What are the USFS Moves in the Field requirements for Preliminary?

Moves in the Field: Preliminary Level

At Preliminary level, your skater is building the fundamental edges and transitions that everything else in figure skating rests on. The USFS Moves in the Field test focuses on clean, controlled skating rather than speed or complexity.

Your skater will demonstrate forward and backward crossovers, basic spirals, and a variety of edge work — think forward outside edges, forward inside edges, and their backward counterparts. They'll also show three-turns and mohawks, which teach them how to change direction smoothly while maintaining control. Consecutive edges (skating multiple edges in one direction) are tested to build ankle strength and balance.

The key at this level is consistency — can your skater repeat the same movement cleanly, with proper lean and posture, across the full width of the ice? Judges aren't looking for speed; they're looking for edges that are steady and true, without wobbling or losing line.

Most skaters spend 6–12 months preparing for Preliminary Moves, depending on how often they practice. The mental shift from "just skating around" to "deliberate, controlled edge work" is huge.

Here's your next step: Film a short video of your skater's forward crossovers and watch how straight their line stays. Do they drift sideways? That's your focus point to mention to their coach at the next lesson.

Want to see this in your child's skating? SkateMarks analyzes every jump with per-second AI coaching notes.