SynchroNice / Fourth Edition / 2019

tically to be the best skater I can be, while also making lifelong friendships with my teammates. As a team, this season we hope to grow at each competition leading to the Junior World Championships, with the goal of stan­ ding on the podium in Neuchatel, Switzerland. Does it demand a lot of your free/spare time Michae- la? Being an elite athlete requires a lot of commitment and dedication, even outside of on-ice practice. Training alone, both on the ice and in the gym, as well as doing homework and studying for school, takes up much of our spare time. But that will interfere enormously with your social life Madison or not? On the other hand, it probably made you the person you are today, didn’t it? While balancing skating with other aspects of my life I have learned various skills that are important, qualities I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I struggled at first, unable to fully focus on one thing at a time, worrying about the next commitment while engaging in the first. Nothing gets accomplished (or enjoyed) that way. As some grew in importance to me and others waned, I learned to prioritize and triage. I have sa­ crificed many things, such as not being able to attend my Junior Prom since it conflicted with team practice. So, did It force you to become more discerning about what’s important? Yes, and also more definitive with responsibilities. I have learned to study while in transit, grab 30 minutes at the library rather than not being productive. This has really benefited me when all of my other activities are in full swing from track, extra-curricular activities, volunteering, school and skating. Although it has been difficult, I have been planning my weeks out strategically in order for me to be more efficient with my time! Over the years I have seen that the balance has shaped me into someo­ ne that values determination, and all other positive attributes. Being a skater holds me accountable to be well-mannered, respectful, and an ambassador for the sport and my country. I have grown to appreciate more than just the fun and travel opportunities. I have learned the correlation between hard work and desired results, through success and failures. Through these times of being very successful as well as not being as fortunate, I have kept in mind my real priority, to con­ tinue being motivated and driven because everything happens for a reason. It has all been worth it, watching the American Flag go up at the award ceremony at the World Championships. At that moment in particular we all had so much pride for our country, all of the hard work and dedication led to our achievement and success to making history. How about you Michaela, what does it mean in your daily life? Although skating is our main priority, balance between our social and athletic lives is very important. We spend our time while commuting to practice and during our lunch and dinner breaks doing our homework, so we can spend our week­ ends with friends and family. All of my friends are extre­ mely supportive of my skating and traveling. We get our phones taken away at competitions for focus purposes, so it’s hard to stay up to date with things going on in school, but it’s always easy to catch up with friends when we get back. The opportunity to skate for Skyliners Junior and Team USA has given me the chance to travel the world, while also doing what I love. Training, traveling, and competing with my 19 other teammates has built amazing friendships and relationships that I will hold on to, even when I am done skating. The honor of representing the United States and competing at such an intense level has matured me in a different way than my peers at school. The or­ ganization, focus, and time management required of my teammates and I to be successful on and off the ice has shaped us into respectable athletes and people. How about practices, do you feel like you practice enough? Michaela: Skyliners Junior trains three times a week for a total of 13 hours. Our practices are on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday; I believe our practice schedule is perfect because we have a two-day break after intense training over the weekend to recover, as well as practice the elements we worked on over the weekend. Madison: Outside of our 13-hour team prac­ tices, I skate for 10 hours individually each week. This is a perfect amount because I then have the opportunity to incorporate other forms of training into my schedule. Some other types of training I really enjoy are ballet classes, yoga classes, and just going to the gym to run or lift a little! Michaela, what can you tell us about the programs, music, costumes themes etc.? The music we skate to and costumes we perform in are definitely important. Luckily, I have liked every program I have competed, making it easier to interpret and perform to the music. My favorite programs have included the 2015-2016 short program to Michael Jackson and this season’s long program to Carmen. Transforming into an intense Michael Jackson and a fierce Carmen have been my favorite characters to perform as. Do you have a say in the choices that are made? No, we do not get the chance to choose our team’s program or music, but Josh Babb has always provided us with programs that produ­ ce success, and we all enjoy. You probably experienced a lot of highs and lows Madison, but what if you weren’t a skater? Since a very young age, I have always admired the older skaters on Team USA. Watching them skate so gracefully was truly inspiring for me, I always dreamt about being on the same level and being just as talented. About two years ago I got a step closer to achieving this by making Skyliners Junior, I was so honored. Starting from the beginning of the season, we were very ambitious and set goals for our team to reach throughout the season. We were very fortunate to have made it so far due to our hard work and dedication! That is what led to the most memorable part about my skating career; when we came in second at Junior Worlds behind Russia. It was the most indescribable experience, I wouldn’t trade that moment in the kiss and cry booth for anything. All of my experiences on the team have created priceless moments, but this one in particular. But if I were not a synchronized skater, I would probably still be an Irish dancer or a gymnast. I used to do both of these activities while I was skating. I have even been to two Irish dance nationals for individual competition, but I came to the realization that I had an endless love for synchronized skating, so I stopped all other activities and made skating my main sport. What would you be SYNCHRO NICE 53