Frequently
Asked Questions about the Standard Skill Competition
1-16-06
What
is Standard Skill?
Standard Skill is an artistic competitive event that takes place each year
at the national convention (NAUCC) and also at the international convention
(Unicon).
How
does it work?
Standard Skill involves selecting up to 18 skills that must be performed
successfully in three minutes or less in excellent form (with arms extended, for
example) in order to earn points. The point system is based on the ranking
of skills listed in the Rulebook. A standard mount, for example, is 1.3
points, while a kick-up mount is 3.0.
Skills include freemounts, riding and stationary skills, and transitions.
Each performance normally contains some of each. The rider must memorize
the order of the skills, presenting them in the same way that they were listed
in advance for the panel of judges. Any deviation, such as forgetting a skill,
results in a loss of points.
Why do we do Standard Skill competitions?
Standard
Skill is somewhat similar to the old Compulsory event in figure skating,
where ice skaters were required to do set figures and were judged for their
precision. That event was eliminated from figure skating competitions in 1990
when governing organizations determined that the problems with judging and the
overall lack of public interest in the event made it unworkable.
Some
riders like Standard Skill in unicycling, because they can participate without
using a special costume or music. Some like it because it can include all
ability levels from beginners to experts. And it allows anyone who’s
interested in participating a chance to perform before an audience, which
provides some great experience for many riders.
Some like the fact that they can use the same or a similar Standard Skill routine from year to year, so they can participate even if they haven’t put a lot of time into creating a new routine.
What problems are there with Standard Skill?
Though
there are some important benefits to having the Standard Skill competition,
there are also several problems with the event.
Participation and
interest have not increased over the years; it’s complicated and difficult
to understand; and very few individuals prepare a Standard Skill routine each
year in advance of the competition.
In
addition, few groups have regional events to give their riders experience in
putting together a routine before NAUCC. And it is always difficult to find and
train judges.
A
major concern is that the event takes up a significant amount of time at
nationals. With gym time being very expensive, it becomes more difficult
each year to justify using an entire gym for a basic skill performance by
individual riders, especially without choreographed music or special
costumes.
Since
it’s usually not possible to rent more than one gym for nationals, it may be
time to revamp Standard Skill into a more workable event.
How could Standard Skill be revamped?
Rather
than eliminate Standard Skill, one proposal is to continue to offer the event,
but in a different format. In that case, the gym would be divided into
several sections, as gymnastics events are, with several things happening
at once.
Standard
Skill would then be organized differently, with the emphasis shifted to
“passing” a certain difficulty level, rather than earning a point total in
just one performance.
Riders
would practice a set of skills in advance, then perform them before a panel of
two or three judges. Several of these performances would be going on in the gym
at the same time. If riders pass,
they would be allowed to continue to perform at the next higher level before
another panel of judges. The
judging would be simplified to a pass/fail system or something similar that
would not require complicated scoring.
Once
riders complete a certain set of skills successfully, they would never be judged
on those skills again, but they could proceed to the next higher set. With this
approach, riders could strive to improve each year, and we wouldn’t be
tying up gym space to have riders repeat the same performances they’ve done
the year before.
It
would also encourage all riders to compete, since everyone from beginners to
experts could easily participate. And,
while it will be done before a group of spectators, several riders will be
competing at the same time, making it less stressful for riders who aren’t
comfortable performing individually in front of an audience.
Depending on the number of competitors, the event could take place for about two hours on two days of the convention, allowing riders at least two attempts to pass Standard Skill levels.
Are there other ways to improve the Standard Skill competition?
There
are many ways to revamp the Standard Skill competition to make it a more
successful event. Please feel free
to contact me or any of the USA, Inc. board members with your ideas and
suggestions.
email:
unicyclecentral@hotmail.com