Say,this thread is a follow-up to Skittl's last thread. I was just wondering if we actually do have any High-Level Team Synchro. Skaters on this board? You need not give your Team name out if you wish not to. In response to one of the replies I myself am confused. To get to bet part of a famous Team like that,do you just need to be living near one? (I know you might need to be Senior first. Though someone please correct me if I'm wrong.) Do you get picked? If so,how? I mean.....how do those girls get so lucky? Anyone know? Thanks.

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FSWer

It's not luck, it's hardwork and making it through try outs.

My friend skated for a successful adult team for a year. She found out when their tryouts were and what MIGHT be asked for as far as skills, had her coach at the time work with her on those specific skills (especially those she had never learned) and went to the tryout.

There's some luck in that if you're a hard worker and naturally talented but don't live in a synchro area, you're not going to be on a high level synchro team. If you're lucky enough to live in, say Lexington, MA (or Chicago, or Detroit, etc), and work your butt off for 7 or 8 years passing MIF and dance tests and learning synchro from the high-achieving lower level teams in the area, then you have a chance to make one of the international teams (Hayden Sr, Colonial Jr) in the area. It's as much luck as any other part of skating -- living in the right part of the country with good coaches and a good rink available. Everything else is hard work.

I had never thought of doing synchro, but the organization at one of the rinks where I skate was having trouble finding enough skaters for a senior team. I was old enough and had the right moves in the field test (at the time) so the coach asked me if I'd be interested. I'm guessing my coach had suggested that she ask me, but I don't know for sure. We weren't a super-good team because we didn't put in nearly the amount of time that teams like Miami and Hayden do (incidentally, I have teammates who now skate for both of those teams), but we did get to compete at Nationals that year, so that was awesome.

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Shae-Lynn and Victor: We knew you were champions, and on 3/28/03 the whole WORLD found out! Thank you for twelve wonderful years!