Tisdale Synchronized Skaters Off To Competition in Camrose

FTLComm - Tisdale - Friday, March 8, 2002

At nine this morning it was time for Tisdale's two synchronized skating teams to board the bus that would take them across Saskatchewan to mid Alberta. Gilbert, the bus driver from Yorkton told me that they would be in Camrose tonight. Synchronized skating is one of the most spectacular team sports to come along in a long time. Discipline and dedication are needed to bring a team together and match their skating ability while coordinating movement to music and precision timing. Every figure skating club would include a group drill as part of their annual presentation but it was

recognised that this was really a special thing and teams began competing with one another in inter-club competitions, provincial competitions and in this case a huge competition involving Western Canada. Arriving in Camrose late tonight the teams will compete tomorrow on ice and late tomorrow night will be back on the bus heading home during the night, arriving back here in Tisdale Sunday afternoon. Pillows, books, playing cards and a Walkman are all part of journey like this one. Gilbert who spends his summer moving the Melville Millionaire ball

team from game to game and the winter as the guy up front on hockey trips said that all trips are different. The kind of adventures that come with traveling with young people all have their distinct and unique circumstances. He said that this winter he has been moving more girls hockey teams than other years as this sport is definitely becoming more popular. Part of a team sport for parent and player is a road trip and this is a major one for this group.