USARS Repositions Competitive Season

USA ROLLER SPORTS will in this year of 2015 return back to its former competitive season parameters and club membership periods to better track the scholastic year norm and restore its seasonal schedule more in tune with most club skating programs. This will be a departure from the recent calendar year determination, as USARS repositions its competitive season to begin on September 1st and conclude after the National Championships on the following August 31st. This restores a more consistent progression for skating skill development and establishment of team partnerships which worked successfully for roller sports during the spectacular growth of its first 70 years, with competitions leading to extraordinary American roller skater triumphs at both national and world championships. For obscure reasons, our skating season was altered in 2004 to coincide with the common calendar year, and consequently USARS has not experienced equivalent successes in either program growth, funding or championship medal harvests.

Recently USARS has experienced considerable skater attrition within its traditional competitive divisions and has subsequently found itself in need of program stimulation to attract rink session skater interest for new formats of roller skating competitions that would bring additional funding to sustain roller sports' programming outreach. USARS Committees are currently giving serious consideration to several such proposals, motivated by an expectation that change to the scholastic calendar will provide incentive for new club formation and encourage skater participation. The return to our original competitive season will also facilitate USARS' ability to coordinate with other sport groups which track the school year with their own roller sports programming.

USARS COMPETITIVE CARD TIME LINE

Holders of USARS Competitor Cards for 2015 year for a specific roller sport discipline shall be entitled to the use of that membership registration for the entire calendar year of 2015 as represented by the credential. Once establishing USARS club membership for the whole calendar year 2015, such skater wishing to join a different club while in use of this registration needs to execute a release and transfer request and submit the proscribed fee during the year of 2015 in accordance with provisions of USARS General Rules. After September 1, 2015 a current card holder may update membership to 2016 and avoid the transfer process and transfer fee.

Those who shall purchase a USARS Competitor Card for the 2016 season (September l through August 31) will exercise the right of first club establishment for that season. Purchase of a new 2016 season competitor card will void any similar discipline registration for 2015. General Rules specify that dual registrations are prohibited. Should the new 2016 registration also include a change of club, no transfer fee is associated with that period of initial usage.

Traditionally partial season registrations, either by late or retiring competitor members, have neither been discounted or refunded. This financial policy will need to be extended to cover the conversion of the 2015-2016 skating seasons during the last, usually idle quarter of the year. For other issues applicable to memberships and /or transfers please consult USARS General Rules.