The Colonial Experience — Direct from our Graduating Seniors

2006-2007 Skating Season

Nicole D (Juvenile, Intermediate, and Junior from 1999-2007)

I could never explain how much I have learned from skating on this team. I love the girls, I love the coaches, and I love the time I spend with them. Colonials has been a large part of my life since I was in elementary school, and if I didn’t love it here I would not have continued to come back year after year. I made so many friends, memories, and had indescribable experiences with this team. I have learned about friendship, teamwork, dedication, commitment, and determination. I have traveled around the country, and the world representing our club and the country. At Colonial our coaches not only teach us good skating, but they teach us morals and values that we are proud to represent. I could not have picked a better group of people to grow up with and spend time together over all these years. We are the “Colonial never-give-ups” and we skate for “the feeling in the pit of our stomach.” I will never forget it.

I have too many memories to share, but some of my favorites include:

• Singing “Dancing Queen” in Colorado with the whole team and the coaches (Juvie)
• Getting off the ice at Nationals having accomplished our season long goal of performing our program so well that we made Merita cry (Intermediate)
• Being mobbed by people wanting our autographs while representing the United States in France (Junior)
• Crowning Merita with a pink tiara during the awards ceremony at the 2007 World Qualifier (Junior)
• Anu showing up in England at Worlds to support us (Junior)

Kara D (Preliminary, Juvenile, Intermediate, Junior from 1996-2007)

I have been a member of the Colonial Synchronized Skating Teams for ten years. I joined The Colonials Preliminary Team when I was eight years old, and worked my way up through juvenile, intermediate, and junior. This past year was my final season on the Colonials, and though it is hard to leave the team after so many years, I know that the memories I have and the lessons I have learned will be a part of who I am for the rest of my life.

I grew up on the Colonials. When I first made the team, I was a little girl who just wanted to have some fun and make some friends. And over ten years I've had lots of fun and made many friendships that will last a lifetime. But being a member of the Colonials gave me much more than just friends and fun. Being part of a team taught me discipline and dedication; there are always other girls depending on you to come to every practice and give it your all. I learned to manage my time efficiently so that my schoolwork always got done before practice or before I got home from a competition. I learned to communicate effectively with my peers and to work together to solve problems. I learned that in order to make things work you have to be willing to compromise and listen to everyone's ideas. All of these skills I've gained from being a Colonial have helped me succeed in school and in other aspects of my life. Now I understand the meaning of the word committment, andI believe if you truly want to be a part of something, you can make it happen.

There were times over my years on The Colonials when things did not always go our way. We made mistakes, and we learned to rebound from defeat and come back even stronger. I learned to fight for what I wanted and stand up for what I believe in, because the only way to succeed is to never stop trying. I realized that it is not enough to have a dream and wait for it to come true; you have to work towards that dream every day of your life. You have to set a goal and then do everything in your power to fulfill what it demands of you. My years on The Colonials with Merita and Nancy have taught me that it is not enough to want something; you must work to make it happen, because you are the one who controls your own growth and success.

I have experienced so much on The Colonials. I truly feel lucky to have already learned so many of life's important lessons. And I owe it all to Merita, Nancy, and The Colonials. Everything I've learned, every memory I've made, every smile I've shared is because of the people I've been around on The Colonials. I couldn't have asked for a more loving and supportive community to grow up in. I am so blessed to have had the oppurtunity to be a Colonial for so many years. Many of my beliefs and personal values have been formed around experiences I've had here at Colonial over the years, and these values will help guide me through college and through life. I wouldn't trade in my experiences here for anything.

For anybody who is just beginning synchro or considering joining The Colonials, it is an experience unlike any other. What you gain from being a part of The Colonials community by far outweighs any sacrifices you may have to make along the way. I loved my time on The Colonials.

Jill D-S (Intermediate & Junior from 2002-2007)

I remember the first time that I ever saw the Colonials for the first time, it was like it was yesterday. I think it was when they skated to “Dreams” in the intermediate division. They were ready to take the ice and I heard that crazy chant-like cheer (Co-Col-On-Oni-Al-Als, Colonials, Colonials let’s go!) Then I heard that famous “Go Colonials!” I looked around because it sounded as if it came from some other universe. The Colonials finally took the ice and it was beautiful. They made it look effortless and I remember thinking to myself, “This is synchronized skating.” The whole organization of the Colonials seemed like one huge family that I always wanted to be apart of, but never in a million years did I ever think that it would ever be a reality, only one big dream.

My dream finally became a reality when my sister tried out for the Junior line in 2001 and made it. She was the stepping stone for me to try-out for the Intermediate line the following year. Without her, I never would have made that leap. It was the best decision of my life. By skating with the Colonials, I learned that all the things that I thought about being a Colonial were true. The organization was like a family from day one, the coaches were right there with you every step of the way, the friendships that I made were like no other and the skating was effortless when executed correctly. My skating career as a Colonial was pure magic. The only regret that I have is not joining the Colonials sooner. However, I realized that whether you are on the Colonials for only one year or ten years, the experiences are all the same. Being a Colonial is one huge experience that will always be engraved into my life for years to come. I will look back years down the road and think about all of the times that I have shared with my team and think about how lucky I was to be on not only a successful team, but a team that was truly a family. There was a reason for our success. It was our bond that we shared that was indescribable. I am sitting here right now trying to think of words to describe all of us as a team and I honestly can not. Maybe indescribable is the best word because only when you are a Colonial, can you truly understand what it means to be a Colonial. There really are not any words that can be put down on paper, only the feeling that you get when you are with your team. I am proud to say that I am a Colonial and it was the best five years of my life.

To my Colonial Girls- I love all of you so much and saying goodbye to you is such a hard thing to do because you have been with me for so long. You girls are like my second family and I feel as though there will always be a space in my heart where you will always be. When I take that ice I am proud to look around and see that I am on the ice with you. There isn’t anyone else who I would rather skate with other than you girls. You fit the definition of “Team” perfectly. I love you.

Merita and Nancy- Thank you for everything that you have done for me as coaches. I don’t know if you realize how much of an impact you have had on me over the past five years as a skater and as a person. You have helped me develop into the skater that I am today and the person that I am today and I thank you for that. I learned many valuable lessons from skating and you helped me become stronger through them. Thank you for that. You two are the best coaches that I have ever had…plain and simple. I will miss the girls very much and I will miss you as well. Thank you for allowing me (and my sister) to skate on the Colonials and making my dream become a reality. It was an absolute honor to skate for you.

Stephanie L (Senior 2006-2007)

Each start of the season is exciting with two new programs, new dresses, new teammates and new energy. It’s like skating on a new patch of ice, so white that your shadows lie just above the surface and skate with you. It’s that surge of energy you feel as you step out under a young aura as a new team and a new beginning that is so exhilarating. Each year is a renewed when revived spirits become new competitors.

Every skater must be enjoying themselves on the ice for them to skate on such a competitive and rigorous schedule. What keeps students on the team year after year is simply their love and dedication to the sport. Of course there are always ups and downs, tears of frustration and tears of laughter, but all are essential because without the good and bad memories, time and past experiences would be somewhat meaningless. Everyone grows in the process without knowing it, as the year goes by, the team grows tighter and closer to each other, bonding through each competition. By the last competition, we went over our warm-up dance several times not merely as a routine done since the beginning of the season, but because we enjoyed ourselves amongst the loud beating music and the rhythm of each step. As for the seniors, I know that each senior has such a passion for this sport that deeply surpasses the superficial fluff one can add to the interests/extracurricular column required in the college application. If team skating was solely an interest or extracurricular activity, students would not be investing so much time and effort into learning a technically challenging short program and a demanding long program by practicing them until permanence.

Special Note: If you skated with the Colonials Synchronized Skating teams as a graduating senior in past years and would like to contribute a note about your experiences, please contact Jeff Sokolov at publicity@colonialsynchro.org.