Ice Princesses
March 26, 2015
On March 13 and 14, Nicole Brenner ’15 and Serena Pratt ’17 competed in to the World Junior Figure Skating Championships in Croatia. The championships consist of 24 different teams from approximately 20 different countries. Brenner and Pratt both tried out for the Skyliners Synchronized Skating Team. Last April, more than 60 girls tried out for only 20 spots, and Brenner and Pratt both made the team. This will be Brenner’s ninth year on the team and Pratt’s first. Team USA is the name given by the United States Figure Skating Association to all the teams that get to compete internationally. The Skyliners were named Team USA, and they then got to attend an international competition in France in January.
Brenner began ice skating when she was five years old. She practices with the Skyliners three days a week, and on her own two to three days a week. Brenner loves being on the Skyliners partly because she has formed great relationships with the other girls on the team. “There is nothing like being with those girls and going through so much and then winning together,” Brenner noted. The National Tournament will be Brenner’s sixth and her first time going to Worlds. This is also the team’s first year qualifying for Worlds. The Coach of the Skyliners, Josh Babb, has been coaching Brenner for as long as he can remember. “Nicole is very focused,” said Babb.
Despite her love for the sport, Brenner, along with many other girls on the team, has a difficult time balancing her skating, school work, and social life. “School can be difficult to make up all the work and skating takes up [the team’s] entire weekend.” Eating a healthy diet is also important to Bren- ner and every other girl on the Skyliners. “We’re very conscious at competitions of what we’re eating and we have to go to specific restaurants and make sure they have good, healthy options for us,” said Brenner. Brenner and her team feel very confident going into the World Junior Championships. “Winning the national championship boosted our confidence and now we are excited to give all that we’ve got in Croatia,” said Brenner. Because she is a senior, this will be her last competition with the Skyliners, but she is excited to end her career on a positive note. “[World Junior Championships] are a great way for me to end my skating career,” Brenner reflected.
Pratt also began ice skating when she was five years old. She practices for two hours every weekday and eight to ten hours on the weekends. Going to the World Champi- onships is a dream come true for Serena. “I can’t believe it is finally coming true,” she noted. Coach Babb has a great time coaching Serena. “She is very theatrical which is a major plus in this sport,” stated Babb. Pratt agrees with Brenner on the difficulties of balancing school, skating, and friends. “I usually do my work on the way to the rink or if I ever have free time,” explained Pratt. She explained that she has made great friends on her team and loves traveling with them and she considers them her best friends. Pratt also watches her diet and is strict about the food she eats. “I personally like to eat healthfully and watch what I eat because I know if I eat badly I won’t be able to skate as well,” said Pratt.
Serena’s family are her biggest fans. “It takes a lot of commitment [from] the whole family because I drive her the most and we have to make sure that we can always be there for her,” said Serena’s mother, Marina Cardillo-Pratt. Her whole family is traveling to Croatia with her for the World Junior Championships. “A few years ago she wanted to pursue ice skating, but it was hard for her to do it because she was young,” said Car- dillo-Pratt, “I gave her a book called Reach for the Stars that she kept in her room and I always told her to not give up and believe in what you want to do. I am very proud and I knew she could do it.” Serena’s family’s unconditional support has helped her become the great skater she is today.
Brenner and Pratt are very excited to represent their country in the World Junior Cham- pionships. Coach Babb summed it up best when he said, “This is a sport and in sports anything can happen so you’ll have good days, you’ll have bad days. The idea is that you keep improving yourself and the team. Hard work and dedication does pay off.”
