A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
 | |
| Sport | Figure skating |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | United States |
| Founded | 1921 |
| Affiliation | International Skating Union |
| Affiliation date | 1921 |
| Headquarters | 20 First Street |
| Location | Colorado Springs, Colorado |
| President | Samuel Auxier |
| Official website | |
| usfigureskating | |
 | |
U.S. Figure Skating is the national governing body for the sport of figure skating in the United States. It is recognized as such by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) under the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act and is the United States member of the International Skating Union (ISU). Although the official name of the organization is "the United States Figure Skating Association," it is now known as and conducts business under the name "U.S. Figure Skating." Founded in 1921, U.S. Figure Skating regulates and governs the sport and defines and maintains the standard of skating proficiency. It specifies the rules for testing, competitions, and all other figure skating related activities. U.S. Figure Skating promotes interest and participation in the sport by assisting member clubs, skaters, and athletes, appointing officials, organizing competitions, exhibitions, and other figure skating pursuits, and offering a wide variety of programs.[1]
Athletes and officials who represent the United States at international figure skating competitions are selected by U.S. Figure Skating.
The Association is a non-profit organization.
History
In 1921 the United States Figure Skating Association[2][3] was formed and became a member of the International Skating Union.[4] At the time of its formation, the Association was composed of seven (7) charter member clubs including: Beaver Dam Winter Sports Club,[5] The Skating Club of Boston,[6] Chicago Figure Skating Club[7] The Skating Club of New York,[8] Philadelphia Skating Club and Humane Society,[9] Sno Birds of Lake Placid,[10] and Twin City Figure Skating Club (which became the Figure Skating Club of Minneapolis in 1929).[11]
Since its inception through 1947, the governance activities of the Association were centered in New York City. The annual Governing Council meetings, as well as the annual Executive Committee meetings, were all held in New York City. In 1949 the Association transferred its offices to Chicago, Illinois. The offices were again moved, this time to Boston, in 1950. In 1979, the Association moved into its current headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This followed the USOC's move to Colorado Springs a year earlier in July 1978.[12]
In the 1930s, the Association made an effort to increase the number of competitive events by creating the three sectional championships, Eastern (1938), Midwestern (1933), and Pacific Coast (1936).[13]
In 1959, the Eastern and Pacific Coast Sections expanded their qualifying competitions by adding three Sub-Sectionals Championships each. The Eastern Section created the New England, North Atlantic, and South Atlantic Regions, while the Pacific Coast Section established the Central Pacific, Northwest, and Southwest Pacific Regions. It wasn't until 1962 that the Midwestern Sectional finally added their regional championships to the qualifying competition cycle.[14]
The abbreviated name, "USFSA" was first used in April 1921 and trademarked in 1972.[15] The distinctive shield logo was adopted in 1964[16] and used until 2003 when U.S. Figure Skating instituted its current logo.[17]
In 2006, the Executive Committee was eliminated.[18] At the same time the Board of Directors was reduced to sixteen members from its previous 29 members.
As of May 5, 2007, the Association officially adopted the name "U.S. Figure Skating" and dropped the abbreviated name of "USFSA".[19][20]
Governance
U.S. Figure Skating is an association of clubs, governed by its members and its elected officers at national, regional and club levels.[21] As of June 2011, U.S. Figure Skating had 688 member, collegiate, and school-affiliated clubs[22] and a membership of 180,452.[22] Each member club may send delegates to the annual Governing Council meeting.
Governing Council
U.S. Figure Skating has a representational government. Clubs and individual members appoint delegates. The number of delegates representing a club and the individual members depends on the prior year's paid registered member. Athlete delegate representation is required to be 20 percent of the prior year's registered delegate and proxy votes. Collectively these delegates meet annually (typically early May) to review, amend and ratify the actions taken by the Board since the prior year's Governing Council. This annual meeting of the appointed delegates is called the Governing Council.[23]
Board of directors
The Board of Directors is charged with the management of the business and affairs of U.S. Figure Skating. It is currently composed of sixteen (16) members including: the president, three (3) vice presidents (one from each section), the secretary, the treasurer, four (4) group coordinators, two (2) coaches, and four (4) athletes.[24]
Presidents
Samuel Auxier is the current president of U.S. Figure Skating. He began his term in 2022. The prior presidents are listed below.[25]
Past presidents
| Name | Term |
|---|---|
| Anne Cammett | 2018–2022 |
| Samuel Auxier | 2014–2018 |
| Patricia St. Peter | 2009–2014 |
| Ron Hershberger | 2005–2009 |
| Chuck Foster | 2003–2005 |
| Phyllis Howard | 2000–2003 |
| James W. Disbrow | 1998–2000 |
| Morry Stillwell | 1995–1998 |
| Claire W. Ferguson | 1992–1995 |
| Dr. Franklin S. Nelson | 1989–1992 |
| Dr. Hugh C. Graham Jr. | 1986–1989 |
| George T. Yonekura | 1983–1986 |
| Oscar T. Iobst Jr. | 1980–1983 |
| Charles A. DeMore | 1976–1980 |
| Benjamin T. Wright | 1973–1976 |
| Frederick C. LeFevre | 1970–1973 |
| Spencer E. Cram | 1967–1970 |
| John R. Shoemaker | 1964–1967 |
| F. Ritter Shumway | 1961–1964 |
| Howard D. Herbert | 1958–1961 |
| Kenneth L. Brown | 1955–1958 |
| H. Kendall Kelley | 1952–1955 |
| Harry N. Keighley | 1949–1952 |
| Henry M. Beatty | 1946–1949 |
| Walter S. Powell | 1943–1946 |
| Heaton R. Robertson | 1940–1943 |
| Joseph K. Savage | 1937–1940 |
| Charles M. Rotch | 1935–1937 |
| Sherwin C. Badger | 1934–1935 |
| Charles M. Rotch | 1932–1934 |
| Sherwin C. Badger | 1930–1932 |
| Charles T. Church | 1928–1930 |
| Henry W. Howe | 1925–1928 |
| A. Winsor Weld | 1921–1925 |
Committees
Committees, in particular the Permanent Committees, are responsible for proposing and enforcing the rules of the U.S. Figure Skating. Other special committees may undertake other projects, such as nominations and other ad hoc matters.
Permanent committees
The following table shows the Association's permanent committees:[26]
| Adult Skating | Athlete Development | Athletes Advisory | Audit |
| Coaches | Collegiate Program | Compensation | Competitions |
| Dance | Ethics | Finance | Grievance |
| International | International Judges & Officials | Judges | Membership |
| Memorial Fund | Pairs | Parents | Program Development |
| Rules | Sanctions and Eligibility | Selections | Singles |
| Special Olympics/Therapeutic | Sports Sciences and Medicine | State Games | Strategic Planning |
| Synchronized Skating | Technical Panel | Tests | Theatrical Skating |
Mission statement
“As the national governing body, the mission of the United States Figure Skating Association is to provide programs to encourage participation and achievement in the sport of figure skating on ice.”[1]
Operations
Executive Director
The Executive Director is responsible for the day-to-day operations of U.S. Figure Skating. Mr. David Raith is currently serving in that capacity and has done so since 2005. He is charged with carrying out the policies, programs, and goals of the association as approved by the Board of Directors.[27]
Departments
The departments that support U.S. Figure Skating's operations reside at its headquarters in Colorado Springs, CO. These departments are staffed by full-time employees. They administer and manage the association's day-to-day affairs.[28]
| Athlete Development | Athlete High Performance | Events | Finance |
| Information Technology | Marketing and Communications | Membership | Executive Director |
Finance
The Association is a non-profit organization.[29] As of June 30, 2011, U.S. Figure Skating had revenue, support, and gains of approximately $24.9 million derived primarily from dues, admissions and activity fees, skating events, sponsorships, broadcast and licensing, publications, grants, and other sources. The association expended approximately $12.9 million on its various programs and services plus an additional $2.4 million on management and general administrative expenses, under which the departments listed under the “Operations – Departments” are included.[30]
Officials
Member clubs arrange to hold test sessions and competitions. The competitions are conducted under the supervision and authority of U.S. Figure Skating appointed officials. The member club (for competitions, the club is sometimes called the local organizing committee or “LOC”) is responsible for many of the ancillary functions of the test session or competition (registration, transportation, event monitoring, hospitality, messengers, copying, etc.). For national and international events, U.S. Figure Skating headquarters staff also provides logistics and event support. The officials are responsible for actually running the test sessions, competitions, and associated individual events. All the officials at test sessions and competitions are unpaid volunteers.[31]
Officials receive their appointments from U.S. Figure Skating after demonstrating a certain level of proficiency, and in some cases, after trialing or taking written examinations. In most cases, officials are appointed at three (3) levels; regional, sectional, and national.[32]
Below is a list of officials at a typical large competition. For the 2012 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, 70 officials were assigned along with over 50 alternate officials.[33] The parenthetical number is how many people were assigned to the respective positions. If there is no number, only one person was assigned.
| Chief Referee | Assistant Referees (3) | ||
| Dance Referee | Assistant Dance Referees | ||
| Chief Accountant | Assistant Accountants (3) | ||
| Chief Technical Accountant | Assistant Technical Accountants (2) | ||
| Chief Ice Technician | Assistant Ice Technicians (3) | ||
| Chief Music Coordinator | Assistant Music Coordinators (4) | Music Technician | |
| Chief Announcer | Assistant Announcers (3) | ||
| Technical Controllers (6) | Technical Specialists (8) | Data Operators | Video Replay Operators |
| Judges - Singles/Pairs (18) | Judges - Dance (9) |
Organization
U.S. Figure Skating's members, clubs, and qualifying competitions are divided into three (3) geographical sections, that are further divided into nine (9) regions.[34]
Eastern Section
| New England Region |
North Atlantic Region |
South Atlantic Region |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | New Jersey | Delaware |
| Maine | New York | District of Columbia |
| Massachusetts | Pennsylvania1 | Florida |
| New Hampshire | Georgia | |
| Rhode Island | Maryland | |
| Vermont | North Carolina | |
| Pennsylvania2 | ||
| South Carolina | ||
| Virginia | ||
| West Virginia | ||
| Chattanooga, Tennessee |
1Erie, PA
2excluding Erie, PA
Midwestern Section
| Eastern Great Lakes Region |
Upper Great Lakes Region |
Southwestern Region |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Illinois | Arkansas |
| Indiana | Iowa | Colorado1 |
| Kentucky | Pennsylvania | Kansas |
| Michigan3 | Minnesota | Louisiana |
| Mississippi | Louisiana | Nebraska |
| Ohio | North Dakota | New Mexico |
| Tennessee Skate International Brand Alliance | South Dakota | Missouri-PA |
| Wisconsin | Oklahoma | |
| Texas |
1excluded for Synchronized only
2Upper Peninsula
3Lower Peninsula
4excluding Kansas City and St. Joseph's
5excluding Chattanooga
6Kansas City and St. Joseph's