SynchroNice / Third Edition / 2018

SYNCHRO NICE 111 But then you were taking this skating business quite seriously? Serious enough for Rebecca and me to win the Canadian Junior Dance Championship in 1998. In 1999, we decided to make a coaching change and relocated to Lake Placid NY. In late 1999 we relocated one last time to Stamford CT ( NYC suburb ). But then in 2000, we decided to end our competitive career and focus on other aspects of life :) But these other aspects still had skating involved? Sure, my sister returned to Waterloo and I decided to stay a bit longer in the NYC area. I began coaching and dance partnering. I would do some choreography for my former coach, Natalia Dubova... that was my true introduction to the choreography scene. I also joined the Ice Theatre of New York during this time. Before you knew it you were a Choreographer? From there my choreogra- phy business indeed totally blossomed. I was doing programs for many skaters all over the tri-state area and around the country. Until I was approached by a coach, Sylvia Muccio in 2001. She had this synchro team, “Team Image’ and asked me to conduct edge classes for the team. That grew more and more into a choreography role the following year and my future in skating was again about to change. I truly owe my start in this sport to Sylvia. She was such a pioneer of Synchro- nized Skating in the NYC area. How did you end up with the Skyliners? Skyliners SST was born in 2001. I was approached in 2003 to lead their Junior team, which had no skaters at the time haha. I thought it would be a challenge- and I was right. The first years we struggled to field teams. The first couple of years we were fluctuating between 35-40 skaters for 3 different levels. Today Skyliners have 12 lines with 228 skaters in the organization. So, you don’t avoid a challenge? What more qualities do we find if we watch you at work? Then you’ll definitely find that I am a passionate and very driven kind of person, that is very creative but very disciplined as well and I like to see myself as a visionary Coach as well. What does your visionary brain tell us in regard to the Olympics? Should Synchro become Olympic? Yes- I do think Synchro is certainly worthy of Olympic participation. More and more exposure of the sport will help its cause. It wasn’t too long ago the same could have been said about ice dance It was looking for inclusion into the Olympic movement... but also finally attained it. Shouldn’t more coun- tries have to step up and make progress toward the top teams? My short answer to your second question is- yes. I think the most important thing is not to lose sight of your goals and vision of what you want to create. “Where there is a will, there is a way.” But don’t be mistaken, it’s very difficult to advance your standing when there are such high quality and talented teams ahead of you. However, if you set out a quality plan and approach anything is achievable. Skyliners is quite an example, that your approach is working? When I started with Skyliners in 2003 I could have never imagined it would have turned into the organization it has. Once I became Director of Skyliners, I was determined to make it one of the best Synchro organizations in the USA. I am very fortunate to have extremely talented coaches working for the Skyliners. I have 12 coaches on our staff and each one of them offer something unique and valuable to the organization. In 2012, I hired PamMay, Head coach of Team Braemar, to join me in creating our senior team. Skyliners Junior, and Team Braemar had grown close, and competitive, over the years since 2009 when we first started traveling to JWCC together. I first met Pam in 2006-2007 on a WIN project in Prague, we shared a cab from the airport to the hotel and became very close ever since. She joined the Skyliners Staff full time in 2014 and has been the best colleague anyone could ask for. We both bring a different set of talents and perspective to the table and challenge each other to be the absolute best we can be. In addition to an incredible coaching staff, I have the BEST Team Manager Jen Sais joined the Skyliners organiza- tion in 2011. In 2012, Jen moved into the role of Jr Manager- from there she has become the GM of Skyliners SST. I count my lucky stars every day that she is part of our organization. There are many key components to a successful organization - I am fortunate to have many of them. You sound like a satisfied and lucky man? Well I do have 1st, a supportive and dedicated Board of Directors, 2nd a great talented coaching staff, 3rd a fantastic management team, led by Jen Sais and 4th of course last but not least… a group of very talented and dedicated skaters. I feel really fortu- nate to have such an amazing group of skaters to work with every week. Their commitment to this sport and drive to succeed makes all my personal sacrifice worth it. Have you got any spare time left and if so what do you do with it? Well I love to travel with friends, I like to visit Broadway and museums. To keep in shape, I love to play a good game of tennis or I go hiking which is perfect to clear the mind every once in a while, or to think things over. A few easy questions before we call it a wrap. What’s your favourite music to skate to? There’s no special favourite, I like all genres of music. To me any music a team can emotionally connect to, would be a great choice. Most one-liners are some sort of advice, have you got some advice for our readers? “Always trust the process, hard work pays off” Is that a quote you really live by? No, it’s a more like a fact, the quote that I live by every day is “where there is a will, there is a way”. Thanks Josh, good luck to you and your Skyliners this season.  WHERE THERE IS A WILL, THERE IS A WAY ‘‘