Dare to DREAM

A Letter to the Future

2015-04-15T19:45:00.000-07:00

A Letter to the Inaugural United States Synchronized Skating Olympic Team:

I write this letter to you shortly after returning home from the ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships in the year 2015. I am unsure of when in the future this letter will actually find you, but do know with all my heart, that one day it will.

You have been chosen to represent your country on the Olympic stage, so I am writing to remind you what this truly means. I am writing to remind you what this sport it truly about.

Haydenettes celebrate a clean short program at the
2015 ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships

In 2015, there is a common misconception that Synchro is the discipline that skater’s “fall back on”. You and I both know this to be untrue. If you are like me, then the sport didn’t choose you, you chose it. You chose synchro because it was the biggest challenge you had yet faced. You had to master the jumps of Freestyle, the turns of Ice Dance and the lifts of Pairs Skating - all while staying in perfect unison with your 15 team mates. You chose to be a person your teammates could depend on. You took on the responsibility of not only looking out for yourself and improving your skills, but also lifting up those around you with support. I like to call synchro the “Miracle Sport”, because you and I know that 16 people skating a perfectly clean program in perfect unison can be somewhat of a Miracle.

The Haydenettes - my teammates for life

Nothing will replace the feeling you have after
you've skated your best

You are now representing the Ultimate team sport. You will not only skate together on the Olympic stage, but you will become one unit. You are representing the best of what the United States has to offer, past and present. I ask you now not to forget what this sport is truly about. The skaters who competed this weekend in the 2015 World Championships did not grow up choosing to skate synchro in the hopes of one day becoming Olympians. We did it in spite of the fact that the Olympics were not an option. There is something special about this sport that grabs on to your heart and does not let go. It is a sport for fighters, the kind of athletes who do not give up on themselves or each other. It is a sport where you will have your highest highs and your lowest lows, but yet you will never be alone. It is a sport where in those few moments in your career when the miracle does happen, you can skate to the middle of the ice, hug your adjacent puzzle pieces, and stand side by side as you share your accolades with your best friends. You are a part of something so much bigger than one person. So please do not forget the sport and the love for being a part of something that reaches far beyond your own wants and needs. We have been working tirelessly so that you would have this chance.

2015 World Synchronized Skating Team

So please, skate with your heart, skate with your soul and know that generations of synchronized and precision skaters before you are smiling, knowing that all of our dreams came true! We know you will represent us well, now GO GET EM’ USA!

Sincerely,

A member of the 2015 United States Synchronized Skating & World Team

How Did We Get Here?

2015-04-08T14:53:00.000-07:00

I write this blog post to you as I’m about to depart for the 2015 ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships, which is the final event of the season for me and my team, the Haydenettes (Team USA 1), and I think to myself “how did we get here?”. In less than a week from now another season will have come and gone; final performances will have been skated and champions will have been crowned.

Haydenettes last practice at home before heading to Canada for the World Championships

So how did we get here? Well I guess you could say time just flies when you’re having fun. But most of all we got here from the help, support, and dedication of many incredible people.

Our coaches. They push us every practice, they know what’s best for us, we give them our all and trust them 100%. We have succeeded and reached this point thanks to all the hard work of our coach, Saga Krantz.

With Coach Saga after the short program at The Spring Cup in Milan, Italy

Our family. They love us unconditionally, day in and day out. From sitting in the crowd at a competition or watching online, they support us whether we win or lose and we would not be the individuals we are today without them.

Me with my parents at the Award Ceremony at this year's National Championships

Our managers. Who organize travel plans, schedules, and everything in between, and are there to support us every step of the way throughout the season.

Haydenettes with our team manager, Gail Mayer, at the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk earlier this season

Our friends, who might not understand anything about the sport, but are always there to cheer us on.

Younger skaters, who look up to us and remind us of where we once began our journeys and why we fell in love with this sport in the first place.

Former skaters, who created a legacy for us to follow, acted as role models for us, and created dreams for ourselves that we are living out today.

Current and former Haydenettes at the 2015 US Championships

And then of course, our teammates. We wouldn’t be where we are if we didn’t put our undivided trust and love into our team as a whole. We work as one unit on and off the ice and are able to create lifelong memories and friendships along the way.

2015 Haydenettes

So how did we get here? We practiced, we sacrificed, we worked as hard as we could. But we wouldn’t have made it here on our own. Thank you to everyone who has helped me get to where I am today, off to compete at the World Championships. I couldn’t have done it without each and every one of you.

Let’s go USA!

Ashley Tomich

The Final Push

2015-04-06T19:59:00.000-07:00

After months and months of practice, countless run-throughs, and even more “Let’s do that section one more time” comments, it’s hard to believe that we are already at this point in the season, making that final push towards stepping out onto the world stage. In just a few days 25 teams, representing 20 countries from all around the world will meet in Hamilton, Canada for what is sure to be a tight competition and an incredible event.

Scott Brown with the Miami Senior Team

Coming off of the US Synchronized Skating Championships with such strong performances by all the teams in the senior division, the Haydenettes and Miami University were thrilled to be named the 2015 US World Team, but the hard work definitely did not end there. For Miami, our goal was certainly to reclaim our spot on their World Team, but also to take it much farther than that. These past several weeks have been packed with skating and training in an effort to ensure that we are as prepared and well set up for success at the ISU World Championships as possible.

While the rest our classmates and the Miami University student body cleared out of Oxford and headed for the beaches over spring break two weeks ago, we stuck around and put in several hours of intense practice, pushing our stamina and tweaking our programs ever so slightly. We were very lucky to welcome back one of our choreographers, Scott Brown, for some attention to detail in the short program. He helped us prepare to fill the FirstOntario Centre in Hamilton with our joy of skating from the moment we enter the ice.


Miami Skating taking a quick break to watch the Varsity Hockey Team on TV

We truly have been pushing ourselves harder than ever and putting in a tremendous amount of work over the past month. The best part of this work however, has been doing it together as a team. Without all 19 athletes giving everything that we have each and every practice, we couldn’t have accomplished everything that we have so far this season. It’s in those times that you don’t think your legs can take even one more crossover, that looking over at your teammates is the most empowering. This one glance allows you to do what you yourself might not have been able to do without your teammates giving 150% as well.

“You will never know your limits until you push yourself past them!”

Former Skyliners Junior teammates and DREAMmates Audrey McQuade and Ashley Mulhern ready to take on the World once again

It’s always so important to remember that anything can happen on any given day, at any competition, but especially at the World Championships. In the sport of synchronized skating, there are so many things that are out of our control as skaters when competing. We can’t control the judges, the technical panel, or even the other teams, but the one thing we do have control over is our own performance. As we look towards the World Championships, we have set our sights as high as we can and will head into the competition with the goal of putting on another show, skating with strong performance all week long, exciting the arena, and leaving our mark on Hamilton. We may not be able to control our final placement, but we can most definitely control how we feel when we hit our ending position and give ourselves and the audience a performance to remember. This is sure to be a week that will remain in our memories for the rest of our lives.

2015 US World Team

We can’t wait for another ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships in North America, where you can count on the crowd to be bursting with spirit, deafening cheers, and a true passion and appreciation for the sport of synchronized skating. Good luck to all the teams competing and we’ll see you there!

Representing the USA with Love & Honor,

Ashley Mulhern

Fueling the Grind

2015-03-27T13:56:00.000-07:00

As soon as Nationals were over I wanted to get right back to practice! Competing at Nationals, watching teams at every level, and qualifying for Worlds motivated me to take on the next step in training with the Haydenettes.

Some of my favorite moments after competing at

Nationals were the hugs from my teammates and my family

[Photo taken by Kaleigh Corbett]

Leaving the locker room after competing the

short program at Nationals

This season, nutrition has never been more significant. As the training grind gets more intense, nutrition and hydration play an even more important role. Did you know that when you start to feel thirsty, your muscles are already approximately 20% less efficient? I only wish I had known sooner because now that I am drinking almost 4 Nalgene water bottles a day, I’m less sore after an intense practice or workout.

Post-practice recovery: water and a protein shake

As a team, we have made a big push to eating healthy and fueling our bodies with the right foods: the less processed, the better. Protein, fruits, and vegetables have become our main focus!

As synchro athletes, we train in multiple disciplines, often more than once in one day. My favorite start to a day of training and school is a good breakfast. For example, on Wednesdays I’m on the ice first thing in the morning for a lesson, after which I go to class, and then head to practice where we’re on the ice for 2 ½ hours and then do a high intensity workout right after. Eating a power-packed breakfast affects my focus and mood for the whole day, so I like to have a lot of protein and some fruit.

My favorite breakfast: egg white omelet with spinach and ham, cottage cheese, and berries

Remember that everyone’s body is different and requires different fuel. Nevertheless, I encourage you during this season of tryouts and recovery to try to drink a little more water every day, or add an extra serving of fruit or vegetables to your next meal because it really makes a difference!

Good luck with school and tryouts everyone!

Eliana

Caught up with Post-National Blues?

2015-03-18T09:36:00.008-07:00

It has only been 18 days since the 2015 US Synchronized Skating Championships concluded in Providence, Rhode Island. But who is counting? Unforgettable programs were skated, champions were crowned, and I am sure tons of selfies were taken. Instead of doing homework, you browse through all 500+ of your teammate's photos. You constantly have flashbacks to being out on the ice with your teammates and skating your very best. And you cannot stop watching your performance on YouTube.

You, like many other skaters are displaying classic symptoms of post-National blues!

With former DREAMmate Audrey McQuade and DREAMmate Eliana Marostica post Senior Award Ceremony at Nationals.

Is it socially acceptable to #tbt to #SynchroChamps15 already?

Here are a few suggestions on what you can be doing to keep your mind off last season and help prepare you for next season:

1. Keep skating - practicing your individual skills will help you maintain your current level of skating. Work on skills that where challenging for you this past season and master what you were already comfortable with. Never underestimate the amount of time and dedication you put into making yourself a better skater.

Taking advantage of private ice at Walter Brown Arena at Boston University.

2. Test: Moves in the Field, Ice Dance, and Freestyle – taking tests is important to eventually compete at certain levels in qualifying competitions. Or you can take tests to continually challenge yourself and your abilities.

3. Cross train – the off-season is the perfect time to try new activities that keep you active. Whether it is running, swimming, cycling, kickboxing, or yoga, your options are endless and should be fun!

Ashley Tomich & I powered through a Vinyasa Flow class.

4. Participate in the S.T.A.R.S program – a fun and interactive off-ice fitness assessment designed to promote all-around fitness and to physically prepare skaters for more complex and demanding skating skills. This is a great way to see your performance in comparison with with matched age-, gender-, and level- skaters from across the US. It also provides you with a baseline for where your fitness levels are and what areas you can focus on in training for next season.

5. Attend Summer Camps – DREAM Camp, Synchro Training Festival, or other summer camps are the perfect opportunity to meet and skate with other skaters from across the country. You also get to work with some of the best coaches in the US and learn new skills that you can take back home to share with your team.

Goofing around between on-ice sessions at Elite Camp 2014.

Registration for DREAM Camp and Training Festival opens on April 1, 2015!

6. Rest – this is also the perfect time to focus on your individual needs! Whether you take a few weeks off to rest an injury or go on a vacation with your family, do not worry about not being able to skate. Everyone deserves time to rest and regroup during the off-season, which can actually help you prepare for next season.

No matter what you end up doing during this off-season, make sure you keep your skates sharpened and your body healthy so you are ready to take on next season. I know I cannot wait to spend time with my friends and family back at home in California.

Feel free to reach out to any DREAM skater or myself if you have any questions about what we do during our off-season! We would love to hear from you or see you at DREAM Camp/Training Festival this summer!

- Devin Wang

No “Right” Path

2015-03-09T14:45:00.000-07:00

As another season comes to a close for United States Synchronized Skating, we are all aware that no time is lost in planning for the next season. All of this has a different meaning for the athletes who are looking toward the next step in their skating career.

For many athletes, the love for this sport was developed through a single organization. This club gave you not only the skills to succeed, but many best friends - which makes it all the more difficult to move in a new direction. This decision does not weigh lightly, as it asks not only what team you will find yourself on, but also how will you balance your life outside of the rink.

My advice to the worried skaters who have this daunting decision ahead of them is simple; decide what matters most to you. A favorite quote of mine that reads “Ask yourself what is really important and then have the wisdom and courage to build your life around it”. If the answer to this question is skating, then I know a few girls who were in your shoes not very long ago.

As a small town girl from Howell, Michigan I joined the Ann Arbor Hockette organization at age 12. I had been skating freestyle and synchro for my local club team since the age of 5, but I was ready to take on a new challenge in hopes of pushing myself further. For five amazing years I skated for the Hockettes and made friends that are still like family to me, today. I then found myself in the position to move toward my biggest dream - becoming a member of the Haydenettes.

Lifelong friends that I made during my time on Hockettes, Maggie Mayer (above) and Tessa Hedges (below)

It is hard enough deciding which team may be a good fit, but what about the life you will have to build outside of the rink? Take a breath - like I said before, just follow year heart. If your greatest goal is to skate, then you will find a way to make it happen.

There is no single or “right” way to make your dreams come true. My team has followed a number of paths:

Many of the girls on my team attend college full time. This is perfect for them because it not only allows them to continue their education, but it also gives them a place to call home.
Others have jobs (instead of, or as well as school) to help offset the costs of skating and living expenses.
Some have graduated college already and move to Hayden as their next step – (even from other countries!)

My path has been a bit more winding than that of a normal student athlete. For the past four years I have been a part time Biology/ Pre-med student at Fitchburg State University. Being part time has given me the chance to focus on skating, as well as maintain my GPA. I have had the freedom to work multiple jobs and the flexibility to balance amazing volunteer/internship opportunities, such the Boys & Girls Club and The Special Olympics. My favorite volunteer opportunity outside of the rink has been working for the New England Aquarium’s Rescue and Rehabilitation center. Each week I shadow Biologists and Veterinarians as they treat wild animals found on the coast of Massachusetts!

A photo taken by The Boston Globe during the record breaking sea turtle stranding season of the fall/winter of 2014-15

I hope all of this can help to ease some of your minds. I know that there is still much uncertainty, but if you are working towards a goal that drives you, then the sacrifices will be nothing in comparison to reaching those goals! Though we are all synchronized skaters working towards the same dreams, our paths will certainly veer in different directions before merging into one.

-Lindsay Grajek

My “Rhode” to the 2015 US Synchronized Skating Championships

2015-02-26T10:06:00.000-08:00

The idea that all good things must come to an end is one that I refuse to believe is true… at least in this particular situation. As I sit here on the 13 hour bus ride with the Miami University Skating Organization, headed to my final National Championship, I am thinking about how my experience as a synchronized skater over the past 16 seasons has not just been a good thing, but an incredible life changing experience. A long road came prior to this year’s National Championship. A road that had some bumps and many hills to climb, but also some unbelievable views from the tops of those hills. Although this may be my final National Championship, I don’t see it as the end of the road, but just a veer in a new direction.

2004 Juvenile National Championships

It all started as a seemingly giant goal for a fairly small 9 year old attending her first Nationals at the juvenile level back in 2003. I had a dream of competing on a nationally ranked senior level team that would compete internationally as part of Team USA. Things really started three years before that when an even smaller 6 year old little girl, begged her mom to let her try this thing called precision skating. Year after year I became more and more in love with the sport, and thrived on the energy I received from performing and competing. The road to where I am now was not always a smooth sheet of ice, but it had some rocky starts, downfalls, and uphill battles.

The first several years that I competed at the U.S. Synchronized Skating National Championships, I was absolutely thrilled to be there and to experience it all. The outcome however, was not quite as exciting as the event itself, ending many times towards the bottom of the division. As the years went on, my teammates and I worked even harder, became more and more driven to succeed, and finally began to rise in the ranks. It wasn’t until 2006 that I finally earned my first national medal, the novice division pewter in Grand Rapids, MI. Moving into the junior division, we struggled to make it onto the podium, but it was those times of adversity that brought us together and made us fight even harder the next season. This perseverance through even the most devastating of performances afforded me 4 international competitions with Team USA at the junior level and 2 appearances on the Junior World Team as both Team USA 1 and Team USA 2.

2006 Novice Pewter Medalist

Starting a new chapter of my life and moving on to college, I could not be happier or luckier to be a part of the Miami University Varsity Synchronized Skating teams, where I have been given the best of both worlds. Competing on the senior team for the past 4 years has been a dream come true and the only place you can proudly say that you represent your university and your country each and every time you take the ice with your 19 best friends. While things haven’t always gone the exact way that I may have wanted them to, I have learned more than I could have ever imagined from each of these experiences. The synchronized skating world and culture as a whole have shaped me into the athlete and person that I am today. I have countless memories, lifelong friendships, and connections that I will hold close to me wherever the future may take me.

2011 U.S. Junior National Champions - Skyliners

I am beyond excited to compete at my final U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships as an athlete, alongside my 18 teammates. I truly could not think of a better group of girls to compete with. However, my Nationals road is not ending here, I look forward to returning to future U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships in a new way that will keep me as close as possible to this sport that has given me so much, and that I will love forever.

Best of luck to all the skaters competing this weekend in the 2015 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships in Providence, RI. Remember to fully enjoy each and every moment, cherish your teammates around you, and most of all have a blast!

Miami Senior Team ready to take on Providence and the 2015 US Synchronized Skating Championships
Photo Credit - Chandler Carroll

Love & Honor Forever and a Day,

Ashley Mulhern

Cross-Training Outside of Skating and Spring Cup

2015-02-17T10:00:00.000-08:00

“Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a team work” - Vincent Lombardi,

As synchronized skaters, we dedicate countless hours skating on the ice and working off the ice as a team every week. The focus of these practices is usually functioning together as one unit to ultimately build and work towards that one common goal for the season. Outside of practicing with the team, it is always encouraged to be practicing individual skating skills that will benefit not only you but the team as well. While there are many other ways to improve your own skating skills such as working on in moves in the field, ice dancing, pairs, and freestyle elements, it is also important to incorporate cross training into your training program.

This season, the Haydenettes have incorporated an off-ice conditioning program to our weekly practices with Kat Arbor at Ice Dynamics. Through Kat’s off-ice programs that features basic weight lifting and total body exercises, we have increased our strength, power, balance, flexibility, and cardio demands that match our on-ice needs as synchronized skaters.

There are many other ways you can incorporate cross training into your practice besides lifting weights and doing team works outs. I personally have found practicing yoga has helped with my flexibility, core strength, mental calmness, and total body relaxation. To support my cardio endurance and extra quad strength, I participate in indoor spinning classes at least once a week; or I will go for a run outdoors when the weather permits. All of these extracurricular activities outside of skating practice have added fun and variety into my daily life, in addition to providing a beneficial workout that targets my whole body. Changing up your training is also a great way to bond with your teammates outside of what you are used to doing at the skating rink.

DREAMmates Ashley, Devin, & Sharon with teammate Samm took Erin's SoulCycle class in the city.

The Haydenettes were led through a private yoga class at lululemon athletica in the Burlington Mall.

Listen to your body and know your limits. Do not try and push yourself into trying something you are not physically ready to do. I have taken my practice of yoga and incorporated a short vinyasa flow sequence into my warmup and stretching routine before I compete because I know that is what works for me. The benefits of cross training are endless when done properly and they will ensure a healthier, happier, and well-rounded skater out of you.

The Haydenettes and Synchroettes just returned from Milan, Italy where we both competed at Spring Cup, the last international competition for Team USA leading up to Junior and Senior Worlds. It was a very quick trip for the Haydenettes, leaving snowy Boston on Friday and returning Monday evening. With all of the cross training we have participated in this season, we felt strong and ready to compete for the third weekend in a row. We skated two clean programs that produced our highest scores so far this season and are incredibly honored to have placed third in the Senior Division amongst Nexxice of Canada and Team Surprise of Sweden. Congratulations to the Synchroettes, who also skated two clean programs and placed sixth in the Junior Division.

The Haydenettes & Synchroettes take a Team USA photo before dinner at Spring Cup 2015

Best of luck to all of the teams that will be competing at the 2015 Synchronized Skating Championships in Providence, Rhode Island next weekend!

Devin Wang

Sisters in Synchro

2015-02-11T08:35:00.000-08:00

Skating with a sibling on your team or on another team within your organization can be tricky but also rewarding.

In the very beginning, all three of my sisters skated. It started with my older sister. Then I followed in her footsteps, and my two younger sisters followed in mine. In the end, only my younger sister Eliza and I stuck with it, and when I joined the Synchroettes, so did she. Because of our three year age difference we have never skated on a team together, but having a sibling in the organization, despite its occasional ups and downs, has been a very special experience.

Just some of the many Synchroettes sisters posing for a picture during Kickoff in August.

You could say that Eliza (or Liza as I always call her) and I have been each other’s sidekicks from the very beginning. We practice together, we workout together, and when things get tough or one of us gets frustrated, we have each other to give our encouragement and support. But this doesn’t mean that skating with a sister is always easy. Because we spend so much time together, it is not unusual that we sometimes get into arguments. But over the years we’ve learned how to “leave our baggage at the rink door.” When we step into the rink we clear our heads so we can have a productive practice session. And almost all of the time, after skating for a couple of hours with clear minds, we realize on the ride home that what we were fighting about was either unimportant or could be easily solved.

These occasional arguments have made our relationship stronger, and it all becomes worth it when we can share exciting moments with each other.

Eliza and I at the awards ceremony at the Eastern Section Championships.

Though Eliza is my biological sister, the 19 other girls on my team have also become like family to me. The things I have learned from my relationship with Eliza have applied to relationships within my team in ways I could never have imagined. The bond my team and I have has made us closer than ever before, allowing us to work past any differences we might have and work together towards our common goal of skating our very best this season.

Always,

Molly

The Importance of Being There

2015-02-04T12:15:00.001-08:00

“Teamwork makes the dream work,” right? Well, a huge part of being a member of a successful team and working together is being there for your teammates no matter what setback may come. A major factor in keeping a team going is the support and motivation each member gives to one another. Of course there are several important lessons we all learn from being on a team, but to me, this is one lesson that is so vital to an outstanding team. It is one that can be forgotten when we get wrapped up in everything else going on in our lives.

Haydenettes celebrated great program debuts at the Boston Synchro Classic

No season can be described as “easy.” Some are filled with more challenges than others and some are more successful than others. Although we ultimately strive for the medals and trophies and spend our time, money, and energy working for them, there is something we can always take away from the time spent with our team. It is knowing that our teammates were the ones who got us through the season’s ups and downs despite the outcomes at competitions. They are the people who keep us going during the tough times because they are the ones who can always have our trust and are able to make us feel better with some words of encouragement, smiles, and a hug.

Teammates Jordan, Samm, &

me after our 1st competition with the Haydenettes

This past week at the French Cup was a very successful one for the Haydenettes, but not before going through a fair share of setbacks with many injuries, severe illnesses, major program changes, etc that have come our way this season. Overcoming these obstacles has only made us stronger and more prepared than we would have ever been without them, as I am sure they do for every team that face similar setbacks. As my fellow DREAMmate, Lindsey Maynard, talks about in her last blog post, overcoming these setbacks is part of any sport. They are just easier to get through with the support of your teammates. It is so cliché to say, “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” but the truth to that statement is incredible. It can also be hard to believe sometimes.

Your teammates are the people that will be in your life for a long time and hopefully will still remain equally important to you after you retire as a competitive skater. I am sure that we will all face many more setbacks, but knowing that my teammates have my back gives me peace of mind and allows me to enjoy the sport even more than I already do. Appreciate and be thankful for your amazing teammates. You wouldn't be there with them if you didn't love what you do, and all of the dedicated coaches who also love the sport would not put you on their team if they didn't believe in you one hundred percent. Be there for yourselves and for your teammates always.

Haydenettes at the Eiffel Tower on our way back to the USA after competing at the French Cup.

On a quick side note, I would like to congratulate all those who qualified for the U.S.Synchronized Skating Championships over the last few weeks and wish the best of luck to those who are competing at the New England Challenge Cup for the Junior World Team selection.

See you all soon!

Sharon

The 2015 Mozart Cup in Salzburg, Austria

2015-01-30T09:49:00.000-08:00

After a 9 hour flight to Munich, and an additional two hour bus ride, the Saint Louis Synergy Junior team arrived once again in the welcoming city of Salzburg, Austria! Despite everyone's exhaustion, all 19 of us were incredibly excited to be back at the 2015 Mozart Cup for the second time, representing Team USA. After settling into our rooms, we had dinner at our hotel, the Castellani, and then had an hour of stretching and yoga before going to bed after a very long day.

Our first day in Salzburg!

Our first full day started off with a strong and productive 2 hour unofficial practice at the Gmunden Rink, which is about an hour outside of Salzburg. May I mention, the winding drive through the mountains was absolutely breathtaking! The first practice at an international competition is the time that we, as well as most teams, like to get our feet under us after long hours of sitting on a plane. Later that day, we took some time to visit the competition rink as well, the Red Bull Eisarena. It was such a wonderful feeling being back at the rink of our international debut, and it got us even more excited to compete later that week. In the evening, we experienced a taste of authentic Austrian food in town at a restaurant called Zwettlers, which was the first restaurant we went to last year—and it is by far our favorite!

At the Gmunden Rink with one of our team leaders, Lois Long

Early on Thursday morning, he had a very successful second unofficial practice back at the Gmunden Rink. One of our team leaders, Lois Long, gave us a lot of helpful feedback after our first unofficial practice, which really motivated us to work even harder for our next 2 hours of on ice. That afternoon, we visited the Festung Hohensalzburg fortress, which is the iconic symbol of Salzburg, Austria, that looms high over the city. Sadly, the views were obscured by a thick fog that day, but that did not seem to dampen our spirits! We then headed into town for some shopping with our families. Salzburg is famous for its wonderful sweets, specifically the Mozart Kugel, which is a delicious chocolate candy sold in nearly every souvenir shop and bakery in town. But we can’t ever get enough of them! They are named after Mozart because he was born in Salzburg—you can even visit his house, which is in the center of town. As we walked around town, we saw many other teams, as well, including members from Finland's Rockettes. It is amazing to have the opportunity to meet so many incredible teams from around the world at the Mozart Cup; it is one of my favorite highlights about international competitions. Though we may not all speak the same language, we all feel that sense of unification through our passion for synchronized skating.

Synergy Junior visiting the Festung Hohensalzburg fortress

During our stay in Salzburg, we also visited the Bridge of Locks, where the tradition is to lock a personal pad lock to the fence and toss the key into the Salzach River while making a wish. This way, the lock is locked forever. There are thousands of locks on the fence, which was quite the sight (and photo-opp!). Many of us brought locks of our own, and participated in this unique tradition.

The official short program draw was around 7:30pm that night, when we learned that we would skate 10th out of the 18 Junior teams the next day. The following morning, we had our first official practice at the Eisarena, followed by a lunch back at our hotel. The Junior short program competition kicked off at 3:30pm, and we were pumped to skate our sassy “Too Darn Hot” and “Cool Cats” program. There is nothing quite like hearing the words "Representing the United States of America.” It is such a proud moment, and you can’t help but smile because all you can think about are the hours of hard work you put in just to get to that very moment. After a solid short program skate, we were in 5^th place and ready to attack the long program the next day!

Saturday morning started early with another successful official practice; we felt strong and ready. For the free skate, we skated in the last group, but unfortunately it was not the best performance of our "African Spirit" program. We ended in 7th place overall out of 18 Junior teams. Though we came to Austria with higher expectations, we have learned as a team that it is equally important to support each other in times of victory, as well as in times of disappointment. We have also learned that it is what we make of our disappointments that determine our success. In the end, the experience and privilege of being a part of Team USA and the pride in representing our country at a major international competition outweighed the score. It was even more special sharing this opportunity with the Lexettes, Miami University Senior, and the Crystallettes. We were overwhelmed with pride as we stood to cheer for all Team USA teams. This is another one of my favorite highlights about international competitions; although we are competitors, we are also teammates when competing outside of the United States, and that bonding moment of cheering for your teammates as they compete is so special. In addition to that, we were so proud to have two Team USA teams on the podium! Something great about the Mozart Cup is that they allow for every team to get on the ice during the awards ceremony. This included all divisions from Novice through Mixed Age. It was indescribably moving to share that experience with so many faces from around the globe.

All smiles at the Mozart Cup awards ceremony

Lastly, we owe a great deal of thanks to our wonderful team leaders, Lois Long and Colette Nygren! Though some competition outcomes end up being better than others, my team is so proud of our hard work and dedication this season. We will never forget the time spent and experiences shared in the beautiful city of Salzburg, Austria.

Best of luck to all teams for a successful rest of the season, and go Team USA!

Mary Carnal

Managing Injuries and the Leon Lurje Trophy

2015-01-21T08:42:00.000-08:00

Synchronized Skating is preparing to become an Olympic sport, and with that, there comes injuries. All teams are raising the bar, performing new and high risk lifts, elements, transitions, etc. With this, injuries are common. Injuries can be tricky, frustrating, and painful. The recovery of an injury is vital for any athlete, especially synchronized skaters.

Personally, I have dealt with a few injuries myself. I first injured my back while skating in 2012. I fractured my tailbone, had a herniated disk, and some nerve damage. After physical therapy, I was back to skating after just a month. After re-injuring my back this December, I learned the importance of managing an injury; it is difficult, but it is possible! For any injury, it is so important to listen to your body. You must know where your limits are. Yes, you want to push yourself but if your body is saying no, then listen! With injuries, progress can take time. Stay positive and remember that injuries are something all athletes go through.

Hockettes short program official practice

Try to find something else that may need improvement in your skating that doesn't require you to be on the ice. During the time I was unable to skate, I would sit in front of a mirror during my team’s ballet classes and practice only my arms. It made my arms become muscle memory, so I could focus on other things when I was back on the ice. I asked my physical therapist to write a workout that would improve my injury, and help the transition from getting back on to the ice easier. I would do this workout at strength training with my team. While my team was on the ice, I made notes from each practice I missed and made sure I wrote down new changes, corrections, timing, etc. Just because you are unable to be on the ice, doesn't mean it can slow down your skating! Although some injuries are different than others, there is always something you can do to be proactive even if you aren't on the ice.

Being injured is a process, and it can be tricky. After recently re-injuring my back, I am recovering as well as many other skaters out there! With the competition season really picking up, rest, physical therapy, and positive thoughts are very important for my injury and my recovery. I was able to skate with my team at the Leon Lurje Trophy and I am thankful I was able to do so.

This past weekend, my team and I were honored to compete at the Leon Lurje Trophy in Gothenburg, Sweden with Starlights senior. Representing Team USA was an unforgettable and extremely rewarding feeling. My team and I focused on staying in the moment and skating from our hearts. We were pleased with our performances in Sweden, and are excited to work hard in preparation for the upcoming competitions. Managing and competing with injuries are challenging, but with patience and positivity, it can be done.

Captains of Hockettes before the draw!

Wishing everyone good luck in the future competitions! Go Team USA!

Lindsey Maynad

Competition Preparation and the 2015 Colonial Classic

2015-01-13T09:51:00.000-08:00

As we dive into the peak of synchro season with international and qualifying competitions, the act of preparing oneself to compete both mentally and physically is becoming more and more relevant to our training. Competition preparation can be key to the quality of a performance, but is often easier said than done. As athletes, our bodies need to be in the best shape possible, but it is also expected of us to be completely focused on our team and the competition, no matter what happens outside of the “competition bubble.” Competition preparation is essential not only in the days leading up to a competition, but also in the weeks beforehand as well.

The 2015 Colonial Classic was held at the Tsongas Center in Lowell, MA

Competition time can get really hectic with turning in assignments for school, fitting in those last few hours of training, packing everything you need, and remembering to take care of your body. Balancing schoolwork and skating can be challenging which is why completing schoolwork beforehand is a key component to focused concentration during competition. In the weeks leading up to a competition, I’ve learned to get ahead by turning in large assignments beforehand, eliminating the impulse to worry about completing an important essay or studying for a test during the competition. With this approach, I can alternate my focus between schoolwork and the competition.

Although it may not always appear as the top priority, I’ve learned that sleep is, hands down, the most important part of taking care of your body in preparation for a competition. Training can be both mentally and physically grueling, and sleep gives your muscles and mind a chance to restore themselves and recover. In the past, I have gone to some competitions averaging 6 hours of sleep per night, and others averaging 8 hours of sleep per night. The difference that just two hours can make in both performance quality and my own enjoyment of the competition is huge!

Haydenettes competing our short program to James Bond at the Colonial Classic

Taking care of your body also means paying attention to nutrition and hydration. This past weekend at the 2015 Colonial Classic, we had what’s become our classic last meal before getting ready to compete: sandwiches. I love this choice because it incorporates whole grains, vegetables, and protein, keeping us full without feeling like the food is just sitting in our stomachs while we skate.

A big part of competition preparation is just being prepared for anything. Rink conditions can be completely different from practice to competition. Last week we were practicing at the Rodman Arena wearing 4 jackets and earmuffs and then the next day we competed at the Tsongas Center for Colonial Classic where we were sweating and it was very dry. Hydration definitely played a big role this weekend to combat these conditions.

In the locker room after the freeskate with DREAMmate

Ashley Tomich and DREAM alum Tessa Hedges.

At the end of the day, it is the attitude that ultimately determines the quality of a performance. No matter what obstacle is thrown your way, a focused and determined attitude can get you through almost anything! Good luck to all teams in their qualifying and international competitions, and GO USA!!

Eliana

Competitive Performance and “Again”: Why You Should Thank Your Coach

2014-12-31T10:00:00.000-08:00

“Again”…. By this point in the season we’ve all heard it countless times and we will all continue to hear it. As I have been home for the holidays I’ve been happy to get to visit my old teams, and the theme is always the same. At Precisely Right practice I watched John and Suzanne say it all the time, “Ok again..” At Skyliners, I listened to the same from Josh and Jenny, “Again” and of course when I’m at school Carla is always saying it, “Again." So… why is “Again” such a popular coach battle cry? The obvious answer is that by doing it another time, we have a chance to improve upon the last time we did it. But is there more to it than that? Turns out there is.

Visiting Precisely Right Practice

Being the nerdy psychology major I am, I tend to think a lot about why we do things and how the way we train prepares us for competition. In one of my classes this semester we read about Bargh & Chartrand’s idea of Intentional Acquisition of Automaticity (1999), which basically states that the more we practice a task, the more muscle memory associations are created, and the less we have to think about it, freeing up our mind to consciously think about other things. In a competitive context, having a mind that can be “free” to engage in thought can be beneficial. For me, I concentrate on selling the program to the audience and just enjoying the time on the ice. My mind is usually quiet. I do not have to think about the steps of the program because they are automatic from all the “Agains” at practice. This gives me the freedom to truly enjoy the skate and not have my inner voice screaming the steps, counts or reminders at me. I can truly take in the experience of the performance. If the program is not automatic and requires conscious thought, in theory, there would likely be no “room” for our thoughts to be about enjoying the skate when we are so worried about the steps. By doing things again and again it is not just so we can do it better the next time. Repeated action makes it so programs become automatic for competition and gives our minds the freedom to appreciate the moments we all work so hard for.

On competition day it seems that a quiet mind is best for allowing the elements we trained in practice to show. Thinking about the steps when you are out there competing is not your best bet. In a study I read, experienced soccer players dribbled the ball better when they listened to and reported when they heard a noise compared to just dribbling the ball without a task that distracted their conscious mind (Beilock et al., 2002). The point is that those who were not thinking about dribbling the ball performed better than those who were (Ironic

Parent's Weekend Exhibition

right?). This makes sense though. At our parents weekend exhibition I distinctly remember trying to coach myself through a triple twizzle and I put my foot down… Thinking too hard about what I was doing made me mess up. Ironically if my mind had not been thinking about that twizzle I probably would have hit it just fine. At Dr. Porter, I had a quiet mindset like the one I described earlier and I hit everything I needed to. My skating didn’t really change, but my thoughts did. In many respects the Nike slogan “Just do it.” is my favorite. To me it means, stop trying so hard and thinking about it. Just enjoy the moment and let yourself skate.

So as we all approach the height of competition season, I think we need to thank our coaches for saying “Again” (As tired as we may get…) because in the end, it will make our competitive experience more enjoyable. We need to think during practice, but over thinking in competition doesn’t seem to be the way to go. I look forward to seeing you all cherishing those moments on the ice! See you at Colonials!

Dana

Bargh J.A. , & Chartrand T.L. (1999) The unbearable automaticity of being. American Psychologist, 54, 462-469

Beilock, S.L., Carr, T. H., MacMahon, C., & Starkes, J.L. (2002) When paying attention becomes counterproductive: Impact of divided versus skill-focused attention on novice and experienced performance of sensorimotor skills. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 8, 6-16.

The Holidays: From An Athlete’s Perspective

2014-12-29T07:56:00.002-08:00

The holiday season can be such a busy time of year for everybody, and for an athlete like me that is an understatement. With practices, competitions, exhibitions, finals, and everything in between, the past few weeks leading up to the holidays have been quite eventful! But, even though we all get wrapped up with the things we need to do, it is important not to forget all incredible opportunities and people that make our lives so special.

For me, being away from home at college, I could not be more thankful for my teammates who have become my family. Every single Haydenette truly is my sister and the bond we share as one unit is unbreakable. Around this time of year we become even closer than we already are thanks to several different traditions and special events.

In late November, a special tradition for us is the Haydenette Thanksgiving. This year, Eliana Marostica’s (also a DREAM skater and Haydenette) family invited us to their house for a delicious Thanksgiving feast. We always enjoy taking the time expressing at the dinner table all that we are thankful for and hearing special messages from our parents via email.

In early December, we were honored to participate in the Bryant Park Tree Lighting in NYC. Our quick day trip to New York went by in a flash but was filled with laughs, smiles, and great skating as we helped bring the holiday spirit to the crowd.

We competed in our second competition of the season, the Cape Cod Classic, in mid-December. This was a great experience for us, as we were able to put out our two programs for the new season and gain great feedback from the judges. This was also a fun competition as we stayed right on the beautiful beach of Cape Cod, and got to enjoy amazing home-cooked food from two Haydenette moms at the Albert Family home on the Cape!

Before we take a weeklong break from practices for Christmas, we skated in our club’s annual Holiday Show. Here, it was fun to see all the younger skaters who look up to us and aspire to be like us some day, and it reminded me of the journey that I have taken to be where I am today.

All of these experiences, plus the hard working practices in between, make being an athlete around the holidays that much more special that they already are. I am so lucky for my team who has become my family and our coaches and team managers who do so much for us. Lastly, I am incredibly grateful for my family and friends at home who I get to spend time with this time of year, even if it is only for a couple of days. I wish everyone a happy holiday and new year and encourage all of you to think about all the things in your life that you are thankful for!

Happy Holidays!

Ashley Tomich

Team USA Working as ONE to be #1

2014-06-02T14:47:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, some of the top synchronized skaters and coaches from the best teams in the country came together in Orlando, FL to set some big goals for Team USA this coming season. I was very excited to take a quick trip down to Florida with my coaches and a few teammates to participate in the first ever US Figure Skating Synchronized Skating Elite Camp. While I knew that the camp was going to be very exciting, it exceeded my expectations and was truly a huge success.

This training camp was designed with various factors in mind, but one of the most important was to grow the sport of synchronized skating in the U.S. and increase our competitiveness on the international stage. This was the very first camp created especially for Team USA skaters and coaches. Each Team USA coach was able to select four of his or her skaters to represent the team at the event and bring everything they gained from their experience back to their fellow teammates.

The skaters and coaches alike got the opportunity to work with some very talented faculty who don’t typically get to work directly with the synchronized skating community as a whole. This amazing group of people included John Coughlin, Alena Lunin, Kelley Morris-Adair, Scott Brown, Suzy Semanick-Schurman, and Kat Arbour, just to name a few. With these people as a resource, we had the privilege to work on pairs elements, skating skills, power, strength and flexibility, and choreography, to prepare us for the challenge that the 2014-2015 season is sure to bring.

Team USA skaters with John Coughlin

This was such a unique experience because it truly brought together all of the strongest teams in the country as one unified Team USA. Although we get the opportunity to compete together overseas, we are still simply “competing against” each other, the way that we do when we are on home ice in the United States. I believe that John Coughlin, Team USA pairs skater, said it perfectly when he gave his opening remarks at the event, saying that at this camp all of the skaters around us were our teammates for weekend and we make up Team USA together. He also commented on the fact that without full commitment and the will to work as one, we would not truly be able to accomplish our goals of moving up the ranks internationally and working towards getting synchronized skating to be an Olympic sport. Overall I found the drive of the skaters, usually competing on different teams, to make each other better and work towards a common goal to be one of the most inspiring aspects of this event. It was also amazing to see just how many people are standing behind us as athletes, to help us to improve and believe in what we are capable of achieving.

Miami University Junior and Senior skaters

I am so lucky to have been a part of this phenomenal experience and feel a new excitement for next season to begin. I can’t wait to see what is in store for Team USA in the year to come as we push the boundaries in the synchronized skating world, while striving for greater speed, power, and flow to raise us up to where we want to be.

With Love & Honor, Go Team USA!

Ashley Mulhern

Buongiorno di Courmayeur!

2014-04-03T15:51:00.000-07:00

We’re having an amazing time in beautiful Italy so far. We got the day started early with breakfast and headed straight to the rink for our first unofficial practice of the day. We had a solid skate at the competition arena with many friends and family cheering us on proudly.

Past and present DREAM Skaters Lindsay, Ashley, Audrey, Noelle, Jenna, and Tessa with
Leslie Graham, Manager of Synchronized Skating at USFS

After having a delicious lunch at the rink in an athlete village setting with many classic Italian options, we boarded the bus to practice in Aosta. The second practice of the day went very well. We focused on just a few elements and applied some last minute corrections from Saga.

Lindsay channeling her inner Edmond Dontes, the main character from our long program music:
"The Count of Monte Cristo"!

Ashley and her parents outside the practice rink in Aosta

We had a few minutes to visit with our parents and then we loaded the bus with our fellow American teammates, the Crystallettes, and headed back to the stunning mountains of Courmayeur.

-Ashley

To conclude our day we headed back to the official rink for the draw and opening ceremonies. Audrey and myself represented the Haydenettes, lacing up our skates and taking the ice with representatives from each of the 23 teams competing.

The quaint shopping streets of Courmayeur

When it came our turn, Audrey and I were lead around the ice by a very sweet Italian girl from a local synchro team. We were taken to a table covered in giant chocolate eggs. I was handed a beautiful red egg, about a foot tall, and we were then lead to the draw bag. Audrey pulled number 18!

Then began the opening ceremony. There were many extremely talented Italian skating stars, but one number I'm particular stole the show. All the male skaters in the show took the ice in synchronized swimming apparel. By the end of the number these skaters in nothing more than tight spandex shorts with the words "Why not Synchro" written out on their bare backs!

Representatives from each team on the ice for the draw ceremony

We are very excited to be skating first in the last group of teams! In bocca lupo (good luck) to all the teams competing and GO USA!

-Lindsay

Haydenettes Travel to Worlds

2014-04-01T12:43:00.000-07:00

The Haydenettes have made it to Italy! It was quite the trip getting to Courmayeur, but well worth the journey. The city is absolutely beautiful, tucked in-between monstrous mountains with snow-covered peaks.

The Alps from the plane (Photo Credit: Abby Goslin)

We began in Boston, leaving around 5pm Eastern time. Just about 12 hours later we arrived at our beautiful destination tucked in the Alps.

Not long after arriving, we headed to the official rink to practice. After getting a bit confused, one could say lost, we found a nice young man working the competition who was able to help us find our way.

Walking through Courmayeur on our way to practice (photo credit: Jenna Longo)

It was a solid practice. We ran through each element in both programs, focusing on feeling the ice we will be competing on later this week.

View from the balcony of our hotel (photo credit: Audrey McQuade)

We could not be more excited for the week to come!

Ciao!

-Lindsay and Ashley

The Start of Our Journey!

2014-03-31T14:28:00.002-07:00

The past month of training since making the World Team in Colorado has been so amazing. We can’t believe we have finally started our journey in Pralognan la Vanoise, France. We arrived Saturday night and began our altitude training the next morning. On Sunday, we had two practices that allowed us to get used to the altitude that we will be experiencing when we compete in Italy. After our practices, we decided to take a walk around this quaint little town. It was beautiful to be surrounded by all of these breathtaking mountains. We stopped to get some nutella and caramel crepes and after a little shopping, we made our way back to the hotel for some dinner and mingling with Team France.

The next morning, we got up and made our way back to the rink via a nice morning walk. After some more practicing, we were able to spend the last hour doing skills and drills with Team France and Cathy Dalton. It was a lot of fun learning some of their drills and for them to be able to learn some of ours. It was definitely a unique experience that was so much fun for both Team France and us. It was so cool to be able to come together and share our common language- skating! Following practices, we grabbed a quick lunch and took a gondola to the top of the mountains. There, we walked around and took a lot of fun photos. The view was absolutely gorgeous! As our day came to a conclusion, we had a little off- ice and then had dinner with Team France.

Tomorrow is our last day and then we will be off to Courmayeur, Italy! We can’t wait to see all the teams that will be competing. Thank you, Team France (Team Les Zoulous) for all your generous hospitality!

Sharon and Katilyn

Crystallettes

Team Braemar in Milan

2014-02-20T08:20:00.000-08:00

Day 5: Team Braemar woke up at 6am excited and ready to go! We all got ready, had a quick (and delicious!) breakfast, and then it was off to the competition rink for official short program practice. We warmed up in the sunny outdoors, which was nice with all the fresh air and space. We then went into locker room #5 to get ready for our official practice. Official was great and steady, leaving us confident for the competition later that night.

We returned to the hotel to start makeup, and then we had absolutely amazing spaghetti! Following lunch, we continued with our team makeup. Once everyone was finished, Team Braemar was transformed into Cruella! And we were off to the rink! Unfortunately, the weather became a little overcast, so we could not really warm up outside, but it turned out that warming up inside was just fine! We became very energized by our warm up as we were focused in on our team and our program. It was then off to the locker room.

We all got ready, making sure our skates felt good and sliding on our long red gloves. We were ready to go, and feeling the benefits of all the run-throughs of our programs at home. We were no longer nervous because we had done our short program so many times. We were just excited to go out and perform for the audience and judges. We had a strong short that seemed to get stronger as it went on. After our skate, waiting in the kiss-and-cry felt like forever! We finally received our scores, which was a total of 48.30 points! We were so happy-it was the highest short program score we had received all season! We got back to the hotel, had a once again delicious dinner, quick floor practice and we were off to bed, antsy to skate our long program the next day. We are feeling ready and prepared for the long program!

Ciao Bella!

Sage Kelner & Jillian Christie

Captains for Team Braemar Junior

Buon San Valentino (Happy Valentine’s Day) from the Hockettes!

2014-02-14T14:23:00.000-08:00

We’ve had a jam packed first two days, but we are soaking up the Italian culture and eating lots of tasty food! We arrived in Milan on Thursday, toured the city, saw the beautiful Duomo, and took lots of pictures. We skated a short unofficial practice and got used to the ice. The rink is amazing, and it has an incredible atmosphere that we are looking forward to compete in. After we skated, we went back to the hotel to eat dinner and get some sleep for the next busy day.

To kick off our day we started with an unofficial practice at eight, and received valentines from our loving parents. We then went on a forty-five minute bus ride to Lake Como! As soon as we got there we thought it would be fun to do a little off-ice practice of our program in the city square. With the background of the lake, we had lots of locals watching us run through our short program. After we finished they all clapped and asked what we did, and where we were from. We then boarded the boat and got to see the views of Lake Como and the Swiss Alps. It was one of the most beautiful cities we have ever seen! We did a little shopping, ate a great lunch, and came back for the Team USA dinner.

We started off our dinner with playing a couple games to get to know each other as Team USA. We enjoyed our dinner and talking to the other U.S. teams. One of our favorite parts about international competitions is being able to talk to teams from all over the world. We loved interacting with all of the other skaters. We are so excited to represent Team USA tomorrow as the competition begins! We hope that all of Team USA has great skates and an incredible experience here at the Spring Cup!

Love,

Lindsey Maynard and Maddie Shipman from Hockettes Junior

The Red, White and Blue

2014-02-04T14:13:00.002-08:00

I am writing to you after returning once again from one of the most incredible competitions held in the Synchronized Skating community, the French Cup! This year was extra special as the competition celebrated its 20^th anniversary. Spending time around those who made the competition come to life, it was clear what a special sport La Patinage Synchronis has truly become.

Before the competition began all of the athletes marched through the streets of Rouen following the flag of their country, just as my fellow dreamer Ashely Tomich described earlier. This parade was no little event. There were local citizens waving from shops and windows as we weaved through the streets chanting for our countries. What stood out was a group of young French citizens who actually followed the United States team, chanting alongside us “USA, USA”!

After having a blast at the parade it was time to get to business. The next two days were filled with competition at the novice, junior and senior levels. The junior and senior competition each had over 15 teams competing! We took the ice for our short program Friday night, bringing some spice with our “Belly dancing Evolution” program. We were very pleased with our skate and earned a season best score of 67 points.

Saturday night was the long program competition. After preparing to skate we were taken to a small room next to the rink where the roar of the crowd could already be heard. When we began to walk through the swinging doors, the rink came alive. There was not an empty seat in the arena. Even the stairs were filled with people hoping to get a look at the ice. As we lined up, removing our guards we could already hear the chants, “USA, USA, USA”! Absolutely nothing could beat the surge of energy that came from hearing “Next to the ice, representing the United States of America, The Haydenettes”! In that moment there was a wave of emotion and an unexplainable high. It was a moment worth all the hard work, dedication and sacrifice. And after that moment, we got to do what we love most, skate.

Overall we ended the competition feeling very happy with both of our skates. The level of competition is constantly growing in our sport, challenging us all to push ourselves even further. We can’t wait to get back to the rink and continue working toward our end of the season goals!

Keep on Dreamin’-

Lindsay

Au Revoir, la France! Recap on Our French Cup Experience

2014-02-03T08:51:00.000-08:00

What an honor it was to be offered the privilege of being a part of the 20th French Cup Synchronized Skating Competition! The amazing week started on Tuesday when we landed at the Paris-de Gaulle Airport. Our tour guide, Desiree, led us to our bus and took us on our tour of Paris. The first stop of the day was lunch at the Hard Rock Café-Paris. We were then shown many beautiful historical monuments like the Arc De Triomphe, the Notre Dame, the Palais de Justice-Paris, the Lock Bridge, and many more. Our favorite part of the tour was when we had the opportunity to not only see the EiffelTower, but to also be able to go to the very top. The beautiful panoramic views of the “most romantic city in the world” were breathtaking. Soon after our exploration of the Eiffel Tower, Desiree took us to shop at one of the most famous streets in the world; the Champs Elysee. Before we knew it, we were loading our bus with shopping bags in one hand and a quick Parisian dinner in the other. It was time to continue to Rouen.

As Wednesday arrived, we headed down to the lobby for a nice team breakfast. Soon after, we were off to the competition rink for our first practice. It was really nice to be able to get familiar with the ice and our surroundings. We were really happy with what we had put out there especially after an eight-hour flight and a long day of touring. Dinnertime quickly approached and we went to our favorite pizzeria, Pizza Pai, where we also celebrated a teammate's birthday. We surprised her with a cute card and some really good cake. It was a fun night.

Wednesday quickly blended into Thursday and we were up at breakfast and quickly at the rink for the next practice. With another solid practice under our feet, we were feeling very confident in what we had to offer. We were so excited for the competition to finally begin. With a two-hour break, we headed back into the city of Rouen for a quick lunch and some more exploration and shopping time. We had another successful practice that same day that left us feeling better than we did at our earlier practice. It was nice to hear our coach, Holly, telling us how proud she was of our consistency and teamwork. With those last practices under our belt before competition, it was time for the competitor’s parade. It was exciting to walk the streets of Rouen with all the other competitors from different countries around the world. It ended with a fun flashmob in front of the Palais de Justice-Rouen. It was a blast! When that was finishing up, Katilyn and I made our way into the building for the draw ceremony with Holly. After the welcoming speeches, the ceremony began and we found ourselves walking up to this adorable little macaroon stand where we picked a random blue macaroon. The number we’d be skating was on the bottom. We were ecstatic that we picked twelfth to skate in the short. We then joined our team at dinner and told them the news about the skating order for the short program.

Competition day quickly snuck up on us and we were boarding the bus for our official practice. We met up with our team leader, Rick Perez, our team doctor, Carrie, and helping hand, Lois Long, who all gave us encouraging speeches. Our official practice left us with positive vibes and feelings of readiness and confidence. We were eager to show everyone a great short program. We returned to the hotel for rest time, a quick lunch, and then got ready for the competition. When the primping was finished, we put on our beautiful dresses and hit the road. We took the ice and the atmosphere was incredible. It was filled with school children, families, teams, and other spectators. The two minutes and fifty seconds flew by and before we knew it, we were in the kiss and cry receiving our scores. We were extremely pleased with our performance and couldn’t wait to show everyone our free skate. The long day ended with a quick dinner back at the hotel and everyone was so happy to get to bed.

Saturday was more or less the same as Friday. We woke up and went to official practice after our breakfast. With a quick warm-up, we were lacing our skates for our last practice in France. Although it was not a perfect practice, we felt good about saving our best performance for later that night. Like Friday, we arrived back at the hotel for some rest time and a quick lunch. It was then time to primp for our unique long program. With our crazy makeup and zig-zag parts, we walked out of the hotel to our bus. It was time to take the opportunity to show everyone how much we had improved. While we still did not have a perfect skate, we were incredibly proud that we had two clean skates, and overall, a successful week. As the competition ended, we ended the day with a quick celebration with our families at dinner. It was nice to see them after the long week.

Congratulations to all the teams who competed this week, it was truly a great competition! We were so thrilled that we were able to compete with some of the best teams in the world. We want to thank Rick Perez, Lois Long, Cathy Dalton, Carrie (our awesome team doctor), our coaches, managers, and families for all of their support and love. The Crystallettes are proud of all the immense work everyone has put forward and we cannot wait until the next competition. Next stop, NATIONALS!!! Can’t wait to see everyone!

Au Revoir,

Sharon and Katilyn

Bonjour de Rouen!

2014-01-31T15:28:00.002-08:00

Hello from Rouen!

It has been a great week here in France so far for the Haydenettes as we represent the Team USA at the 20th French Cup along with the Crystallettes, Chicago Jazz, and the Lexettes.

French Cup poster in the streets of Rouen. (Photo credit: Devin Wang)

We arrived in Paris on Wednesday morning followed by a bus ride to Rouen and an hour practice at the official rink. It was nice to get on the ice right away, even though we were a little tired from our journey. On Thursday, we had another unofficial practice, and then had a chance to explore the streets of Rouen. Needless to say, we didn't mind the shopping, great food, and gorgeous architecture (especially the cathedrals), that this city has to offer! We concluded the day taking part in the athlete parade. It was a blast walking in the parade while mingling with our fellow US teams and cheering the whole time. It was also really neat to see how much the people of Rouen support the event.

DREAM Program members and Haydenettes: Lindsay and I showing our USA spirit before the Athlete Parade.

Cheering on the Lexettes!

Today we woke up ready to perform our bellydancing short program!

We had a great official practice and then got a chance to cheer on the Lexettes as they competed their short as well.

We are very proud of our short program skate, and are currently sitting in 5th place, only .3 points out of 4th. We are excited to compete our Count of Monte Cristo long program tomorrow and wish all teams the best of luck!

Go USA!
-Ashley Tomich

Haydenettes short program official practice at 2014 French Cup (Photo credit: David Brofsky)

Suiting Up in Salzburg

2014-01-28T13:12:00.000-08:00

Hello again from Miami senior!

January has definitely been a jam-packed month for the world of synchronized skating! But for me, like many of you out there, I really wouldn’t have it any other way. As for us here at Miami University, we’re all back in the good ole USA and getting started in a new semester of classes (and maybe recovering from some jet lag).

Our final day in Austria was devoted entirely to the long program. We woke up and indulged in our final yummy breakfast at the hotel and began getting ready for official practice. We were 13^th to skate in a group of 14 teams, so when we arrived at the rink we were able to watch a few of the other teams before heading to warm-up. I always love to watch teams skate, but it is especially fascinating to see teams from different parts of the world perform. The programs are so unlike any you see in the United States.

Our first run of the program in official practice was a little shaky, little stumbles here and there, a fumble in the group lift. We exited the ice feeling a little disheartened that our program was not being performed to the fullest potential, a potential we had consistently performed in practices back home. However our coach was not worried about the competition that evening, she was confident in our abilities and gave us a short pep talk in the locker room before we left the rink. We returned to our hotel with a renewed confidence and soon began prep for competition. Before meeting up with our coaches for a video review, we came together as a team and went over the expectations we held for ourselves and talked about what we wanted to accomplish later that evening. When we arrived back at the arena we were focused and ready show our freeskate to an international audience for the first time. Before entering our warm-up area we were approached by several Finnish skaters who asked us to trade the mini American flags we had in our hair for the flags of Finland that they were wearing. It was awesome to see all of the different flags that the skaters had accumulated and were displaying in their hair throughout the evening. Finally, we “suited up” and took the ice for our “Deck of Cards” themed long program. The funny thing was that as soon as our music began, many of the audience members started to sing along with the music even though it is completely instrumental. As it turns out, the piece we skate to was written by several Austrian composers, and lots of people from Europe are familiar with it.

We completed the program and were happy with the performance. However we still feel like we want to grow even more than we have over this past month of competition craziness! Once the senior event ended, all of the teams took the ice for the awards ceremony and were all organized to come together to form the Olympic rings on the ice surface. This was a really awesome sight to see, but of course with this image and with the winter Olympics coming up next month, it brings to mind the ever present question: why not synchro? Over the past year I have definitely seen an increase in interest in this sport we love so much, in both social media (#WhyNotSynchro2018) and even in national news. It is always great to see progress being made towards this goal of having synchronized skating in the Olympic Games, and it is certainly something I hope to see achieved within the next several years. Until then, we are always honored to have this privilege of representing our country in both international assignments and at the World Championships. Being able to see new places and interact with people from different countries, all while representing the United States is truly one of the greatest opportunities we are offered in this sport.

In closing, we left the beautiful city of Salzburg in the early hours of Sunday morning and headed back to the country and school we love so much. To summarize this trip, I will look to my teammate and fellow DREAMer, Ashley Mulhern who put it so eloquently; “Five countries, 2 buses, 2 planes, 20 skaters, and 22 hours… Finally back to the one country we couldn’t be more proud to represent.” And now that we are back, Miami Skating is definitely ready and eager get to work over the next few weeks to prepare for the National Championships!

Congratulations to all teams that competed this weekend, either at the Mozart Cup or at the Midwestern and Pacific Sectional Championships, and best of luck to everyone over the next few weeks!

Love & Honor,

Linnea