South Orange fourth-grader Madelyn Cicenia helps Synchronized Skating team to Gold medal

SOUTH ORANGE – The Synchroettes Synchronized Skating organization, representing the Essex Skating Club of New Jersey, returned home last week from the 2016 Eastern Sectional Synchronized Skating Championships in Richmond, Va., with a Gold Medal in the Preliminary Division. Thirty teams and close to 600 skaters competed in qualifying rounds with 12 teams proceeding to the championship competition.

Coached by Lori Zimmerman, The Synchroettes Preliminary Team includes 18 skaters ranging in age from 8-to-9 years old and residing predominantly in communities across northern NJ, Staten Island, NY and New York. One of the members of the team is South Orange resident Madelyn Cicenia, fourth-grader at Jefferson School.

Coach Lori expressed what a wonderful feeling it is to see the girls start as a group of individual skaters and end up as a true team, standing on the podium as gold medalists. She is very proud of the young champions and, like them, will cherish this special moment forever.

The girls spend numerous hours every week practicing together both on and off the ice to perfect their skills. A synchronized skating team consists of between eight and 20 skaters whose performance is judged on speed, accuracy, intricate formations, and transitions.

The Synchroettes Synchronized Skating organization was founded by Head Coach and Director of Skating, Geri Lynch Tomich, in 2001. The 501C not for profit organization now includes 190 skaters participating on 10 teams.

Seven Synchroettes teams competed in the competition. Joining the preliminary team on the podium was the Synchroettes Junior team winning the silver medal in the Junior division.

After the competition Coach Geri Tomich said, “Dream, Believe, Achieve’. They did! It’s an honor to have been a part of the highest achievement of winning the Eastern Sectional Synchronized Championships. Teamwork made this dream work!!

Synchronized skating, a 50-year-old sport which began in the U.S., joins the familiar men’s, ladies, pairs and ice dance competitions sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating Association (USFSA) and the International Skating Union (ISU), the governing bodies for all skating events in the U.S. and internationally. “Synchro”, as the sport is known by its fans, is considered by the USFSA to be the fastest- growing figure skating discipline.