Langton Skating Club expands synchro skating program
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When Alexandra Casier-Smith was younger, the Langton Skating Club coach admits she was not really “into synchro.”
“I was a freeskater, I wanted to jump and spin,” said Casier-Smith, who coaches Langton’s four Ice Crystals synchronized skating teams. “I skated here my whole life, then I went to Tillsonburg and bigger clubs just to do that competitive stuff. Once I dropped out from competitive, I came back here, got the rest of my golds, and I’ve been coaching here ever since. This is my 10th year coaching – it’s a big year for me.”
Today, Langton and area skaters have the option to do both – skating on synchro teams, from beginners to adults, and individually in the Skate Ontario system.
There has been a growing trend toward team sports, said Casier-Smith, and the Langton club hopes a thriving synchro program leads to more skaters staying in the sport.
“Synchro is fun and it makes the practices go by quicker. And there’s not the pressure. You have a whole team working together, it’s not pressure on just one skater. And they all work well together as a team.”
A new Ice Crystals adult team was added for 2023-24, some who had not skated competitively in the last 25 years.
“I think once you get to be an adult, you just want to skate for fun, skate for you, and this environment is really good for that.”
About 40-plus adults expressed interest in synchro skating, and 14 committed for the 2023-24 season. There is potential for all four teams to see growth, she said.
“Now there’s a full team of 19 (adults) and I think that will bring in more skaters. They also see there’s an opportunity for young ones too and I think their kids will start to join.”
Casier-Smith does all the choreographing and programs for the four Ice Crystals teams, sometimes drawing inspiration from her skating days.
Casier-Smith recalls a time when she was younger watching a routine to a Celine Dion song at an ice show in Tillsonburg. “I loved the song, so I brought it to life with my teams,” she said.
Michele Docker helps coach the new adult team, and Lynda Grzech manages the club’s three youth teams – beginner, Star 4 under 12, and Star 4 over 12.
“We added the beginner team last year, and we’ve always had a mix of the Star 4s, but we’ve just created the two different Star 4 teams,” said Casier-Smith, who also continues to coach individual skaters from primary (age 7) to adults.
The two Star 4 Ice Crystal teams and the adults are active in competitions. The adults placed fifth at Kingston’s Synchro Series #1, Dec. 8-10, in the 11-team Adult SYS III division.
Both Star 4 teams will be competing in Norwich, Jan. 27-28. The U12 team will compete in Mississauga, while the Over-12 and adult teams have a competition in Oakville.
“The adult team will also compete in Baltimore – up by Toronto, not in the States,” noted Casier-Smith.
That Synchro Series #2 event is Jan. 19-21.
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