Denver Synchronicity - 2007 U.S. Adult Synchronized Skating Champions:
On February 24, 2007, Denver Synchronicity, an adult synchronized figure skating team, won the 2007 United States National Adult Synchronized Figure Skating title. This article profiles the team and their coach.
- Comments From Denver Synchronicity Team Members
- Comments From Julie Nyikos - Member, Denver Synchronicity
- All About Denver Synchronicity
- Denver Synchronicity Photo Album
Some Facts About Denver Synchronicity:
- Denver Synchronicity is the first synchronized skating team from the state of Colorado to win a medal at the U.S. Synchronized Team Skating Championships.
- 2007 Nationals was Denver Synchronicity's fourteenth appearance at the US Synchronized Nationals. One member has competed in all fourteen competitions.
- All but one member competed and skated in their youth; only one started skating as an adult.
- The majority of the team members have college degrees, and approximately half of those are advanced degrees.
- Thirteen members of the team are US Figure Skating Gold Medalists.
- Some of the skaters were in Disney On Ice.
Coach:
Denver Synchronicity's coach is two time US Synchronized Skating Champion, Alicia Carr, who skated with the world famous synchronized skating champions, The Haydenettes in 2002 and 2003. She was captain of The Haydenettes team in 2003.
Alicia writes:
- "I feel my time
on the Haydenettes has helped me to get a feel for the inner workings of
a successful organization and has helped me to understand what it takes
to mentally and physically prepare my teams."
Team Members:
Denver Synchronicity's members are in their twenties, thirties, and forties.
Denver Synchronicity's Members:
- Caitlin Balch-Burnett
- Christine Barton
- Laura Beuther
- Alicia Carr
- Amanda Chaney
- Michelle Dillavou
- Lisa Emery
- Kristina Fritz
- Irrit Gamliel
- Joy Harrison
- Sharon Lebron-Frank
- Andi Lindahl
- Susan McInnes
- Julie Nyikos
- Cassy Papajohn
- Carrie Proctor
- Katie Rohde
- Linsey Schulze
- Karen Sulpizio
- Dianna-lynne Webster Wells
- Angie Zakaras
- Michelle Zeles-Hahn
Training:
Denver Synchronicity trains at South Suburban and Denver University. They train from June through February each season. They practice together for two hours on the ice each week and one hour off the ice each week.
Team Ritual:
After every practice, the team always forms a circle and takes a bow and claps to recognize their hard work and accomplishments for that practice.Skating Club :
Denver Synchronicity represents the Denver Figure Skating Club.
Winning Memories:
The team's coach, Alicia Carr writes:
- "I am so proud of this
team and I couldn't have asked for a better performance! They peaked at
exactly the right time and everything they have been striving for this
season fell perfectly into place. We set our goals at the beginning of
the season to skate our best performance at nationals and worked all
season to improve and make that happen. Their focus and dedication to
their goals all season made them come true and made their dreams of a
gold medal a reality. There was never any doubt in my mind that they
could someday be National champions! What a great feeling."
Team Captains:
Denver Synchronicity's team captains are Caitlin Balch-Burnett and Andi Lindahl. Caitlin lives in Westminster, Colorado and Andi lives in Aurora, Colorado.
Other Wins:
Denver Synchronicity won a silver medal at the 2005 US Synchronized Figure Skating Championships. They won a gold at the International SYS-Cup in Huttwil, Switzerland in January, 2005.
Life Outside of Skating:
The members of Denver Synchronicity are all very busy outside of skating. The occupations of team members include:
- Physician/Oncologist
- Project Analyst
- Software Engineer
- Provider Marketing Manager
- Therapist (Licensed Professional Counselor)
- Research Data Manager / Analyst
- Real Estate Agent
- Account Manager
- Media Buyer
- Skating Coach and Choreographer
- Personal Trainer
- Geographer
- Aerobics Instructor
- Sports Nutritionist
- Teacher
- Administrative Assistant
- Graduate Student
- Part-time Social Worker
- Stay at Home Mom
Individual Ice Skating Accomplishments:
One of the members of the team, Cassy Papajohn, is a two time U.S. Figures Champion.The team also holds an impressive individual U.S. Figure Skating gold medal test record:
- Six Gold Medalists in Freestyle
- Seven Gold Medalists in Moves in the Field
- Two Gold Medalists in Dance
- Three Gold Medalists in Figures
- Two Adult Gold Medalists in Freestyle
- Four Adult Gold Medalists in Moves in the Field
Previous Synchronized Skating Experience:
Denver Synchronicity's team members have skated on the following teams prior to joining Denver Synchronicity:- Haydenettes Senior
- Team Elan Senior
- Team del Sol Senior
- Superettes Senior
- Team Allure Senior
- Team Elan Adult
- Team del Sol Adult
- Figurettes Adult
- Synchro Panache Adult
- Miami University Collegiate
- University of Delaware Collegiate
- Western Michigan Collegiate
- Grand Valley State Collegiate
- University of Michigan Collegiate
- Magic Blades Junior
- Les Patineurs Junior
- Chordettes Junior
- Shoreliners Junior
- Alpine Icettes Junior
- Rocky Mountain Dynamite Junior
- Crystallettes Novice
- Silver Stars Novice
- Mankato Silver Blades Novice
- Magic Blades Intermediate
- The Placidettes of Lake Placid Intermediate
- Alpine Express Intermediate
- Rocky Mountain Sparklers Intermediate
- Mankato Silver Blades Intermediate
- Rocky Mountain Firecrackers Juvenile
- Sailorettes
- Windjammers
- Mini-mates
