What is the Difference Between Ice Skating Institute and U.S. Figure Skating?

Question: What is the Difference Between Ice Skating Institute and U.S. Figure Skating?

Many new figure skaters are confused about the two different ice skating associations that are in the United States. What are the differences between Ice Skating Institute and U.S. Figure Skating?

Answer: ISI, Ice Skating Institute, is for recreational skaters. There are test levels and competitions that are rewarding for all participants. All skaters win medals, trophies, or ribbons at ISI events. There are freestyle, spotlight, interpretive, footwork, and other fun events at ISI competitions. There is an ISI Nationals that anyone can take part in. Many ice skaters begin skating lessons in ISI programs and eventually move on to U.S. Figure Skating programs as they become more serious about figure skating.

U.S. Figure Skating is the official governing body of figure skating in the United States. U.S. Figure Skating programs are competitive, rather than recreational; however, there is a Basic Skills program, that is recreational and similar to the ISI program.

Once skaters are past the U.S. Figure Skating Basic Skills levels, there are separate moves in the field, freeskating, ice dance, and pair skating tests that must be passed in order to advance in figure skating. Skaters compete in unofficial and official U.S. Figure Skating competitions in all branches of figure skating.

Every serious figure skater in the United States must be a member of U.S. Figure Skating and pass official U.S. Figure Skating tests in order to compete. Most skaters join a U.S. Figure Skating member club. Club membership includes membership in U.S. Figure Skating.