The Learning Path

The single skating badge programme has twelve badges, each a step in a progressive order.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5: Badge Program · recall

Level I uses badges 1 to 5, Level II badges 6 to 9 and Level III badges 10 to 12.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5: Badge Program · recall

Skaters who complete the badges are prepared to move into the existing badge programmes at local skating rinks.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), Understanding Figure Skating · recall

Levels I to III skate a free program only; Levels IV to VI add a Short Program.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 2.1: Rules for Competition · recall

Level I, a beginner free skate, has six elements chosen from badges 1 to 5.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 6: Level I · recall

A cheat sheet checks whether the skater can already do all the level's elements and helps draw and plan the program.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 6: Coaches Cheat Sheet · recall

Each level lists its elements, and they can be performed in any order.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 6: Levels · recall

Level I draws on badges 1 to 5, Level II on badges 1 to 9 and Level III on all twelve.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 6: Levels · applied

Each block of badges opens the matching level: badges 1 to 5 for Level I, 6 to 9 for Level II.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5: Badge Program · applied

B groups badges 1-5, 6-9 and 10-12, as the guide does. A, C and D draw the lines in the wrong places.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5: Badge Program · applied

Level II, an advanced beginner free skate, includes the bunny hop, the T-stop and a two-foot spin.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 6: Level II · recall

Level III brings the waltz jump, with the forward spiral and the one-foot upright spin.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 6: Level III · recall

The Level III step sequence, built from badge 9-12 steps and turns, covers at least half of the ice.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 6: Level III · recall

The Level IV Short Program asks for a single Salchow or a single toe loop, a sit spin and a skating skills sequence.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 6: Level IV · recall

Level VI, the most advanced, starts its Short Program with a single Axel.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 6: Level VI · recall

The choreographic sequence covers the whole ice surface and includes steps, turns and at least one spiral position.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 6: Levels IV-VI · recall

A spiral position is a required part of every choreographic sequence at these levels.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 6: Levels IV-VI · recall

The waltz jump comes at Level III, the Salchow at Level IV, the Lutz at Level V and the Axel at Level VI.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 6: Levels III-VI · applied

Level I has six elements, Level IV nine, Level V ten and Level VI eleven.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 6: Levels · applied

A allows W, 1S, 1T and 1Lo, the Level IV list. B adds 1F and 1Lz, as in Level V; C lists doubles; D the first beginner jumps.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 6: Level IV · applied

Synchronized skating has two levels, each skating one segment, the free skating.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 11: Synchronized Skating · recall

At Level I the line, circle, bloc, wheel and intersection are skated forward only; Level II brings backward skating.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 11: Synchronized Skating · recall

At Level II the circle may go forward or backward and must include a change of direction.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 11: Synchronized Skating · recall

Level II adds backward skating, backward one-foot glides, three-turns and mohawks to the transitional moves.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 11: Synchronized Skating · recall

In pairs the Short Program arrives at Level III; the first two pair levels have one free program.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 7: Pair Skating · recall

Every skater, pair or couple hands in a content sheet for each segment except pattern dances.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 6: Program Content Sheet · recall

The content sheet lists the planned elements for the segment, filled in with the right abbreviations.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 6: Program Content Sheet · recall

The ice dance badges run from the waltz badges to the tango badges and then the rhythm blues badges.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 9: Ice Dance badges · applied

Pairs badge 1 is stroking and crossovers in unison; badge 3 brings the bunny hop lift and the Kilian spin; badge 4 the waltz jump lift and a modified death spiral.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 7: Pairs badges · applied

In D the skaters face away from the way the line travels, so they skate backward, which Level I does not allow. A, B and C skate forward.

Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 11: Synchronized Skating · applied