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2026 Kankakee Valley Open Compete USA Competition

Sunday, October 11, 2026 at Ice Valley Centre Ice Arena

Registrations due by September 13, 2026 on EntryEeze.com

rr Dear Parents, Coaches, and Competitors, Thank you for your interest in the 2026 Kankakee Valley Open! We are very excited to have this event return to Kankakee this year! The coaching staff, management, and volunteers of Ice Valley Centre truly believe in the U.S. Figure Skating Learn to Skate USA program and do everything that we can to encourage ice skating at the grassroots level. Because of this, we are committed to making sure that group sizes are no larger than six skaters and that everyone walks away feeling special.

The 2026 Kankakee Valley Open will be hosted at Ice Valley Centre Ice Arena, located at 1601 River Road in Kankakee, Illinois on Sunday, October 11, 2026. The Learn to Skate USA Competition is approved by U.S. Figure Skating and conducted in accordance with the USFS rulebook.

Competition Overview: The Kankakee Valley Open will be conducted in accordance with the rules and regulations of U.S. Figure Skating, as set forth in the current rulebook, and current Compete USA handbook as well as any pertinent updates that have been posted on the U.S. Figure Skating website.

This competition is open to all eligible, restricted, reinstated or readmitted persons as defined by the Eligibility Rules.

Skaters must be a currently registered member of a U.S. Figure Skating member club, Learn to Skate USFSA member, a collegiate club or who is an individual member in accordance with the current rulebook. For non-U.S. citizens, please refer to the rulebook for more information.

Series Information: The 2026 Kankakee Valley Open is part of the 18th Annual U.S. Figure Skating Illinois Compete USA Series - July 1, 2026June 30, 2027.

Eligibility: It is very important to the success of the competition that skaters are placed in the correct divisions. This will ensure that every event is as fair as possible to the competitors. It is an ethical violation for coaches to sandbag an event. Choosing a competitive level that is right for your skater: It is the responsibility of the instructor, coach, or skating director to place the skater at the correct competitive level. This decision should be based upon skill proficiency, athlete development, and fairness. Placing skaters at a level that challenges them appropriately while fostering their ongoing development is key to nurturing their growth.

The competition is open to ALL skaters who are current members of either Learn to Skate USA and/ or those who are full members of U.S. Figure Skating (including Aspire). Members of other organizations are eligible to compete but must be a current registered member of Learn to Skate USA or a full member of U.S. Figure Skating. There will be no more than six competitors maximum in an event, and all six should receive an award. Eligibility will be based on skill level as of closing date of entries. All Snowplow Sam and Basic 1-6 skaters must skate at highest level passed or one level higher, and NO official U.S. Figure Skating tests may have been passed, including skating skills or individual dances. Special Olympics events are for skaters with intellectual disabilities. Skate United events are for skaters with physical disabilities. Skate United skaters have the option to compete in the standard track or Skate United track; accommodations may be made upon request. Adaptive events are for skaters with any type of disability.

Coach Compliance

To be an eligible coach at a nonqualifying competition, coaches must meet the applicable compliance requirements and verified by U.S. Figure Skating. Coach compliance falls into two categories, Coach Compliance (includes choreographers) and Learn to Skate USA® Instructor Compliance. Details regarding compliance requirements can be found HERE. All compliance requirements must be met at the time of check-in to access the competition, no exceptions.

Enteries and Fees: Registration will be available online only through EntryEeze (www.entryeeze.com) via a secured credit card payment. Registration must be completed by 11:59 pm, Sunday, September 13, 2026. Late entries will be accepted with a $20 late fee through Thursday, September 17, 2026 at 11:59 pm. Upon receiving your application online, an email will be sent to the skater's coach to verify accuracy of entry. An official at the skater's home club will also be notified to certify the skater's standing within the club. Entry fees are per person in the amount of $90 for the first event, $25 for each additional event. Photography is included. Photos of their skate will be available for download after the competition. Entry fees will not be refunded after entry deadline unless no competition exists or the event is canceled. There will be no refunds for medical withdrawals.

Practice Ice: Practice ice will be available for purchase online via Entryeeze. Pre-Paid practice ice is available for a cost of $15 for each 20-minute session. Skaters will be assigned to a practice ice session if purchased. Practice ice will not be sold the day of the competition. All practice ice must be purchased prior to the event through Entryeeze.

Music Submission and Upload: The music for all free skating events must be uploaded through EntryEeze. Time duration is always +/- 10 seconds. Music must be uploaded before the due date to avoid a $20 late fee. All music must be submitted by September 27, 2026 at 11:59 pm.

Competitors must also have available a backup copy of their competition music on a cell phone and it must be immediately available rinkside whenever the skater competes. If the phone does not have the standard round headset connector, an appropriate adapter, such as an Apple Lightning connector or Samsung USB-C adapter is required to be attached. The phone should be presented to the music person with the file ready to play, phone in airplane mode and volume turned to maximum.

Locker Rooms: Locker rooms and changing areas will not be available for this competition. All athletes are expected to arrive at the arena ready (costumes, hair, make-up etc.). Athletes will be provided with an area to put skates on but changing will not be permitted in these spaces.

Schedule: The schedule of events will be posted on the Ice Valley Centre Ice Arena website, www.icevalleycentre.com and www.entryeeze.com no later than one week prior to the competition and will include groups and skating times. A link will be be email out with the schedule. Groups will be no larger than six (6).

Awards: Everyone will receive a medal. ALL awards will be made immediately following the event. Awards will be presented in the lobby following the posting of results.

Onsite Check In: Check-in will open on Sunday, October 11 one hour prior to the start of the competition.

Volunteer Information: Volunteer positions will be available through SignUpGenius.com. Contact Angie Pace-Tousignant for a copy.

Photography: Photography, by KR Photogs, is included in the registration. Each skater will receive the download of their event after the competition.

Contact Information: For questions, please contact Angie Pace - atousignant@kvpd.com or phone (815) 939-1311.

Competition announcement

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unday, October 11, 2026 at Ice Valley Gentre Ice Arena

This announcement template is for competitions that are only running Compete USA events. If you are running Compete USA events in conjunction with a nonqualifying event, please use the standard nonqualifying announcement template.

Competition announcement

Rules for compete USA competitions

3100 Rules for Compete USA Competitions

3110 Compete USA Competitions - Approvals

• 3111 Compete USA competitions may include events up to and including preliminary singles, adult bronze singles, and pre-bronze pattern dance without applying for a U.S. Figure Skating sanction. However, an approval number is required and may be obtained from the appointed Learn to Skate USA ® representatives.

3120 Compete USA Competitions - Officials

• 3121 For Compete USA competitions, a chief referee and chief scoring official are required. In addition, three judges not related to the competitors are required for each event. Officials may be any official certified by U.S. Figure Skating or Skate Canada or any other qualified eligible or ineligible person.
• 3122 For Compete USA competitions, the member club or other organization sponsoring and conducting the competition will approve all officials. All persons serving as officials must be current U.S. Figure Skating member and/or Learn to Skate USA ® member, be at least 16 years of age and, if 18 years of age or older, pass a background check and complete SafeSport TM training.

3130 Compete USA Competitions - Announcements

• 3131 For all Compete USA competitions, a copy of the announcement and an approval request shall be sent to the appointed Learn to Skate USA ® representative for approval and issuance of a Compete USA approval number 30 days prior to the release of the competition announcement to the public. The approval is to be publicly displayed during the competition.
• 3132 Compete USA competitions will follow the event structure as outlined in the Compete USA Manual. Any registered Learn to Skate USA ® program may conduct a Compete USA competition.

3133 Compete USA competitions may be

1. 'In house' - the competition is available only to those skaters who are members of the club or program conducting the competition, or
2. 'Open' - the competition is available to any registered U.S. Figure Skating Learn to Skate USA ® member or full U.S. Figure Skating member.

3055 Entries

At nonqualifying competitions, if only one eligible competitor/team enters an event, the competitor/ team will be offered the option to skate an exhibition, compete in an equivalent event one level above or one level below (as qualified by test level) or, for prejuvenile and lower and adult bronze and lower singles events, compete in an equivalent event against skaters of the opposite gender.

1. If said competitor chooses to skate an exhibition, judges will award their marks according to the rules and the applicable judging system used, and the competitor/team will receive first place.
2. If said competitor chooses to compete in an equivalent event against skaters of the opposite gender, the skater will be entered accordingly.
3. If said competitor/team chooses not to skate, the entry fee will be refunded, and the event will be cancelled.

3064 Skating Accommodations Memorandum (S.A.M.) for Nonqualifying Competitions

A singles skater with a documented physical disability, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), may request exemption from certain technical rules or element requirements or expectations on the basis that such rule or requirement penalizes them in the assessment.

Eligibility rules for participants

Competition announcement

Eligibility rules for coaches/instructors

It is very important to the success of the competition that skaters are placed in the correct divisions. This will ensure that every event is as fair as possible to the competitors. It is an ethical violation for coaches to sandbag an event.

Choosing a competitive level that is right for your skater: It is the responsibility of the instructor, coach, or skating director to place the skater at the correct competitive level. This decision should be based upon skill proficiency, athlete development, and fairness. Placing skaters at a level that challenges them appropriately while fostering their ongoing development is key to nurturing their growth.

Eligibility and test requirements

The competition is open to ALL skaters who are current members of either Learn to Skate USA and/or those who are full members of U.S. Figure Skating (including Aspire). Members of other organizations are eligible to compete but must be a current registered member of Learn to Skate USA or a full member of U.S. Figure Skating.

Eligibility will be based on skill level as of closing date of entries. All Snowplow Sam and Basic 1-6 skaters must skate at highest level passed or one level higher, and NO official U.S. Figure Skating tests may have been passed, including skating skills or individual dances.

Special Olympics events are for skaters with intellectual disabilities. Skate United events are for skaters with physical disabilities. Skate United skaters have the option to compete in the standard track or Skate United track. Accommodations may be made upon request. Adaptive events are for skaters with any type of disability.

For synchronized skating eligibility and requirements refer to the synchronized skating page.

There will be no more than six competitors maximum in an event, and all six should receive an award.

When hosting a Compete USA competition, it is important that you verify the compliance of each coach/instructor who plans to coach onsite at the event.

For credentials at a Compete USA event, coaches/ instructors are required to have:

• Learn to Skate USA instructor compliant

Or

• U.S. Figure Skating coach compliant

If a coach/instructor attempts to work at your event without the proper credentials, he or she is in violation of U.S. Figure Skating ethics and code of conduct rules and, as such, is subject to disciplinary action.

All officials and adult volunteers assisting Compete USA events must also be SafeSport Trained™.

Competition announcement

Program requirements

Events offered

Program requirements for the events listed below can be found HERE