IUF Skill Levels

General
1

>> If the IUF Skill Levels and Rules Committee decides to make the same change
>> (swap “wheel walking” and “hopping on the wheel” between levels) as the USA,
>> Inc. has, it will be because it is the right thing=

>> to do.

>I think swapping “wheel walking” and “hopping on the wheel” is a good id=
ea
>because wheel walking is much easier that getting back on the pedals aft=
er
>hopping. =

It’s time for the IUF to make a decision on Skill Levels. This is a call= for
opinions from anybody, but I’m especially looking for opinions or feedbac= k
from the other members of the IUF Skill Levels Committee. Last summer, t= he USA
switched a pair of skills between levels 5 and 6, moving ‘hop standin= g on
wheel 5 times’ to level 5, and ‘walk the wheel for 10 meters’ to level 6.=

This was done because skill level testing was showing a large number of riders
getting stuck on the hop on wheel skill. Many were able to do all= of level 6
before getting that single skill from level 5.

Remember, ‘hop standing on wheel’ includes going from sitting on the seat= up to
the standing on wheel position, hopping 5 times, and then (the hard pa= rt)
getting back onto the seat and riding away. This skill is a part of my everyday
show, and it took me quite a long time to get it consistently.

I believe walking the wheel to be easier than the hopping on wheel skill,= and I
propose that the IUF make the same change that was made by the USA last=

summer.

>> You may be right about the IUF Skill Levels and Rules Committee making the
>> same change to the IUF Achievement Skill Levels that the USA, Inc. made to
>> the USA Achievement Skill Levels. However, I’m sure you didn’t realize how
>> ‘your’ reason “to stay in line with those of the USA.” might be taken. To me,
>> that means the USA, Inc. is indirectly dictating what the IUF should do,
>> ignoring other countries.=

This point must be considered. I believe (apparently more strongly than = the
USA as a whole) that there should be only one set of skill levels, so the= re
will be no confusion. I also believe that the current USA set is a bette= r set
of levels than what the IUF has. When I’m able, I will formally mail=

this proposal to the members of the IUF Skill Levels Committee who are no= t
connected to email. The rest of you are getting it now.

Below is a copy of the current IUF levels 5 and 6. The proposed change i= s to
swap the skills marked with the **'s.

Level 5 o Demonstrate 5 types of mounts o Ride backward in a circle o Ride one
footed in a figure eight o Idle one footed with left foot down 25 times o Idle
one footed with right foot down 25 times o Ride with the seat out in front in a
circle o Ride with the seat out in back in a circle o Ride with the seat on the
side in a circle o Hop-twist 90 degrees to the left o Hop-twist 90 degrees to
the right o Hop standing on wheel 5 times
=

Level 6 o Demonstrate 6 types of mounts o Ride backward in a figure 8 o Ride
with the seat out in front in a figure eight o Ride with the seat out in back in
a figure eight o Ride backward with the seat out in front for 10 m o Walk the
wheel for 10 m o Ride with seat on the side in a circle to the left o Ride
with seat on the side in a circle to the right o Ride one footed with the left
foot for 10 m o Ride one footed with the right foot for 10 m o Backspin o
Frontspin o Spin

I would like the IUF to have reached a decision on this matter before the= end
of July, so this information will be available at the time of the USA Ann= ual
Meeting. The USA can then be assured that there is again one set of 10 s= kill
levels, or that there are two incompatible sets, and the IUF Skill Levels=

Video only applies to one.

Please reply with an agree or a disagree, and any comments you wish.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS: IUF President John Foss <unicycle!@aol.com> IUF V. P. Jack
Halpern <jhalpern@win.or.jp> IUF Director Craig Milo Rogers <rogers@ISI.EDU> IUF
Director Alberto Ru=EDz <ruizb@aol.com> IUF Secretary/Treasurer Kenneth Fuchs
<kfuchs@winternet.com> Rolf Sander <sander@turing.sci.yorku.ca> Constance Cotter
<cotter@cae.wisc.edu> Sem Abrahams (Holland/USA) Normand Beaumont (Canada) Jim
Bernard (USA) Sammy Hellwig (Germany) Carlos Med=EDna (Puerto Rico)

If you are interested in becoming a part of this committee, contact me an= d you
can be added to the list.

Stay on Top! John Foss, Chairman IUF Skill Levels and Rules Committee
unicycle@aol.com

2

Re: IUF Skill Levels

Fellow unicyclists,

I’m in absolutely total disagreement with swapping “hop standing on wheel 5
times”, currently in IUF Skill Level 5, with “wheel walking 10m”, currently in
IUF Skill Level 6.

The IUF Standard Skill List has “hopping on wheel” valued at 3.0 points whereas
“wheel walking” is valued at 3.5 in the same list. Clearly “wheel walking” is
more difficult than “hopping on wheel”. In fact, I’ve heard of people “hopping
on wheel”, who couldn’t even “ride” the unicycle otherwise. “Hopping on wheel”
is simply using the unicycle like a pogo stick; anyone can do that!

Getting back to the pedals from “hopping on wheel” is no more difficult than
from “wheel walking”. I personally recall great difficulty in getting back to
the pedals from “wheel walking”, but getting back to the pedals from “hopping on
wheel” was not nearly as difficult (the IUF Standard Skill List values it at 3.0
points). Getting back to the pedals from “hopping on wheel” is easier, because
the wheel is not moving, thus the position of the pedals does not change.
However, getting back to the pedals from “wheel walking” is harder, because the
wheel is moving, thus the pedals are moving too. It is harder to hit a moving
target (pedal), isn’t it?

The USA, Inc. switched these two skills last year at its general membership
meeting, without its own Rules Committee even considering the change. It also
did so without consulting the IUF Rules Committee. The suggestion that other
countries’ unicycling unions should be consulted first was ignored; one
member went so far as to say the Japan Unicycling Association didn’t care
about the change.

The “International Unicycling Federation Skill Levels 1-10 Demonstrated” video
tape would have to change, if the IUF decides to switch these skills. However,
there would still be many of these video tapes out there that would never be
corrected. The cost of changes for new video and impossibility of changing
current video should alone provide sufficient justification to NOT change the
current IUF Skill Levels.

I propose that the USA, Inc. reconsider its action, switch the skills “hop
standing on wheel 5 times” and “wheel walking 10m” back to their original Skill
Levels, thus undoing the confusion this has caused. Can you imagine the
confusion that would be caused if every national unicycling union made their own
“minor” modification of the IUF Skill Levels without going through the IUF Rules
Committee?

Leave the IUF Skill Levels as they are! Bring the USA Skill Levels back into
correspondence with the IUF Skill Levels.

Stay on Top,

Ken Fuchs <kfuchs@winternet.com

3

Re: IUF Skill Levels (fwd)

Forwarded message:
> From: Unicycle@aol.com Date: Sun, 4 Jun 1995 03:01:06 -0400 Message-Id:
> <950604030104_22279696@aol.com> To: d.kathrens@genie.geis.com
> Cc: unicycling Subject: Re: IUF Skill Levels
>
> d.kathrens@genie.geis.com wrote:
>
> >John Foss <Unicycle@aol.com> writes:
> >
> >>It’s time for the IUF to make a decision on Skill Levels. This is a call for
> >>opinions from anybody, but I’m especially looking for opinions or feedback
> >>from the other members of the IUF Skill Levels Committee. Last summer, the
> >>USA switched a pair of skills between levels 5 and 6, moving 'hop standing
> >>on wheel 5 times’ to level 5, and ‘walk the wheel for 10 meters’ to level 6.
> >
> >Unless I’m mistaken, that’s the way it was, not the recent change.
>
> Oops. Dennis is correct. ‘Walk the wheel’ is now USA level 5, and 'hop
> standing on wheel’ is USA level 6. Should IUF also make this change? So far I
> have only heard from two people. Are theirs the only opinions on this matter?
>
> John Foss

I don’t have an opinion on these two skills, but I do think that if you start
tinkering with the skills you will never stop. The list has various
inconsistencies, at least to me. For example:

I think idling one-footed with either foot (level 5) is easier than riding
one-footed(level 4).

I’ve found riding backwards, idling, and doing a 360 degree turn (level 4) to be
easier than riding over a 10x10 block(level 3).

Now, people will disagree with my list, and that’s fine. My point is that
everyone has their disagreements with the list, and in the end the placement is
somewhat arbitrary. Comparing wheel walking and hopping is just one of the
issues that can be brought up.

Beirne

–
Beirne Konarski | Subscribe to the Unicycling Mailing List bkonarsk@mcs.kent.edu
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