Team Excel Handbook 2011-2012
Team Excel
Handbook
2011-2012 Season
September 1, 2011
1.Introduction
1.1Mission Statement
1.2Values
1.3Coaching Staff
1.4Team Excel Teams
1.5Skater Placement
1.5.1Cross Trainers
1.5.2Cross Skaters
1.5.3Shared Spots
1.5.4Trainers
2.Calendar
2.1Competition Calendar
2.2Team Calendar
3.Team Excel Organization and Procedures
3.1Board of Directors
3.2Steering Committee
4.Financial Policy and Budget
4.1Fees
4.1.1Non-refundable deposit
4.1.2Clothing fee
4.1.3Monthly fee
4.1.4Optional purchases
4.1.5Membership fees
4.2The Skater Budget
4.2.1Clothing expenses
4.2.2Competitions and travel expenses
4.2.3Ice and coaches fees
4.2.4Miscellaneous skater and team expenses
4.2.5Special training expenses
4.2.6Financial Commitment
4.2.7Good Standing
4.3Methods of Payment
4.3.1Checks
4.3.2Other forms of payment
5.Collegiate Scholarship Program
5.1Cross-skaters to Collegiate
6.Parent’s Involvement, Commitment and Communication
6.1Family Commitment and Involvement
6.1.1Volunteer help
6.2Communication
6.3Exhibitions
6.4School Absences
6.5Use of the Internet
7.Practice and Training Policies
7.1Attendance
7.2End of Practice Pick Up
7.3Fitness and Health
7.4Additional Practice
8.Travel and Competition Policies
8.1Competition Priorities and Policies
8.2Curfew
8.3Travel
8.4Chaperoned Teams
8.5All Other Division Teams – Non-Chaperoned Teams
8.6At the Rink
8.7At the Hotel
8.7.1All Chaperoned Division Teams
8.7.2All Other Division Teams – Non-Chaperoned Teams
8.8Post-competition Celebrations
9.Competition Outfit
9.1Definition of Outfit
9.2Outfit Designers
9.3Term of Use
9.4User Fees
9.5Travel Outfits
10.Competition Attire
10.1Team Clothing
10.2Official Practice Clothing
10.3Competition Clothing
10.4Travel Clothing
10.5Skates
10.6Competition Hair Style and Make-up
10.7Nail Polish and Earrings
10.8Skating Attire/Costumes
11.Competition Behavior
11.1Greeting Other Teams
11.2Sitting in the Stands
11.3During the Competition
11.4Cheering
11.5Judging
11.6Award Ceremony
11.7Audience Etiquette Summary:
12.Recognition
12.1Skater Recognition
12.2Expressions of Appreciation to Our Coaches
12.3Expressions of Encouragement and Support Among Our Skaters
13.Forms
1.Introduction
Welcome to Team Excel for the 2011-2012 Synchronized Skating Season.
The information in this handbook provides the skater and his/her family with the policies and procedures for Team Excel. All Team Excelmembers should read this manual thoroughly before signing the commitment contract.
1.1Mission Statement
The mission of Team Excel is to promote synchronized skating and prepare synchronized skating teams for national and international competition, encourage teamwork and sportsmanship, and support individual skaters as they seek to attain their unique potential and teams as they seek to achieve their full potential as a team.
1.2Values
Team Excel promotes a value-driven approach to sports competition.We are driven by the value of the development of youth as strong and competent individuals, the value of teamwork, and the value of volunteer participation. We understand competitive skating within the context of the development of strong and competent individuals. Serving youth to young adults, we see competitive skating as a contribution to the development of healthy individuals. Being a member of a team is an important life experience, important for the positive development of children. Synchronized skating offers a unique team experience. During a performance, each member is expected to do exactly the same thing, at the same skill level, at the same time, to the beat of the same drum.Learning to be a member of a team, learning about interdependence and making a contribution to the performance of a team is an important part of positive development. The interdependence of the members of a team requires a commitment and a continuing contribution from each skater. Members of a synchronized skating team are expected to develop and improve their individual skating skills, take lessons and test in moves in the field, dance and freestyle. Each member is expected to work toward the goals of the team regardless of their role on the team. Parents serve an important role as members of their children’s skating team - not to skate or to coach the team, but to support their children as they experience and learn about being a member of a team. Parental support also includes working behind the scenes on behalf of the team. In order for the coaches and skaters to do their work, parents are often asked to make travel arrangements, meet clothing needs, fill out applications for competitions and work on publicity, fundraising and governance issues. These values – positive development, teamwork, and volunteer contribution within the context of competitive training and performance excellence – are the foundation of Team Excel.
1.3Coaching Staff
Team Excel builds on the success of highly professional staff and experienced volunteers to provide an opportunity to train and compete in an organization that is values-driven and based on principles of positive youth development. The Director of Synchronized Skating, Merita Mullen, is an elite synchronized skating coach within U.S. Figure Skating. With over 20 years of coaching experience, Ms. Mullen has attracted skaters to the sport of synchronized skating and to her nationally and internationally competitive teams. Through her unique approach to coaching, Ms. Mullen has been responsible for introducing thousands of young athletes to the sport of synchronized skating.
The Director of Synchronized Skating will direct the selection, formation, training, and competition of each team of Team Excel. The Director is also responsible for the selection and management of professional staff for Team Excel.
Merita Mullen is the Director of Synchronized Skating for Team Excel.
Merita Mullen is the Founding Director of Synchronized Skating and Head Coach for Team Excel Synchronized Skating Teams. She brings more than 30 years’ experience to her new role with Team Excel. She is a recognized leader worldwide in the sport of synchronized skating. Mullen has developed competitive synchronized skating teams at all levels from Beginner to Senior and Collegiate.
Her immediate goal with Team Excel is to create awareness and interest in synchronized skating at the earliest stages of skater development by including a “Learn to Skate Synchro” module in Basic Skills classes in conjunction with The Skating Club of Boston and also offering advanced synchronized skaters the opportunity to train with a staff of world class synchronized skating coaches to achieve their potential as individuals and teams.
Prior to directing Team Excel, she was the Director of Synchronized Skating for The Colonials Synchronized Skating Teams for over twenty years. Under her direction, coaching, and creative influence, The Colonials consistently qualified for and competed in the U.S. Synchronized Team Skating Championships, having won medals in the Juvenile, Intermediate, and Junior divisions. The Junior team repeatedly earned a Team USA envelope assignment, competing in ten International Championships and two consecutive World Challenge Cups in 2007 and 2008. The Junior team won medals for U.S. Figure Skating in Nottingham, England, Louviers, France, and during repeat trips to Prague, Milan, Italy and Neuchatel, Switzerland. Further, the Intermediate team stood on the U.S. Championship podium for seventeen years, sixteen of them being consecutive years.
Merita also holds several key positions within U.S. Figure Skating. She is the Coaching Representative totheNational Selections Committee for Synchronized Skating Competitions and the current Collegiate Committee National Vice Chair in charge of Synchronized Skating for U.S. Figure Skating.
She does extensive volunteer work for U.S. Figure Skating and the Professional Skaters Association while representing Team Excel and the Skating Club of Boston. She mentors developmental synchronized skating coaches, and travels the country teaching and coaching in seminars that feature synchronized skating.
Merita earned a Bachelors degree from The American University and is the mother of two daughters. She is an active volunteer in all of their sports and social activities.
Krista Bensonis a coach for Team Excel Synchronized Skating Teams. This will be Krista’s third year as a synchro coach, and second year with Team Excel. Krista has been involved with synchronized skating since joining the Colonials Synchronized Skating Teams in 1994.She was a member of the Colonials Junior team for four years and competed internationally three of those four years, including trips to Milan, Italy and Neuchatel, Switzerland. Krista is a member of the Professional Skaters Association, a gold medalist in Moves in the Field, and has passed her Pre-Gold Dances.
Krista attended BostonCollege where she graduated with a degree in history in 2007. While in school, she skated with the BC Collegiate synchronized skating team. She was Vice President of the Synchronized Skating Club her sophomore and junior years, and President of the Club her senior year. The BC synchronized skating team qualified for Nationals every year and consistently placed in the top ten at Nationals.
Kristin Curran is a coach for Team Excel Synchronized Skating Teams and has a strong background in the USFSA Basic Skills and ISI programs. Kristin began coaching at the age of sixteen, interning at the CFSC Basic Skills classes and currently teaches all levels of figure skaters and also beginner level speed skaters.
Kristin skated for The Colonials Synchronized Skating Teams from 2002-2006, including two years on their international junior team. While on the junior team, she skated in the Spring Cup held in Milan, Italy and the Nottingham Cup held in Nottingham, England and earned medals at each event. Kristin is a gold medalist in Moves in the Field and Ice Dancing. She is also working on completing her international dances.
After graduating college in 2009, Kristin now works as a Medical Assistant.
Melissa Delano is a coach for Team Excel Synchronized Skating Teams. Melissa has been deeply involved in the sport of synchronized skating for over ten years. She skated from 1999-2006 for the Pawtucket & Providence Synchronized Skating teams in Pawtucket, RI. She has enjoyed the experience of skating for Merita on past Senior and Collegiate teams. She is currently a member of the Team Excel Collegiate team.
At age twelve, Melissa volunteered for the City of Pawtucket's Learn to Skate program where she continued as a volunteer until she graduated in 2007.
Melissa has her gold MIF, she is working on completing her gold dances and is on the professional staff with the Pawtucket & Providence FSC.
Melissa is in her Senior year at Bridgewater State College where she is majoring in accounting and finance.
Jane Gruberprovides strength and conditioning supportto Team Excel members, specializing in physical therapy and fitness, andassisting skaters as they address sports-related injuries or physical challenges.The teams that she has trained have consistently been National and International competitors. Janeearned a doctorate in physical therapy from MGH Institute in Health Professions and isthe Director of Rehabilitation Services at Newton-WellesleyHospital. She has two daughters, and her daughter Allison skated with Merita for nine years.
1.4Team Excel Teams
Selection for Team Excel participation will be made by the Team Excel Synchronized Skating Director and staff based on tryouts, financial commitment, and willingness to firmly commit to the practice, exhibition and competition schedule.
All Team members must be registered USFS members.
For the 2011-2012season, Team Excel will field the following teams: Beginner, Pre Juvenile, Juvenile, Collegiate and Open Collegiate.
Beginner 1, 2 or 3: A team of 8-16 skaters. No skater may have passed higher than preliminary in any discipline, and the majority of the team must be no test.
Pre Juvenile: A team of 8-16 skaters, the majority of the team under 12.
Juvenile: A team of 12-20 skaters. Skaters must be under 13 and have passed the preliminary moves in the field test.
Collegiate: A team of 12-20 skaters. Skaters must be enrolled in a college or degree program as full-time students and have passed the juvenile moves in the field test.
Open Collegiate:A team of 8 – 16 skaters. Skaters must be enrolled in a college or degree program.
1.5Skater Placement
The Director of Synchronized Skating and the coaches make all decisions regarding skater placement and competition assignments.
The coaches will select the strongest teams to compete at various competitions throughout the season. Skating positions will be assigned no less than two weeks before a given competition, except in special circumstances, such as illness or injury. The rosters will not declare “doubles” or “alternates”. All skaters will skate on the team at all practices.
In order to provide a more competitive experience for our youngest skaters, the coaches intend to skate each Preliminary or Juvenile skater in two events during the competition season. The coaches reserve the right to limit this participation should the safety of the team be compromised.
1.5.1Cross Trainers
Team Excel coaches offer extended training opportunities to qualified skaters by providing an opportunity to train with a higher-level team than the one on which they are rostered. Cross-trainers practice with, but do not appear on the roster of, the higher-level team. The number of practices of the higher-level division that cross-trainers attend is determined by the coaches but is generally one less than the number of practices per week. Cross trainers pay a surcharge for the additional ice and coaching time.
1.5.2Cross Skaters
Qualified skaters may be offered the opportunity to cross skate to another team. Cross-skaters attend all practices for both teams and appear on both rosters. Note that US Figure Skating determines the list of teams which allow cross-skating.
1.5.3Shared Spots
Teams commonly have additional skaters on the roster beyond the number for which a program is choreographed. In this situation, the coaches will assign skaters to “shared spots.” Skaters with shared spots participate in all practices, attend all competitions and wear competition clothing. The coaches make every effort to provide ample practice experience for all skaters, swapping skaters in and out during practices. Assignment to a shared spot is not necessarily an assignment for the entire season. The coaches may change the shared spots over the course of the skating season as skaters progress at different rates.
1.5.4Trainers
Team Excel coaches may offer a specialized extended training option to qualified skaters by providing an opportunity to train with a team. Trainers will attend practices and work with extra coaches and mentors during the practices helping them to expand their skills for the following season.
An ice show or exhibition may be offered at the coaches discretion.
2.Calendar
2.1Competition Calendar
The Director of Synchronized Skating and Coaches will determine the competition schedule for both qualifying and non-qualifying events for each team.
TEAM EXCEL SYNCHRONIZED SKATING CALENDAR
SKATING YEAR 2011-2012
Competition / When / Teams / Anticipated Travel DatesThanksgiving Classic
Plymouth, MA / November 12, 2011 / Beginner Boston, Beginner MW, Preliminary, Juvenile, ly), Open Collegiate / Competition day only (no overnight stay)
Dr. Porter
Ann Arbor, MI / December 3-4, 2011 / Collegiate / 2 Overnights possible (depending on schedule)
Cape Cod Classic
Bourne, MA / December 9-11, 2011 / Preliminary, Juvenile,
Open-Collegiate / Competition day only (no overnight stay)
Eastern Synchronized Skating Championships
Hershey, PA / January 25-29, 2012 / Preliminary, Juvenile,
Junior, Collegiate, Open-Collegiate / Wednesday, January 25 – Sunday, January 29, 2012
Boston Basic Skills Competition / February 2012 TBD / Beginner Boston,
Beginner MW / TBD
U.S. Synchronized Team Skating Championships
Worcester, MA / February 29 – March 3, 2012 / All qualifying / Wednesday, February 29– Saturday, March 3, 2012
2.2Team Calendar
As volunteer capacity allows, updated calendars will be sent home by the line managers. Calendars can also be found in the members only section of the web-site. The calendars will contain information on Steering Committee meetings, Board meetings, parent meetings, travel, and open practice dates.
3.Team Excel Organization and Procedures
The Team Excel Organization is governed by its own bylaws. A copy of the bylaws can be found on our website at As stated in the bylaws, Team Excel has a Board of Directors and a Steering Committee.
Once a year, the organization will have a meeting with the membership. At that meeting new board members will be selected.
Information regarding the Team Excel Board of Directors and Steering Committee positions, their respective members and their contact information can be found on our website at
3.1Board of Directors
The Board of Directors is responsible for Team Excel. The Board of Directors will attend to strategic planning, vision, policy, budget and oversight of Team Excel operations, delegating the day to day operations to the Steering Committee and skater training to the Director of Synchronized Skating.
The Board of Directors consists of up to 9 voting members, plus the Director of Synchronized Skating. The 9 members include the Chair of the Steering Committee. Each year, the Board elects its officers, which are President, Vice President, Treasurer , and Clerk/Secretary.
3.2Steering Committee
The Steering Committee is a standing committee of the Board of Directors of Team Excel.
The Steering Committee meets once a month. The date and time of the meeting is listed on the monthly calendars and are held at either The Skating Club of Boston, or at The Skating Club of Boston Metro-West (NESC in Marlborough). The minutes are posted in The Skating Club of Boston Metro-West office.
All Team Excel Synchro Team members and parents are welcome to attend meetings. Any agenda topics should be given to a Steering Committee member before the scheduled meeting.
The Steering Committee is comprised of the following positions:
Director of Synchronized SkatingDevelopmental Program Leader
Competitive Teams CoordinatorFunctional Area Coordinator
Finance Corresponding Secretary
Line ManagersIce Liason
Competitions Committee ChairMarketing Chair
Synchro Assistant CoachsClothing Chair
Rules Committee LiasonRecording Secretary
Travel ChairFundraising Chair
Special Events and Team Building ChairLearn to Skate Program Liaison
Parent Education Chair – Developmental ProgramsParent Education Chair – Competitive Teams
Other committees may also be required as needed during the year, one such committee is the try-out committee.
At the beginning of the season, a list of sub-committees and an overview of each sub-committee’s responsibilities is provided to the families. To meet volunteer requirements, families can volunteer on a sub-committee or to be a chair. As an all volunteer organization, it is essential that every family contribute in some way to the team.