22News reporters aiming to be named Team USA with synchronized skating Victoria Buddie — WWLP

Nicole and Victoria Buddie are on a quest to represent the United States in synchronized team skating.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – When two of our 22News reporters are not covering the news in western Massachusetts, you can find them on the ice.

Nicole and Victoria Buddie are on a quest to represent Team USA with their synchronized figure skating team, Hayden Select Elite 12. The team traveled to Bloomington, Minnesota early September to be evaluated by United States Figure Skating.

The monitoring session consisted of a panel of U.S. Figure Skating officials evaluating both their Short and Free Skate routines. The team, Hayden Select, has high hopes of being named Team USA, once again for the 2024-2025 season.

“We’ve put in so much work for the past four months, and even though things aren’t perfect yet we’re where we want to be and it’s really exciting”, says Milan Canty, member of Hayden Select Elite 12.

“I’m hoping to get some good feedback from the officials and for you guys to have a good time at your first official time traveling together as a team and see how everyone skates with a little bit of pressure,” says Head Coach of Hayden Select, Taylor Stender.

Hayden Select is the world’s first Elite 12 synchronized skating team. The division, Elite 12, reduces the number of skaters on the ice from 16 to 12. The division continues to push for inclusion into the Winter Olympics by executing difficult yet creative elements. A goal many on the team dream of achieving.

The sport is unsponsored, and a majority of those on the team are college students or work full-time in their careers.

“We’re ready to fill in that program with what they’re saying… a combination of how we skate as a team,” says Yvonne Burke, a member of Hayden Select Elite 12.

“Having a team that supports each other and having coaches that are very supportive made the whole process and experience a lot easier I feel very confident after having a weekend of great skating”, says Ana Valdez, member of Hayden Select Elite 12.

Hayden Select’s next stop is the Fall Classic competition in Irvine, California. At the high-stakes event, their goal is to achieve the minimum score to be named Team USA for synchronized skating.

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