U.S. Figure Skating

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."About U.S. Figure Skating" U.S. Figure Skating. (accessed April 29, 2026).

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"U.S. Figure Skating at a Glance" U.S. Figure Skating. (accessed June 21, 2011)."U.S. Figure Skating 2010–11 Style Guide" U.S. Figure Skating. (accessed June 21, 2011). was formed and became a member of the International Skating Union."Member Federations" , International Stating Union, (accessed May 1, 2015). At the time of its formation, the Association was composed of seven charter member clubs including Beaver Dam Winter Sports Club,"beaverdam", Beaver Dam Winter Sports Club. (accessed June 29, 2011). The Skating Club of Boston,"Our History" , The Skating Club of Boston. (accessed June 25, 2011). Chicago Figure Skating Club"The Tradition Continues" , Chicago Figure Skating Club. (accessed June 27, 2011). The Skating Club of New York,"The Skating Club of New York" , The Skating Club of New York. (accessed June 25, 2011). Philadelphia Skating Club and Humane Society,"PHCHS History" , PSC&HS. (accessed February 12, 2013). Sno Birds of Lake Placid,p. 311 , MacKenzie, Mary (2007) "The Plains of Abraham". Utica, NY: Nicholas K. Burn Publishing. (accessed June 27, 2011). and Twin City Figure Skating Club (which became the Figure Skating Club of Minneapolis in 1929)."About FSC Minneapolis" , Figure Skating Club of Minneapolis. (accessed June 27, 2011).

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."THE UNITED STATES OLYMPIC COMMITTEE HISTORY", teamusa.org, (accessed August 18, 2011).

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).

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.

The abbreviated name, "USFSA" was first used in April 1921 and trademarked in 1972."Trademark Electronic Search System", United States Patent and Trademark Office. (accessed July 21, 2011). The distinctive shield logo was adopted in 1964"Trademark Electronic Search System", United States Patent and Trademark Office. (accessed July 21, 2011). (accessed July 21, 2011). and used until 2003 when U.S. Figure Skating instituted its current logo."U.S. Figure Skating Gets a New Look", U.S. Figure Skating, (accessed July 29, 2011).

In 2006, the Executive Committee was eliminated."Bylaws", U.S. Figure Skating, (accessed August 26, 2011). 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"."THE 2011 OFFICIAL U.S. FIGURE SKATING RULEBOOK" U.S. Figure Skating. (accessed June 22, 2011)."Bylaws of the United States Figure Skating Association (As amended to May 5, 2007)" , US Figure Skating. (accessed June 25, 2011).

Governance U.S. Figure Skating is an association of clubs, governed by its members and its elected officers at national, regional and club levels."ISI or USFSA?", Tri-CIties Figure Skating Club. (accessed January 21, 2010). As of June 2011, U.S. Figure Skating had 688 member, collegiate, and school-affiliated clubs"Membership Grows" , U.S. Figure Skating. (accessed July 18, 2011). and a membership of 180,452. 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."GC Bylaws", U.S. Figure Skating, (accessed August 25, 2011).

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 members including: the president, three vice presidents (one from each section), the secretary, the treasurer, four group coordinators, two coaches, and four athletes."Board of Directors" , U.S. Figure Skating. (accessed July 9, 2011).

Presidents Samuel Auxier is the current president of U.S. Figure Skating. He began his term in 2022. The prior presidents are listed below."President", U.S. Figure Skating. (accessed December 27, 2018).

Past presidents Name Term 2018–2022 2014–2018 2009–2014 2005–2009 2003–2005 2000–2003 1998–2000 1995–1998 1992–1995 1989–1992 1986–1989 1983–1986 1980–1983 1976–1980 1973–1976 1970–1973 1967–1970 1964–1967 1961–1964 1958–1961 1955–1958 1952–1955 1949–1952 1946–1949 1943–1946 1940–1943 1937–1940 1935–1937 1934–1935 1932–1934 1930–1932 1928–1930 1925–1928 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:"Permanent Committees" , U.S. Figure Skating, (accessed August 5, 2011). 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.”

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."Executive Director", U.S. Figure Skating. (accessed July 1, 2011).

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."Headquarters Staff" , U.S. Figure Skating, (accessed July 21, 2011). Athlete Development Athlete High Performance Events FinanceInformation Technology Marketing and Communications Membership Executive Director

Finance The Association is a non-profit organization."Nonprofit Organization Lookup", Melissa Data, (accessed August 6, 2011). 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."Consolidated Financial Statements" , U.S. Figure Skating. (accessed March 13, 2012).

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."So You Want to Be a Figure Skating Judge?" , U.S. Figure Skating (accessed August 25, 2011).

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 levels; regional, sectional, and national."Appointment Process", THE 2013 OFFICIAL U.S. FIGURE SKATING RULEBOOK, U.S. Figure Skating, (accessed July 30, 2012)

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."Officials Selections" , US Figure Skating. (accessed July 18, 2011). 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