By Laura Nicula, first year DREAM Skater and member of the Haydenettes
If you would have told me five years ago that I would be a member of the Haydenettes and the DREAM program, I would never have believed you.
Growing up in St. Louis, Missouri, I could count on one hand the number of people who continued skating past high school. Taking a chance on a new training environment was a feat accomplished by few and far between. If it wasn't for my best friend, Brynn LaMear (currently on Miami University's Varsity Synchronized Skating Team), I would not have continued skating past my sophomore year of high school and ultimately become a Haydenette.
Brynn nudged me to give synchronized skating a try, and I think it's safe to say that I liked it. Before parting our separate ways, we skated for Saint Louis Synergy Junior from 2018 to 2020. In those two formative years, we did not win gold medals at any larger qualifying events and we did not represent Team USA at any international competitions. Despite this, I hold the memories and friendships I created throughout those seasons close to my heart.
While laughter and smiling faces during Saturday morning 6 a.m. practices are some of my favorite memories on Synergy, what I cherish the most is the joy we felt when we all accomplished a goal together. The shared feelings of pride when all eight death spiral pairs successfully rose on one foot or the satisfaction of finally mastering a duck-under spiral line are what made me yearn for more. For us, it was not about tangible accomplishments. We skated for the little wins at every practice and the friendships we created as teammates.
Today when I take the ice as a Haydenette, I skate for those same reasons. Out of approximately 1,861 hours the Haydenettes spent together this past season, we only spent 51 minutes competing together. We spent the remaining 97.3% of our time at practice, traveling for competitions, and most importantly, making countless memories together.
After working tirelessly to reach the senior level and compete with the Haydenettes over the past three years, I've realized that what makes skating synchro so special are the bonds we share with each other on and off the ice. It's about the encouraging eye contact we make in long sections, the high-fives after difficult run throughs, and moments we share at practice every day. It's about the roaring laughter we share in the locker room, the conversations when stretching before and after practice, and ultimately, our collective love for the sport itself. The medals and the national titles are a result of the hard work we put in together, but it's not what keeps me coming back to the sport. For me, it's ultimately about the dedication I have to my team and the friendships I've cultivated along my skating journey.
As we head into this new season, I strongly encourage you to reflect on what keeps you coming back to the sport. When we face adversity, remembering why we started can be a source of strength. Below are a few questions that may guide you, as you reach your "why."
- What are some of your favorite memories from your past seasons?
- What were some of your favorite past competitions? Why?
- Which teammates inspired you to keep going when you faced adversity?
- What do you love most about skating synchro?
- What keeps you motivated to keep working hard on and off the ice?
- What are you most excited for as we head into the new season?
I hope that you can find the time to reflect on some of these questions so that you may feel more grounded in your purpose before this upcoming season picks up.
With love,
Laura
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