What is the Moves in the Field test?

The Moves in the Field test is a foundational USFS assessment that evaluates your skater's edge quality, control, and fundamental skating technique — basically, can they execute clean edges and transitions without jumps or spins getting in the way?

At Pre-Preliminary and Preliminary levels, skaters perform prescribed sequences of edges, spirals, and transitions. Think of it as a "technique report card" that shows whether your child has the skating fundamentals solid before moving up. Judges watch for things like blade awareness, edge depth, flow across the ice, and whether your skater can maintain quality while moving through a pattern.

What makes Moves special is that it isolates pure skating skill. There's no hiding behind a big jump or a flashy spin — it's all about how your child controls their body and blade. Many skaters find Moves harder than it looks, which is actually valuable feedback. If edges are shaky here, that weakness will surface in jumps and spins later.

Most skaters test Moves alongside their freestyle level, though some tackle it separately to build confidence first. It's less about rushing through and more about demonstrating you've mastered the basics.

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