Robert Unger’s legacy to ISI was not only the expansion development of the ISI learn-to-skate curriculum and ISI competitions but also the philosophy that everyone should be able to participate in ice skating competitions, and that winning isn’t as important as participating.
Margy Bennett shares a laugh with her former coach, Robert Unger.
As the ISI Learn to Skate Program
became more and more popular in the United States, with ice arenas using it as their group lesson curriculum, Mr. Unger was elected to the ISI Board of Directors and appointed chair of the Test Standards Committee. He spent 30-plus years leading this committee to define passing standards and expand the program to include all aspects of figure skating. Careful attention was even paid to naming the ISI test levels — and not labeling the test levels as beginner, intermediate — and so the unique Greek alphabet names were used (Alpha, Beta, Gamma). Having defined passing standards of the skating skills on each test led to the success of the ISI program, now used worldwide.
ISI competitions grew in popularity because of many of the principles that
Mr. Unger and others instilled. Tese competitions were an opportunity for skaters of all ability levels and ages to participate at a time when only qualifying competitions for the National Championships were available. Skating coaches judge ISI competitions because they are technically trained, which was a different concept than had been used in the past. Te judging system that was developed by ISI fairly compares every skater with required maneuvers performed by all. Tese competitions began with a simple concept of participation for all and hardly any rules. Simplicity was the key to success. Trough the years, ISI technical freestyle events became popular, but “fun” events and group events became hugely successful and truly illustrate ISI’s fun
and “participation for all” philosophy. ISI competitions resulted in success for everyone: ice arenas had more skaters practicing and taking group lessons, coaches taught more lessons, and the host arena of the competition had generous revenue created by the event.
Robert Unger’s legacy to ISI was
not only the expansion development of the learn-to-skate curriculum and ISI competitions but also the philosophy that everyone should be able to participate in ice skating competitions, and that winning isn’t as important as participating.
Margy Bennett has served as secretary on the ISI Board of Directors since 2004. She is also a member of the ISI Test and Standards Committee.
Robert Unger and students, 1970s
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