Agenda - 05-05-1997 - 10a - Laserfiche WebLink

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41 can compete and—all the while SKATERS. —enjoy the company of skating CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 B friends. "We work together instead of Canada,Italy,France and Fin- against each other,"said Colleen land. Dempsey, 15,a junior at East "That's why I've stayed inter- Chapel Hill High School."A lot of ested,"said Cook,a physical things that look simple are really therapist at the Treyburn Reha- hard—like keeping a straight bilitation and Nursing Center in line and moving our heads in Durham."Team skating was unison.I think we have such a positive experience for improved,like,really quickly." Being a Carolina Ice Sensation mNow Cook is working with the doesn't preclude a skater from SportsPlex to kindle in North being a singles competitor,too. Carolina girls the excitement In fact,every member of the she experienced in the Boston team skates in figure-skating suburb where she grew up on competitions. skates. Jacque Beane,15,of Hillsbor- It hasn't been easy.The skills it ough,has moved up three skill takes to sharpen skates and levels in free-style competition in design skating costumes aren't one year. Hilary Dubose, 14,a ninth- exactly indigenous Tar Heel crafts.And just getting kids to grader at Orange High School, won the open juvenile competi- the rink demands a high level of parental dedication.Some moms th in compulsory free-style at dads have to drive 60 miles the e South Atlantic regional com- and da and round-trip.da petition in Pittsburgh.Little But the problems are more Gareth Gwyn,11,of Chapel Hill, than matched by the girls'enthu- Placed second in free-style s among skaters in the pre-prelim- fasm for the speed and specta- inary bracket at Pittsburgh. cle that team skating provides. "Competition of any kind stim- Cook said they strive for una- ulates the girls to work harder nimity of movement,as epito- and progress faster,"said Mary mized by dance groups like the Jo Bullin,director of figure skat- Rockettes.But the skaters move ing at the SportsPlex. with much more speed and fluid- Right now the magic word at fty than a relatively static chorus line has. the rink is Buffalo.The regional"The top senior teams are just precision team championships are less than two months away. phenomenal.to watch,.•Cook The Ice Sensations are fine- said."Imagine up to 24 skaters, tuning their synchronization all moving extremely fast,doing with run-throughs-in front of the intricate splices and intersecting mirrors in the aerobics room at moves to a driving musical beat. the SportsPlex. It's a very exciting sight." They're also timing their spi- There's another big reason for the growing popularity of rals,pinwheels and other maneuvers to match the calypso sion teams,according to Cook. beat that establishes the theme It's something a skater especial- of their program. ly can appreciate. Coach Cook and assistant "Ice skating for girls of this age coach Kelly Cowan will get to can be a very lonely thing to do," measure the skaters'progress at she said."It's not a school sport. 4:30 p.m.Sunday at the Sport- Most of your friends don't skate. sPlex rink That's when the team And if you want to be competitive will present its Buffalo program as an indix4dual skater,you must as a preliminary to the main have talent,and you must start event,"The Nutcracker on Ice." very young,train hard and sacri- fice a lot." The public is invited.Tickets are This rather grim outlook cam $5 for adults,$3 for children. discourage a good young skater Unless you want to travel to Buffa- from sticking with the sport.By to in January,you won't get a bet- joining a precision team,the ter chance to see what precision youngster can stay in skating, team skating is all about