"You know that you can connect with people, because everybody experienced the pandemic. You can tell that (the skaters) are just thankful to be there, said Lindsay Grajek, head coach of the junior team. With Miami, Erin was a: 1999 US National Champion, 1998/2001 US Silver Medalist, 2000 US Bronze Medalist, 1998/99 Toronto International Bronze Medalist and Spring Cup Silver Medalist, 2001 Prague Cup Champion, 1998/1999/ 2001 World Team Member, Miami University Female Scholar Athlete of the Year Awardee, and Thomas J Fisher Outstanding Skater Awardee. The team brings adaptive skaters together with peer mentors to learn, compete and grow. She was a competitive synchronized skater at the National level from 1991-2001, while also testing and competing in freestyle, dance, figures, and field moves. Athletic Republic is a place for all athletes that want results! At the Ann Arbor Figure Skating Club, every skater and program intertwine with each other. LEARN MORE. The most important things are working together as teammates and performing. Alison began her coaching career during high school and continued throughout her studies at Eastern Michigan University. Mady previously skated for Onyx Synchronized Skating and Hockettes. When COVID-19 closed ice rinks in March, the Hockettes junior team, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, didnt let this halt plans to move forward into the skating season. An added bonus is every 8 weeks the trainers test to ensure growth! Since being part of the team, Grace expresses that she feels very energetic and strong and values the support she receives from her teammates. "It was the little things that you added to it that made it really even that much more fun, even though it's out of your way." The Synchro 1-4 app introduces skaters to synchronized skating fundamentals. www.hockettes.com. Pivot into block ok lines a bit wide 135s - one girl dropped her leg. Just being able to talk without a mask and being able to read facial expressions has been so important. We just had testing, and his numbers were looking great; especially with where he started. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Our flagship program for competitive athletes designed to build speed, power, agility, and resistance to injury. Skating became something else that was conducted via technology. No one knew when they would be allowed back on the ice together, but they kept to their goals and priorities. The adaptive skaters would always watch the Hockettes skating, and they really wanted to do synchro too, so forming the Unified team was a natural thing for us to do.. The success of a synchronized ice skating team demands maximum commitment with complete acceptance of the results. For the skaters, the biggest challenge of the pandemic has been the shift in team rituals. She describes her involvement as fun and familial with the other skaters and families. In her past six seasons with the team, UMSST has won three national titles. Perhaps that is another reason this program is so special: it provides the Hockettes with an outlet to let the audience in on the community that synchronized skating has provided during a time of isolation and fear. Visit LearnToSkateUSA.com to get started. In unison they cross their feet with intricate, smooth undercuts. National Qualifying Series Schedule & Results, Video Platform powered by CBS Sports Digital, 2022U.S. Synchronized Championships, Junior 7th, 2020 U.S. Synchronized Championships, Junior 5th, 2019U.S. Synchronized Championships, Junior 10th, 2018U.S. Synchronized Championships, Junior 6th, 2017U.S. Synchronized Championships, Junior 5th, 2016U.S. Synchronized Championships, Junior 6th, 2015U.S. Synchronized Championships, Junior 3rd, 2014U.S. Synchronized Championships, Junior 3rd, 2013U.S. Synchronized Championships, Junior 5th, 2012U.S. Synchronized Championships, Junior 6th, 2011U.S. Synchronized Championships, Junior 11th, 2010U.S. Synchronized Championships, Junior 6th, 2009U.S. Synchronized Championships, Junior 9th, 2008U.S. Synchronized Championships, Junior 8th, 2007U.S. Synchronized Championships, Junior 1st, 2006 World Challenge Cup for Juniors 6th, 2006U.S. Synchronized Championships, Junior 3rd, 2005 World Challenge Cup for Juniors 7th, 2005U.S. Synchronized Championships, Junior 1st, 2004U.S. Synchronized Championships, Junior 4th, 2003U.S. Synchronized Championships, Junior 4th, 2003 North American International, Junior 6th, 2002U.S. Synchronized Championships, Junior 2nd, 2002 World Challenge Cup for Juniors 8th, 2001U.S. Synchronized Championships, Junior 2nd, 2001 North American International, Junior 7th, 2000U.S. Synchronized Championships, Junior 2nd. To showcase the roller coaster of the last few years, the team has turned their journey into the theme for this year's long program. With their help I was able to add my top speed of 23mph to my highlight reel for college recruiters, which aided me to be able to continue to play soccer in college at Olivet. Thats always been our weakness, Grajek said. Donate. Her mother, Marie, reports that Grace was unable to ride a bicycle prior to learning to skate. No matter what happens outside the rink, when the kids come together, everyone is happy, Donovan said. The big question is, will the sport be validated by the Olympics? said director Angela Pinaglia. "Vicki had an incredible work ethic and was an outstanding teacher and coach," Senior Associate Athletic Director Steve Cady said. The team has been in existence for 49 years and has competed at the national level since the first U.S. Synchronized Team Skating Championships in 1984. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. She has passed her senior moves, pre silver dances, and juvenile freestyle. Hockettes Synchronized Skating Teams Hockettes Blog Hockettes.com Hockettes on Flickr About Porter 2010 Kalamazoo - Senior Short November 19, 2011 Starlights: Purple. Our underlying mission is to tip the scales of sport in your favor. She and head coach Lindsay Grajek already had a vision in their heads that their free program for the season would tell the story of the relationship between ghosts, or your spiritual shadow, and humans. And [being virtual] forced us to say, 'Okay, we're not really sure if there will even be a competition. When they perform their long program, they are not just putting blades on ice and performing choreographed jumps and spins they are taking one of the sport's many gifts and giving it away. document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); We use everything from free weights and kettlebells to bands and boxes. We recommend AR Shelby for all athletes. This grew into the Adaptive Skating Program and a Special Olympics team. Directed by Baltimore-based filmmaker Angela Pinaglia, the documentary focuses on the everyday life, competitions and special moments of the tight-knit synchro community. The film premiered at the Ocean City Film Festival on March 5, 2020. It had this eerie, glowing sound to it, which went well with the ghost theme.. J1 J2 J3 J4 J5 J6 J7 J8 J9 Panel Scores; 1 . Weve always been really strong in the technical (score), but the components arent strong.. Athletic Republic Shelby has worked with him to improve his agility, strength, and speed. Learn more about Hockettes. The trainers care about the athletes they are working with. The fresh 'Hockettes' skated away from Ann Arbor, Michigan and you may captivated visitors in the intermissions of one's College out of Michigan Wolverines men's freeze hockey team. Team sports is something therapeutic skaters dont always get access to, Donovan, who has been with the Hockettes organization since 2002, said. Michigan ice rinks took a major hit in the wake of COVID-19. At the Ann Arbor Ice Cube, skaters put on their skates in their cars, pass a temperature check and fill out a waiver with their parents before entering the facility. U.S. Everything will be fine." Ashley is an advocate for collegiate skating as she currently serves as the Vice Chair for Collegiate Synchronized Skating. in our ourselves, our teammates, our coaches and our love for the sport. The team began by performing simple group numbers at University of Michigan hockey games and the annual Ann Arbor Figure Skating Club Ice Show . Grajek recalled attempting to teach younger teams a pivoting block, a maneuver that requires lots of tension through a line of skaters, while disconnected. In a sport known for its surge of support at practice and competition, the environment is nothing but positive for everyone involved. 1/28/2022 9:25:00 PM Using state-of-the-art performance testing tools with synchronized video to document progress, weve tested, studied, and perfected our training programs so you can improve your play and gain the confidence to win. Dr. Porter was a coach at the Ann Arbor Figure Skating Club and he noticed that there were not many team sports for young women available. Junior Teams / Short Program Total Total Total; Place Name Nation Seg . To cultivate a safe and supportive environment that provides for the advancement of our members in all disciplines and levels of figure skating.. The chorus of it is, Its dark I know, but underneath theres light, its dark I know, but shadows come and go.. Erin Donovan is the head coach of the Hockettes and the director of the Ann Arbor FSC Synchronized Skating Program. MacDonald, a professional synchronized skater since 1956, began her skating career on the Ann Arbor Figure Skating Club Hockettes team. The sport has now reached over 25 countries.. The middle person from each spoke comes together and does a pairs spin while the wheels are interlocking with one another, kind of passing by, so its very exciting. Alison began skating at the age of 5 and never looked back! A synchronized skating routine may consist of straight line sequences, wheels, blocks, circle step sequences, or also moves in isolation. The routine starts off scary and intense with the two groups of skaters separate but intersecting. In the 1950s, Dr. Richard Porter had a vision of a team that would embody many important elements of a successful sport for girls. ", "Athletic Republic has helped my son to navigate these awkward tween years by helping him to learn that he can take control of his athleticism even during this awkward time of growth. "It's been very nice to encompass the light and the next step of the pandemic," she said. The goal of the Unified Hockettes, Donovan said, is to bring joy the joy of team skating to more individuals, especially those who dont typically receive the opportunity. They dont take it for granted, thats for sure.. Lessons in life. "So I was like, this little time at home [will be nice]," Moran said. " "We're focused on the skating. This article originally appeared in the Fall 2020 edition of Learn to Skate USA The Magazine. Junior Teams - Junior. They feel supported and appreciate that the coaches create an extremely positive environment. Emily Little is a health, environment, and science reporter at Medill. Components Deductions; Planned Elements Executed Elements Base Value Elm. Novice Teams - Novice. The Hockettes began their season in June like many people: on Zoom. My son is 10 years old and plays competitive travel baseball he has grown so much as an athlete since joining Athletic Republic! Junior Teams. She was a competitive synchronized skater at the National level from 1991-2001, while also testing and competing in freestyle, dance, figures, and field moves. "I think skating was [the team's] one escape from everything else that was going on in the world," Grajek said. It consists of a team of 8 or more skaters (in the United States) or 12 or more skaters (in Canada) who perform various movements, which are in unison with at least part of the team. Information & Application . Combining Athletic Republic's specialized training equipment, science proven training protocols, and years of experience our staff will transform athleticism and overall well being. She graduated in 2001 with a degree in Engineering Management. Activities and Societies: Member of National Honors Society (NHS), Key Club, Art Club, and president of Spanish Club. A still image from the "Life in Synchro" documentary shows synchronized skaters on the ice. Daane knows every athlete and parent; and is not only professional, but very personal. Ded . All Game Grumps Editors, Articles H