Any Synchro Skaters Here?

[Piper]

I've just been here watching the Olympics and browsing SynchroBoards.com until I'd read everything, so I Googled some other skating forums...
Just wondering if there are any other synchro skaters on this board?

For any of you that don't know what synchro is, or just haven't seen it yet, you should check out my website for some great videos: http://synchrovideos.blogspot.com/

[aussieskater]

I've just been here watching the Olympics and browsing SynchroBoards.com until I'd read everything, so I Googled some other skating forums...
Just wondering if there are any other synchro skaters on this board?

For any of you that don't know what synchro is, or just haven't seen it yet, you should check out my website for some great videos: http://synchrovideos.blogspot.com/

I'm a would-be-if-I-could-be wannabe in our local adult team...

We get no (repeat *no*) synchro coverage down here, and when I discovered your website, I got really excited. Problem is that every time I've tried to get videos to play from your site, all I get is an HTML message, not a video.

Any tips?

[Piper]

Hm... Try looking at them this way: Google Video>>SynchroVideos (http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=synchrovideos)

Nice to meet you though. That's too bad that you don't get coverage. I live very close to where The Haydenettes and Colonials skate, so we at least get a bit every so often. :roll:

[Raye]

At my secondary club we have a small Festival Masters Synchro team. We have 10 women altogether plus one man. We started it just for fun in the end of October and I love it. For a Festival Masters team, only 25 percent of your team or less can be under 35.

[Mrs Redboots]

I love to watch synchro, but I don't think I'd like to do it - I'd be so scared of letting everybody else down by not being able to keep up, or falling over at the wrong moment, or whatever, that it wouldn't be fun.

[AW1]

I'm a would-be-if-I-could-be wannabe in our local adult team...


Me too!! I am just joining the local adult synchro team, unfortunately my skating ability is pretty crap, and I have to be about 4 levels above where I am now before I can compete.... right now I'm training with the kids!! :lol:

But I figured I was never going to be a freestyle skater, and I need *something* to aspire to work towards!

[sunshinepointe]

I don't skate synchro at the moment, but our club has a synchro team and is looking to start an adult synchro team that I'm definitely interested in joining - so hopefully by April or May we'll start the adult synchro team. The best part is that the coach for the team is my private coach so at least I know everything will be consistent.

[kiwibabe]

Yes I'm in a adult synchro team, we've been gonig for about a year now. We got a gold at NZ masters games about two weeks ago. Lots of fun.

[Summerkid710]

I skate USFS adult and coach ISI teen. I'll be heading to Nationals tomorrow. I can't wait to see the senior event. It's my first USFS Nationals!

[Piper]

Nationals are awesome and so fun! Best of luck to you and your team!

[Skate@Delaware]

I skated synchro for 2 years. We did routines for the ice shows. There weren't that many in the group and most were not able to do back crossovers.

It does have it's good points and it also has bad points.

[Raye]

I love to watch synchro, but I don't think I'd like to do it - I'd be so scared of letting everybody else down by not being able to keep up, or falling over at the wrong moment, or whatever, that it wouldn't be fun.

Hi Annabel - and anyone else with the same concerns....

For the first couple of sessions it was incredibly scary. 8O

And each of us on the team has had an experience of tripping up someone else. Sometimes it's just a little trip up and others can be downright nasty.:giveup:

We are all in the same boat together. A few gals on the team have done a bit of synchro before, and the rest of us are complete newbies. And scary or not - it is a riot!!! :D

The one thing being on the team HAS done for me is that my freeskate, dance and interpretive skating has improved tenfold since starting Synchro. Learning the moves and skills required for synchro has forced me so far outside my comfort zone that I may never find my way back. :roll:

[fmh]

I've skated synchro for a long time....i skate on a junior team :)

[Piper]

Cool! Which team?

[Schmeck]

My daughter has done synchro off and on for the past few years - her skill level improves dramatically when she is skating synchro! Only problem for her is that she is a clockwise jumper/spinner, and she only has her single toe loop and salchow and a "fair" forward one foot spin in the opposite direction. It would be nice to find her a team where they have enough CW girls to allow her to do things 'her way'.

[DressageChica]

synchro made me a better skater. period.

but...synchro scares the devil out of me. perhaps it's because i splice backwards heading toward a wall inbetween two guys who are like FS 7 and 8 skaters. suddenly after skating synchro i became more aggressive and more aware of the precision of my footwork.

[AW1]

I hope it can make me a better skater!! I've just found out last night I don't have to be tested to any special level to compete in adults, so I'm excited, yet downright terrified at the same time that I won't be able to do some of it. Though I figure it's good to just 'get in there' and give it a go - that's something I wouldn't normally do!

[Piper]

My daughter has done synchro off and on for the past few years - her skill level improves dramatically when she is skating synchro! Only problem for her is that she is a clockwise jumper/spinner, and she only has her single toe loop and salchow and a "fair" forward one foot spin in the opposite direction. It would be nice to find her a team where they have enough CW girls to allow her to do things 'her way'.The possibilities of finding a team that will be 50% lefties is about a one in a million chance. And assuming they had that many, they probably still would spin like righties.
In my years of synchro, I've seen lots of lefties take the easy way out, and give up leaving the team. I've also seen dedicated ones that will skate for a solid hour practicing everything the "right" way. Because of this, I know, and have skated with 3 "converted righties", as they call themselves. They can do everything both ways.
I know this is hard, but if your daughter really wants to do well in synchro, she'll need to learn things both ways.

[Isk8NYC]

And each of us on the team has had an experience of tripping up someone else. Sometimes it's just a little trip up and others can be downright nasty.

We did a Pro's number in the rink's skating show last year and the pinwheel experience was a misery. I've skated synchro and it's challenging.

[quarkiki2]

I've skated on my adult team for three years now. Our team is about 1/2 adults who skated as kids and 1/2 newer adult skaters -- most of us newbies have been skating about four years.

I love skating on a team. I was never athletic as a kid and, therefore, never was a member of a team before. I enjoy the comraderie and appreciate competing with other adults (I never say competing against, because I'm happy for everyone who is out there doing it!)

I started with the goal of not dragging the team down, but have learned through practice that everyone has their own strenghts and weaknesses on the team. I've got a good mind for choreography and always remember the steps and where everyone is supposed to be on the ice. I've also got good rhythm, so I'm the "caller" on the team. So, my feet are not quite as good as some of the other skaters, but I can guarantee that I'll be in the right place and the right time facing the right direction and stepping on the beat. I also like to perform, so I amd the cheesy one smiling her fool head off for the whole program.

Now I'm working on more power and speed in my own skating so that I can, maybe by fall, say that I'm not one of the weaker skaters on the team, but rather one of the average ones. I continually ask my husband if I'm sticking out or looking awful anywhere and amd pleased when he answers "Nope -- you look like everyone else."

[fmh]

Cool! Which team?
it's a festival synchro team, you've proabably never heard of it..silver shadows

[Piper]

it's a festival synchro team, you've proabably never heard of it..silver shadowsHm, can't say I have. Where are you guys out of?

[luna_skater]

it's a festival synchro team, you've proabably never heard of it..silver shadows

Newfoundland?

[JulieN]

fmh -- is this your team?

http://powsc.ca/synchro/teampics/Juniorsilver%2EJPG

[SkatingOnClouds]

Had my first experience of synchro last night, a group of I think 6 of us adults. We only tried some very basic stuff, but it was a hoot.

Such widely varied skill levels made it trickier, but it took the longest time just working out the arms for the shoulder hold.

Good fun.

[Kristin]

If you want to talk to a lot of synchro skaters, check out www.synchroboards.com for lots of great info.

-Kristin

[fmh]

Hm, can't say I have. Where are you guys out of?
corner Brook Newfoundland

[fmh]

Newfoundland?
yup :) haha i never knew anyone would know about it

[fmh]

fmh -- is this your team?

http://powsc.ca/synchro/teampics/Juniorsilver%2EJPG
yea that was us last year..how do you all know all this stuff :P

[luna_skater]

yup :) haha i never knew anyone would know about it

I've been around synchro for a while. ;)

[Kelli]

I've sorta kinda maybe considered the idea of going to one of the pre-tryout meetings for the adult synchro team at my rink. Thing is, my rink is a pretty hardcore synchro rink, and I'm not sure how the team feels about skaters with no previous experience. My overall skating level is about the right level for that team, I think. Also, I'm worried about the cost. (Figureskates, this is just a vague inkling of an idea, and need not be mentioned at the rink!)

[luna_skater]

Most teams have no problem letting a skater try-out even if they don't have synchro experience. Some skaters just catch on amazingly, so usually everyone is given a chance. We had one girl on my team who began synchro for the first time this year, and the second she stepped on the ice we completely forgot she had never skated synchro before. Also, a really good synchro coach can teach a strong skater the skills needed for synchro. Might as well go try it! What have you got to lose?

[Piper]

If you want to talk to a lot of synchro skaters, check out www.synchroboards.com for lots of great info.
-KristinOh yeah, I know SynchroBoards pretty well. Lol, I'm Piper (http://www.synchroboards.com/board/index.php?showuser=4379) there too.

Kelli- Go for it!! I skated at a hardcore synchro club for years, and we were always hoping for more. Even if the girls have skated synchro since they were toddlers, as was the case at my rink, they're always looking for new skaters.
Best of luck!

[Piper]

Good luck to Miami and the Haydenettes... Worlds begin Friday!!