Getting Ready for the 2011-2012 Season

Yesterday we had our last off-season practice! The whole team, both senior and novice, is looking forward to hearing the music on August 6th, the first practice of the 2011-2012 season. Working on last week’s focus of crossovers, a simple yet paramount skill needed in synchro, Coach Cipresso explained the intensity and sharpness of the style Cal Gold is aiming for this year. Not forgetting about the artistic side of skating, Coach Falkowski also explained the need for emotion to be expressed through the body and not only by the face. After moving on to one of the more difficult maneuvers, a pivoting block, Coach Falkowski also explained how new rules required the block to consist of four consecutive turns- as if it wasn’t hard enough! Pushing through the newly choreographed steps- literally! – the team managed to get through the block by counting and knee bend..

Overall the team is excited and energized to start the new season.
Go gold! (:

Melissa Lee
Senior Team 2009-2012

April Workshops

Synchronized skating is a fun team sport that skaters of any age and level can enjoy! Come try it out at California Gold's April Workshops!
Location: East West Ice Palace
Date: Saturday April 2 and 9

• Novice
• Time - 5:30 to 6:45 am (please arrive 15 minutes early)
• Requirements - Juvenile, Intermediate or Novice MIF
• Cost - $20.00 per session
• Preliminary/Juvenile
• Time - 6:45 to 7:15 am (please arrive 15 minutes early)
• No test required
• Cost $10.00 per session
• Senior
• Time - 7:30 to 9:15 am (please arrive 15 minutes early)
• Requirements - Junior and Senior MIF
• Must be at least 14 years of age
• Cost - $30.00 per session

2011-2012 Season Tryouts

Date: Saturday and Sunday April 16 and 17
Location: East West Ice Palace

• Preliminary/Juvenile - Team placement will be assessed at workshops
• Novice
• Requirements - Juvenile MIF and Must be under 18 years old
• Saturday April 16 - 5:30 to 6:30 am (Please arrive 30 minutes early)
• Sunday April 17 - 6:00 to 7:00 am (Please arrive 30 minutes early)
• Cost - $55.00
• Senior
• Requirements - Junior MIF and Must be at least 14 years of age (exceptions must be approved by coaches)
• Saturday April 16 - 6:30 to 8:00 am (Please arrive 30 minutes early)
• Sunday April 17 - 7:00 to 8:00 am (Please arrive 30 minutes early)
• Cost - $65.00

For more information, click on the links in the side bar connecting you to the California Gold Website or Facebook Page.

Nationals: Saturday

Cal Gold supporting the Adult Team!

Cal Gold Adult Competition

It was an early morning for both Adult and Senior, but the strong practices brought confidence to Adult going into their competition and to Senior who skated their official practice later that morning. The nice thing about having competition in California is that we can do off ice outside in the warm sun! When we skated, our program was solid and powerful which made us excited for the competition later that night. When we got back to the hotel, we had a little bit of down time before we left to watch Adult team compete. And didn't we look fantastic!? Every California Gold supporter was geared up with funky glasses and headbands! They skated with a couple bobbles, but all in all, we thought it was amazing!
Then, after coming back to the hotel and resting awhile, Senior got ready for competition and headed to the rink for the last time. Off ice was intense as we got into our warrior character. When we had our skated on and stood by the side of the rink, we shouted our motto for this season: "We will rise and rise again, until lambs become lions." Our program was not the best that it could have been, but it was still enough to maintain our fourth place finish. We held our Pewter medals with pride and 14 of the 18 on our team were ecstatic to have our first Senior division National title.

California Gold Senior - Pewter Medalists

As our season comes to an end, I look back on all of the amazing memories that have come from this team over that past eight months, and I would not take back one minute of it. This was one incredible season for California Gold as an entire organization, and I am so proud to be a part of it.

Congratulations California Gold!

Nationals: Friday

Today was an awesome day starting out with short official in the morning. We had a rough first run with a problem with the music, but stepped it up for an amazing second run through. We felt confident going into short program that night. We came back to the hotel for a little bit of down time, but got right back out to cheer on the adult team in their official practice. Their program has improved so much since sectionals and have added another skater too! They are very impressive for the ten practices they've had since they started.

Fans Cheer of Cal Gold

Then, Novice got ready for their competition and the Senior team sent them off with a "tunnel" to their bus. Unfortunately, we couldn't go and scream for them in the stands because we had to prepare ourselves for short program, but we were definitely watching on icenetwork! They skated an awesome program that got all but one of their calls! We are very proud of them!

Novice Competition (watched on icenetwork)

After putting our hair up and make up on, the Senior team stepped onto the bus and to the rink for a bit of off ice before we competed. We put our skates on and got on the ice and skated a smooth and powerful short program. We were very happy with our skate and accomplished our goal of getting 3's in our G.O.E. that counted. We are sitting in fourth place right now and ready to blow the judges away with our long program Saturday night!


GO GOLD!!!

Nationals 2011

The U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships are upon us once again, but unlike other years, they take place just a short drive from our rink. This weekend, in Ontario, California, Novice and Senior Short are on Friday night and Adult and Senior Free Skate will be on Saturday Night. We are so thrilled to have the chance to perform for our friends and family in a national competition, so come out and support us and our fellow synchronized skating teams!

Sectionals: Saturday

Throwin' up peace signs for the Adult Team!

It's always exciting to sleep in when you're a synchro skater. And this morning, everyone got to sleep in :] Unfortunately, one of our skaters is sick with a fever and another has an injured wrist. But, we conquered these obstacles at Senior Long official practice in which we did an amazing program and two more awesome sections. After our practice, we went back to the hotel and had some downtime while Adult and Novice slicked their hair back and put their make-up on. A short bus ride to the rink later, we cheered for Novice team and they are now the Pacific Coast Silver Medalists! Then our Adult Team skated and, again, we cheered loudly with our "groovy" hair bands tied around our heads and psychedelic flower cutouts. They are currently the Pacific Coast Champions and are committed to working hard to place at nationals! Tonight, Senior Team rocked it in our long program! And again, we set the goal of breaking 100 points and we were able to achieve and surpass it! We are proud of what the California Gold teams have accomplished today and we're all ready to keep training when we get home.

Senior Award Ceremony