University of Delaware Figure Skating Club February 2006 Newsletter

What an exciting year for the skaters from the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club! To those of you who competed at the US Junior National and US National Skating competitions, congratulations on your fine performances. I spent the week in St. Louis and attended most of the events in which our club members competed. As always, it was exciting to see our skaters do so well. Even more rewarding was to see the genuine camaraderie among our skaters. I understand that even the ESPN/ABC commentators noted that the UDFSC skaters seemed to bring their own, very vocal and enthusiastic cheering sections! Our skaters are to be commended for being supportive of one another and for exhibiting excellent sportsmanship.

Of course, everyone must know by now that Kimmie Meissner is a member of the US Olympic Team. I am sure all of our club members are proud of her accomplishment and will be eagerly following Kimmie's Olympic experience. All of us wish her a successful and memorable Olympic games.

We are also privileged to be the home of the following World Junior Team members: Christine Zukowski, Geoffry Varner, Bridget Namiotka and John Coughlin. We wish all of these skaters a most successful competition! We are honored to have you represent us.

Congratulations to Anna Peng who was named to the USFSA Scholastic Honors Team! Anna has successfully combined excellence in her academic pursuits with excellence in skating - no small achievement!

Finally, congratulations to the skaters who make up Team Delaware who recently competed at the Eastern Synchronized Skating Team Championships. We extend our best wishes to the Intermediate, Adult, Adult Masters and Collegiate teams who will be continuing on to the US National Synchronized Skating Team Championships at the end of February.

The 2006 Team Delaware Synchro Exhibition was held on January 14, 2006 at the Fred Rust Ice Arena. The skaters and their supporters raised over $1500 to support the Delaware Chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The night was a huge success and a great send-off for our teams competing at the Eastern Sectional Championships and Nationals.

For more information regarding synchronized skating, please log onto www.teamdelawaresynchro.org.

The University of Delaware Collegiate Synchronized Skating Team is also available to full time college students at U of D. For more information about our recruitment weekend in November or any other program inquiries, please email megano@udel.edu or skatingmickey@verizon.net.

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. If you would like to volunteer to be a backup monitor for Club Ice (and earn free ice privileges for you or a family member) please e-mail the club at udfsc@udel.edu or call (302) 831-4686. There will be no club ice on March 27, June 26, and July 3.

Beginning July 15, 2005, the electronic planned program elements sheet will be available online at www.usfsaonline.org. You will find the registration instructions under your competitor's profile. Your password will be required in order to gain access. If you have not registered for a profile and/or received your password, do it now at www.usfsaonline.org. This year we will only be using the Novice through Senior planned program elements, as the IJS will be used starting at the sectional level in singles, pairs, dance and synchro. However, we strongly encourage all skaters, juvenile and up, to experiment with the registration process. Beginning next year registration of all planned elements will be mandatory online for our qualifying competition structure.

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.

It is important to use the entire address when corresponding with us.

Club Ice is available at The Pond on Monday evenings from 5:30 - 6:30 pm. Members: $8.

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.

• 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 a request 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. Some old applications may be around that have the old policies written on them.

You may use our online test application or pick up a paper test application at the Fred Rust Ice Arena. All deadlines below apply. The UDFSC reserves the right to change test or application due dates when necessary.

Applications must be on time. NO late applications will be accepted for any reason. Payment must accompany application or you will not be scheduled for your test.

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

October 16, 2005

January 16, 2006

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.

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 or national event that is not listed, please let us know by calling (302) 831-4686 or writing to us at udfsc@udel.edu.

Ladies

Christine Zukowski - 6th place

Pair's

Bridget Namiotka and John Coughlin - 5th place

2006 U.S. Junior Figure Skating Championships * November 30 - December 3, 2005 * Westminster, Colorado

Intermediate Dance

Anastasia Cannuscio and Geoffrey Varraux - 10th place

Katrina Magaard and Michael Amick - 13th place

2006 U.S. Figure Skating Championships * January 7 - 15, 2006 * St. Louis, Missouri