Delegates approved all actions of the U.S. Figure Skating Board of Directors from the past year, conducted the Board of Directors election and approved new U.S. Figure Skating clubs at the 2021 U.S. Figure Skating Governing Council Annual Meeting. Included in the proceedings, was an update of the organization’s bylaws, which will make U.S. Figure Skating a stronger and more inclusive organization.
The passage of Exhibit A, which included bylaw changes stemming from new U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Certification Program, passed by an 86 to 14 percent margin . The reconfiguration of the Board of Directors includes increasing athlete representation to 33.3 percent, the inclusion of two independent directors, and a change to term lengths and limits of directors. There was also an adjustment to the structure of the Nominating Committee.
In the only contested election of the Board of Directors, incumbent Heather Nemier was re-elected to a fourth, one-year term as the Eastern vice president. The remaining officers were elected to an additional one-year term: Midwestern Vice President Kristin Arneson Cutler, Pacific Coast Vice President Janis Engel and Treasurer Troy Goldstein. Kimberley Moore was elected to a first term as secretary.
Also elected to an additional one-year term on the board were group coordinators Lynn Goldman, athlete services; Elise Preston, membership development; and Todd Bromley, technical and officials. Jaclyn Helms, administrative/legal; was elected to a first one-year term.
Heather Paige was elected for another one-year term as one of two coaching members on the board. Todd Sand was elected to a first one-year term.
Also during the meeting, two clubs were granted full club status, and six clubs were granted provisional status.
Clubs Granted Full Status
- CN Figure Skating Academy (Middleton, Massachusetts)
- Tacoma FSC (Tacoma, Washington)
Clubs Granted Provisional Status
- The Center Skating Academy (Marlborough, Massachusetts)
- District Impact SC (Washington, D.C.)
- Dubuque FSC (Dubuque, Iowa)
- Go4Gold Shakopee Skating Academy (Prior Lake, Minnesota)
- Great Lakes FSC (Glen Ellyn, Illinois)
- Piney Orchard FSC (Odenton, Maryland)
In addition to the bylaw changes, below are some of the most noteworthy measures approved by a majority vote of the delegates/athletes:
- In lieu of testing with in-person judges, a member club may now elect to host virtual testing for any moves in the field, free skate, pairs or ice dance test. This allows the club to provide an avenue for skaters to video record their tests and have them submitted for judging by officials.
- The Synchronized Development and Technical Committee revised the competitive pipeline for synchronized skating by allowing more flexibility at each level with regards to the age of athletes and a gradual increase of the required test levels.
- The Adaptive Skating Subcommittee added both testing (moves in the field and free skate) and Nonqualifying and Compete USA Competition Skate United tracks for skaters with disabilities to increase equitable programming opportunities. The Skating Accommodation Memorandum (S.A.M.) offers skaters with disabilities the ability to apply for and receive approved reasonable accommodations to support skater development and advancement within free skate and moves in the field testing and Nonqualifying and Compete USA Competitions (6.0 judging only).
