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Never looking back and improving all season long


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Lower Mainland Open team Ice X-calibur was created in 2016.

With six teams, the Lower Mainland Synchronized Skating Club is one of the largest clubs in British Columbia, Canada. The coach Danalee Harrison is doing a huge job to break the stigma of synchro within the province.

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Located more than 4,500 km from Quebec or Ontario, British Columbia (BC) is the westernmost province in Canada.

"Synchronized Skating has been around in BC for a long time, and we still try to break the stigma of synchro with singles coaches in the province," starts Danalee Harrison, synchro coach for the Lower Mainland Synchronized Skating Club (LMSSC).


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Lower Mainland Synchronized Skating Club is located in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. 

The club has six synchro teams ranging from Beginners/Elementary to Junior competitive and two Adult teams.

"We are one of the largest clubs in our province. We are working very hard to incorporate more synchro into the clubs, but with Covid, I worry that there may be a few teams lost," Danalee regrets.

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Synchro gives more opportunities
The most popular categories in BC are Pre-Novice and Adult.  

"Our club started the first-ever Junior Competitive Team in 2019-2020 and feel like we are slowly breaking barriers that synchronized skating is not just for skaters that are on their way out of the sport, but moreover gives them more opportunities for National and International competitions."


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Last season Ice X-calibur team "managed to hold their titles and be small and mighty. These girls conquered an overhead lift when lifts were new to them and performed it with great confidence," says the coach.

The LMSSC club has longevity of skaters that grow through the club levels. "We had a few Junior team double teamers last year. These girls are dedicated to their passion and always wanting to try new things and take on the greatest tasks. This team is known for its quirky high energy programs!" Danalee adds.

The Junior team has also had two international skaters, one from Switzerland and one from Japan (who is now on Jingu Ice Messengers).

"We have been lucky to have been able to skate almost the entire time"
LMSSC synchro teams are back on the ice. "Our restrictions are masks on, except when on the ice. There is a maximum of ten skaters per dressing room and 30 min sanitization break after every hour. We have been using sticks as we have to keep our distance."

Nobody is allowed to skate over the age of 22, so this plays a factor for some skaters that are older. They are not allowed in the gym and they are not allowed to cross-train in other cities, they do their workouts at home for now. 

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"The pandemic taught us not to take ice for granted and the ability to be close and touch," explains Danalee. "During the pandemic, we have been lucky to have been able to skate almost the entire time. We only have about two months of Zoom when there was no ice!" concludes the coach.

The teams are continuing to develop their skills and then hope to start choreo for the next season in the spring once they are allowed to attach again.