News
March 31, 2008
Coaching Changes
Calalta Synchro would like to thank Leslie Wolfenberg for her time and commitment to our club as
coach of Ice Symphony for the past two years, as she has
elected not to return as coach of Ice Symphony for 2008-09. Thank you for all you have done,
and best wishes with your future endeavours!
Kim Boorman will return for 2008-09 as head coach for both Mirage and Ice Symphony. Kim previously coached Ice
Symphony from 1998-2000, guiding them to Provincial and Western Championships, and
their highest ever National ranking at the Competitive level (8th place).
Kim took over as head coach of Mirage in 2005 and led them to the 2008 Provincial Gold Medal, as well
as three National Championship berths. We would like to welcome Kim back to Ice Symphony, and look forward to
her continued success with Mirage!
March 3, 2008
Mirage 9th at Nationals - Mirage went to the National Championships in Chilliwack
last week with a top-half finish in mind, and that's exactly what they accomplished. A clean first skate left
the team in 10th place after Day 1, and another clean, solid second skate earned the team a 7th place
finish on Day 2 for a combined 9th place result out of the 18 best Junior Festival teams in the country. Mirage's 9th place
finish also left them ranked 2nd best out of the top 6 Western Canadian teams, who finished 3rd, 10th, 12th, 13th, and 16th.
Full results are available here.
Congratulations, Mirage, on your best season yet!
Calalta Spring Skating - Plans are currently underway for Spring Skills Sessions in May
and June. These sessions will be 1.5 hours in length and will focus on both individual and synchro skills. The cost will be
$20 per session or $120 for 7 sessions, paid in advance. Stay tuned to the website for finalized dates, times, and locations.
February 10, 2008
GOLD for Mirage at Provincials - Two clean skates earned Mirage first place
in the Junior Festival event at the Skate on the Border Provincial Championship in Lloydminster
this weekend. In just a few short weeks, Mirage will be off to the National Championships in Chilliwack, BC,
where they'll test their skills against the 17 best Junior teams in the country.
Congratulations!
February 7, 2008
Successful Westerns for Calalta - The Western Regional Championships
wrapped up on February 3 in Camrose, AB, where Mirage and Ice Symphony gave strong, consistent performances to finish
5th and 6th in the Junior and Adult categories, respectively.
In a field of 15 strong Junior teams, Mirage displayed a high degree of focus and composure en route to new personal
best scores of 66.34 in their first skate (worth 1/3 of total) and 97.55 overall, earning
them a 5th place finish and a berth to the
National Championships in Chilliwack later this month. But first they're off to Lloydminster on February 9 to
challenge for a spot on the podium at the Provincial Championships. Best wishes!
Ice Symphony fared well in the Adult division in Camrose as well. A score of just over 34 points in their first skate
(worth 1/3 of total)
was another new personal best for the team, and a total score of 49.86 left the team in 6th place overall, improving
on their 7th place finish from 2007. While a top 6 finish did earn the team a berth to Nationals, Ice Symphony
elected to end their season with Westerns and will now begin planning for 2008/09. Congratulations on
your strong performances this year!
January 21, 2008
Silver & Bronze at Rose Bowl - Calalta's teams began the 2008 competition season
on a high note, winning a silver and bronze medal at Rose Bowl this weekend. Despite one fall, Mirage's debut of
their "300" program left a strong first impression on the judges and spectators. They earned a personal best
score of 58.80 for their captivating program highlighted by difficult intersections and complex step sequences. The silver
medal they earned in the Junior category was also a personal best result for the team at Rose Bowl.
Ice Symphony skated a smooth, flowing program to music by Enya, and were rewarded with a score of 30.40 and a bronze
medal in the Adult division. The team climbed confidently back onto the podium after missing out on a medal at
the 2007 Rose Bowl, and will be looking for another clean skate at the Western Regional Championships in Camrose, AB
in two weeks. Mirage will also be in Camrose, with their eye on a top 6 finish in order
to qualify for the National Championships at the end of February. Best wishes to both teams as they
prepare for Westerns!
April 18, 2007
2006-07 AGM - This year's Annual General Meeting will be held on Thursday, May 17, at 7:00pm
at the Watermark Tower (530-8th Ave SW). Please meet in the lobby at 6:45pm to gain access to the 25th floor. A number
of important Bylaw ammendments will be discussed. These were e-mailed to all current club members this week. Please
look them over carefully and take advantage of the opportunity to have your voice heard at the AGM. Parents
and prospective skaters are also welcome!
Spring Skating - The spring schedule has been published on the main page. Stay tuned
for more information about coaching.
Synchro on the Tube - CBC presents the long programs from the 2007 World Synchronized Skating Championships
in London, ON, this Saturday, April 21 at 12:00 noon, local. Check www.cbc.ca for
schedule changes.
March 11, 2007
Spring Skills - Plans are currently in the works for a weekly Spring Skills Session
for our synchro teams during May and June. New skaters, dust off those skates and come give us a try! Stay tuned for
more information about dates, locations, and fees.
2006-07 AGM - This year's AGM is scheduled for Wednesday, May 16 at 7:00pm at Jimmie
Condon Arena. All skaters are encouraged to attend to contribute your thoughts on this season and your ideas for
2007-08.
Synchro on the Tube - Relive all the action of the 2007 Canadian Synchro Championships
this Sunday, March 18 on TSN at 12:30 (local). Check www.TSN.ca
for changes.
February 27, 2007
Season Wraps Up for Mirage - Mirage ended their season with a 13th place
finish in the
16-team Junior Festival event
at the Canadian Championships this weekend, improving their National ranking by three spots over 2006. A good
first skate left the team just over one point out of the top 10, and despite a few stumbles on Sunday,
they climbed to 12th in their second skate. With a year full of improvements, Mirage has had a season to be proud of,
and with a great deal of potential yet to be reached, the team can't wait to start planning for 2007-08!
More to Come! - Though our teams are finished competing, the work's not over!
Watch the website for announcements about the Annual General Meeting and spring/summer sessions. Also, please
be reminded that if you have an outstanding balance on your account, cheques should be mailed to
the address posted in the Members section.
February 10, 2007
Silver & Bronze in Camrose - Saturday's Ole Uffda competition marked a successful
end to the season for Ice Symphony, and an impressive comeback for Mirage. Ice Symphony capped their year with a strong
skate in the Adult division, earning a bronze medal for their efforts. Meanwhile, Mirage recovered brilliantly from
their accident at last weekend's Western Regional competition to claim the silver medal in the Junior category.
Mirage will perform one last time in Calgary (February 16 at the annual CODA competition) before heading to Nationals
in Chicoutimi at the end of the month.
Congratulations to both teams on your achievements this weekend!
February 6, 2007
Westerns and Ole Uffda -
The 2007 Western Regionals will remain a memorable event for both of our teams, but for vastly different reasons.
Ice Symphony had their first chance to compete under the new CPC judging system this past weekend in Chilliwack
where they finished 7th. They
received valuable feedback from their protocols, which outline a team's level of difficulty and grade of execution
for each element attempted, as well as indicate overall performance, presentation, and skating quality. The team had
two strong skates to be proud of, and will be a threat in the Adult event this Saturday in Camrose, where they will
wrap up their season at the Ole Uffda/Provincials Competition.
Despite a couple of errors in an
otherwise solid performance, Mirage was in 5th place after their first skate in the Junior event. Just two points
off the podium, the team was aiming for a clean, aggressive performance to vault them into medal position on Sunday,
when disaster struck mid-way through the program. Two skaters were sent to hospital after a fall that required the
team to leave the ice and re-group to finish the program with just 14 skaters. Mirage re-entered the ice
to a standing ovation from the overwhelmingly supportive crowd, and finished strong with the crowd on their feet
once again. Due to heavy
deductions for the falls, a 7th place finish left the team just short of the top-6 ranking required to attend Nationals.
However, as a few teams in the top 6 declined their Nationals invitation, Mirage will still take advantage of the
opportunity to compete in Chicoutimi at the end of the month. Best wishes to the two injured skaters for a
speedy recovery, and to the team as they look for a comeback performance in Camrose.
We would also
like to send out a heartfelt thank-you to everyone in the synchronized skating community who has expressed their
support and concern for the team. Your words and actions are greatly appreciated.
January 30, 2007
Good Luck at Westerns! - Best wishes to Ice Symphony and Mirage as
they head to Chilliwack, BC for the Western Regional Championships this weekend. Mirage had a successful "send-off"
performance for family and friends at Monday's Dessert Night, where additional funds were also raised for the team. Thanks
to all those who came out to support our Juniors!
Outstanding Accounts - For easy reference, the Treasurer's address has been
posted on the Members page. If your account
is overdue, please mail or bring a cheque to practice immediately.
January 21, 2007
Competition Season is Underway! - Ice Symphony and Mirage kicked off their competitive
seasons this weekend at the Twenty-Fourth Annual Calalta Rose Bowl. Ice Symphony notched a fifth place result in the
Adult category with their fun, upbeat interpretation of "Cabaret," while Mirage's debut of their
powerful "Cleopatra" program earned them
a bronze medal in the Junior event. The next competition for both teams is the Western Regional Festival of
Synchronized Skating in Chilliwack, BC, where Mirage will be looking to secure a berth to Nationals with a top-6 finish.
Westerns will be judged for the first time with the CPC system this year, which is sure to add to the excitement
of the event. Best of luck to both teams!
Rose Bowl 2007 - Check out the
Rose Bowl page for the
competition wrap-up and results.
January 9, 2007
Rose Bowl 2007 - There are just under two weeks left until 46 teams from Alberta, BC, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and
even Australia, will take to the ice for the 2007 installment of the Rose Bowl. A list of entries is now available on the
Rose Bowl page. An event schedule and admission prices will be available by early next week.
November 25, 2006
Rose Bowl 2007 - Official Announcement and Registration documents are now
available on the Rose Bowl page. Stay tuned for
more spectator info in the coming weeks.
November 8, 2006
Rooftop Parka Patio Party - November 18 - Fashion shows, an ice sculpture luge, DJ, dance floor
30-foot Christmas tree, and tons of prizes...the 3rd Annual Parka Patio Party at Ceili's is sure to be a great time,
and will greatly help our teams off-set the high costs of competing at the Western Canadian and Canadian Championships
this year. Your support is most appreciated! See any member of the Adult or Junior team for tickets. Tickets
are $10.00 each and must be redeemed by 10:00 PM at Ceili's 8th Ave location.
Members Only - All skaters, please check your e-mail for username and password to the
Members Only section of the website.
November 2, 2006
Junior Team Becomes "Mirage" - The name "Ice Rhapsody" was chosen in 2002 before
the team was formed, and thus the skaters
did not have a sense that the name was truly their own. After Kim Boorman took over as Ice
Rhapsody's new coach in 2005, the team underwent an exciting
transformation and left a new impression behind at the end of the season. To take their
re-invention a step further, the team has chosen a new name to reflect the strength, grace, and
intrigue they began to exhibit last season, and hope to build on this year. Welcome, Mirage!
Fundraising - The Coco Brooks Pizza fundraiser is up and running. Forms have
been e-mailed to all skaters and will be available on the Members page shortly. Please note the order
deadline and pick-up dates on the events page. Also, keep a close eye
on your e-mail over the next few days as we will be announcing a few more exciting upcoming fundraisers!
Members Only Access - Please also watch your e-mail this weekend for instructions
on how to access the Members Only section of the website. The Members page includes team contact info, a copy of
the club bylaws, meeting minutes and more.
September 23, 2006
New Rose Bowl Chair - Calalta Synchro is pleased to welcome Ashleigh Cook as our new Rose Bowl
Chair for 2007. Planning for this year's Rose Bowl will begin shortly. If you are interested in participating on the
organizing committee, please contact Ashleigh:
Ashleigh Cook
E-mail: ashleigh@tabletalk.net
Cell: (403) 585-4283
Work: (403) 312-3504
September 17, 2006
"In the Loop" Synchro Feature - Check out this month's In the Loop
newsletter on the Section Website for a synchro article featuring pics of Calalta's teams!
Welcome to the New Season! - The new season has officially begun, with both our
Adult and Junior teams getting off to a great start with lots of skaters on the ice! Rosters have not yet
been finalized, so new skaters are still welcome to come check us out. Contact Chelsey at
chelsey_calaltasynchro@yahoo.com or (403) 284-1696 if you
are interested.
Next Executive Meeting - The next meeting for Executive and Committee members is
Tuesday, September 19 at 7:00pm at Jimmie Condon Arena. All skaters are welcome to attend Exec meetings. We are
also still looking to fill a few Exec and Committee positions, so please let Cheryl Schaub know if you are interested.
Adult Team Choreography Weekend - Please note the following tentative schedule
for Ice Symphony's choreography weekend:
Saturday, September 30
Village Square
9:00am-12:00pm - off-ice
Lunch & drive to Cardel Place
1:30-4:00pm - on-ice
|
Sunday, October 1
Cardel Place
8:00am-12:00pm - on-ice
12:30-2:30pm - off-ice
|
World Synchro Championships - Tickets - Tickets for the 2007 World Synchronized
Skating Championships in London, ON, will go on sale for the general public on Saturday, September 23
at 10:00am EST. Check out the Skate Canada website
for more info.
August 30, 2006
Congratulations! - Congratulations are in order for both of our Head Coaches,
Leslie Wolfenberg and Kim Boorman, and their families, on the recent
births of their baby girls! The Boorman family welcomed Charlotte Lily into the world
earlier this month on August 5. Last week, on August 24, the Wolfenbergs celebrated the arrival of Sophia Melanie Joan. Both
families are doing great. Congrats from everyone at Calalta!
Practices Begin September 10 - Our Junior and Adult teams will officially kick off
the 2006-2007 season on September 10 and 11, respectively. Practice details are at right. Please bring
all pertinent forms and cheques (details to be provided by e-mail) to your team's registration session.
New Skaters Still Welcome - Our Adult and Junior teams are both still
welcoming new skaters to try out. For more information, please contact Chelsey:
chelsey_calaltasynchro@yahoo.com or (403) 471-0153.
August 13, 2006
New Season, New Website! - We're kicking off 2006-2007 in style, with a
fresh new design to celebrate the start of a season full of promise. Please e-mail the
Webmaster to report any errors or to contribute news or
archive items.
Skaters Wanted! - New skaters are still being accepted to our Junior and Adult
Festival teams. The Junior team has two remaining summer skating dates, August 23 and August 28, before
regular practices get underway after the September long weekend. Plans for the Adult
team are moving ahead swiftly; if you were unable to attend last week's information meeting, and did not receive
the subsequent e-mail summary, please contact Chelsey.
Volunteer - All skaters are asked to contribute to the success of the club
by participating in at least one volunteer activity during the season. Our current priority is to fill the following
executive and committee positions: Secretary, Fundraising, Sponsorship, and Competition Chair. Please
contact Cheryl if you are interested in helping out in any of these areas. With
the high cost of travel to Westerns and Nationals this year, Fundraising and Sponsorship coordinators are two
positions that need to be filled with particular urgency!
July 30, 2006
Junior Summer Sessions - Our Junior team, Ice Rhapsody, has gotten a
great headstart on the season as they have spent the last four weeks working on conditioning, speed, edges, turns, and spins
with guest coach Garry Knox while head coach Kim Boorman takes a brief maternity absence. A strong core of skaters
has been in attendance, but we still have space for a few more! New skaters are welcome to attend their first summer session
for FREE. Subsequent sessions are $10 each. The next session is Wednesday, August 2 from
7:30-9:00PM at Rose Kohn Arena. Click here for upcoming
session details. For further information, please contact Chelsey at chelsey_calaltasynchro@yahoo.com or
471-0153.
MEETING for all interested Adult Skaters - All skaters (new and old) interested in being a part
of Ice Symphony (Adult Festival) for the upcoming season are asked to attend a meeting at
Jimmie Condon arena at 7:00 PM on Thursday, August 10. Please contact Cheryl
if you have questions, or for further information.
June 2, 2006
Competitions Announced - Visit our
events page for a listing of the major synchro
competitions for 2006-2007. Calalta teams will aim to attend the following:
- Calalta Rose Bowl - Calgary, AB - January 21, 2007
- Western Regionals - Chilliwack, BC - February 2-4, 2007
- Provincials - Camrose, AB - February 10, 2007
- Canadians - Chicoutimi, QC - February 22-25, 2007
Visit the Skate Canada website to
read the latest press release about the Canadian Synchro Championships.
May 7, 2006
Coaching Application Deadline Extended - Calalta is currently accepting applications
for the head coaching position of our Adult Festival team, Ice Symphony. Two-time National Medalists, Ice Symphony is known
for their creativity, musicality, and strong skating...and having a great time off the ice! Applications will be accepted
until Friday, May 26, 2006. See below for details.
April 14, 2006
COACHING POSITION AVAILABLE - Calalta is seeking a coach for our Adult Festival team,
Ice Symphony.
Qualifications should include:
- NCCP II
- Minimum 2 years synchronized coaching experience
- Contract to be negotiated based on qualifications
To apply, forward a cover letter and resume to Cheryl Schaub, President:
E-mail: cdschaub@cbe.ab.ca OR
Mail - Unit 605, 5340 – 17th Ave SW, Calgary, T3E 6M3
Deadline to apply is Sunday, April 30, 2006.
April 11, 2006
COACHING NEWS - It is with mixed emotions that Calalta is saying goodbye to
Sandi Dickison, coach of Ice Symphony. She has decided to pursue other adventures including furthering her professional
career in health & wellness. Sandi has provided Ice Symphony with many successful years of skating and we will all sadly
miss her. She captured everyone's hearts this season with a wonderful program - 7 Years in Tibet, which is symbolic of the
path that Sandi will now be pursuing. Although we are sad to see her leave as coach, Calalta wishes Sandi all the best!
