Competition Level Development

There are many levels in figure skating. The general development track I put skaters on if they begin with me at a young age:

Basic 1-6

(Compete USA)

Aspire 1-4

(Compete USA)

Excel Pre-Preliminary

(Compete USA, need all single jumps except axel and a camel combo spin)

Championship Pre-Preliminary

(US Figure Skating, need an axel jump)

Championship Preliminary

(US Figure Skating, need 2 double jumps)

Championship Pre-Juvenile

(US Figure Skating, need all double jumps)

Championship Juvenile

(US Figure Skating, can start competing with double axel jump and one triple jump, must be 12 yrs old or younger by July 1st)

Championship Intermediate

(US Figure Skating, must be 13 yrs old or older, can do double axel and two triple jumps)

Championship Novice

(US Figure Skating, triple-triple jump combos are allowed)

Championship Junior

(US Figure Skating, all triples and quad jumps allowed, must be 17 yrs old or younger)

Championship Senior

(US Figure Skating, all triples and quad jumps allowed, can be any age, but mostly 18 yrs or older

As of the 2026-2027, skaters from the Championship Pre-Preliminary through Championship Pre-Juvenile levels can compete in the National Qualifying Series (NQS). This means that they can compete in this series of competitions (July-early October) to get a high enough score to compete at Mid-West Sectionals (in November). Skaters with high enough scores at Sectionals can go onto a Developmental Camp.

Championship Juvenile through Championship Senior levels also can participate in the NQS Series, but the top 4-5 skaters in each level at Sectionals can go onto US Championships (nationals).

Skaters who are scoring well at the Novice, Junior and Senior levels can get voted in to be in the International Selection Pool (there is a camp you go to and a committee that is a part of US Figure Skating votes you in) so they can attend international competitions.

Here is the caveat to all of this; each skater develops differently. The goal with each skater is to get them to skate at the Senior level so how each skater gets there may be different. This is the plan I hope each skater is able to go by, but some skater’s need to take other detours or take other paths to get to the higher levels of skating and that is okay. They just need to get to the higher levels!