Meet the Northernettes, Minnesota's junior synchronized figure skating team
When it comes to figure skating competitions, there are singles, couples and ice dancing.
But fewer people have heard of synchronized figure skating. It’s when a whole team of skaters on the ice move in sync.
The Northernettes are a junior synchronized figure skating team from Minneapolis and they are back in the state from a recent trip to Poland where they represented Team USA in a competition in Gdansk.
Their coach, Alana Christie, and skater Sydney Schnell joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer about the sport and how they’re gearing up for a national competition at the end of February.
Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.
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Audio transcript
CATHY WURZER: Hey, when it comes to figure skating competitions we've got singles, couples, ice dancing, I love all of it. But have you heard of synchronized figure skating? That's a whole team of skaters on the ice moving in sync like synchronized swimming, but the water is frozen.
The Northernettes are a junior synchronized figure skating team from Minneapolis. They've just returned from Poland where they represented Team USA in a competition in Poland. Their coach Alana Christie is on the line. She's joined by skater Sydney Schell. Alana and Sydney, welcome to the program. How are you both doing?
ALANA CHRISTIE: Hi, thanks for having us.
SYDNEY SCHNELL: Doing great. Thank you.
CATHY WURZER: It's great having you here. Oh, my goodness, congratulations. International competition is huge, it's huge. So I'm wondering here, Sydney, is this your first trip abroad?
SYDNEY SCHNELL: This is not my first trip abroad, but it was my first trip with the Northernettes.
CATHY WURZER: And what did you think?
SYDNEY SCHNELL: It was so much fun. I was a great experience. An honor to be selected for such an amazing-- just an amazing thing to do.
CATHY WURZER: Now, help me out here coach. I have not seen this. What does it look like when you get out there on the ice?
ALANA CHRISTIE: I always tell people It's like dance team on ice. There's 16 skaters at once moving across the ice, making different shapes. We skate two competitive programs at the junior level short and long, and it's definitely just a combination of artistry and athleticism and ultimate teamwork for sure.
CATHY WURZER: And what's it like Sidney when you're out there with the whole team? Describe the feeling?
SYDNEY SCHNELL: It's an awesome feeling because I'm able to not only do something I love but do something that I love with my best friends. And it's awesome because I know that no matter how nervous I may be, I know that my teammates are there to support me, and we're all just doing something that we really are passionate about.
CATHY WURZER: Seriously now, how chaotic does it get on the ice? You've got 16 people out there with you for goodness sakes.
ALANA CHRISTIE: Collisions happen.
SYDNEY SCHNELL: Yeah, we have two programs. And so we work most 10 months out of the year working on those programs trying to just perfect them to the best of our abilities. And we practice three times a week and for two to three hours each of those practices. And we're able to get our programs under control basically and ready to perform at the high level that we compete at.
CATHY WURZER: Coach, did you want to say something?
ALANA CHRISTIE: No, Sydney put it really well that it takes a good 10 months to get to this point but not without a lot of practice and a lot of collisions happening within those 10 months leading up to competition season. But she's right that at this point in the season, they've practiced enough to kind of perfect what they're doing out there.
CATHY WURZER: By the way, what are some of the skills for a good synchronized skater?
ALANA CHRISTIE: Well, we don't jump in synchronized skating, so we're looking for good skating basics, ability to perform, good efficient skating skills and power, and just ability to work with teammates too, and able to do your job out there with 15 other people right there next to you.
CATHY WURZER: Sydney, how did you get started in synchronized skating?
SYDNEY SCHNELL: I started my freshman year of high school, and I'm currently a senior. And I was actually the end of my eighth-grade year, a couple of my friends were in the Northernettes organization, and they really wanted me to try it out.
And at first, I was hesitant but after my first workshop I just loved it, and I loved that I was out there with multiple other people, not just myself. And I really just felt like this is something I'm truly passionate about, and I still feel that way today, so I'm super glad that I was able to join the Northernettes.
CATHY WURZER: OK, so tell me about the competition in Gdansk. How did you guys do?
SYDNEY SCHNELL: We ended up finishing fourth overall, but we won the short program. And that was just a really great achievement for our team because in our short program, we got a organization short program best score and a season best score. So that was just so awesome to be able to experience that.
And for most of our time in Poland, we had practiced for two hours each day. And then on Friday and Saturday when we were at the competition, that was those were the days that we competed. And so on Friday we compete our short program, and then on Saturday we compete our long program.
CATHY WURZER: And Coach, what was the competition like? Who was the top team? How tough were they?
ALANA CHRISTIE: Yeah, so it's funny. We travel all the way to Poland and basically competing against another team from the US and then three teams from Canada. So North America was definitely representing over in Gdansk. But yeah, we were first in the short program and then ended up fourth in the long. Not the exact skate we wanted to have in the free program, but overall, really incredible achievement to place fourth. And like Sydney said, receive a high score in our short program. So definitely accomplished a lot and just always an honor to be able to represent our country at such a high level.
CATHY WURZER: Don't you have nationals coming up?
ALANA CHRISTIE: Yes, we leave in two weeks from today actually.
CATHY WURZER: And that's in Illinois, I believe?
ALANA CHRISTIE: Yeah, in Peoria, Illinois.
CATHY WURZER: OK. And then you have another competition in Lake Placid?
ALANA CHRISTIE: So Lake Placid is the senior World Championship, and so there will be two senior teams, which is the one level above us selected to compete there. So we will not be competing there, but we'll have two Team USA senior teams representing our country there.
CATHY WURZER: Well, it sounds like it was a good season for you, and there's a lot to aspire to, and I wish you all the best. Good work. Thank you.
ALANA CHRISTIE: Thank you so much.
SYDNEY SCHNELL: Thank you so much for having us.
CATHY WURZER: We've been talking to Northernettes coach Alana Christie and skater Sidney Schnell. There's some really great videos of their past performances on YouTube. Just search Northernettes.
The Northernettes are a junior synchronized figure skating team from Minneapolis. They've just returned from Poland where they represented Team USA in a competition in Poland. Their coach Alana Christie is on the line. She's joined by skater Sydney Schell. Alana and Sydney, welcome to the program. How are you both doing?
ALANA CHRISTIE: Hi, thanks for having us.
SYDNEY SCHNELL: Doing great. Thank you.
CATHY WURZER: It's great having you here. Oh, my goodness, congratulations. International competition is huge, it's huge. So I'm wondering here, Sydney, is this your first trip abroad?
SYDNEY SCHNELL: This is not my first trip abroad, but it was my first trip with the Northernettes.
CATHY WURZER: And what did you think?
SYDNEY SCHNELL: It was so much fun. I was a great experience. An honor to be selected for such an amazing-- just an amazing thing to do.
CATHY WURZER: Now, help me out here coach. I have not seen this. What does it look like when you get out there on the ice?
ALANA CHRISTIE: I always tell people It's like dance team on ice. There's 16 skaters at once moving across the ice, making different shapes. We skate two competitive programs at the junior level short and long, and it's definitely just a combination of artistry and athleticism and ultimate teamwork for sure.
CATHY WURZER: And what's it like Sidney when you're out there with the whole team? Describe the feeling?
SYDNEY SCHNELL: It's an awesome feeling because I'm able to not only do something I love but do something that I love with my best friends. And it's awesome because I know that no matter how nervous I may be, I know that my teammates are there to support me, and we're all just doing something that we really are passionate about.
CATHY WURZER: Seriously now, how chaotic does it get on the ice? You've got 16 people out there with you for goodness sakes.
ALANA CHRISTIE: Collisions happen.
SYDNEY SCHNELL: Yeah, we have two programs. And so we work most 10 months out of the year working on those programs trying to just perfect them to the best of our abilities. And we practice three times a week and for two to three hours each of those practices. And we're able to get our programs under control basically and ready to perform at the high level that we compete at.
CATHY WURZER: Coach, did you want to say something?
ALANA CHRISTIE: No, Sydney put it really well that it takes a good 10 months to get to this point but not without a lot of practice and a lot of collisions happening within those 10 months leading up to competition season. But she's right that at this point in the season, they've practiced enough to kind of perfect what they're doing out there.
CATHY WURZER: By the way, what are some of the skills for a good synchronized skater?
ALANA CHRISTIE: Well, we don't jump in synchronized skating, so we're looking for good skating basics, ability to perform, good efficient skating skills and power, and just ability to work with teammates too, and able to do your job out there with 15 other people right there next to you.
CATHY WURZER: Sydney, how did you get started in synchronized skating?
SYDNEY SCHNELL: I started my freshman year of high school, and I'm currently a senior. And I was actually the end of my eighth-grade year, a couple of my friends were in the Northernettes organization, and they really wanted me to try it out.
And at first, I was hesitant but after my first workshop I just loved it, and I loved that I was out there with multiple other people, not just myself. And I really just felt like this is something I'm truly passionate about, and I still feel that way today, so I'm super glad that I was able to join the Northernettes.
CATHY WURZER: OK, so tell me about the competition in Gdansk. How did you guys do?
SYDNEY SCHNELL: We ended up finishing fourth overall, but we won the short program. And that was just a really great achievement for our team because in our short program, we got a organization short program best score and a season best score. So that was just so awesome to be able to experience that.
And for most of our time in Poland, we had practiced for two hours each day. And then on Friday and Saturday when we were at the competition, that was those were the days that we competed. And so on Friday we compete our short program, and then on Saturday we compete our long program.
CATHY WURZER: And Coach, what was the competition like? Who was the top team? How tough were they?
ALANA CHRISTIE: Yeah, so it's funny. We travel all the way to Poland and basically competing against another team from the US and then three teams from Canada. So North America was definitely representing over in Gdansk. But yeah, we were first in the short program and then ended up fourth in the long. Not the exact skate we wanted to have in the free program, but overall, really incredible achievement to place fourth. And like Sydney said, receive a high score in our short program. So definitely accomplished a lot and just always an honor to be able to represent our country at such a high level.
CATHY WURZER: Don't you have nationals coming up?
ALANA CHRISTIE: Yes, we leave in two weeks from today actually.
CATHY WURZER: And that's in Illinois, I believe?
ALANA CHRISTIE: Yeah, in Peoria, Illinois.
CATHY WURZER: OK. And then you have another competition in Lake Placid?
ALANA CHRISTIE: So Lake Placid is the senior World Championship, and so there will be two senior teams, which is the one level above us selected to compete there. So we will not be competing there, but we'll have two Team USA senior teams representing our country there.
CATHY WURZER: Well, it sounds like it was a good season for you, and there's a lot to aspire to, and I wish you all the best. Good work. Thank you.
ALANA CHRISTIE: Thank you so much.
SYDNEY SCHNELL: Thank you so much for having us.
CATHY WURZER: We've been talking to Northernettes coach Alana Christie and skater Sidney Schnell. There's some really great videos of their past performances on YouTube. Just search Northernettes.
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