Danielle Gameliln and Alexander Gamelin

Danielle and Alex selected for International Selection Pool

Yesterday, Danielle and Alex received an email message from Lorrie Parker, International Committee Chair of U.S. Figure Skating stating they have been selected to be part of the "International Selection Pool" (ISP) for the 2010-2011 competitive season.

This pool includes high-ranking athletes and teams that are age-eligible to be considered for a Junior Grand Prix event or have the possibility of being selected for a senior international competition.  Although being part of the ISP does not guarantee selection for any particular event, it does require them to complete the extensive 9-step Team USA ISP Competition Readiness Process.

Part of this process will be to attend the 2010 Summer Team USA Camp for ice dance teams in Lake Placid, NY, August 4-7.  Eligible teams will participate in a 45 minute in-depth feedback session, a half day seminar and a pre-participation physical exam.  Dance teams will also have the opportunity to compete their programs for evaluation.

If selected, Danielle and Alex would compete at one or two of the following International Skating Union's Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating events:

Courchevel, FRA    August 25-28
Brasov, ROU September 8-12
Graz, AUT September 15-19
Karuizawa, JPN September 22-26
Sheffield, GBR September 29-October 3
Dresden, GER October 6-10
Ostrave, CZE October 13-17

Guess how excited we are about this opportunity!

Danielle and Alex Score Big at Nationals

After 3 successful years at the juvenile and intermediate levels, Danielle and Alex place 5th in their first appearance at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships at the novice level.

As some of you know, Danielle and Alex's 2009-10 season didn't begin in the typical fashion of a brief rest after winning at Junior Nationals in December 2008.  It began with a two month layoff to enable Danielle to recuperate from a broken pelvic bone.

Because of their Junior National win at the intermediate level in Lake Placid, Danielle and Alex advanced to the novice level for the 2009-10 season.

Already two months behind in training by March 2009, their coaches Alexander Esman and Evgeny Platov created an aggressive strategy to get them prepared for their first major competition, the Lake Placid Ice Dance Championships in August 2009.

As we posted earlier, the strategy worked; they won a gold and silver medal.  Their next competition was the Philadelphia Challenge Cup in September 2009.  Again, they were on the platform with a gold and a bronze medal.  The Gamelin's were all very excited with their progress.  But the excitement was short lived.

As we walked back to our car after the end of competition in the evening, Danielle stepped into a hole in the pavement and twisted her ankle so badly it tore a ligament in her ankle and ruptured a tendon in her foot.  We thought this was the end of their season.  We were so upset.  But Danielle was determined to endure painful therapy and began training again in late October.  The problem was it was just three weeks before the Eastern Championsips in Newark, Delaware.

Again, Danielle and Alex rose to the occasion.  They were training so hard; Donna and Lee just kept quiet and hoped they wouldn't be too disappointed if they didn't qualify for Nationals.  Their hard work paid off, and Danielle and Alex won the silver medal; missing gold by a mere 0.05 points, and qualified for their first U.S. Championships.

They were already winners, because only the top 12 novice ice dance teams in the U.S. make it to the U.S. Championships, and Danielle and Alex worked through so much to qualify.  Their 5th place finish at Nationals capped an otherwise tumultuous season, and we're so proud of our children for their vision, persistence and determination.

Danielle and Alex will be advancing to the junior level for the 2010-2011 season and have been selected for U.S. Figure Skating's Development International Team for the second year running, and may qualify for the International Selection Pool to represent the U.S. in international competition.  What a season!

A very special thanks to all who support us in this incredible adventure; especially those who have been so generous financially.  Now on to another season!

Danielle recovering nicely from an ankle injury

Unfortunately, Danielle injured her right ankle badly right after the Philadelphia Challenge Cup. She tore the paroneal tendon in her right ankle and ruptured a small ligament in her foot. She was off the ice for more than three weeks, but is recovering well. She's back training full-time now and is looking forward with great anticipation to competing at the 2010 U.S. Eastern Figure Skating Championships in Newark, DE on the 18th and 19th of this month. Wish her and Alex well.

Great pre-season for Danielle and AlexTwo Golds, a Silver and two Bronzes

One of the problems of neglecting to make frequent blog entries is when you get around to it, you don't know where to begin. So, instead of writing a short story here, I'll outline what's happened and fill in the details later.

• Both Danielle and Alex were inducted into the National Honor Society at their high school, Laurel Springs.
• We're spending three days a week in New Jersey training in Mount Laurel with Evgeny Platov in addition to three days a week with Alexander Esman in Syosset, NY. Mount Laurel is a few miles east of Philadelphia .
• Danielle and Alex are performing regularly with the Ice Theatre of New York and concluded a 6 show engagement in August at the new World Ice Arena in Flushing Meadows.
• At their first major competition of the season, the Lake Placid Ice Dance Championships held in early August, Danielle and Alex won a Gold and a Silver medal.
• At their first international competition, representing Team U.S.A. in Toronto on August 13-16, they won a Bronze medal, and
• they won the Gold for the free dance and the Bronze for two compulsory dances at the Philadelphia Challenge Cup in September.

Moving up a level and remaining on top is a great achievement and a testament to their training, coaching, their dedication to excellence and the generous support of family and friends; not to mention parents who remain steadfast in their support (and who are often overwhelmed by the experience).

So much for today. Hopefully, it won't be another 4 months before I make another entry.

Danielle and Alex selected as members of the U.S. Figure Skating Developmental Team

We were just notified by Ben Miller, Chair of U.S. Figure Skating's Athlete Developmental Committee, that Danielle and Alex have been selected to attend the 2009 Thornhill Summer Skate as a member of the U.S. Figure Skating Development International Team.  The event will take place in Thornhill, Ontario, Canada on August 12-16, 2009.

This will be Danielle and Alex's first international competition.  What a thrill!

Danielle and Alex complete 4 performances with Ice Theatre of New York

Photo caption:  Danielle and Alex Gamelin, far right, at a recent outreach program at Riverbank State Park in Harlem

Danielle and Alex just completed four performances as part of Ice Theatre of New York's premiere educational outreach program, The New Works and Young Artists Series at Riverbank State Park in Harlem.  This outreach series is dedicated to giving emerging choreographers and performers an opportunity to present new works.  They show these works to an audience of school children from Harlem and Washington Heights and engage the students in a free skating clinic after the performance.

Ice Theatre of New York is an extraordinary organization, that has changed the face of figure skating by integrating the sensibilities of the contimporary dance, music and artworlds into performance skating.  Founded in 1984 by Moira North, Ice Theatre of New York is the nation's first non-profit ice dancing ensemble to be awarded grants as a dance company by the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Danielle and Alex's performances were received very well; they had a lot of fun; and they have been asked by Moira North to continue their participation as apprentices to Ice Theatre of New York.

Danielle and Alex honored by legislative resolution

Photo caption:  Senator Fuschillo (right) and Assemblyman McDonough (left) congratulate Merrick residents Alex and Danielle Gamelin on capturing the Gold Medal at the 2009 United States Junior Figure Skating Championships.

New York State Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. (8th Senate District) and Assemblyman David McDonough (19th Assembly District) today honored Junior National Championship figure skaters Alex and Danielle Gamelin of Merrick.

Senator Fuschillo and Assemblyman McDonough congratulated Alex and Danielle on winning the gold medal in intermediate ice dance at the 2009 U.S. Junior Figure Skating Championships, and presented them with copies of a legislative resolution honoring their achievement. The resolution, which Senator Fuschillo and Assemblyman McDonough sponsored, was passed by the State Senate and Assembly and will forever be part of the record in the State Legislature.

“These two young athletes trained extremely hard and their many hours of practice have been rewarded with national recognition. They are exceptionally talented, and we are pleased to congratulate them on this incredible achievement,” said Senator Fuschillo.

Danielle cleared to train

After a false start and several weeks of rest, Danielle has been cleared to begin training again on a limited basis.  As many of you may recall, Danielle broke a pelvic bone in a fall a few weeks before the Eastern Sectionals in Boston, but continued to train in preparation for both Easterns and the Junior Nationals despite the pain.

She's been under the care of a wonderful orthopaedic doctor, Charles Ruotolo, MD of Total Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine in Massapequa, New York.  Dr. Ruotolo has a great sense of the challenges faced by young injured elite athletes, and suggested a sensible plan that allowed Danielle to continue training during the qualifying season without the danger of permanent injury.  Of course, part of this plan was for complete rest following her win at the 2009 U.S. Junior Figure Skating Championships in Lake Placid, New York.

An X-ray examination, and other tests performed yesterday, clearly indicated bones on the mend, and Dr. Ruotolo suggested she may begin training again this morning.  You can't image a happier face of someone getting up at 5:30 this morning eager to get back to training.

Thanks to all who have expressed their well wishes for a speedy recovery.

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Danielle and Alex featured in Newsday

I can't think of a better way to start off the month then by seeing our family's story in one of the largest newspapers in the U.S.

Here is the link to the online version.  The text is the same as is published in today's Newsday article, LI Life section, ON THE FRONT PAGE.

What a thrill!

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U.S. Figure Skating Congratulatory Note

Danielle and Alex just received a wonderful congratulatory note from Benjamin Miller, Chair of the Athlete Development Committee, U.S. Figure Skating.  Here's what the note said.

"On behalf of the Athlete Development Committee I would like to congratulate you on your recent success at the 2009 U.S. Junior National Championships.  You should be very proud of your accomplishment.  Many of our countries wonderful skaters took significant steps towards their ultimate successes at the U.S. Junior Championships.  Based on the wonderful skating I saw while in Lake Placid I am confident that you will be able to continue in the footsteps of our many great U.S. Figure Skating champions.

Congratulations and best of luck!"

Benjamin Miller
Chair of the Athlete Development Committee