SYNCHRONIZED SKATING

Synchronized skating is a great way for figure skaters to compete in a sport they love while enjoying all of the aspects of competing together on a team. In the United States two main entities govern figure skating, U.S. Figure Skating and Ice Sports Industry (ISI). Although both are similar in offerings, and many teams compete within both entities, U.S. Figure Skating utilizes a competitive track that allows skaters opportunities to compete and qualify for national and international competitions, such as the U.S. Championships, Worlds, and the Olympics. ISI traditionally allows for competitive experiences at a more recreational level.

Formed in 1956, synchronized skating offers athletes the chance to compete with a team and learn the value of teamwork and camaraderie. Each team is comprised of 8-20 skaters who perform a free skate program together with various required synchronized elements. The sport uses the same judging system as singles, pairs and dance and is characterized by teamwork, speed, intricate formations and challenging step sequences. Elements in synchronized skating include blocks, circles, wheels, lines, intersections, move elements, creative elements, no holds elements, spins and pairs moves. Since 1984, when U.S. Figure Skating held the first U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships, the sport has grown such that approximately 600 synchronized teams are registered with U.S.Figure Skating, and nearly 5,000 athletes participate annually in the synchronized skating sectional championships.

U.S. Figure Skating offers 18 levels of synchronized teams. Each level has strict guidelines as to what skills, moves in the field testing requirements, and ages are required for each level of team. Click here for information on team levels within U.S. Figure Skating.
ISI offers 5 main synchronized categories that are then subdivided by age ranges. Click here for more information on team levels within ISI.

St. Louis Synergy Synchronized Skating generally fields 6-8 teams ranging from the beginning levels of Formation and Aspire to the more experienced and challenging Junior level.

All of the Synergy teams, except Formation (which competes mostly local in ISI events), compete in at least one out of town U.S. Figure Skating competition per season. Starting at the developmental levels of Preliminary and Pre-juvenile, St. Louis Synergy teams also compete every year at the Midwestern and Pacific Coast Synchronized Skating Sectional Championships, hosted in different places across the Midwest (and occasionally the Pacific coast area). Additionally, Synergy teams competing at the Juvenile, Intermediate, Novice or Junior level compete at the sectional championships to earn a spot at the National U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships.

St. Louis Synergy’s past Junior team performed well enough at Nationals to earn a spot to compete as part of Team USA at the Mozart Cup in Salzburg, Austria in 2014 and 2015. More recently, the Junior team was named to U.S. Figure Skating’s International Selection Pool for both the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.

For more info on joining St. Louis Synergy click here.