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Norwalk Girls Help Synchronized Skating Team Add To Medal Haul

STAMFORD, Conn. --The Southern Connecticut Synchronized Skating team won gold and silver at the Connecticut Synchronized Skating Classic last weekend at the Northford Ice Pavilion.

The Sprites won a gold medal for the Southern CT Synchronized Skating team. See story for IDs.

The Sprites won a gold medal for the Southern CT Synchronized Skating team. See story for IDs.

Photo Credit: Contributed
The Shimmers won a silver medal. See story for IDs.

The Shimmers won a silver medal. See story for IDs.

Photo Credit: Contributed

The medals brought the team’s total medal count for the season to eight.

“That felt amazing! I could feel that we were going to win gold,” said Daniela Castagna, a Beginner 2 Sprite skater and Greenwich resident.

Caitlyn Foster, a resident of Stamford and fourth-grader at Newfield Elementary School, added: “When we turned backwards in the line, I saw that the line was connected for the first time and the pinwheel looked great!” 

The Beginner 2 line of 14 skaters ranging in age from 7 to 12, won medals at three competitions: gold at CT Classic, silver at Stamford’s Terry Conners Open, and pewter at Colonial Classic Open in Massachusetts.

The Shimmers, a Pre-Juvenile line, faced stiff competition all season and worked hard to earn their second silver medal.

Julia Brown, an eighth-grader at Stamford’s Scofield Magnet Middle School, said: “We had a rocky beginning (season), but we pulled together.”

Madeline Ciampa, a resident of White Plains, said: “We could have worked together better during the early season, but we got through it and did our best.”

The Shadows, an Open Juvenile line, enjoyed themselves as they skated an uncontested exposition performance.

“Even though it was an exposition, we still prepared the same way and gave the judges and crowd a great performance,” said Emilly Hernandez, an 11th-grader at AITE in Stamford.

Natalie Presantez, a ninth-grader at Stamford High School and who has been with the SCSS team for seven years, reflected on the Shadows’ season. “This was a great season for the Shadows. We felt more like a family this year and were very connected this season.”

Earlier in the season, the Shadows won gold at the Colonial Classic Open, a bronze at the Terry Conners Open, and bested 29 teams for an impressive bronze win at the recent Eastern Synchronized Sectional Championships at Lake Placid, N.Y. 

Head Coach Gina Valenzano-Gomez said, “Today was the greatest way to end a super season. Each line worked hard all season and I’ve very proud of how our team performed.”

The SCSS Open House is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 20, at 4 p.m. at Conners Rink This is one of the best opportunities to welcome new skaters and get a glimpse into what it would be like to be part of the SCSS team.

The SCSS & SCSC Skating Exhibition at Terry Conners will be held on Sunday, March 8 from 2-3:30 p.m.. All teams will perform their medal winning performances.

Finally, the SCSS Tryouts for the 2015-16 season will be in April 20 to  May 1. Check the team website and Facebook page for more information.

The SCSS team consists of 40 skaters residing in Fairfield County communities: Stamford, Greenwich, Westport, Darien, New Canaan, Norwalk; and White Plains, N.Y.

SCSS SPRITES – BEGINNER 2 LEVEL: Front Row L to R: Sofia Gonzalez, Caitlyn Foster, Sarah Arevalo, Samantha Paris, Sabrina Paris, Anastasia Ladyka. Back Row L to R: Nevaeh Mills, Paola Gonzalez, Daniela Castagna, Cynthia Chen, Charlotte Carter, Adeline Hawley, Nicole Salanty.

SCSS SHIMMERS – PRE-JUVENILE LEVEL: Front Row L to R: Natalie Hernandez, Rachel Iannazzo, Athena Hartigan, Chloe Gerace, Nevada Rivera, Deanna Gladstone, Isabella Osinovsky. Back Row L to R: Alyssa Fish, Isabela Malone, Vanessa Wynter, Kelly Fox, Olivia Linnartz, Julia Brown, Kara McLaughlin, Madeline Ciampa.

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