It’s an exciting time for the Illinois Synchronized Ice Skating team as they make their way to Boston, Mass. for Nationals on March 3.
“I don’t know what to expect. I’ve never been to such a huge event. These teams are the best of the best. I’m mostly excited,” said Jasmine Janicki, a sophomore on the team.
Although Janicki has not skated at a national ice skating competition before, head coach, Shawna Ludy said some of her teammates who skated on the Senior team competed last year at Nationals.
“Last year, some of these girls went to Nationals, but because the two teams [Senior and Collegiate] merged this year, it is the first time for some girls on the Collegiate team,” Ludy said.
The IllinoiSkating team begins practicing their routine at the beginning of the year, Janicki said. Competitions start at the end of November and last until March.
“Our program theme this year is a storyline about telling secrets and rumors, then in the end getting caught up in it all and everyone talking about it,” Janicki said. “Our music is a mix of the theme song from the show, Pretty Little Liars, Rumor Has It by Adele, and Something to Talk About.”
Ludy also said this is the most diverse team she has ever coached and as a team, they have been focusing on coming together as a whole throughout the season.
“Bringing everyone to find a happy medium between our skill level and even attitude, you know you have so many different personalities with girls, especially, just bringing everyone together is really difficult.”
The expectations are high for the team and they have been practicing since September on this program.
“I’m expecting a clean skate, coming off the ice and feeling confident that we did whatever we could, wherever we end up,” Ludy said, “My primary focus has been to try and keep the team as a whole, and not single any individual out. They have bonded together to fight and work hard.”
Since qualifying for Nationals at their last competition, Janicki said that the team has been excited.
“After our scores were announced, I think 90 percent of the team instantly started crying because we’ve worked so hard to get there this season,” she said. “We were jumping around and hugging each other, just like in the movies. It was an emotional couple of hours.”
Janicki said that she and her teammates need to focus next weekend during their program and skate their very best.
“We just have to remember what we’re doing on the ice. It’s a matter of not letting our nerves get to us,” Janicki said.
Janicki said she always tries to keep the team morale up and everyone pumped for the competitions.
“It’s tradition for us to warm up for a competition by listening to a popular song and form a circle, then one by one and each skater does a dance move, we all follow and then it goes on from there.”
Along with tradition on the team comes dedication, which coach Ludy said is their number one strength.
“They were asked to do a lot more this year as far as run throughs, stamina burning and tough practices,” she said. “If they didn’t love the sport, I don’t think they would have made it through.”