Louisville RiverBlades Advance to the U.S. Syncronized Skating Championships

For the first time ever, a synchronized skating team from Kentucky is advancing to the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships. Louisville Skating Academy (“LSA”) is proud and excited to announce that its juvenile level synchronized skating team, the Louisville RiverBlades, is advancing to the 2008 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships to be held February 20 -23, 2008 at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island. To make this trip, the team needs to raise approximately $15,000 and is asking for your support.

Synchronized skating is the fastest growing discipline in the sport of figure skating. Typically, a team is comprised of eight to twenty skaters who perform a series of maneuvers and formations in unison. Synchronized skating requires excellent skating skills performed with the highest level of precision and involves intricate step sequences, difficult hand holds and quick changes of direction. Synchronized skating promotes teamwork, camaraderie, exercise and FUN!

LSA's synchronized skating program is relatively new. Since inception of the program 7 years ago, LSA has grown to have three youth teams and two adult teams. More information relating to the RiverBlades along with a photo of the team can be found on the next page.

Synchronized skating has existed as a competitive sport for approximately 50 years. Many colleges have competitive teams, and there is a movement for synchronized skating to be included among the NCAA sports and in the winter Olympic Games.

Become a Sponsor

LSA anticipates that the cost for the RiverBlades to advance to the U.S. Championships will be $13,000 to $15,000 including airfare, hotel accommodations, ground transportation, food and other miscellaneous costs. LSA is seeking sponsors from the $50 Patron level up through the $2,000 + Gold level. LSA is a 501c3 organization, and contributions are tax deductible. Sponsorship benefits are outlined on the sponsorship application (PDF Format).

Please consider becoming a sponsor today to make this dream a reality for the team members and coaches!

Please contact me at (502) 415-0962 or hatchpurnell@insightbb.com for additional information. Thank you in advance for your support.

Rebecca Hatch-Purnell
Skating Director, LSA
Co-Coach, Louisville RiverBlades
hatchpurnell@insightbb.com

Louisville RiverBlades Team Information

Front row from left to right: Emma Rooney, Sara Rose Shawver, Annie Trentham, Jordan Hawkins, Allison Paxton
Middle row from left to right: Moira Hyatt, Katherine Thacker, Sydney Flynn, Ashton Clemons, Taris Brashers, Lauren English
Back row from left to right: Coach Rebecca Hatch-Purnell, Lila Asher, Molly Holder, Emily Lacher, Kayla Clark, Lindsey Kuhns, Coach Heidi Whitlow

The Louisville RiverBlades is a juvenile level team which is one of the most difficult levels at which to field a team because the group of 12 to 20 skaters must be under 13 years of age and must have passed two of the official United States Figure Skating test levels in the “moves in the field” track. The RiverBlades team currently is comprised of 16 skaters, ages 9 to 12 years old. Team members have passed an average of 4 tests in the required track.

Juvenile teams compete at the U.S. Synchronized Skating Sectional Championships ( Nashville, TN for the Midwestern section in 2008) before advancing to the U.S. Championships ( Providence , R.I. ). LSA expects this team to continue together as a juvenile team for the 2009 season.

LSA is a member club of U.S. Figure Skating. U.S. Figure Skating is the national governing body for the sport of figure skating in the United States , as recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and the International Skating Union, with nearly 200,000 members representing more than 1,500 clubs and basic skills programs.