The Seminar schedule for the U.S. Open Inline Chicago 2009
http://usopeninline.com May 1-3 at USA Skate Center, Romeoville, IL has been
finalized and is below.

The competition will be held Saturday morning, May 2 and the detailed schedule
will be online this weekend. This is an opportunity to learn about this sport
that is seeing growth around the world and is attracting skaters and coaches
from ice, inline and roller skating, is green and is relatively inexpensive. The
charge is $25.00 for the Seminar. There is also a $5.00 rink charge per each
full morning or full afternoon session that can cover the seminar, skating or
other activities going on at the same time.

The late fee is also being waived so skaters can enter competition events on the
day of the event. Competitors can attend the Seminar for free. We ask that you
email info@... if you are planning to register on site, so we can have
sufficient seating for everyone and we can schedule the judges for competitors.
This competition is sponsored by U.S. Inline Figure Skating with the cooperation
of USA Roller sports and U.S. Freestyle Skaters Association.

I hope to see you there.

Joe Kaplenk, Chair
Competition Planning Committee
President
U.S. Inline Figure Skating
www.usinlinefigureskating.org

The schedule and speakers are as follows:

Seminar Topics

Date and Time: Friday 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Topic: Technology of Inline skates
Speaker: Joe Kaplenk
Location: Seminar room.
Detail: The science behind the design of inline skates. How to understand the
rocker, bearings, three wheels vs. four wheels,
Audience: Skaters and Coaches
Suggested Requisite: Some knowledge of inline skates

Date and Time: Friday 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Topic: The use of video in sports
Speaker: Joe Kaplenk
Location: Skating floor
Detail: The ideas behind Dartfish and how to use the equipment and software
effectively. What to do on a limited budget.
Audience: Coaches and skaters that want to learn
Suggested Requisite: Some skating knowledge

Date and Time: Friday 11 a.m. – noon
Topic: Slalom/Freestyle Technique and Judging –
Speaker: Megan McIntosh
Location: Skating floor
Detail: Freestyle/Slalom has seen a tremendous growth around the world, more
overseas than in the U.S. It provides an outstanding tool for all skaters to
develop footwork technique. This will be done on the floor. Everyone should
bring or rent a pair of skates to give this a try either during the seminar or
later.
Audience: Skaters of all abilities and coaches
Suggested Requisite:

Date and Time: Friday 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Topic: "How to buy competitive Inline Skates.
Speaker: Jeff Higgins
Location: Seminar room.
Detail: What to look for in boots, plates, bearings, wheels as well as some
recommended "gimmicks".
Audience: For coaches and skaters of all skating abilities and disciplines.
Suggested Requisite: A limited skating budget

Date and Time: Friday 2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Topic: "The Sounds of Inlines"
Speaker: Jeff Higgins
Location: Seminar room.
Detail: Barely-audible warning signs of poor technique and/or impending doom!
Audience: All Inline skaters and coaches
Suggested Requisite: None

Date and Time: Friday 3 p.m. – 4 p.m. –
Speaker: Nick Perna
Topic: Inline Figure Skating Technique
Location: Seminar room.
Detail: Learning about the sport first hand.
Audience: Anyone wanting to learn more about inline figure skating.
Suggested Requisite: None

Date and Time: Friday 4 p.m. – 5 p.m. –
Speaker: Various
Topic: Meetings
Location: Seminar room.
Detail: Volunteers, non-USARS event judges, etc.
Audience: NA
Suggested Requisite: NA

Date and Time: Saturday 7 a.m. – noon Competition


Date and Time: Saturday 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Topic: Strength Training Techniques
Speaker: Garrett Krug
Location: Seminar room.
Detail: What do you do when you or your skaters are not in skates to help
develop skills.
Audience: Anyone wanting to increase their athletic skills
Suggested Requisite: Interest in learning about developing your physical skills.
You can bring your workout clothes if you like.

Date and Time: Saturday - 2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Topic: "Going for the Gold - Earning the RSA Gold medal in Solo Dance"
Speaker: Jeff Higgins
Location: Seminar room
Detail: Personal anecdotes, a motivational speech.
Audience: Prospective, beginner, intermediate and advanced RSA testers and
their coaches/teachers.
Suggested Requisite: An interest in achieving a higher level of personal
performance, measured against an internationally recognized standard of
excellence.


Date and Time: Saturday 3 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Topic: Inline Figure Skating Technique Continued
Speaker: Nick Perna
Location: Seminar room
Detail: More discussion of Inline Figure Skating
Audience: All skaters and coaches
Suggested Requisite: none

Date and Time: Saturday 4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Topic: Meetings
Location: Seminar room.
Audience: NA
Suggested Requisite: NA


Date and Time: Sunday Morning 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Topic: "Judging the Inline skater"
Speaker: Jeff Higgins
Location: Skating floor
Detail: Inline skating is similar, but not identical, to either Ice or Quad
skating. Some tricks are easier, and some are harder. Unfortunately, there
aren't enough high-quality inline judges yet, and virtually none of them have
ever competed on inlines. Here's what judges should notice and reward.
Audience: Current and prospective judges of inline skating.
Suggested Requisite: An open mind

Date and Time: Sunday Morning 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Topic: Slalom/Freestyle Technique and Judging continued
Speaker: Megan McIntosh
Location: Skating floor
Detail: More training and skill development for Slalom/Freestyle Bring or rent
your skates and give it a try.
Audience: all levels of skaters and coaches
Suggested Requisite: none

Date and Time: 11 a.m. – Noon
Topic: Inline Figure skating Technique – Continued
Speaker: Nick Perna
Location: Skating floor
Detail: Continued discussion and skating on the floor
Audience: Skaters and coaches of all levels
Suggested Requisite: Interest in skating

Date and Time: Sunday – Noon – 1 p.m.
Topic: "So, you wanna teach inliners to dance, eh? - Tips and Tricks for
introducing inline dancing"
Speaker: Jeff Higgins
Location: Floor or Seminar room
Detail: A primer on preparing properly for progressives, partnering, pace, and
pattern...among other things.
Audience: Beginner dancers, and skating teachers
Beginner/Intermediate ability.
Suggested Requisite:: First-hand experience with the frustrations of teaching or
learning in mixed classes

Date and Time: Sunday 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Topic: Lunch

Date and Time: Sunday 2 – 4 p.m.
Topic: Competition, Seminar, Tradeshow Wrap-up and Eval.
Speaker: U.S. Inline Figure Skating Board Members, Competition Planning
Committee Members and the Audience
Location: Seminar room
Detail: Evaluation of the competition, planning for next year. Introduction of
Board and Committee Members that are available.
Audience: Anyone wanting to grow the sport
Suggested Requisite: Enthusiasm, ideas, comments, suggestions, etc.

Speaker Qualifications:

Jeffrey Higgins
Speaker Qualifications:
RSA Gold Medal - Solo International Dance - the first inliner to receive a gold
medal
RSA Silver Medal - American Team Dance -(on inlines, with quad partner)
Bronze Medal 2003 - USARS National Competition and the only inline dancer to
ever win any medal in traditional Quad Dance event.
Several Gold medals at various NARSA National competitions
Repeat speaker at USARS Coaches and trainers "Update" seminars in the northeast.
Trainer and lecturer for IBM, Corp, Office Products division for 12 years.
BS, Comprehensive Science Ed. 1975

Nick Perna
Speaker Qualifications:
PSA Master Rated Instructor in Freestyle and Pairs on ice , World Coach,
inventor of the Freedom Blade and co-inventor of PIC-Skate inline figure skate.,
authored teaching curriculums for the International Inline Skating Association
(IISA) and the "Gym-Skate" program for schools

Megan McIntosh
Speaker Qualifications:
International competitor and judge for Slalom/Freestyle skating. Actively
involved in U.S. Freestyle Skaters Association and World Slalom Skaters
Association.

Joe Kaplenk
Speaker Qualifications:
Specialist in sports video analysis. President U.S. Inline Figure
Skating/USFIFS, Served as chair of the first USFSA Adult Skaters Advisory
Committee (now ASC). Co-founder and President of Adult Skaters Forum, a national
adult skaters advocacy organization. Accredited PSA coach and competes in ice,
inline and roller figure skating. Speaker at 2008 USARS Coaches Conference on
inline skating. Computer professional and author of two books and co-author of
four books on Computer Science.

Garrett Krug
Speaker Qualifications:
Strength and Conditioning Coach & Figure Skating Coach, Coach of U.S. National
and Junior National Level Skaters, Presenter at U.S. Figure Skating "Reach for
the stars" and "Novice Team Camp" 2007, Director of Athletic Development for
Champion Sports Advantage.