Going for gold: Skyliners Junior place rst at nationals

Lights shining, ice glittering, the music slows to a crawl as the skaters skid to a stop. e crowd erupts as Skyliners Junior bring home a gold medal. is year the synchronized skating team, Skyliners Junior, won rst place at the U.S. Synchronized Junior Skating Championships in Peoria, Illinois and third at the International Skating Union World Junior Synchronized Skating Championships. e team’s performances consisted of a short program and a free skate. e short program was catered to “ e Impossible Dream” by Josh Groban, a so and dramatic piece, while the free skate’s theme was “legends,” which included performing difcult spins and elaborate partner moves. e team received 202.03 points overall at nationals and 186.63 points overall at the World Junior Championships.

Senior Catherine Tian has a skating history that goes far beyond Skyliners Junior. Tian started with the club Philadelphia Symmetry in fourth grade before switching to Skyliners Junior a er four years.

“I immediately fell in love with (the sport) — the team aspects, being able to be with people who have a similar passion and skate with some of your best friends,” Tian said. “It was really fun to just grow up in a community like that.” e team’s consistent training schedule throughout the year has led to a successful season.

With players coming from multiple states, the team practices on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Tian leaves school early on Friday to travel to Connecticut to train on the ice for an hour and o the ice for half an hour.

“It’s such an intense level, (and) the practices are very high pressure. at was di erent from what I had experienced before and I liked being able to step up and perform when it mattered and deliver every element that we had practiced to the best of my ability,”

Tian said.

A er taking home a gold medal at nationals on March 2, junior team.

Skyliners Junior currently holds the record for most titles for a U.S.

“We didn’t even know we had broken that record until a er nationals, but it feels really great to continue that legacy. It’s a proud moment for Skyliners and for the Skyliners Junior legacy,” Tian said.

With only an eight-day break a er nationals, Skyliners Junior advanced to ISU World Junior Synchronized Skating Champion- ships in Angers, France. As one of two teams representing the United States, Skyliners Junior worked to improve their performance and x any mistakes that they had made at nationals.

“We all knew that it would not be handed to us, we would have to work for it. Everybody really collectively worked toward (winning), and we always put our 100% e ort into every practice,” Tian said.

One of Tian’s favorite parts of the international competi- tion is seeing teams from all over the world.

“(It) was really fun — just feeling the crowd when you’re stepping out onto the ice. Especially competing (and) just knowing that everyone’s there seeing and watching you and you’re out there competing with the best teams and the best of the best,” Tian said. “You obviously want to deliver and show everybody what you’ve done throughout the entire season.”

For Tian and other senior skaters on the team, this is the last year they are skating as they retire and head o to college.

“That was really special for me — knowing that we had so many seniors who were not going to come back and were just not going to do synchro anymore,” Tian said. “Just being with each other and remembering this moment is something that I will remember forever.”

HIGHLIGHT REEL THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN SPORTS.

SPRINTS

Junior Calvin Jordan ran a personal best of 11.21 seconds in the 100m, one of the ten fastest times in Conestoga history.

DUNKS

The Sixers overpowered the Brooklyn Nets on April 17 to take a 2-0 series lead.

BESTS

Senior lacrosse player Kate Galica notched her 200th goal against Ridley High School at Teamer Field on April 13.

SERVES

Senior Chaitanya Krishna and junior Voyin Markovic placed rst and second respectively at the Central League Tennis Singles Championship on April 15 with both players qualifying for Districts.

ANNIVERSARIES

Celebrating 50 years of Conestoga boys lacrosse, the varsity boys’ lacrosse team took on Garnet Valley High School on April 18 at home, winning 11-7.

RACES

The varsity crew team took home gold in four events at the 4th Manny Flick, one of the three major regattas at the Schuykill river.