Synchronized Skating Teams
Rhythm & BladesTeam InformationThe Rochester Figure Skating club has five competitive synchronized skating teams including a beginner level team. The “Rhythm & Blades” teams plan to compete at the Intermediate, Open Juvenile, Juvenile, and Beginner levels during the 2010-2011 season.Our Intermediate team earned their second trip to the National Championships in 2010 by placing fourth at the Midwestern Sectional Championships held by US Figure Skating. They are the 2009 Intermediate Pewter Medalists having placed fourth at Nationals in Portland Maine. Our Open Juvenile team placed first in the Midwestern Synchronized Skating Challenge series in 2010. The Open Juvenile team was the Midwestern Champion in 2005 and the silver medalists in 2009, 2006, and 2004. The Intermediate team had an amazing season in 2009-2010 earning four firsts, a second, and three third place medals at non-qualifying competitions in addition to their Pewter medals at Mids and sixth place at Nationals. They were also guest skaters in the La Crosse, Wisconsin ice show. The Open Juvenile team’s awesome season included seven first place finishes and two seconds at non qualifying competitions. This year we will have a special treat. Rhythm and Blades and the Rochester Figure Skating Club will host the 2011 Midwestern & Pacific Coast Synchronized Skating Sectional Championships February 3-5 at Graham Arena. We are really looking forward to this exciting event which will have many volunteer opportunities. The Intermediate team practices three times a week on the ice and once off the ice during the summer and during the school year. Vikki Dalquist is the head coach with assistance from Kristina Orlova. This team plans to compete in 7 or 8 competitions in the 2010-2011 season: St. Cloud in November, Porter Classic and Maplewood in December, Fond du Lac in January, Mids and Rochester in February and hopefully Nationals and possibly Eau Claire in March. The minimum skill requirement for this team is the US Figure Skating Juvenile Moves-in-the-Field test. Skaters currently on the team range in age from 14 to 17 and the majority have passed their Intermediate MIF test or higher. There is room for additional qualified skaters on this team. The Open Juvenile team practices three times a week during the summer and will practice twice a week during the school year with some occasional extra practices. This team will skate in 7 competitions next season: St. Cloud, Porter Classic, Maplewood, Fond du Lac, Mids, Rochester and Eau Claire. Skaters currently on the Open Juvenile team range in age from 13 to 16. The minimum skill requirement for the Open Juvenile team is Pre-Preliminary MIF, however the majority of the current team members have passed their Preliminary MIF test or higher. We would welcome additional skaters on this team. The Juvenile team practices two times a week during the summer and during the school year with some occasional extra practices. This team will skate in 6 or 7 competitions next season: St. Cloud, Maplewood, Fond du Lac, Mids, Rochester, Nationals(???), and Eau Claire. Juvenile team skaters must pass Preliminary MIF by 12-1-10. Skaters on the Juvenile team are between the ages of 9 and 12. There is room for additional qualified skaters on this team Our Beginner team is open to skaters in the JPSE program or freestyle. We have room for more skaters on this team! We are planning to split the current team into two teams. We will be deciding this summer if this will be two Beginner teams, or a Beginner and a Pre Juvenile or Preliminary level team. We would prefer skaters who have passed at least Basic 7, and we are limited to no one passed higher than US Figure Skating’s Preliminary level for the Beginner team. Our current plans have these teams competing in Maplewood, Rochester, and Eau Claire in during the 2010-2011 season. Please contact Vikki Dalquist, RFSC Synchronized Skating Director, if you are interested in skating on a team. You are welcome to come and try skating with a team before making a commitment. All teams perform in several Ice Hawks hockey games during the school year. All the teams will participate in our local camp August 13-15 with guest coach Jeannine Cullen Weinschrad, an International coach who is currently head coach of Team Phoenix. Jeannine’s daughter Erin Cullen will also be part of our camp. Erin skated on the Haydenettes the past two seasons and skated at the World Championships in Colorado Springs where they earned the Bronze medal. Congratulations Hayden and Erin! We hold Introduction to Synchronized Skating classes periodically – watch the web site for dates. The Intro class is for skaters from beginning level up through Preliminary MIF. Higher level skaters should contact Vikki about opportunities to experience synchro by skating with a team.
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Last update 6/25/10
Contact Tim Rinkel with comments.