Judges Newsletter
February 2006
The skating season is quickly moving along and before long will pass us by. It is hard to believe this given that winter hasn’t made much of an appearance thus far. Competitions and test days happening almost weekly across the province. Please try to accommodate requests if possible so that the judging workload can be shared by everyone. You are also encouraged to keep up to date with all the latest trends and rule changes so that your skills can be properly applied to tests and competitive events. If you haven’t already received the notice that the Well Balanced Program criteria that was put in place at the beginning of the season has now been suspended – this is your notice. Skaters can no longer be penalized for having unbalanced programs. Programs will now designed to meet the various test requirements for their respective event, but there are no penalties for the inclusion of extra elements beyond what is required.
As always, continue to check the Members Only section of the Skate Canada website for updates and information. Logon frequently to get all the latestupdates and changes that occur in our sport. Also be sure to check out the Skate Canada – Saskatchewan website to see the latest news items and events within our province.
Questions and comments are always welcomed, so please feel free to contact the Section office or any member of the judges committee at any time. Stay warm and we will see you at the rink!
Brett Hines
Newsletter Coordinator
If you would like to receive the JudgesNewsletter via email in the future, please forward your email address to .
JUVENILE/NOVICE JUDGES CLINIC
Do you need to refresh and update your skills? Or do you want to upgrade and improve your current qualifications? The Saskatchewan Judges Committee is offering both a Juvenile and a Novice Judging Clinic the weekend of March 10 – 12. These clinics will provide you with all the necessary tools to enhance and sharpen your judging skills and gives you a chance to keep up with all the latest trends affecting our sport.
Juvenile Clinic will cover up to Sr. Bronze Skating Skills, Freeskate & Dance, as well as Juvenile Competitive Singles, Pairs & Dance
Novice Clinic will cover Jr. Silver to Gold Skating Skills & Freeskate, and Pre-Novice & Novice Competitive Singles
For more information or to register, contact Danielle at the Section Office by calling 780-9245 or email at .
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February 2006
From the desk of Carla Laevens- Judges/Evaluators Chair Report
The season is quickly moving along and will soon be nearing an end. Before things wrap up, we have a lot of work ahead of us as we work through the busy time of interclub competitions and test days. I would like to thank all the Tech Reps who have graciously given their time to help organize the interclub competitions across the province. Because of the increased number of competitions this year, it hasn’t been an easy job. Tech Reps are reminded that they must use registered officials that are qualified for the events they will be judging when establishing panels for events. I also have to say thank you to all the judges who have given their time to officiate at the various interclub competitions as well. We’ve seen numerous competitions run with minimal officials creating long and busy days for everyone. Your time is instrumental to the success of skaters at the Grassroots level.
As our number of officials grows smaller, we all need to be available to evaluate at the numerous test days that will be coming up. This will ensure everyone is up to date with current skating trends and share in the workload. Don’t forget to make POSITIVE comments on test sheets. We are here for the skaters benefit to help them improve, not to punish them.
For those wanting evaluator and judging promotions, please forward the necessary paperwork as soon as you can so that promotions can be dealt with on a timely basis. Our judges committee is also offering a Juvenile & Novice clinic. These clinics also cover the freeskate and skating skills portions of the test stream up to the Gold level, so please take advantage of these clinics to improve your current judging and evaluating qualifications. Even if you need part of the clinic, please contact the Section office to register and improve your qualifications!
Drive safe as you travel the roads this winter. I look forward to seeing all of you at the Section AGM in Saskatoon on May 6. Watch the Section website for further details.
If you have any questions or concerns, please call myself or one of the members of the committee. At the end of the day we must keep in mind that the job we do as officials of SkateCanada - Saskatchewan Section is for the skater and the sport of figure skating.
Carla Laevens
Judges/Evaluators Chair
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February 2006
From the desk of Allyson Senecal - Officials Development Report
DEADLINE FOR PROMOTION REQUESTS
Anyone wishing to submit for a Junior or higher competitive judging promotion, please be advised that your request, along with all supporting documentation, must be sent to me no later than March 10th in order to have everything processed at the section level and sent to the national office.Supporting documentation includes trial judging reports, referee reports, dates of clinics attendedand list of competitive judging activity pertaining to the promotion. If you do not have the Request for Promotion Summary Sheet, please contact me and I will forward one on to you.
For anyone working on Juvenile to Novice promotions, promotion requests may be submitted at any time throughout the year, as they are processed on a continual basis. As soon as you feel you are ready for the next level of your judging career, please submit your documentation along with the request to me.
Mail your promotion packages to:
Allyson Senecal,
Officials Development Co-ordinator
Skate CanadaSaskatchewan
Box 2082
Rosetown, SKS0L 2V0
Good luck to everyone pursuing a competitive judging promotion this year!
Allyson Senecal
Officials Development Co-ordinator
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February 2006
Skate Canada – Saskatchewan Judges/Evaluator Committee
ChairpersonCarla Laevens(306)
Past ChairpersonJudy Moore(306)
Section Vice-ChairTerry Hutchinson(306)
Officials DevelopmentAllyson Senecal(306)
Competition ChairpersonJason Whiting(306)
Coaching RepresentativeSylvie Wandzura(306)
Synchro RepresentativeDebbie Rodger(306)
Member at LargeKaren Howard(306)
Member at LargeBrett Hines(306)
SKATE CANADA – SASKATCHEWANSKATE CANADA/PATINAGE CANADA
2205 Victoria Avenue865 Shefford Road
Regina, SK S4P 0S4Ottawa, ON K1J 1H9
Ph: (306) 780-9245Ph: (888) 747-2372
Fax: (306) 780-9242Fax: (613) 748-5718
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February 2006
TEST DAY FEEDBACK
TIPS AND TRICKS
We’ve all been there…you’re completing a test sheet, but you don’t know what to say or are unsure how to put your thoughts into words that the skater can use. Providing feedback on test sheets is a key component of being an evaluator. To ensure that we are doing our job properly and effectively, feedback needs to be given the right way.
REASONS FOR FEEDBACK
- To help keep the skater motivated and focused
- To keep the skater moving in the right direction
- To improve the skater’s performance
THINK OF FEEDBACK AS A SANDWICH
Say something good, then give the corrective feedback, and follow it with something good. If you need to give corrective feedback, be straightforward in your delivery. Be sure to include the specific steps needed to make the correction.
BE SPECIFIC
Explain what they did, how it was done and list the steps that the skater can take to correct the mistake(s)and build towards the future. Also be specific in what they did well so that these skills and features get their much deserved praise.
CLARIFY WHY YOU'RE GIVING THE FEEDBACK AND PLAN AHEAD.
Consider the purpose of your feedback: to motivate continued performance, comment on a job well done, suggest improvements for next time, or identify the need for corrective action.
EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK…
Is descriptive and specific
- "Your edges were deep and smooth"
Identifies impacts -- positive or negative-- of the specific behavior
- "Your deep knee bend allowed you to land your jumps with confidence and ease”
Is framed in terms of what could be done differently or improved
- "Next time, could you use stretch your freeleg more?"
- "Next time, your timing needs to be more accurate for this dance"
Is motivated by a desire to help, not to punish
Remember to make yourself available to answer any questions that coaches a/o skaters may have following a test day or competition. If you can not provide an answer, point them towards someone who does have the answer. Everyone is here to learn and grow, therefore communication and sharing of information is vital.
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February 2006
Good News and More…
We have 2 new judges! (Yes you read that right) Cheryl Roundy and Abby Plonka of Weyburn both have their Primary Promotion now. Give them a warm welcome next time you meet them in the officials room
Thank you to all the officials who officiated at the BMO Financial Group Sectional Championships in Swift Current. It was the first time the CPC judging system was used in Saskatchewan and everything went smoothly thanks to great planning from Tech Rep Karen Briere and good judging from all our judges
Karen Howardhas had a busy fall traveling throughEurope. She was a judge at the Junior Grand Prix event in Zagreb, Croatia and was then invited to hervery first Senior Grand Prix event – Cup of Russia in St. Petersburg. She also recently finished judging at the Canadian Championships in Ottawa
Margie Sandison had the opportunity to relax and take in the sites of the Baltic Sea nations of Europethis fall as she enjoyed a fun filled cruise of the area
Laurel Dutton-Wilkins and family are expecting the arrival of baby number 2 in April. Congratulations!
Jayson Peace has been keeping busy through the month of January with major official assignments. He was a Technical Specialist at both the Canadian Championships in Ottawa and the Four Continents Championships in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
It might be a bit too late to see the Rolling Stones in Moncton, but Judy Moorewas on time as she judged the top Juvenile, Pre-Novice and Novice skaters in the country at the Junior National Championships in Moncton, New Brunswick
Several officials will be busy through February judging out of province. Jason Whiting will be judging at CODA in Calgary and Allyson Senecal and Marg Auringer will be judging at Festival of Stars in Northern Ontario Section.
DON’T FORGET
Judges CAN NOTaccept invitations to single panel any competitive tests. Only the Judges/Evaluator Chair Carla Laevens is permitted to give out such assignments (Duties of Officials, Policy 3.2)
Judges CAN NOTaccept invitations to judge OR evaluate at clubs outside of the Section. These requests mustgo through Carla Laevens and their own Judges/Evaluator Chairperson prior to the allowance of such invitation being accepted (Duties of Officials, Policy 3.7)
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February 2006
2006 Calendar of Events
Olympic Winter GamesFeb 10 – 26Torino, ITA
Region 10 Invitational CompetitionFeb 10 – 12Dalmeny
Region 3 Invitational CompetitionFeb 11 – 12Kincaid
Region 16 Invitational CompetitionFeb 11 – 12Tisdale
SASKATCHEWAN WINTER GAMESFEB 12 – 18MELFORT
Test DayFeb 16Arcola
CODAFeb 17 -19Calgary, AB
SASKTEL JEAN NORMANFEB 23 – 26KINDERSLEY
BMO Financial Group Synchro CanadiansMar 1 – 5Hamilton, ON
Region 9 Invitational CompetitionMar 4Fort Qu’Appelle
ISU Junior World ChampionshipsMar 6 – 12Ljubljana, SLO
JUVENILE/NOVICE JUDGING CLINICMAR 10 – 12REGINA
High/Low Test DayMar 10Kipling
Region 18 Invitational CompetitionMar 11 – 12MeadowLake
ISU World ChampionshipsMar 20 – 26Calgary, AB
Skate Saskatoon Spring Fling CompetitionApr 1 – 2Saskatoon
HomeSense National STARSkate ChampionshipsApr 6 – 8Ottawa, ON
Adult National ChampionshipsApr 6 – 8Ottawa, ON
Glencoe InvitationalApr 13 – 15Calgary, AB
SKATE CANADA – SASKATCHEWAN AGMMAY 5 – 7SASKATOON
Skate Canada ACGMMay 25 – 27Toronto, ON
CLUB DEVELOPMENT SEMINAROCT 20 – 22NORTH BATTLEFORD
Dates are subject to change.
Check the Skate Canada – Saskatchewan website for the latest updates and additionsat .
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February 2006