U.S. Synchronized Skating Nationals just completed last week in Boston, MA. If you happen to live on the East Coast or in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota or Chicago, chances are you would be very familiar with the sport of synchronized skating.
It is extremely popular and very competitive. Some of these established clubs have their own private ice rinks to practice in and corporations who sponsor them. St. Louis, much less Webster Groves, has never been known for synchronized skating. Synergy does not have any corporate sponsors, nor does it have its own private ice rink. But it does have very talented, passionate coaches, parents who work long hours volunteering their time to keep the club running and a group of skaters who have talent, drive and the ambition it takes to compete against the very best in the country.
Over the past two years, the Synergy girls, who skate at the , have begun to make a name for themselves—a BIG name! St. Louis Synergy was well represented in nationals this year by two teams that qualified for the chance to skate against the nation's top synchro teams. The Synergy Intermediate and Novice teams both skated their way to the national circuit by winning at sectionals in January.
The Synergy Intermediate team, which skates to a Disney medley, earned its second consecutive bronze medal at nationals, receiving the highest technical score in the competition. Kameryn Truman, Lucy Downing, Amy Downing and Allie Rosemann, all from Webster Groves, skate together on the Intermediate team.
"We felt that this was one of our best competitions," said Kameryn Truman, a senior at . "We came together and pushed for a common goal, which was to make it to the podium."
The Novice team is equally impressive. The team members, dressed in brilliant pink dresses, skate to a "New York" theme. Novice fans wear statue of liberty hats as they cheer from the stands. It is a rarity to qualify for nationals in the second year as a synchro team. The Novice team had a lofty goal of reaching nationals, and it surpassed its goal and went on to place 7th in the nation.
"We are so proud of what our Intermediate and Novice teams have accomplished this season," said Karen Giedeman, Synchro director and coach. "Both teams skated with passion and skill at nationals, which helped them place well in their divisions. The Intermediate team took the bronze medal for the second year in a row, and the Novice team placed 7th which is a huge accomplishment for only its second season out."
For those of you who have children who love figure skating and would like to explore the sport of synchronized skating, you may attend our "Synergy Skate with Synchro" on Thursday, April 12 from 5 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. at Webster Groves Ice Arena. It is free for all ages. Our teams will perform their routines, then will invite our guests out on the ice to learn some synchro basics.
"Synchronized skating is the perfect balance of team competition and figure skating, because you get to skate with and compete with your friends rather than against them," Truman said.
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