SynchroNice / Third Edition / 2018

SYNCHRO NICE 159 every season. In the end, I just want for our skaters to ex- perience winning and losing through sport, to experience how hard you have to work, and howmuch teamwork you need and it’s not always just the result. In every situation, you always have your teammates, on and off the ice! That is the real gold in this sport - You are never alone! That’s nice and a great attitude to enter a competition. Do you choose your own competition to go to? No, coaches like me make suggestions, but we all together (coaches and club executives) decide what is the best timing and place, and of course it all depends on the organization for the other teams as well, they also compete or practice at home. But do you have a favorite competition?My favorite competitions are the ones that the Croatian Skating Federation organize. (Big Smile) I know how lame that sounds, but really, I am very proud of our Federation and the ZGSN Club as organizers! I think we are good hosts! So, my favorite one is from 2004 in Zagreb, when for the first time I saw synchronized skating and I will always remember how the Arena was full till the last seat. The audience was cheering for each team, the atmosphere was so amazing! For the first time, I saw something like that, not just in skating, but in any kind of sport! Do you think we will ever enter the ultimate competition, the Olympic games? The Olympics is, among other things, becoming a game of numbers. Number of athletes and officials, ice time and scheduling on one hand, sponsors, viewers and finance on the other. As a collective it’s been our goal for many years now. I believe it will eventually get there. The progress in terms of difficulty of the sport has shown since the implementation of IJS shows how fast synchro can develop and how far it can go. Russia and the USA have shown us that it is possible, to break into that top 3. I am sure another change will come, but such changes do not happen overnight. It was only fifteen years ago, that amajor battle at Worlds was settled between Russia and Germany for the 5th country to win two entries. Italy and several other countries have climbed the rankings. But these changes are a result of systemat- ic work, education and practice. Results will show over the years, I feel this could be Croatia just as easily. What about the other teams, do you have any favourites? I think, as synchronized skating develops rapidly, each season there are programs to like more than even just a team. Many Juniors are as strong as seniors, so it is not fair to choose anymore. Back when I was still skating, my teammates were all cheering for either Marigold Ice Unity or Team Surprise, but I admired Team Berlin 1’s skating skills (at that time more similar to Ice dance). As I became a coach, Marigold Ice Unity became my favorite team to follow, but there are some other programs that I remember, lately my top 3 are Team Rockettes – Galactic Invasion, Marigold Ice Unity – El Matador, Nexxice – The Widow. But I also like programs from Les Pirouettes Novice. But no particular role model? I remember my first SYS summer camp with Andrea Dohany – who instills discipline, precision and attention to detail and taught us exercises for skating skills off ice which I still use with my teams today. The season after, we visited Andrea Gilardi – How to connect two teams in one practice, the same exercise from beginners to seniors, but with adjustments to each level. The season after that one, we participat- ed in a summer camp with Gert Hofmman - SYS rules, elements, and for the first time someone explained weaving and angled intersection. Then ISU developing camp in Vierumaki – the method of interlocking, exer- cises for judging – GOE, components, bullets,… And the Zagreb summer camps with Anne Schelter. Her seminars focused on the very basics of skating – basic moves and basic skills. That is, after all, where even the most advanced skating starts and what it all comes down to. For me it was a great honor meeting, working with and learning from Anne. All of themwere at some point my role model and were part of my/ZGSN synchro learning. In 2003, when I was still a competitive solo skater, Anu Oksanen was in Zagreb, making programs for Zagreb Snowflakes senior but my figure skating club was looking for a choreographer as well, so my junior free programwas made by Anu Oksanen. Fun thing is at that point I really had no clue who she was! This season I made my first junior programs, and again she was the first coach to whom I said – I don’t have a clue where to begin! We have a long history of coop- eration with Anu and she knows Zagreb Snowflakes really well. We would love for her to come more often and stay longer than just couple of days in our summer camp. So, in answer to your question, my role model is every synchronized skating coach fromwhom I can learn something or easily become friends with. You definitely have a clear view of things, not bad for such a young lady. Let’s ask some easy questions to close the interview, okay? Like what’s your favorite music to skate to? So far, it’s this season’s junior free pro- gram“Dirty dancing”. Skaters are having so much fun and the audience is always singing and dancing with them. What does your competition schedule tell us? That we will compete at the Mozart cup and the Spring cup with our Juniors, but also at Junior Worlds here in Zagreb and that we will enter the Mozart Cup and the Budapest Cup, and also Worlds in Stockholmwith our Seniors. What do you do yourself, off season? I usually try to catch up on my studies, and then spend some time at the beautiful Croatian coast, the most beautiful in the world, in my humble opinion and just a short drive fromZagreb. But we only have one month off, so most of that time, I am friends with YouTube and search for newmusic for future skating programs, but that’s also a hobby of mine… Pringles & YouTube, love to watch Ellen DeGeneres and I’m a major Kimi Raikkonen fan. Finally, I love hanging out with my Goddaughter Olivia and niece Tia who started synchro school as little Snowflakes. Some final advice for our SynchroNice readers Ozana? Don't drive in Zagreb this year, because I am a new driver in Zagreb haha. Ohhh yeah and of course the most im- portant advice 'Don't forget to love yourself'. Thank you very much Ozana, it was very nice talking to you.  I’m definitely a dog, coffee and UGG’s lover