Arts & Entertainment
Local HS Skaters Take State Championship
The Rochester United Figure Skating "A" team skates to victory at Michigan High School Figure Skating State Championship.
The Michigan High School Figure Skating State Championship was held March 24 at the Novi Ice Arena, where the RU team won their first State Championship.
The Rochester United (RU) “A” team, which is the highest skill level of high school competition, is made up of 26 figure skaters from Rochester HS, Adams HS, Stoney Creek HS and the IA. There are a total of 26 “A” teams, or varsity level teams, in Michigan, and 12 teams qualified to compete at the State Championships.
“We are so happy that it all came together, and they skated incredibly well,” said Helene Wolf, coach of the Rochester United teams and ONYX Synchronized Skating teams at the Onyx Ice Arena in Rochester. “The season has had its high and lows, but they were able to work together to accomplish their goal of winning the Level “A” State Championship. It is first time that any level within Rochester United High School Figure Skating has won a State Championship. I’m so proud of them and it could not have happened to a better group of athletes.”
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Rochester United also includes a “B” team (intermediate skill level) and a “C” team (low skill level), for a total of 39 skaters in the club, making RU the largest team in the state. The “B” and “C” teams did not qualify for the state competition this season. Last year, the RU “A” team placed second at the State Championships.
Introduced in 1999, and continuing to grow every year, the Michigan High School Skating series offers great opportunities for skaters to participate in team sports and to be part of their school's athletic program. Starting with 10 teams and a single competition in 1999, the 2018 series has 39 teams and 19 competitions. Currently in Michigan there are six districts, and each district is typically composed of five to seven teams which combine skaters from neighboring high schools. There are typically three District competitions from December to February and the teams within each district compete against each other. For further details, visit http://mihs.sk8stuff.com/ or email mihighschoolskating@gmail.com (MIHS Series Committee).
