It's February 29, 2020. The Haydenettes had just won their 28th U.S. title in Providence, Rhode Island. The Boston-based team screamed with excitement as they were named to the 2020 World Team, with the event set to take place in Lake Placid, New York.
But it wasn't long after that moment that things changed. In the weeks leading up to the World Championships, the COVID-19 pandemic diminished any hopes of competing at a home Worlds.
When the inevitable finally came, many members of the veteran-heavy team had to make a disappointing choice. Many had already planned to hang up their skates after one last World Championships on home ice.
For Cameron Feeley, that was not an option.
"After 2020 when Worlds was canceled, it was obviously really heartbreaking," Feeley said. "The majority of that team left after the season and there were only a few of us that stayed. I knew that my time on the team was not done. From the last time Worlds were at home in 2017, there is only one person still on our team – Stephen (Murray)."
The new era of the Haydenettes was just beginning. The mainstay of U.S. synchronized skating now had new faces, a new home at the Skating Club of Boston and a new approach to skating. The team known for larger-than-life performances like
The Greatest Showman and the 2017 Prince program starting showing programs with a softer side.
"I think the shift started during COVID," said Autumn Coulthard, a fourth season Haydenette. "Our style has shifted and grown to be more about the knee-bend and lightness of skating. We have been trying to incorporate more of an international style of skating. We are really proud of everything the Hayden organization has accomplished, but we also want to keep evolving and highlighting our love for the sport of skating. The focus on skating skills really pushed us during COVID and now we are getting a chance to showcase that hard work."
This season, the Haydenettes bring their show-stopping legacy with their short program set to "Let The Good Times Roll" by Big Gigantic and GRiZ. Their free skate has a much more somber tone and highlights their unity and long lines.
"Our free skate this season is to 'Quest for Souls' by David Marsden," Feeley said. "The theme of this program is a little more ambiguous and depends a little more on a story line. We have come up with our own story throughout the season, asking the question, 'What is the soul trying to find?' and letting that answer evolve over the course of the season. We have really enjoyed the contrast between the two programs. Our free skate really highlights our skating skills and that is something we have really focused on this season."
Their two programs hit new heighs at the 2023 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships in Peoria, Illinois, where the squad won their historic 30th U.S. title with the highest score ever recorded at the event (244.45 points). Their international showings included a Challenger Series silver medal at Mozart Cup and a fourth-place finish at Leon Lurje Trophy.
"Coming out of internationals, we knew what we needed to work on technically," said Feeley. "We also watched all of the other top-level teams compete and took notes about what they were doing better than us so we could map out how we can get there and be on that same level. One of those focuses has been unison. We have been working a lot on unison and our GOE (grade of execution) marks. I think that work really paid off in the U.S. Championships, and now we are continuing that work and aiming even higher for the +4 and +5 GOEs."
Perfection is not a word that the Haydenettes shy away from. Under the guidance of head coach Saga Krantz, the team is striving for perfect unity and knows that the difference between a +3 and +5 mark can come down to a single head tilt, arm movement or facial expression.
"We really have looked at films from competitions and practices to pinpoint the little things that will make a difference," Coulthard said. "Even at practices, we will have two groups go out there to do an element and the rest of us spot the differences so we can really achieve the unity we are looking for. Having that attention to detail is key and I have liked seeing that come out of my teammates as well. We all know where we want to be and we are all willing to work for it. No one gets upset because we know it is for the betterment of the team and we know those small details make the difference."
The five-time World bronze medalists plan to bring that perfectionism with them to the World stage as well as their ultimate goal – become the first U.S. team to stand on top of the World podium.
"Our goal is to be on the top of the podium at Worlds," Feeley said. "Saga always says that our goals shouldn't be a secret and we shouldn't be afraid to say them out loud. It is a big, bold goal, but the more you say it, the more you work towards it and the more it will become a reality. We do have smaller goals that we set for ourselves along the way. We had two solid internationals and we came out of that knowing that we had a lot to work on. We worked really hard leading up to the U.S. Championships and that win gave us a boost to really get to work and put our best foot forward for Worlds."
Three years after being named to the 2020 World Team, the Haydenettes are ready for their second chance to sport their Team USA jacket at the top of the podium in the most iconic Olympic venue in the United States. They will be armed with a unified style, mindset and a home crowd to cheer them on.
"I think our unity is really something that has grown for us," Coulthard said. "Not just our skating on the ice, but our mindset and supporting each other. We want to showcase how much work we have put in the last four years. This World Championships is such a milestone that we have been looking forward to and we are all revved up and ready to go."
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