News
A new Senior ISU team is preparing for the next Worlds
News
A new Senior ISU team is preparing for the next Worlds
In constant development, the Ice Fire teams will acquire a Senior ISU team from next season. (Credits: Ru-Pho - 2020)
Thirteen years after the Amber Dance team, Poland will be represented by a new Senior ISU team starting next season.
"Our skaters are working very hard to improve. They want to go further," started Agnieszka Filipowicz from Gdansk, Poland.
"We have now a lot of skaters with good skating skills, so we have decided to create a Junior and a Senior team for the upcoming season 2021/2022," continued the president of the club SKF Iceskater and the head coach of the teams Ice Fire Senior, Junior and Novice Advanced. Agnieszka Filipowicz is also the chairman of the synchronized skating commission in Poland and a member of the sports council of the city of Gdansk.
"We have now a lot of skaters with good skating skills, so we have decided to create a Junior and a Senior team for the upcoming season 2021/2022," continued the president of the club SKF Iceskater and the head coach of the teams Ice Fire Senior, Junior and Novice Advanced. Agnieszka Filipowicz is also the chairman of the synchronized skating commission in Poland and a member of the sports council of the city of Gdansk.
This year, the club will turn 10 years and now has 10 teams: Senior, Junior, Advanced Novice, Juvenile, Pre- Juvenile, Beginners, Mixed Age, Mixed Age Young and two Adult teams. Seven other coaches and a choreographer, a personal trainer, a physiotherapist, a sports psychologist, and a masseur complete the staff.
"At first, we had an Adult team. Then we created children's groups which start to grow bigger and bigger. The hardest part was to start with the junior team - to turn recreational ice skating into a competitive sport. We are very grateful for the ISU development project in Vierumaki and Cathy Dalton for this project which help new countries understand the synchronized rules and elements," said Agnieszka Filipowicz.
An impressive development"At first, we had an Adult team. Then we created children's groups which start to grow bigger and bigger. The hardest part was to start with the junior team - to turn recreational ice skating into a competitive sport. We are very grateful for the ISU development project in Vierumaki and Cathy Dalton for this project which help new countries understand the synchronized rules and elements," said Agnieszka Filipowicz.
This new Ice Fire team is also getting ready for a Senior Elite 12 team. Agnieszka Filipowicz is preparing her team already to present a program next month to the ISU.
Indeed, synchronized skating is growing quickly in Poland. "We have been seeing a lot of development for the last few years In synchronized skating in our country. There are more clubs and teams which makes us very happy. Now in Poland is 21 teams in 7 categories," said the coach.
"In the last season in Poland, there were 2 teams in the Junior category, which were supposed to compete together for the first time in history at the Junior World Championships," she added.
Indeed, synchronized skating is growing quickly in Poland. "We have been seeing a lot of development for the last few years In synchronized skating in our country. There are more clubs and teams which makes us very happy. Now in Poland is 21 teams in 7 categories," said the coach.
"In the last season in Poland, there were 2 teams in the Junior category, which were supposed to compete together for the first time in history at the Junior World Championships," she added.
As for many teams worldwide, this season has been tough for teams Ice Fire in Poland.
"We had a hard lockdown after the Junior Worlds last year in March 2020, and for two months, we did practice online. We tried to keep our skaters in good shape. After that, we were lucky that the sport reopened in Poland so that we could practice.
Of course, life around was crazy, and many things happened, like online schools, the borders' closure. We tried to stay focus on practice, and we did a virtual event for Christmas to keep our skaters running," explained Agnieszka Filipowicz.
"We had a hard lockdown after the Junior Worlds last year in March 2020, and for two months, we did practice online. We tried to keep our skaters in good shape. After that, we were lucky that the sport reopened in Poland so that we could practice.
Of course, life around was crazy, and many things happened, like online schools, the borders' closure. We tried to stay focus on practice, and we did a virtual event for Christmas to keep our skaters running," explained Agnieszka Filipowicz.
After having to wait almost two months without training, the Adult teams in Poland are also back on the ice. "Thanks to the fact that teams can train, it keeps them in a positive attitude. We try to stay positive and survive," concluded the coach.
Agnieszka Filipowicz hopes to start the competition next season with her new Senior ISU team.
Agnieszka Filipowicz hopes to start the competition next season with her new Senior ISU team.
