The Crystallettes stand out at every skating competition — their uniform pink scarves and neon signs dominate the bleachers, and more often than not, their sparkling dresses glimmer on the podium.
Their senior team alone has medaled at every U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships in the past decade. It has also competed in the ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships five times since the senior team started competing in 1993.
While its persistent international presence is an impressive feat, head coach Holly Malewski attributes the senior's team accolades to how the organization breeds, fosters and attracts talent in Dearborn, Michigan.
"We put our senior team in leadership roles to keep our younger teams, our pipeline, thriving, excited and involved," Malewski said. "Many of our elite athletes care about the growth and development of the entire program. It's so pivotal to our success."
This season, when state regulations permitted skaters to practice disconnected on ice, morning sessions were dedicated to skating skills. While practicing "Annie's Edges," members of each team performed drills together in columns divided by level. Younger skaters watched and mimicked the seniors' precision as they pushed and turned down the ice.
"We want every team to see the type of athlete and the type of person we need on senior," Malewski said. "The amount of sacrifice, skill, dedication and self-resolve you need to have to be a successful synchronized skater — those are qualities that go far beyond talent."
Above all, the Team USA athletes are expected to be role models and friends for Crystalletes on novice through preliminary. Preserving the legacy of the organization is particularly important to Rachel Teets, Malewski's daughter, who has been a Crystallette since age 5. She often seeks out the skaters who struggle with field moves, death spirals and twizzles to show them it's OK to make mistakes.
"I grew up following the seniors, and the way they treated me had a huge impact on my career," Teets said. "I want to give back and include younger athletes to show them skating doesn't have to be intimidating."
Teets practices what she preaches. When the team practices field moves together, the former DREAM skater and current captain stands at the front of the line to perform her spread eagle — even though she describes the element as her "Achilles heel."
"Everyone always gets a kick out of when I do my spread eagle," Teets said. "I've never been able to do it, but I will continue to practice to motivate and inspire everyone to try things out of their comfort zone."
Fearlessness is an essential trait in a Crystallette. Malewski said only 25% of the senior team is made up of lifelong members. The success and progress of every team, however, is what brings so many skaters to their tryouts every year.
"It's a very rare, special drive for someone to push themselves from the ground level all the way to the top," Malewski said.
But when elite skaters from other programs do find their way to Dearborn, they're likely to stick around. Malewski said many of their coaches, across all seven of the teams, competed as a Crystallette at some point or another. Malewski herself joined the program in 1976.
"People come to our rink to be challenged," Malewski said. "But they stay because we're a family here."
For Malewski, however, the balance between support and challenge is all a part of the fun. As the senior team's choreographer, she experiments with drastic movements, skating styles and even costumes to portray bold, dynamic storylines every season.
"I recently realized it's a habit of mine — creating characters for the athletes to embody and relate to," Malewski said. "When we skated to Maleficent in 2019, that broke the ice. Having a physical sleeping beauty and villain made the program come alive."
That season, the Crystallettes brought home international medals from Scotland and Italy before placing third at the U.S. Championships.
This year, even during months of uncertainly, the Crystallettes has kept its eyes on the prize. The senior team led online workouts with the younger athletes, not only maintaining their athleticism, but continuing to build themselves as leaders off the ice. Malewski said the results have been undeniable, as skaters gradually return to the ice and prepare for the next season.
"We're planning to take another risk with short, skating to something slow and emotional, while our free skate will be fun and exciting," Malewski said. "But across all teams, we have a slogan: we are, we will, we believe — and that's what I think keeps us ready for the future."
