Magazine
After their misadventure in Europe, they are ready for Nationals
Magazine
After their misadventure in Europe, they are ready for Nationals
In Austria, then in France... the Skyliners will for sure remember their time in Europe.
A few hours before competing at the French Cup last month, the Skyliners Juniors saw their plans change. With two positive tests for Covid, the team was forced to return to the United States immediately. The skaters tell us how it all went down.
This week, the U.S. teams will compete in Colorado Springs for Nationals. This is a highlight of the season for the athletes, some of whom had a big adventure a few weeks ago, like the Skyliners Junior.
Skyliners, tell us what happened from the moment you won your gold medal in Austria until the time you had to withdraw from French Cup...
"After winning our first international in Austria, we headed back to the hotel to take Covid-19 rapid tests. The whole team tested negative, so we packed up our things and got a good night's sleep. We woke up the next day, had breakfast, and got Covid tested again with a proctor over Zoom. Again, everyone tested negative so we got our things from the hotel and got on the bus. We took a 3-hour bus ride from our hotel to Munich airport and then flew from Germany into Paris. After landing in Paris, we got on another bus to Rouen. We dropped off our bags at the hotel and then ate dinner outside at a restaurant in Rouen.
The next day, we were able to walk around Rouen, take pictures and grab sandwiches at an outdoor vendor. After getting sandwiches, we headed to the rink for our first practice in France. We were incredibly fortunate to have all of our practices at the competition rink. We started by warming up outside and then headed inside for an hour on the ice. We focused on improving upon the elements we felt we could have executed better in Austria. The next day, we had a very similar agenda. We arrived at the rink, had a good warm-up outside, and then headed inside to prepare for 2 hours of ice. In our first hour of ice, we did sections and a run-through of the short program."
"There were many tears, many hugs, and then there was silence"Skyliners, tell us what happened from the moment you won your gold medal in Austria until the time you had to withdraw from French Cup...
"After winning our first international in Austria, we headed back to the hotel to take Covid-19 rapid tests. The whole team tested negative, so we packed up our things and got a good night's sleep. We woke up the next day, had breakfast, and got Covid tested again with a proctor over Zoom. Again, everyone tested negative so we got our things from the hotel and got on the bus. We took a 3-hour bus ride from our hotel to Munich airport and then flew from Germany into Paris. After landing in Paris, we got on another bus to Rouen. We dropped off our bags at the hotel and then ate dinner outside at a restaurant in Rouen.
The next day, we were able to walk around Rouen, take pictures and grab sandwiches at an outdoor vendor. After getting sandwiches, we headed to the rink for our first practice in France. We were incredibly fortunate to have all of our practices at the competition rink. We started by warming up outside and then headed inside for an hour on the ice. We focused on improving upon the elements we felt we could have executed better in Austria. The next day, we had a very similar agenda. We arrived at the rink, had a good warm-up outside, and then headed inside to prepare for 2 hours of ice. In our first hour of ice, we did sections and a run-through of the short program."
"We noticed one of our skaters looked very ill during the ice cut, so we alerted our team manager, who had the team doctor spend time with her. When we got on the ice for the second session, that skater was still not back, so we spent time walking through the program with a different skater and had her learn the spot. We focused on the long in the second ice session, which went very well. We aimed to attack and give our all using expression and interpretation of the music. We got amazing feedback from our team leaders, leaving the practice feeling very confident.
After ice, the entire team went around the rink to take our Covid-19 test. When we got there, we saw our ill teammate standing with the team doctor and our coach. The French Cup officials tested one skater at a time, planning to have the teammates who tested negative exit towards the right while skaters who were positive exit to the left. As we continued down the line of skaters, one after the other was testing negative until one skater exited the room to join our ill teammate on the left. This was the moment that most of us had realized that our hopes of competing were over. Our coach, Josh Babb, started talking with French Cup officials, stating that he thought it was best if the junior team left France to go home before we had any more positive cases. Once all skaters completed their testing, he came over to us to break the news, though most of us had seen it coming already."
After ice, the entire team went around the rink to take our Covid-19 test. When we got there, we saw our ill teammate standing with the team doctor and our coach. The French Cup officials tested one skater at a time, planning to have the teammates who tested negative exit towards the right while skaters who were positive exit to the left. As we continued down the line of skaters, one after the other was testing negative until one skater exited the room to join our ill teammate on the left. This was the moment that most of us had realized that our hopes of competing were over. Our coach, Josh Babb, started talking with French Cup officials, stating that he thought it was best if the junior team left France to go home before we had any more positive cases. Once all skaters completed their testing, he came over to us to break the news, though most of us had seen it coming already."
"There were many tears, many hugs, and then there was silence. We solemnly headed back to the hotel, where the skaters that tested positive isolated in one room together until their parents could get to them. Their roommates were relocated into separate rooms.
After a few hours, our team scheduled a call with our sports psychologists to help us digest the reality of what had just happened. Lauren McHenry, one of the psychologists, helped us to recognize our feelings, told us that these feelings were completely valid, and ensured that this defeat would allow us to come back better and stronger. The next morning, we were on a plane to New York."
After a few hours, our team scheduled a call with our sports psychologists to help us digest the reality of what had just happened. Lauren McHenry, one of the psychologists, helped us to recognize our feelings, told us that these feelings were completely valid, and ensured that this defeat would allow us to come back better and stronger. The next morning, we were on a plane to New York."
How many skaters have tested positive in total and what happened to them?
"We had two skaters test positive in France. They went back to the hotel to gather their things and moved to isolated rooms in a separate hotel. Luckily, both skaters' parents were already in France and could get to them quickly. When the rest of the team got back to the United States, we continuously tested and monitored our symptoms (if we had any) and had to report a negative PCR to the Skyliners organization so that we could be cleared to go to practice. With continuous testing, two more skaters tested positive in the United States. The rest of us were negative, and we had our first weekend of practice back home with 18 skaters."
"We had two skaters test positive in France. They went back to the hotel to gather their things and moved to isolated rooms in a separate hotel. Luckily, both skaters' parents were already in France and could get to them quickly. When the rest of the team got back to the United States, we continuously tested and monitored our symptoms (if we had any) and had to report a negative PCR to the Skyliners organization so that we could be cleared to go to practice. With continuous testing, two more skaters tested positive in the United States. The rest of us were negative, and we had our first weekend of practice back home with 18 skaters."
How was your trip back home?
"Leaving to go back home early was not something we were expecting, but it was something that we had been mentally prepared for with the help of our coaches and our sports psychologists. Prior to leaving for Europe, we agreed as a team that if we had any positive tests within the group, we would withdraw and go home so that we didn't contract more Covid cases while we were away. Although it was very somber, we tried our best to make the most of the situation by shopping inside the airport and watching movies as a team on the plane.
Of course, everyone on the team reacted differently. After we decided to withdraw, we had an impromptu meeting with our sports psychologists; the main feelings reflected were disappointment, heartbreak, and dissatisfaction. We tried to stay positive, reminding ourselves to be grateful for the opportunity to compete in Austria because many teams lost the chance to compete internationally at all. Coming home brought more drive and passion to our practices has motivated us to perform our best at US Nationals."
"Leaving to go back home early was not something we were expecting, but it was something that we had been mentally prepared for with the help of our coaches and our sports psychologists. Prior to leaving for Europe, we agreed as a team that if we had any positive tests within the group, we would withdraw and go home so that we didn't contract more Covid cases while we were away. Although it was very somber, we tried our best to make the most of the situation by shopping inside the airport and watching movies as a team on the plane.
Of course, everyone on the team reacted differently. After we decided to withdraw, we had an impromptu meeting with our sports psychologists; the main feelings reflected were disappointment, heartbreak, and dissatisfaction. We tried to stay positive, reminding ourselves to be grateful for the opportunity to compete in Austria because many teams lost the chance to compete internationally at all. Coming home brought more drive and passion to our practices has motivated us to perform our best at US Nationals."
Have you watched the French Cup?
"We did watch the competition because we felt it was important to cheer on all of the Team USA teams (Teams Elite, Hayden Elite 12, and Skyliners Senior), especially our 'big sisters' on our Senior line. It was disappointing to watch through a screen instead of performing on the ice, but we were so proud of all the Team USA teams who could compete."
We can well imagine that this also had financial consequences...
"As a team, all of our flights were rebooked for the next day in order to leave as quickly as possible. The skaters who tested positive went to different hotels in Rouen while they were quarantined with their parents."
Currently, can you train as a full team?
"When we first came back to the states, we were unable to practice with the entire team due to the positive Covid tests. However, now we are all back on the ice and we couldn't be more excited!
We have recovered from our travels in Europe and have been testing continuously to ensure we didn't contract covid while abroad. To ensure a full mental recovery from the letdown, we have been working with our sports psychologists, Lauren McHenry and Caroline Silby. We have returned to our regular practice schedule and have been working hard to prepare for Nationals.
Not being able to compete in the French Cup has brought a new level of motivation and drive to our practice, and we are so excited to show our improvement at nationals this weekend."
"We did watch the competition because we felt it was important to cheer on all of the Team USA teams (Teams Elite, Hayden Elite 12, and Skyliners Senior), especially our 'big sisters' on our Senior line. It was disappointing to watch through a screen instead of performing on the ice, but we were so proud of all the Team USA teams who could compete."
We can well imagine that this also had financial consequences...
"As a team, all of our flights were rebooked for the next day in order to leave as quickly as possible. The skaters who tested positive went to different hotels in Rouen while they were quarantined with their parents."
Currently, can you train as a full team?
"When we first came back to the states, we were unable to practice with the entire team due to the positive Covid tests. However, now we are all back on the ice and we couldn't be more excited!
We have recovered from our travels in Europe and have been testing continuously to ensure we didn't contract covid while abroad. To ensure a full mental recovery from the letdown, we have been working with our sports psychologists, Lauren McHenry and Caroline Silby. We have returned to our regular practice schedule and have been working hard to prepare for Nationals.
Not being able to compete in the French Cup has brought a new level of motivation and drive to our practice, and we are so excited to show our improvement at nationals this weekend."
