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Wayne resident Addison Brown

represented Team USA in France

By Sarah Shurge didn’t expect my first year to be as
Through years of blood, sweat, successful as it was. When I found
and hard work, Addison Brown went out we made Team USA, it's some-
from learning how to skate at the thing everyone dreams of but I never
Wayne Recreational Center when she thought in a million years I would
was 4 years old, to representing represent it.”
Team USA while skating in France at The Junior Hockettes competed
17 years old. on Friday, February 2nd, and Satur-
At the young age of four, Brown day, February 3rd, at Centre sportif
was taken to the Wayne Rec to try ice Guy-Boissière. They competed
skating for the first time on a free against teams from Canada, France,
skate day. Finland, United Kingdom, Spain,
“I remember I didn't want to get and Australia.
on the ice,” said Brown. “We left but “It was the best moment of my
then I realized I wanted to try.” skating career,” said Brown. “It hit
That same week she asked to go me on the ice in France, like ‘I'm re-
back and try it again. ally representing Team USA.’ It
“Then I didn't want to get off the kinda felt like a dream. We were sign-
ice,” said Brown. ing autographs and little kids would
After that, Brown’s mother, Renee ask us to kiss papers.”
Brown signed her up for lessons to The Junior Hockettes placed
learn how to properly skate instead fourth in the French Cup.
of just open skating. At 6 years old, After returning home from
Brown started skating on a team and France, Brown immediately had to
doing ice shows. prepare for the U.S. Championships.
Five years ago Brown started syn- Brown was in Vegas from Sunday,
chronized skating. February 18th, through Sunday, Feb-
Synchronized skating (often ruary 25th. The Junior Hockettes
called synchro), is where anywhere competed on Wednesday, February
between 8-20 skaters perform to- 21st, and Thursday, February 22nd.
gether as a team. They move as a They placed eighth in the U.S.
flowing unit over the ice at high Championships.
speed, while performing elements Outside of traveling around the
and footwork. world skating, Brown is in her junior
Brown now belongs to the Wayne- year of high school and has to main-
Westland Figure Skating Club and is tain a skate-life balance.
also on the Junior Hockettes Syn- A typical day for Brown after
chronized Figure Skating Team. school looks like: 6 p.m. - arrive at
The Hockettes Synchronized skating practice. For one hour - off-
Skating Team is the Nation’s first ice work (lifts, questions, timing er-
team. rors). For two and a half hours - on
It was created in 1956 when the ice work (programs, run-throughs,
team first performed during inter- Addison Brown performs with the synchronized skating team. drills, and training). For 15 minutes
mission at University of Michigan - team stretch. Some practices have
Hockey games and in the Ann Arbor achieving titles such as Gold Medal- This season with the Junior ballet after ice. Around 10:30 p.m. -
Figure Skating Club ice shows. ist in the Preliminary - PreJuvenile Hockettes Synchronized Figure Skat- arrive home.
As people in the skating commu- Artistic Duet Championship, to ing Team, Brown has traveled to You might wonder when she has
nity saw the team perform, more Bronze Medalist in the PreJuvenile Boston, Massachusetts, California, time for homework.
teams came together and the sport of Plus Excel Championship, and many qualified to represent Team USA at “For practice, I just stay up all
synchronized (precision) skating more. the French Cup in France, and then night to do homework and study. I
began. As of January 2024, Brown is a the U.S. Championships in Las just ditch sleep,” said Brown. “For
“I used to prefer freestyle, but I Gold Tested Skater in Skating Skills, Vegas, Nevada. competitions, I have to tell teachers
like them [freestyle and synchro- which is the highest level you can Brown was in Rouen, France far in advance. Usually teachers are
nized] the same,” said Brown. “It de- achieve. from Monday, January 29th through supportive. I get home from a com-
pends on the day, but synchro will Monday, February 26th, Brown Sunday, February 4th. petition and grind on homework for
always have a big place in my heart.” received a letter confirming she had “Representing Team USA was a two days straight to catch up.”
Brown has competed in countless successfully passed the U.S. Figure big goal for me,” said Brown. “It's my
competitions throughout the years, Skating tests. first year on this junior team, and I See USA, page 4
The Wayne Dispatch · March 2024 · 3