Test Days
Unlike Badge Assessments in CanSkate and PreJunior, Skate Canada Tests are tried on special "Test Days" and evaluated by a Skate Canada trained judge. Our club test days provide evaluation for our STAR Skaters from Preliminary to Junior Silver Test which are held 3 times per year. Centralized test days are held 4 times per year and are held at special high test days, arranged in a central location for all skaters in the region.
Skaters take tests in Ice Dance, Skating Skills, FreeStyle and Interpretive. Coaches will decide when a skater is ready to be evaluated for a test. There are fees for taking a test, $12 per test. Coaches will bill the skater for their time and expenses on test days. Dance partners are paid for their time and expenses. These fees must be paid whether the skater receives a pass or a retry for their test. There are no refunds if the skater is sick or injured and is unable to take the test unless you notify the club hosting the test day, 14 days in advance of the test day.
Skaters must arrive 45 minutes of the scheduled test time. Do not arrive at the test day with freshly sharpened skates. Get the skates sharpened 1 week before the scheduled test day.
Preliminary level tests are the easiest while the Gold level tests are the hardest. Please keep your childs' test sheet in a safe spot. This is proof that your child has passed the test. There have been cases in the past where paperwork gets mixed up and test do not get recorded - in cases like this, if you have the test sheet to prove the result of the test, your child will not be required to retake the test. Retrys do happen and skaters and parents need to be prepared for this outcome, as it will happen at some point in a skater's testing career.
Skaters must be very quiet at ice level as the judge needs to concentrate on the test being performed and the skater being tested needs to concentrate on skating their best. Parents are not allowed to watch from ice level - they must sitting in the bleachers. Skaters who receive a pass will move on to the next test. Skaters who receive a retry will continue to work on their test and work on improvements to take the test again on the next test day.
Skaters and Parents - remember to bring your manners and a positive attitude as test days are a formal event, everyone must be on their best behavior - temper tantrums, bad manners and lack of respect for the judge, coaches, or other skaters will not be tolerated. Test days are about achieving one's personal best and receiving feedback.
If you have any questions about test days, please feel free to speak with your coach.