312-764-1212 home
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