By Aviva M. Cantor
The U.S. Adult Figure Skating Lifetime Competitor Recognition Program honors adult figure skaters who have demonstrated longevity in the sport through their ongoing participation in the U.S. Adult Figure Skating Championships and Adult Competition Series.
In 2019, seven skaters became the first to earn the title of U.S. Adult Figure Skating Platinum Lifetime Competitor. These seven lifers have competed in all 25 U.S. Adult Figure Skating Championships. In honor of the centennial anniversary of U.S. Figure Skating, they reflect on the evolution of adult skating.
How has adult skating changed? How has it stayed the same?
Angela Prevost: The technical abilities of adult skaters have skyrocketed over the years. Not too long ago, the coveted Axel was huge. Now, it has been replaced with double jumps — but the adult camaraderie has never wavered. Yes, we are competitors, but first and foremost, we remain comrades on and off the ice.
Colleen Conroy: One of the biggest changes I’ve seen is the way adults are accepted as the norm now, instead of something unusual. Skating is no longer just for kids — it can be a lifelong sport. What hasn’t changed is the support amongst adult skaters and their passion for the sport they love. I think adult skating is something that will remain strong. Eventually, the move from childhood skating to adult skating will become more commonplace.
Dorothy Ray: At first, we were thought of as recreational skaters and that we were not going anywhere and not really serious about what we were doing. Boy, were they wrong about that! The heart of skating has grown to love and take care of us all. When Hurricane Sandy took our house in 2012, we didn’t have any money so I couldn’t register for the Adult Championships. The skating world sent cards, checks, money, prayers, hope — and most of all — their kindness. Without that effort, I would not be a lifer today. One thing that has never changed is the spirit. We clap, cheer, yell and throw things at you to let you know how wonderful you are, no matter what you do or how bad you think you’ve done it. And most of all, we love it and it shows.
Julie Gidlow: The most significant change is the acceptance of adult skaters as serious athletes. There was a time when certain competitions didn’t want to include adult events, and certain judges didn’t want to judge us. But over time, we as a community proved we were worthy of inclusion, mainly because we displayed an unmatched work ethic and passion for the sport, even when there was nothing in it for us other than personal fulfillment and pride. Regardless of our level or ability, we love to skate. We are spending our hard-earned money on it. That’s remained constant, even as the adult skating program has evolved. Another constant has been the camaraderie — it’s been said that the U.S. Adult Championships is half competition, half family reunion and that’s 100 percent true. It’s why I keep coming back.
Ted Gradman: When I was introduced to adult skating, it was a small group of devotees who were looking to be taken more seriously. Some intrepid souls were willing to compete in the regional events with the kids. Several years later, there were events at regionals just for adults. 1995 felt like one giant adult skating party. We were hooked, all right. The pleasure of hanging out with this group was tremendous. The numbers have swelled and shrunk, but the interest, acceptance and support has been superb. The 25th annual in Salt Lake City in 2019 was the icing on the cake. It was pure bliss to celebrate 25 years together.
Thom Mullins: There is still a wonderful sense of camaraderie and support — that hasn’t changed — but skaters are even more polished, presenting beautiful, sophisticated programs. I hope that trend continues and that I can do the same. I love that adult skating has such an international expanse now. An ISU structure exists; there is rightful support, and skating can shine in its true diversity. I look forward to our division of the sport reflecting more of what we want and need as the adult community, versus simply being a copy of the standard track.
Walter Horton: We see elite coaches at the Adult Championships and former Olympians and World competitors on the ice at adult events. This has led to a general increase in the quality of skating by adult competitors. What has not changed overall is the incredible passion of adult skaters and the mutual admiration and support for each other that was so prevalent at the first Adult Championships. That passion and camaraderie is still the defining quality of adult skating.
Adult Skating History Timeline
Compiled by the Adult Skating Committee
1939 | Veterans waltz event offered at Middle Atlantic Championships
1977 | U.S. Figure Skating added adult dance test category for skaters age 35 and older
1981 | Veterans dance renamed adult dance
1984 | First U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships held, included adult events
1990 | Adult bronze, silver and gold figure tests created for skaters age 25 and older
1990 | Adult bronze, silver and gold free skate tests created for skaters age 25 and older
1990 | Masters dance tests (now known as adult 50+) created for skaters age 50 and older
1995 | U.S. Figure Skating formed the Adult Skating Committee
1995 | First U.S. Adult Figure Skating Championships held in Wilmington, Delaware. 408 competitors from 37 states participated
1995 | Masters level first offered at U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships
1995 | First qualifying championship events held at standard-track regional and sectional competitions for competitors to qualify for championship senior men’s and ladies (later renamed championship masters) and dance events at the 1996 U.S. Adult Championships
1997 | Adult pre-bronze free skate tests offered
1997 | The Peach Classic, an adults-only competition in Duluth, Georgia, held by Georgia FSC. This event led to the creation of many long-lasting, adult-only U.S. Figure Skating competitions:
- 1998: Wyandotte FSC started the North American Adult Invitational (renamed the Deborah Burgoyne North American Invitational in 2005)
- 2002: Washington FSC started the New Year’s Invitational in Ashburn, Virginia
- 2004: IceWorks SC launched the Halloween Classic
- 2006: FSC of Cincinnati began the Buckeye Adult Open (later hosted by the Pavilion SC of Cleveland Heights and the Wooster FSC)
- 2007: Colonial FSC created the Colonial Adult Challenge
- 2010: Escondido FSC started the Adult Mid-Winter Warm-Up, now hosted by Los Angeles FSC
- 2019: Ann Arbor FSC offered the Ann Arbor Adult Open
1997 | Championship gold men’s and ladies events offered at the U.S. Adult Championships
2001 | Sectionals added to adult qualifying event structure. Championship events for adult gold and masters levels in free skate and the adult gold level in dance were previously held at the regional and sectional competitions in the standard track structure. Adding adult sectional championships gave adults another competition they could call their own. The top four skaters in each qualifying event advanced to the U.S. Adult Championships
2001 | Figures events removed from the U.S. Adult Championships
2001 | Adult pre-bronze, bronze, silver and gold moves-in-the-field tests offered
2002 | Larry Holliday landed the first triple jump at U.S. Adult Championships in the championship masters men’s free skate in Ann Arbor, Michigan
2002 | Adult bronze, silver and gold pairs tests offered
2004 | First Centennial dance event held at U.S. Adult Championships
2004 | First National Showcase held, which included adult and masters events
2005 | The International Skating Union held the inaugural ISU International Adult Figure Skating Competition in Oberstdorf, Germany, for ages 28 to 71
2006 | Adult competitive age lowered to 21
2007 | International judging system scoring used for U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships at the adult level
2007 | IJS scoring used for U.S. Adult Championships at gold and masters levels
2007 | Championship masters pairs event added to adult qualifying events
2008 | First National Theatre on Ice competition held, and included adult events
2008 | Adult showcase events (formerly called interpretive) split into light entertainment and dramatic
2009 | Championship masters singles events split into championship masters intermediate-novice and championship masters junior-senior events
2009 | Solo pattern dance added to the U.S. Adult Championships for the adult bronze, silver and gold levels
2010 | Nations Cup and Adult Gold Cup (international Theatre On Ice events) first held in Toulouse, France
2010 | Adult and masters candidate passing averages added to the intermediate through senior moves-in-the-field tests
2012 | Artistic/dramatic and light entertainment/comedy adult and masters events are split into adult bronze, adult silver, adult gold and masters levels
2012 | First Centennial pairs event held at U.S. Adult Championships
2013 | Adult pre-silver and adult pre-gold levels added to solo pattern dance events
2013 | Adult competition eligibility rules revised to better reflect historical changes made to standard test requirements
2016 | Team Trophy club awards presented at U.S. Adult Championships
2016 | Championship adult silver singles events added to adult qualifying events
2016 | U.S. Adult Figure Skating Championships trophy case installed at U.S. Figure Skating Museum in Colorado Springs
2016 | First North American Adult ISU Competition held in Vancouver, BC
2017 | Yvonne M. Dowlen Trophy awarded to the oldest competitor at the U.S. Adult Championships
2017 | Special Achievement Award pins program expanded to adult qualifying event athletes
2017 | U.S. Figure Skating Adult Lifetime Competitor Recognition Program launched to honor those demonstrating longevity in the sport through participation in the U.S. Adult Championships and Adult Competition Series
2017 | Skate Forever Young Award Program implemented, recognizing all adult athletes 71 and older at U.S. Adult Championships and U.S. Synchronized Skating Sectional Championships
2017–18 | First season of the Adult Competition Series for adult and young adult Compete USA athletes
2018 | Solo free dance event added for adult bronze, silver and gold levels
2018 | IJS judging offered for championship and open adult silver singles events and adult silver pairs events at the U.S. Adult Championships
2018 | Adult Parade of Champions event added to National Showcase
2019 | Stephanie Roth landed the first triple jump by a female skater at U.S. Adult Championships during championship masters junior-senior ladies free skate.
2019 | Adult intermediate-senior free skate tests added
2020 | PSA ranking criteria updated to include coaches of adult qualifying athletes
2020 | Solo free dance and solo pattern dance events split into two age classes for the U.S. Adult Championships
2020 | U.S. adult figure skating program trophy case installed at the U.S. Figure Skating Museum in Colorado Springs
2021 | Skate Forever Young Award Program expanded to include the Adult Competition Series
