The Amazing Facts of U.S. Figure Skating

So just the other week, our Learn-to-Skate Director here at the International Skating Center of Connecticut sent me a link to the U.S. Figure Skating fact sheet. At first I didn’t think anything of it, and honestly was not sure what to use it for. However, I said what better way to boil down eight thick pages then to write a blog post about it?

Well here you go!

Did you know that U.S. Figure Skating started 1921 with just seven clubs? Well believe it! In fact today there are more than 690 clubs spread all across the United States of America. One of these clubs has produced the youngest member of the 2013-14 U.S. Team, Vincent Zhou is just 12 years old. In the 690 clubs there are more than 165,000 athletes. Right here at the International Skating Center of Connecticut we have, the Charter Oak Figure Skating Club which is certified through U.S. Figure Skating and our Learn-to-Skate program is in fact also registered with each coach having to pass a test in order to qualify as a U.S. Figure Skating Credentialed coach. Our Learn-to-Skate program is one of 900 Basic Skills programs registered through U.S. Figure Skating.

Did you know that at least one U.S. figure skater has won a figure skating medal in the Olympics for 17 consecutive Winter Olympic Games? Well believe it! The streak all started in 1948 when Dick Button took home gold for the United States. Since, 1948 U.S. figure skating has excelled and the International Skating Center of Connecticut has been home to some of those great skaters in the past!

 So you don’t like to pay your dues to U.S. Figure Skating? Well maybe you do not know what all the money goes to! Your yearly dues amassed to 10.6 million dollars last year and goes directly into athlete funding for assistance, international competitions, program design at all levels, synchronized skating and performance bonuses for the U.S. Skating Team. Last year $52,000 was given to U.S. Skating Teams performers for bonuses.

Skating has been around for many years, but during the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada the viewership was unprecedented. On the Networks of NBC there were 190 million viewers. To put that into comparison that is nearly two thirds of all Americans tuned into watch U.S. Figure Skating Members in the Olympic Games!

I hope that his post was interesting and you learned more about what a great nationwide skating program we offer here at the International Skating Center of Connecticut. If you want to learn even more head to the below link! There is tons more information right at your finger tips!

www.usfigureskating.org/content/factsheet.pdf