Should anyone be interested, this was retrieved from the old iceskatingresources.org website (via archive.org)

USFS is a Volunteer Organization

There are several ways an individual can become involved in the world of figure skating and serve the skating community. One of the most important volunteer activities is judging; it is a wonderful way to impart skating knowledge and help young skaters achieve their skating goals.

Judges play an essential part in figure skating. Testing panels in the USFS require three rated judges who are qualifed to evaluate the skill levels from pre-prelimimary through gold levels. The decision to pass a test was unimious until the mid 1960s. That has been changed to a majority of the judges required to pass tests.

A similar situation allowed a judge to mark a test below a specific mark and the test could not pass even if passing marks were given by the other two judges. That provision has been discarded with grate applaulse from trial judges who frequently had to travel great distances for gold figure tests and recieved zero credit because a judge could stop a test prior to its completition/

Dedication is required to become a test judge
Although judging is a rewarding activity, it’s also a big time commitment. Judges spend countless hours dedicated to their craft – studying, judging tests and competitions, and giving feedback to skaters. Because it’s a volunteer activity, be sure you are prepared to put in the time, money and effort to be the best judge you can possibly be. If you do that, you are sure to have many memorable experiences.

For those interested in becoming a judge, the first step is to call Headquarters (719.635.5200) or send an e-mail to jnewcomer@usfigureskating.org and request a Trial Judging Kit (kit will be sent via e-mail). The kit contains all the information and paperwork you need to start your judging career.

The following information contains excerpts from one of those pieces of information in the kit – “Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Becoming a Figure Skating Judge But Were Afraid to Ask.” You can download the full version of this document in PDF format for complete information.

What’s in the Trial Judging Kit

1. 1.    “Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Becoming a Figure Skating Judge,

1.         But Were Afraid to Ask”

1. 2.    Trial Judge regional & sectional vice chair contacts List

1. 3.    Form: Trial Judge Registration Form

1. 4.    Form: Request for information on becoming a synchronized team skating judge

1. 5.    Form: Rulebook and directory order form

1. 6.    Form: Request for permission to trial or practice judge a competition

1. 7.    Form: Application for the select or accelerated program

1. 8.    Form: Application for judging appointment

1. 9.    Judges Committee Guidelines

1. 10.  Trial Judging forms for all disciplines

A: There are certain fundamentals that individuals should possess if they want to become qualified judges and have positive judging experiences. These characteristics include:

• A sincere desire to be of service to the sport
• Ability to make an independent decision
• Proper temperament and ability to handle stress
• Knowledge of the sport

A: Yes, you must be at least 16 years old to be a trial judge (18 to receive your first appointment) and you must have a current U.S. Figure Skating membership.

A: Technical knowledge of figure skating is essential, but each person starts with a different degree of skating knowledge. While former skaters usually have a broader base of technical knowledge when beginning the trial judging process, ability as a skater is not in itself the measure of judging ability. There are many good judges who just skated recreationally – in the long run, temperament and willingness to serve are of more importance. A limited skating background should not discourage anyone interested in becoming a judge. Individuals that are new to the sport must be willing to put in the hours necessary to acquire technical knowledge, from studying texts and attending judge’s schools to skating themselves (preferably with quality instruction).

A: Judging is a volunteer activity. However, official judges are usually reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses such as travel, room and meals at test sessions and competitions. Trial judges receive no financial assistance at all from U.S. Figure Skating.

A: There are two important documents that can get you on your way: the Trial Judging Kit and the current U.S. Figure Skating rulebook.

A: To be a judge, you must first become a trial judge and go through the entire trial judging process. Trial judges are like practice judges – they go to test sessions and/or competitions and judge what they see. Their judging sheets are then reviewed and compared to the outcome of the official panel to help the prospective judge learn more and become suitable to receive his/her first appointment.

A: The first step is to request a Trial Judge Kit from Headquarters and then to contact the regional vice chair of judges for your region and register as a trial judge. You can find the name and contact information for this person in the U.S. Figure Skating directory, in the Trial Judge Kit, or by contacting U.S. Figure Skating directly. Those interested in synchronized skating should contact the sectional vice chair for synchronized judges in your section. You will receive the Trial Judging Kit containing sample trial papers and other information. You will also be assigned a monitor to guide and mentor you through the trial judging process and maintain all of your official trial papers and records. If there is a judge with whom you have good rapport and an existing relationship, you may mention that to the regional vice chair, and he or she may take that into consideration when making the assignment.

A: Once you have filled out all the necessary paperwork and have a monitor, it’s time to actually begin the “real” trial judging process. You may want to trial at your home club first, where you will likely be more comfortable in this new capacity. When you are comfortable trial judging, you may call the test chair of various nearby clubs for permission to trial upcoming test sessions. Your monitor and other local judges can be helpful in this process by introducing you to other area judges and keeping you informed of area test sessions. Trial judging with a variety of judges is important in your development as a well-informed and educated judge.

When you know you are ready to trial judge a test session outside your home club, call or write ahead to the test chair of that club requesting to trial judge at a particular test session (see TR 20.11 in the U.S. Figure Skating rulebook). The number of spaces available for trial judges is often limited based on the number that the test chair or judge-in-charge (JIC) can handle.

The Trial Judging Kit contains more information about trial judging etiquette and how to properly handle forms after the event.

A: You and your monitor will work together to decide when you are ready to apply for your first appointment. When that happens, you will fill out the Application for Judging Appointment form and supply all the other necessary paperwork.

A: Naturally, if you are interested in judging qualifying competitions, you have to become a competition judge. The first level of competition judging is the novice appointment. In order to apply for this appointment you must be at least a silver test judge. The novice appointment encompasses the juvenile, intermediate and novice levels.

Competition judging differs from test judging in that judges are required to evaluate each skater’s performance, compare them to other performances completed in the event, and then rank the performances based on the technical execution and presentation of the program. It is not recommended to begin trialing competitions until you have a good understanding of skating elements, presentation and overall skating quality.

Prospective competition judges are required to trial judge both the short program and free skate at qualifying competitions and nonqualifying competitions that are approved by the Judges Committee for trial purposes. These competitions are listed on the U.S. Figure Skating web site.

A: Many of the general guidelines for singles and pairs apply to trial judging dance tests and synchronized skating. However, both have unique qualities that require special attention. Your Trial Judging Kit will have further information.

A: CEUs are continuing education units. U.S. judges are required to stay active in the sport through a number of ways including trial judging, judging, attending judges’ schools or seminars and taking the judges’ exam. Judges earn CEUs for participating in these activities. Judges are expected to earn a certain number of CEUs in a four-year period to remain eligible to judge.

A: The select and accelerated programs are established to encourage, monitor and guide former and current high-level figure skaters, ice dancers and synchronized team skaters with their advancement as U.S. Figure Skating judges. The select track encompasses current and former national junior and senior competitors. The accelerated track encompasses persons who have completed the novice free skate test or silver dance test.

A: The fast track is another term for the select or accelerated programs.

A: There no longer is an annual exam for judges. There is an annual rules review similar to an exam. It is a voluntary exercise and will earn the judge/trial judge 50 CEUs when submitted. Judges/trial judges are encouraged to submit the rules review annually. However, any person wishing promotion as a judge must take and pass an exam specific to the requested level of promotion.

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