To Prospective Students
Princeton University Figure Skating Club gives students the perfect opportunity to combine a top-notch education and their desire to keep skating in college. Do you want to study with Toni Morrison, Joyce Carol Oates, John McPherson and other distinguished professors in their field? Do you also want to keep skating and reap the benefits of team competition? Then Princeton is the place for you!
The club, which is entirely student run, offers its members over 25 hours of ice time per week at our beautiful on-campus rink. In addition, we contract with local pros, ensuring quality singles and dance instruction on an individual basis. Our skaters compete in both traditional USFSA competitions and collegiate competitions in the East Coast Section. Competing against teams such as University of Delaware, Cornell, Penn State, Boston University, and MIT fosters the collegiate atmosphere and presents opportunities to excel both individually and as a team within the unique collegiate set-up. The season starts with our winter exhibition, continues with the collegiate competitive season and culminates at the season's end with our spring show. Our synchronized skating team, also largely student run, has been skating since 1998. We have been excited to compete at Synchro Nationals three times in the past few years.
Club members vary from brand new skaters to Senior ladies and men. Our members work hard academically, show great leadership skills and most are on the synchro team. Many are former competitive skaters who now want to enjoy the more relaxed but still challenging atmosphere of collegiate competition, but we also have brand-new skaters who are competing for the first time. While it is difficult to characterize a "typical" member of our club, the three things we all share are a love of skating, a desire for a great education and the friendships we have formed through the club, both on and off the ice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are your skaters like?
Our club generally has 20 to 30 members, ranging in ability from beginners to Senior level skaters. Lots of our skaters were competitive in past, took a few years off and are in it now mainly for the fun. Others competed at the top levels right through high school. Some of our skaters had skated synchro prior to Princeton, many had not. Our skaters are involved in lots of other activities on campus, from the juggling club to dance groups and community service to the student newspaper. We represent all majors, class years, and parts of the country. For more on us, please see the people section.
Is figure skating a varsity sport at Princeton?
No, we are a club sport. This essentially means that we receive limited funding from the University, no subsidized coaching, and we cannot really help you get in to the University. We do however receive some administrative help. For example, all of our ice time is free and on-campus. They help us find fundraising opportunities, manage finances, and make things run more smoothly in general.
Do you offer scholarships?
No, Princeton does not offer any athletic scholarships for any sports, varsity or club. All financial aid is need-based. In other words, if you are accepted for admission, they'll do everything they can to come up with a financial aid package (grants, loans, student works plans) that meets your family's needs.
Do you go to competitions?
Yes! We go to 5 or 6 competitions each year between singles/dance and synchro. The singles and dance competitions are USFSA-sanctioned intercollegiate competitions. We compete against other teams in the Northeast (MIT, Boston University, Boston College, Cornell, Penn State, University of Delaware, Hofstra, etc.) in a collegiate series in order to qualify for collegiate team nationals, held each March or April. Students compete in singles, dance and team maneuver events for team points, which determine each competition's placements. We usually host one competition each year as well.
Tell me more about your synchro team.
Our synchro team, the Princeton Tigers, competes in the collegiate division against other club teams and a few varsity teams. (For a list of collegiate teams, check USFSA's website.) Once a week, we work with local coaches, and run our own additional practices. In the past, we have had workshops with various prominent coaches, which have been invaluable. Our Synch team has ranged from 12 to 17 skaters, and we're always looking for more. There is currently no set level for skating on the team. No previous synch experience is necessary; we have everyone from senior level skaters to students who began skating at Princeton on the team. We're only looking for basic skating skills, enthusiasm, and dedication.
Where can I find out more about collegiate skating?
Visit the USFSA website and check out the collegiate skating section.
How does coaching work for singles and dance?
We have a coach who comes to the rink as often as there is interest to work with students. Each student contracts individually with the coach for payment. Some years, when interest has been high, we have also had a dance coach come to campus regularly.
Where do you skate?
Right on campus at Baker Rink.
I still have more questions. Who do I talk to?
You can send us a message at pufsc@princeton.edu. We'd love to hear from you!