Why would a parent allow their childs' coach to move their child up a level if it's obvious the child isn't ready for that level of competition?

My daughter and another skater were competing at the same level (Pre-Juvenile) until recently.  This other skater just tested for her (USFSA) Juvenile test and "barely" passed.  She rarely competed at the Pre-Juvenile level and when she did compete, she always finished in the lower half of her flight.  Why would a parent allow their childs' coach to move their child up a level if it's obvious the child isn't ready for that level of competition?? Carolyn

Marie says:
Though it's usually not good practice to move skaters up before they are ready, there may be reasons why her coach moved that girl to Juvenile.  Age may be one, or perhaps she is starting an intensive training program and the coach expects her to significantly improve in the near term.  The important thing is not to let it get your daughter (or you) discouraged.  Chances are if the other girl was struggling in Pre-Juvenile, she will really have a hard time in Juvenile.

Linda says:
Each skater's goals in the sport are different, as well as the goals of the parents and/or coaches. While one skater will not move up until she/he has placed at a competition, another may move up when she/he can be competitive in the next level. Many skaters seem to fall into these two groups. There are skaters who test up when they have the jumps to pass the test. Their goal may be to pass as many tests as possible rather than stay at a level to be competitive. If a skater chooses to test up, they can still compete but usually realize that every other skater will have more difficult elements. Although many skaters I know do not compete if they are testing up, they still have that option.

Tracy says:
That's a toughie!  Perhaps the parent or the child requested to test the Juvenile Freeskate.  I am the Test Chairperson of our club and everytime a test day rolls around I always have parental requests for tests and the coaches usually don't agree with it but because the child/parent feels so strongly about it they give in.  Skaters and parents must remember that yes, that certain test was passed, but now it's going to take even longer to get the next test.  The next test will probably have some elements or requirements repeated in addition to new more difficult elements or requirements.

I have also seen where the coach/parent/skater who is ready for the next test, not take it so they can compete and excel at the lower level.  As for the competitions, I don't believe they are always a good measuring stick to abilities..some skaters excel in that situation and some don't.  Someone always has to be first and someone always has to be last.  It sure is a lot funner to be first..but last gives you something to aim for at the next competition.

Amanda'sMom says:
I assume you’re asking this question because you’ve watched the Juvenile level events at competitions (especially the "Opens") and noticed that the skater’s programs are technically more difficult in comparison with the requirements of the Juvenile test.......

Theoretically, a skater can go through the entire USFSA test levels (Pre-Preliminary through Senior) and not compete at each level. There are many reasons why a skater maybe tested up (even when it doesn’t seem appropriate), and although it is a "personal decision" that should be made between the skater, his/her coach and the parent(s), here are some situations that I’ve observed:

Age:
By testing up, some coaches feel that the student would be competing with a group within his/her age level as compared to competing with others 4 years younger in a lower level.

Testing:
Many skaters who choose to only test may do so because they may not be comfortable with the pressures of competition, but enjoy the challenge of private lessons and testing. And yet some may only prefer the challenge of private lessons. One woman I know who takes private ice dancing lessons, doesn’t have a desire to compete, or to even test for that fact. She simply enjoys doing "something for herself" during the day while her children are in school. At the same time, she benefits from the exercise of ice dancing.

Qualifying for club ice show:
Some skaters test up a level so that they can meet the minimum requirement for qualifying for a ‘solo number’ in their club’s ice show. Or, testing up a level may mean that the skater moves up on the "pecking order" of their club. For instance, being the highest test skater in their club may entitle them to "top billing" in their local ice show, even if it means being "slaughtered" in competition! I personally don’t agree with competitive skaters testing up a level just to qualify for a solo number or to have top billing in their clubs’ ice show.

Coaching credentials:
I know of a coach who had tested and competed up to her Junior Freeskate level. Several years later, after making the decision to coach, she took and passed her Senior Freeskate test to add to her coaching resume, yet she never competed at the Senior level. Yet another coach tested and passed all the levels of the "Moves In The Field" tests, and added this to her coaching credentials. It’s important for coaches to be enthusiastic about their work and continue their education.

Goals differ from skater to skater. The main thing is that your child sets goals for herself, whether as a competitive or recreational skater, and that she has fun skating!