Skill Level System
d.kathrens@genie.geis.com
Sun, 6 Nov 94 16:50:00 UTC
John Stimpson wrote:
>Am I the only person on this list that thinks the Skill Level
>Certification System is silly? For one thing - a certification system
>for unicycling? For me and everyone I know, unicycling has been
>completely informal, and we try to learn whatever tricks we feel like.
>Unicycling for me is more a fun form of transport, and a lot of the cool
>stuff I've done/seen done has had a lot more to do with terrain and
>obstacles, or the ability to do normal things while on a
>uni, like pick things up off the ground, (which is requisite for)
>playing frisbee, basketball, etc.
As a total novice I for one was glad to find such a system mapped out,
especially when I found out that a demonstration videotape was available.
Isolated geographically as I was/am, I would have never guessed that so many
skills were even possible and I feel that my progress has been expedited
greatly.
I probably wouldn't go as far as tracking down an examinator and being tested,
or buying the USA patch and Level chevrons, but it's nice to know where you
are and get an idea of where you want to go. IMHO the Skill Level system is a
good basic set of skills to acquire. Of course one may add, embellish or
improvise.
For instance, idling. The Skill Levels prescribe two footed and one footed
idling. They don't mention double idling (I read about this in Jack Wiley's
_The Unicycle Book_) or rotating clockwise or counterclockwise on a point
while doing any of these skills. I sort of discovered that myself.
The Skill Levels prescribe hopping 5 times, and when I got this I learned to
rotate clockwise and counterclockwise while hopping. In one of the videos Ken
Fuchs sent me, I see John Foss hopping on the pedals while holding the seat in
front, also transitioning from riding forward/seat in front to riding
backwards/seat in front by doing a 180 degree hop twist.
I too am interested in using my uni for transportation. I can stop at stop
signs and lights and idle until the light turns green and ride off curbs
(still working on hopping up curbs though) and I feel that working up through
the levels has given me a more polished set of skills and techniques to
accomplish that.
Scratch a unicyclist and you'll likely find a latent exhibitionist peeking
out. I love to do tricks and it's fun to bring that look of amazement to the
faces of people around me. The world is full of people who look no further
than the daily routine of work/rest/work. Getting them to lift their noses
from the grindstone for a few seconds and feel amazement is a wonderful gift
not only for them but for me as well.
I guess the message here is take what you find and use it, but don't be limited by it.
Dennis Kathrens
d.kathrens@genie.geis.com