Pros and Cons of using Bonus Values for backend loading
The main reason to backend load at the elite level is because many skaters are doing it so your skater may also have to in order to be competitive.
The main reason to not backend load is because your skater is risking triple-triple, 3A and quadruple jumps that are newly acquired. High value jumps are risky because of the split second timing involved so it is difficult for these jumps to be stable unless they have 3-5 years experience with them. Front end loading affords the skater a better chance of performing them in their program before their muscles fatigue.
From a developmental standpoint, if your skater cannot do a clean 3A it is best to back end load the jump combinations because they are worth more points when performed in the second half. This helps reduce the point deficit when comparing the base value of your skater with the competition who may be completing the 3A.
It becomes logical to not backend load the program if the skater cannot complete difficult elements after 2-3 months of training. The best time to finalize content is three weeks prior to a competition. This is the beginning of the taper period in the periodized year.
When you think about long-term development another point to consider is that as you move up levels from Novice to Junior and Junior to Senior the difficult jumps from the previous level become the backend loaded jumps of the next level.
Consider the 3F and 3Lz. If your Novice skater completes a clean 3F and 3Lz then when they move to the Junior level they will front end load their program with a triple triple combination and/or a 2A + 3T. This means at least one of their 3F and/or 3Lz will have to be placed in the backend. So if the skater is strong enough then you can place the solo 3F or 3Lz in the second half.
In the above example, the skater is using each competition to set and achieve clearly defined skill set goals while at the same time learning to take risks. Because they are developing and in a growth mindset they will able to view these jump box changes as normal and besides encouraging the development of a risk taking strategy, this will enable them to be able to think on their feet as they are performing should the instance call for it and obtain the maximum amount of points when necessary.
Finally, it is recommended that you as the coach orientate your skaters that the planned program content is a dynamic process. This is especially true at the Novice level when the skill set of the skaters is constantly changing as they move up to junior and senior.