[instrumental Electronica]
Sixteen skaters,
one goal,
and three minutes to prove it.
["Moonlight Dance" by Ben Sumner]
[cheers and applause]
For those who've never seen synchronized skating,
- It's kind of like synchronized swimming.
It's the only team discipline in figure skating.
- Angela: Precision and perfection take practice.
[cheers and applause]
- Jenny McMahon: One, two, three, four, turn,
one, two, turn,
one, two, three, turn.
Getting all the girls on the same foot,
at the same time, with the same expression,
and the same arm movement. [skate scratches]
All right, let's go, from the beginning.
[dance music]
- Angela: The Fond du Lac Blades
are Wisconsin's premiere synchro team,
attracting skaters from Green Bay, Madison, and Milwaukee.
- Navigator Voice: Turn right on to Fond du Lac Avenue.
- Angela: Macy Bania commutes three times a week
from Green Bay in all kinds of weather.
- That's not including extra practices
which happen quite frequently.
It's very challenging,
and most of the time, I do homework in the car
because it can be a difficulty to keep up with school.
[car whooshes past]
- Angela: For these athletes,
the team's become a second family.
And for one skater, the coach 'is' family.
- My mom, she's the coach.
- Molly watch that you don't get ahead
on the first twizzle right off the gate.
For us, it has just worked, it has very much clicked.
- Angela: Jenny McMahon and Heather Pagel
share coaching duties.
Both had been around the Blades for more than 30 years.
- I actually started on the very first
synchronized skating team that we had.
Back then, it was called Precision.
It was up to 32 skaters,
and it was very different from what we do now.
The speed has increased, the difficulty has increased,
and it's amazing the things between the jumps and the lifts
that the skaters are doing.
[crowd cheers]
- Angela: The difficulty had to change
for the Fondy Blades to remain on the cutting edge
and competitive with the world's best.
- We get to compete at the Zagreb Snowflakes Trophy.
We're going to Croatia as Team USA.
- And it's a privilege that not many skaters
get to experience through figure skating.
[inspirational music]
[cheers and applause]
- Angela: Last-minute improvements to their routine
caught the judges' attention in Fond du Lac.
- Announcer on PA: The total score for the Fond du Lac Blades
is 58.67.
[cheers and applause]
- I'm really proud of the short program.
We did a great job bringing the score up today.
- Angela: One performance down,
one more to go.
[clapping, chanting] - Let's go, Blades!
The hours of practice are paying off.
On this day, the team posts its highest score to date,
putting them in good shape
before their international competition in Croatia.
- It was a big breakthrough for us and our team.
- I felt really good
and I was doing all my arms to the max and expressing.
I was just having a really good time out there.
- I'm really excited for them to head overseas
and see what we can do in Croatia.
[cheers and applause]
[accordion music]
- Angela: Travel time is also bonding time
and the Blades take Croatia by storm.
- They're all my best friends
and I just have so much fun traveling with them.
- Team bonding is really important
in getting all of the skaters to click.
- Well, the girls are like a family to me.
I love it.
[crowd cheering] - All: U-S-A, U-S-A, U-S-A!
- It's amazing to hear the words,
"Representing the United States of America."
And, in fact, I get choked up.
I get choked up when we're there and we hear it.
- Announcer: Representing the United States of America,
Fond du Lac Blades. [cheers]
- Angela: Now it's time for Jenny to play the role
of both coach and proud parent.
- There's a little bit of stress
where you're just like, you take a deep breath and go,
"Okay, I hope we've given them all the tools
we possibly can to have them look great."
[inspirational music]
[blades scratching]
[cheers]
Oh, my gosh, I think every parent's just like,
"Please don't fall down." [laughs]
- Angela: Nervous parents, American flags,
and home video,
[crowd yells "Whoo!"]
provide memories of a lifetime.
[cheers and applause]
- We competed against teams
from Hungary, Croatia, Italy, Finland, Russia,
and another United States team.
We ended up third so we're really excited
that we came home with the Bronze medal.
- Angela: Home to Fond du Lac,
where the Blades represent Wisconsin on the world stage.
- It's to do your very best
and do your best for your country.
I think synchronized skating has allowed them
to have an opportunity that most kids will never get.
- All: Happy day, U-S-A.
[shimmery music]