The athletes at the Quesnel Figure Skating Club (QFSC) keep setting the bar higher for themselves and then gracefully leaping over it.
Alexa McTavish and Baillie Jackson both set personal best scores, finishing first and second in the Star 5 class at the OK Interclub Competition in Kelowna last weekend ( Nov. 23-25).
Coach Carly Dinicol says she is ecstatic with the results.
“Alexa has been absolutely determined and focused since moving into Star 5 last year and placed first with a personal best score of 17.40, which is 2.47 points higher than her Autumn Leaves score,” she wrote in an email to the Observer.
Jackson followed closely behind, with a personal best score of 17.21, which is 2.87 points higher than her score at the Autumn Leaves meet in Kamloops.
“Both girls significantly increased their program components score as well as their technical score,” said Dinicol.
She added Jersey L’Heureux also improved her report card a lot from Autumn Leaves with a lovely skate; Ashley Burke skated her last solo in Star 4 and will be moving into Star 5 for Regionals; and Annaliese Hunter-Owega passed her Bronze Interpretive test.
“The skaters have been very focused since Autumn Leaves and I cannot wait to see the energy when they hit the ice on Monday.”
There are now just under two months before the regionals are held in Quesnel and Dinicol says she thinks the skaters are going to be working extra hard to compete on home ice.
“I have noticed a huge improvement in all our skaters’ strength, flow and overall skating skills this season and I believe that the more holistic approach we are taking during training sessions is paying off,” she said.
Dinicol points out the coaching has been incredibly helpful in getting the young athletes to improve so dramatically.
“This season we have been very lucky to add to our coaching team by sourcing out local retired skaters, and have therefore been able to provide a more dynamic training regimen.
“Riley Beckman, who skated for the Quesnel Figure Skating Club, and later for Disney on Ice, completed her coaching certification last spring and has been coaching with us two mornings a week.
“She also does off-ice conditioning with the skaters twice a week.
“Kayla Flanagan, who skated with QFSC a few years ago, has joined us again and is mentoring under Sharon Chow and I. She will take her coach certification this spring.
“Kayla is specializing in video analysis and works with the skaters on ice to review their elements and programs.
Finally, Dinicol said Dacia Kimmie, who skated with the QFSC, has moved up to coach STARSkate sessions, after gaining experience coaching CanSkate and Advanced CanSkate in recent years, to allow skaters to get more one on one lessons.
“And Sharon Chow has been coaching with the club for close to 50 years and has long been the club’s rock.”
Full results:
Annaliese Owega – Bronze Interpretive-12th
Ashley Burke – Star 4 Girls U13-4th
Ashley Burke–Star 4 Elements-1st
Presley L’Heureux–Star 4 Girls U13-10th
Jersey L’Heureux–Star 4 Girls 13&O-4th
Mitchell Dunn–Juvenile Men -1st
Alexa McTavish–Star 5 Girls-1st
Baillie Jackson–Star 5 Girls-2nd
READ MORE: Quesnel figure skater improving in leaps and spins
