Local Skaters Represent Watertown on the National Stage

WATERTOWN, NY ----- Fourteen local athletes head to national competitions on both coasts this week and next. The Figure Skating Club of Watertown has skaters heading east to compete at the U.S. Figure Skating (USFS) 2024 Excel National Festival in Boston, MA and west to compete at the State Games of America (SGA) in San Diego, CA, a biennial Olympic-style event.

“This is the largest number of skaters we’ve ever had qualify for State Games of America,” said Head Coach Sherry Robbins. “Our skaters have to train year-round to be able to compete at this level so for the summer, they’re traveling to skate at Syracuse-area rinks every week.”

The 13 skaters competing at SGA this July 17 - 21, qualified at the Empire State Winter Games in Lake Placid, NY earlier this year. The SGA is an invitation-only national event for skaters who received a medal at qualifying state competitions around the country. Over 10,000 athletes will participate from 29 states.

The four skaters heading to Boston this week, July 11 – 14, will compete in one of two different style competition categories. Two of the club’s more experienced skaters will compete in the invitation-only Excel Series Final, while two skaters newer to the sport will participate in the Open-Invitation Excel Series competition, which welcomes all skill levels.

The club will return home to the Watertown Municipal Arena this September. The FSC of Watertown, a non-profit dedicated to providing opportunities for participation and achievement in figure skating, boasts professional USFS and Learn to Skate certified, award-winning coaches, who provide instruction for all levels and ages of skaters, from private lessons to introductory group classes. For more information visit www.skatewatertown.org.