Starlights Skaters Strike Gold in Hot Season Start

If you can bat a thousand in synchronized skating, the Starlights Novice Team is doing just that. In their first two competitions of the season, Novice skaters have come away wearing gold medals around their necks on long bus rides home from Michigan. 

Performing to a medley of classic Beatles tunes while gliding across the ice in bright orange skating dresses, the Starlights Novice Team, featuring skaters in their mid-to-late teens, finished in first place at the 16th annual Porter Classic held in Ann Arbor from December 3 – 4. Starlights Novice skaters beat out ten other teams coming as far away as New York City, Quebec and Southern California to compete in one of the premier synchronized skating competitions in the country. Also winning medals in Ann Arbor were the Starlights Juvenile Team, who scored a second place finish among a field of ten other teams, including one from South Korea.

Novice skaters are now two-for-two in competition victories. They set the foundation for success last month by winning the Kick-Off Classic in Kalamazoo. The Starlights Preliminary team captured 3rd place bronze medals at both competitions and the Starlights Senior Team finished 3rd in Kalamazoo.

“Our Novice Team is really skating with a lot of confidence right now,” said co-head coach and Starlights skating director Chris Heiser. “What’s important is to keep the momentum going for our Novice skaters and all our teams moving forward.”

Right now all Starlights teams are preparing for their next round of competitions beginning after the holidays – looking to qualify for the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships in Worcester, Massachusetts. The Starlights Senior Team is also gearing up to compete overseas in February – representing the U.S. at the Spring Cup Competition in Milan, Italy.

About the Starlights

The Starlights are affiliated with the Skokie Valley Skating Club and all teams practice at Twin Rinks Ice Pavilion in Buffalo Grove and The Glacier Ice Arena in Vernon Hills, IL. Skater levels are determined by U.S. Figure Skating test level and age.  Skaters 13 and under compete on the Preliminary and Juvenile teams while the Novice and Intermediate teams typically feature skaters in their mid-to-late teens. The Starlights’ Senior Team is made up of 20 skaters at least 14-years-old and over. Skaters on the Starlights’ Adult team must be at least 21, with a majority over 25. For more information on all Starlights synchronized skating teams please visit www.starlights.us or www.usfigureskating.org.