Another S.T.A.R.S. combine season is complete. More than 1,000 athletes participated from coast to coast.
Many of them participated in their fifth or sixth combine and the program continues to grow and develop. Some familiar faces appear among the top performers, including medalists from the U.S. Championships. And for the first time, there is a tie for the honor of top female.
TOP PAIRS ATHLETE/ FEMALE
Age 15 and up Diger Nica ness
SKATING CLUB, JUNIOR PAIRS
BROADMOOR
Completing her fifth S.T.A.R.S. combine, Di- gerness has improved on her performance every season. “The fact that I have done S.T.A.R.S. in previous years helped me be better prepared for the challenges this year.” Digerness’s training team at the World Are- na in Colorado Springs includes coaches Dalilah Sappenfield, Larry Ibarra, Drew Meekins, Natalya Khazova, Christy Krall, Eddie Shipstad, Ben Agosto and Ryan Jahnke. Digerness enjoys biking, hiking and four-wheeling. Her dad also has a gym- nastics center, where she enjoys using the uneven bars, silks and trampolines.
TOP FEMALE AGE 6–10 Alysa Liu
ST. MORITZ FIGURE SKATING CLUB, NOVICE Liu is the top performing female in
the 6 to 10 age group for the second year in a row. This season, she participated in the S.T.A.R.S. combine at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. She is the U.S. intermediate ladies champion. She has landed all of her triples, including a triple-triple combination in competition this summer. Training in Oakland, Califor- nia, with coach Laura Lipetsky, her goals include keeping fit and injury free. She also loves to swim, play games and relax by enjoying some TV.
TOP MALE AGE 6–10 John Carlson
ARCTIC FIGURE SKATING CLUB, NOVICE Carlson looks forward to the S.T.A.R.S.
combine each summer at the U.S. Figure Skating Dance Camp. “The testing reminds me of the wide range of strengthening, agility and flexibility exercises that I should keep up with on a regular basis in order to perform to my best ability on the ice.” Carl- son also likes to play soccer, catch and also badminton with his father. He plays the trumpet in his school band. Carlson and his partner, Caroline Liu, train with coaches Oleg Voyko, Victoria Glichenko, Johnny Johns, Massimo Scali, Oleg Epstein, Marina Zoueva, Yelena Sokolova, Izabela Jaworska and Elisabeth Carlson.
SYNCHRONIZED SKATING ATHLETE
TOP
Nadalin SAN DIEGO FIGURE
Yui
SKATING CLUB, INTERMEDIATE
Nadalin is pictured left TOP MALE AGE 11-14
Participating in her second S.T.A.R.S. combine, Nadalin cited that the re- sults from last year helped her identify what she could improve on and how to be a better skater. “Training for S.T.A.R.S. helped me more with on-ice training as well and improved my stamina and strength so I could skate an entire program without being tired.” Her goals include placing at the U.S. Championships with her intermedi- ate team. Nadalin enjoys going to the beach, kayaking and snorkeling.
Joseph Klein
SKOKIE VALLEY SKATING CLUB, JUVENILE Klein was the top performer in the
2015 season for age 6 to 10. This year he moved into a new age category and re- mained a top performer among his peers. Klein trains at Northbrook Sports Center in Northbrook, Illinois, with Agata Czyzewski, Vladimir Fedrov and Julia Levinson Elikman. His off-ice training takes place at Fit Speed Athletic Performance with trainers Chris Tank and Casey Tiesman. After review- ing last season’s performance, Klein has developed stronger core muscles and leg strength. A series of drills have helped with more nimble footwork with improvement in endurance and jump height. When asked about goals, Klein said, “I love the saying, ‘Shoot for the moon,’ because even if you miss you’ll land among the stars, so this year I’m shooting for nationals.”
SKATING 47
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