Resources
New to skating or leveling up — the testing, clubs, and camps that make up a skating life in Utah. We’re starting here and growing; if you skate somewhere else, more is on the way — and you can help shape it. Built by skating families, for skating families.
Getting started
Most skaters begin with Learn to Skate USA — the national beginner curriculum taught at local rinks, where skaters work through Basic Skills levels at their own pace. From there, skaters move into freestyle sessions (open practice ice) and private lessons with a coach, and many join a club to test and compete.
As skaters progress, most join U.S. Figure Skating, the sport’s national governing body. It runs the official test structure, sanctions competitions, and connects skaters to clubs across the country. (See Testing for how the levels work.)
What gear do I need?
To start, well-fitted skates are all you really need. You can find gently-used skates and dresses from other skating families on the Axelnest Marketplace, or get fitted by a local shop or maker in our Pro Shops directory.
📘 New skating parent?
U.S. Figure Skating’s free Figure Skating Parents Guide is an introduction to
the sport for families — full of tips and advice for being a supportive, successful
skating parent.
Read Volume 1 →
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Read Volume 2 →
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U.S. Figure Skating Guidebook →
Testing
Testing is how skaters formally advance in figure skating. A skater performs a set of required elements for a panel of judges, and passing moves them up a level. U.S. Figure Skating tests serve as a prerequisite for competition and give athletes a way to set and achieve personal goals in the sport.
Tests are organized into separate tracks — such as Skating Skills, Singles, Pattern Dance, Free Dance and Pairs — that each progress through a ladder of levels. The official structure, the elements required at each level, and the forms you’ll need all live on U.S. Figure Skating’s site:
- Test Structure — how U.S. Figure Skating organizes its tests and the levels within each track.
- Testing — Skater Journey — required element charts, test forms, and information for skaters. (Members-only — requires a U.S. Figure Skating login.)
- Test Program Requirements — element requirements for all standard, adult, and Skate United singles, pairs, partnered free dance and solo free dance.
What is a test session?
A test session is a scheduled event — usually hosted by a club — where skaters perform their tests for a panel of judges, registering in advance and receiving a pass or retry result. Tests aren’t limited to in-person sessions: U.S. Figure Skating also offers virtual (video) testing for many tests, and some competitions host on-site test sessions as well.
How to test?
Skaters may test one of two ways:
- Scheduled test sessions hosted by a figure skating club.
- Submit a competition protocol from a sanctioned U.S. Figure Skating competition. This option is available for free skate, pairs and free dance tests at the juvenile–senior levels and select adult levels.
Competition
Competition is where skaters take what they’ve trained and perform it for a panel of officials. U.S. Figure Skating sanctions events across many disciplines and levels — from a skater’s first Learn to Skate event to the qualifying path toward Regionals, Sectionals, and the U.S. Championships.
Events fall into two broad buckets. Non-qualifying competitions are local and invitational, open to a wide range of levels, and a great place to start. Qualifying competitions feed the national pipeline. Most skaters compete through a club, and the level you enter follows the test track you’re on (see Testing).
Competition tracks
Each discipline publishes its own rules & resources:
- Compete USA — Snowplow Sam–Basic 6, Aspire 1–4, Excel Skate, Championship Freeskate (Pre-Preliminary–Preliminary), Adult 1–6, and Adult Free Skate (Beginner–Bronze).
- Singles, Pairs, Excel
- Showcase
- Ice Dance & Solo Dance
- Synchronized Skating
- Adult, Intercollegiate, High School Skating
- Theatre On Ice
Program requirements & scoring
Two references apply across nearly every track:
Competition Program Requirements →
— required elements and program specs for Singles, Pairs, Partnered & Solo Dance,
Synchronized Skating, Showcase, Athlete Development, Compete USA, Adaptive, and High School.
Scoring System →
— how programs are scored, including the International Judging System (IJS) and the
Component Judging System (CJS).
Clubs
Joining a club connects skaters to club ice, test sessions, competitions, and a community. Here are figure skating clubs in Utah — with more regions on the way. Visit each club’s website for membership details.
Is your club missing — in Utah or anywhere else? and we’ll add it.
Camps & programs
Seasonal camps and group training programs are a great way to log focused hours, especially over the summer. Utah programs we know about — more regions on the way:
Running a camp or program — anywhere? .
Coaches
Coaches are at the heart of every skater’s progress. Axelnest is built by skating families, for skating families — and we’re expanding it into a home for the whole community, with more tools to support coaches on the way.
If you’re a coach, we’d love to partner with you — whether that’s being part of what we build next, helping shape it, or simply telling us what would make your work easier. We’re listening.