After more than a year of no competitions, Juneau’s Team Forget-Me-Not returned to the field with panache as they pulled down third place in their division in the Synchro Fall Classic last weekend.
The team’s technical proficiency and refusal to compound mistakes were keys to that success, said Coach Leah Farzin.
“It went really well. We had the opportunity to have some practice time while we were down there,” Farzin said in a phone interview. “They were engaging with the music really well. Their timing was really good. I think a lot of their choreography was really sharp.”
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The trip was the first time for many members of the team traveled for competition, as many members of the team had been moved up recently from the program’s lower division.
“It was really fun. I’d missed it since the year we didn’t compete,” said skater Lydia Powers, who’s been with the team for several years. “I missed the traveling. That really helps with the teammate, getting to bond.”
The away-game atmosphere might have added to the stress on the team, Farzin said, but they handled mistakes with aplomb.
“They got on the ice and they skated really hard. I think the nerves got to some of them. We had some falls, unfortunately,” Farzin said. “(They were) generally just keeping their heads, even though there were falls.”
Even with mistakes, however, the team was performing at a high enough technical level to bring home a medal, scoring 27.77 for their set, Farzin said.
“The way they were skating and what they were doing, they were able to accumulate enough points for third,” Farzin said. “That was surprising to me. I didn’t think we were going to be technically so high.”
The chance to square off against other teams from around the country is also a plus, Powers said. About 60 teams came out to the competition, Farzin said.
“I liked getting to see all the other teams from around the country and seeing how they skate,” Powers said.
The next competition is a few months out for Team Forget-Me-Not, Farzin said.
“The next competition is going to be February,” Farzin said. “I don’t think we’re going to have a holiday performance this year.”
Chances for the team to compete are rarer than it would be for teams in the Lower 48, who have easier access to other teams and competitions, Farzin said. But the team is excited for the February competition, Powers said.
“That one’s going to be really fun. It’s an (Ice Sports Industry) competition,” Powers said. “They allow different types of moves we can incorporate into our program and they have a lot of different events as well.”
• Contact reporter Michael S. Lockett at (757) 621-1197 or mlockett@juneauempire.com.
Juneau’s Team Forget-Me-Not competes in the Synchro Fall Classic in California in November as they return to competitions after nearly two years without skating against another team. (Courtesy photo / Cynthia Slawter Photography)
