My College Process

Going into this season and school year I did everything I could to avoid thinking about college. All summer long my mom bugged me about starting essays and applications, but I kept rolling my eyes and ignoring her. I did not feel ready to leave high school, and possibly the Skyliners behind, so I avoided the college process at all costs.



In the fall I began to crack down and really tried to figure out where I wanted to go to school. There was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to skate. My guidance counselor printed out a list of every school in the country that had a Synchro team. Then, my mom and I added schools to that list that had teams in areas surrounding them. As application deadlines approached, I was very stressed out and upset. In hindsight, I should have listened to my mom and gotten all my essays done over the summer. The whole process would have been a lot less stressful. I ended up applying to six schools; Loyola University in Chicago, Dartmouth College, Miami University of Ohio, the University of Michigan, Fordham University, and Northeastern University.



I applied to Loyola in Chicago because when I went and visited the school, I loved it. Chicago is an amazing city, similar to New York, and I felt that I would enjoy spending four years there. Also, going there would have given me the opportunity to skate for Heather Paige and the Starlights who are just outside of Chicago. I have worked with Heather for many summers at various skating camps and I knew I would love skating on her team. She is an amazing coach and person and I really loved Chicago, so I was very pleased when my acceptance letter arrived from Loyola. It was my first acceptance and I was so excited!


I applied to Dartmouth because my cousin is a student there. Hanover is a beautiful rural town in New Hampshire and Dartmouth is an awesome school. There is no synchro team there, but there is an intercollegiate freestyle team, and a nice rink. Hopefully my fellow Dreammate Bianca Jackson will be able to start some sort of synchro Program there as she will be attending in the fall! Sadly, I was denied admission.


I applied and was accepted to the Honors College at Miami University. Growing up I went to Miami every summer for camp and I always had an amazing time. When I was younger I looked up to the Miami skaters that were my counselors. I considered them skating gods. I felt so blessed to be accepted to the Honors Program at such a beautiful school that also offered an amazing synchro program with coaches I had grown to love while spending my summers there.



I applied to Michigan because two ex-Skyliners and great friends of mine are current students there. Hearing them talk about their experiences socially, in classes, and with the skating team, I felt I had to apply. Upon acceptance, I decided to go to the skating team’s “Wolverine Weekend.” I stayed in the dorm with one of my friends and attended admission events and a clinic with the team and their coach Erin Donovon. It was so much fun and added to the stress I was feeling about having to make the decision about where to go.

When Skyilners announced it was having a Senior team, I hastily applied to Fordham University in the Bronx. My mom had gone there, and its vicinity to Manhattan and the locations where Skyliners practice was perfect. Also, it is only twenty minutes from my house so I could go home to visit my sisters whenever I felt like it.

Last, but certainly not least, I applied to Northeastern University because I wanted to apply to at least one school in Boston. I chose Northeastern because I liked how it is right in Boston but has a defined campus. Also, it has a great Criminal Justice program that appealed to me and I could potentially skate for the Haydenettes.

After the Junior World Challenge Cup, I knew it was time to make a decision. I was torn into fifths. I could picture myself at every school. Academically, they all had things I liked, and each school came with an amazing skating option. At the Skyliners year end party I ended up in tears because I was so emotional and stressed over making a decision. The next day I drove to Lexington with my dad and tried out for Haydenettes. Soon after, I found out I had made the team. I was ecstatic. Making the team was a huge honor and I was very proud.

Finally, after weeks of stress and deliberation with my parents, I decided to go to Northeastern and skate Haydenettes. I eliminated other schools by examining myself. I am a true city person so Oxford, OH was not my ideal setting. Also, I come from a very small high school community, and Michigan seemed a little too big for me. Fordham just is too close to home, while Loyola is just a little too far. Northeastern is a perfect location, and financially works very well for my family. I feel like the world has been lifted off my shoulders since I made the decision. I am sad to be leaving Skyliners. It has become my family over the past eight years and I love my teammates and coaches more than anything. Everyone has been so supportive of my decision, and for that I will be eternally grateful. I am so relieved to be done with the college process and excited for my future as a Husky and a Haydenette!

End of the Season Sorrows

Hi everyone! We both simply cannot believe that another season has come and gone. For Jenna, it feels as if she is beginning her first season as a Haydenette, not starting her sixth! Where has the time gone?

The Haydenettes busy schedule becomes rather scarce in April and May. Upon returnig from Worlds we get a small break before the end of the season preparation begins. That small break has never stopped us from seeing each other! Whether it be on a freestyle session at Hayden, hanging around in Boston, or even just grabbing a quick meal, we simply can not get enough of each other.

The Hayden Synchronized Skating Teams held their annual banquet on May 1st this year. This is always such a special event where all the Hayden Synchronized Skating Teams gather together to have a meal and celebrate the season. We get to be with the entire HSST club, including coaches, skaters, parents, and beloved honorary members. At the banquet we were able to watch our skates from Worlds, which we hadn't seen yet. It was great to watch the skates with our other teams; it was a bit of deja vu. Each team presented gifts to their coaches and managers, and the senior plaques were awarded as well as the coaches awards. It was finally time to separate into our own team huddles and give out superlatives! This is a small tradition that has been with the Haydenettes for quite some time. The superlatives always bring back bittersweet memories from the season. As the banquet was wrapping up, there were plenty of hugs and tears to go around, but with a great season behind us we still had one more
opportunity to skate our seasons programs.

Hayden Recreation Center holds an annual end of the year ice show called Ice Time. All the Hayden teams participate, and practices begin two weeks before the show. The Haydenettes are always reluctant heading into these practices as they are bittersweet, and we always fear our lack of stamina from our small break after worlds. There is no way to stay in shape for synchro besides skating together with your team! It is always fun to get back on the ice with no pressure, and skate the programs again. With the two Wednesday practices behind us, it was
already show time! We had plenty of fun skating our programs for the last time, and it felt good to be back on the ice with such a great group of young ladies.
Erika Hoffman reminded our team before the seasons end one of our team quotes:

"Love the sport for the pure joy of accomplishment. Love the sport for everything it can teach you about yourself. Love the sport for the feeling of belonging to a group endeavoring to do its best. Love the sport for being involved in a team whose members can't wait to see you do your best. Love the sport for the challenge of working harder than you ever have at something and then harder than that. Love the sport because it takes all team members to give it life. Love the sport because at its best, its tradition will include your contributions. Love the sport because you belong to a long line of fine athletes who have loved it. It is now your legacy. Love the sport so much that you will pass on your love to other athletes who have seen your dedication, your work, your challenges, your triumphs... and then those athletes will, because of you, love the sport. "

To the past and future synchronized skaters, keep this quote alive and always remember the person skating has made you into.

On behalf of the Haydenettes, we would like to thank each and every person who has had faith in us and who has helped us accomplish our goals. We honestly could not have reached our highest potential without the support from our families, friends, fans, and especially U.S. Figure Skating. Thank you all very much for a great and unforgettable season!!


With love,
Jenna and Noelle

Miami Worlds Update 3

Well, we can certainly say skating our first World Championship performance lived up to our expectations.

As we walked toward the entrance to the ice for the short program both of us couldn’t help but shed a few tears. It was overwhelming and a true honor to be standing rink side realizing as we looked out into the stands with a packed audience that we are participating in something that is so few and far between. We were truly honored and humbled as we stepped foot on the ice and they announced “Team USA 2.”

We kept hearing from our teammates that had been to worlds before that the experience was one that couldn’t be described, and until now we didn’t know what that meant. After competing short we truly understand now that words really don’t do it justice, it’s just something you need to be a part of.

We saw lots of Finnish flags swarming the arena, along with large sections of proud U.S. parents and fans. The music began and instantly the entire audience began clapping in time to the music. It was really incredible to have the whole arena cheering us on, rather than just the USA section. Everyone obviously has their favorites, but for the most part, they’re all here because they share a common love for skating. That was something that really made the experience unique. For 15 of us, this was our first World Championship skate. We put out a solid performance and were happy with the way we delivered.

After we skated, we got to sit in the stands and cheer on the Haydenettes. They, along with the rest of the last group, did an awesome job. It was an incredible evening of skating and we’re looking forward to what the free skate has to offer.

Back in the hotel today after our free skate official practice, we were stopped in the lobby for a pep talk from Scott Hamilton. He had great words of advice, as always, but one of the best parts of our conversation with him was talking about the similar experiences we shared working with choreographer, Sarah Kawaraha. We talked about how in painting the picture of our free skate, at first it seems like a confused mess full of choreography that we have no idea how to do. Then all of a sudden we look back on the season and realize we finally got the steps down and the heads and arms all work together the way they’re supposed to! It was an amazing moment to cherish, and something we certainly won’t forget. With just a little bit left the competition, we’re really soaking it all in, enjoying every moment.

Love and honor,

Taylor and Sarah

Worlds Update: Miami Day 2

Hello again,

Wednesday’s practices were off to a great start. It was nice to get our feet under us and see the arena. We had practice at 4:30 and 9:00 pm. In between we sat in the arena and watched the Japanese, Russian, and Swedish teams practice. By the time we got back to the hotel it was 10:00 pm. We had a late dinner with fantastic food and lots of variety. After dinner we went straight to bed.

Thursday mornings’ practice went well too. We practiced the short program full run-through and sections on the main ice. . It was nice to cheer on the Haydenettes as they took the ice immediately after our practice. After our first practice we came back to the hotel for video review and lunch. Our second practice was later in the afternoon, and we focused on the free skate. We’ve been really pleased with our progress at each practice and feel good about going into the competition. After a short break at the hotel, we headed back to the arena for the draw. It was an awesome ceremony with more than one hundred Finish skaters taking part in the event. From pre-juvenile through senior, the skaters were on the ice together performing a program with neon tank tops, black tights and glow lights. To top it off, the skaters were accompanied by a live singer performing at the side of the arena. As for the draw, the skaters formed a human number of the skate order for each team. Miami drew 15th and Haydenettes 16th. What are the odds we’d be skating back to back?

Dinner was a bit chaotic tonight, as all the teams were filing into the hotel at the same time after the draw. It’s interesting to have so many teams from multiple countries all packed into one area, all speaking different languages, coming from different backgrounds, but all here for the same reason. Hearing a mixture of Italian, Swedish, Finnish, and more being spoken around us is such a great experience because we’re thrown into something bigger than we’ve ever been a part of. It truly reminds us of how honored and excited we are to be here to represent our country! We’re looking forward to getting the competition started tomorrow evening with the short program!

Stay tuned,

Sarah & Taylor

Miami Worlds Update: Day 1

Mao from Finland!

After traveling from Ohio to Detroit, followed by Amsterdam and then Finland, we finally arrived in Helsinki. We weren’t sure if we were going to make our flight from Amsterdam, as we had barely any time to catch the next flight. Some of us were sprinting through the airport while passerby cheered us on!

Although we were a bit jet lagged when we arrived, we had the afternoon to walk around, grab lunch and do some shopping. It was great walking around the downtown area, immersing ourselves in the culture. After touring the city in our groups we came back together for dinner at the hotel, a quick team meeting and then off to bed.

This morning we got to sleep in a little, we had breakfast, offering a large assortment to choose from. We had a team meeting with Haydenettes and did some stretching and off-ice later in the morning. It felt good to get our bodies moving since we don’t skate until later tonight. This evening we have our first practice at the practice arena, and then a second practice in the main arena. We’re looking forward to seeing what the rinks look like and getting on the ice for the first time in Finland!

That’s all for now. More updates to come.

Love and honor,

Taylor and Sarah

JWCC - An Amazing End to an Even More Amazing Season

Hey Everyone,

First I just want to start out by apologizing for the extreme delay in my posting this blog. These past few weeks since the Junior World Challenge Cup have been spent hard at work, trying to finish piles of makeup school work I have from missing 2 weeks in a row between the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships and the JWCC. That being said, the week spent in Switzerland for the 2011 JWCC is one that I know I will never forget.

The morning of the free skate, we were ready to go and knew that the points between 2^nd place and 8^th place were extremely close, so there was definitely room for movement. We skated an official practice that we were all very proud of, and were just hoping for a repeat performance with a little more expression that night. Before we knew it, our last day in Neuchâtel had flown by and it was time to start our final hair and makeup of the year. Soon we were on the bus and heading to the rink, following tradition by singing the songs that we always sing. We had a fun and energy filled warm-up outside of the rink before heading into the locker room. Our expression was brought out during that warm-up and we knew we were ready to “get the job done!” To end our time outside, we gathered in a tight circle and belted “Proud to be an American” at the top of our lungs. This was just what we needed to remind us of the honor that we have been given to be able to represent our country in such a high level competition. In the locker room the energy continued as we sang and were read good luck wishes from skaters and families of the younger Skyliner lines. This meant so much to us and got us completely ready to take the ice.

Taking the ice was unbelievable. You could just feel the whole crowd behind us, hoping that we skated our best. For me, this performance was so important and special because it was my last skate with this team, which really became like sisters to me. After doing the signal and hitting my opening pose, I just had to slip in an “I love you girls!” before the music began. The program felt very strong and the performance factor seemed higher than ever before. I was literally skating my heart out and trying to leave it all out on the ice. Getting off the ice after another performance of a life time, I could not have been more proud of my teammates. Personally, I am not someone who ever cries, no matter how happy I am, but that night, after that program, with those teammates by my side, I cried. It was such a special performance and an amazing way for me to end 4 amazing years with the Skyliners junior team. We were all so proud of each other and all that we accomplished this season. It truly was the best season ever, and at that point it really didn’t matter to us where we ended up overall that night.

We quickly headed up to the stands to watch the final group of teams compete. As Braemar took the ice, we went wild and displayed our USA pride for our teammates. They skated their “Alice in Wonderland” program beautifully and it was absolutely the best performance of their season. We were so proud of them, and when their score came up, it was almost certain that they would receive a World medal. We could not have been happier for them. As the competition came to an end and Team Braemar took the ice to get their bronze medals, we all stood at the railing and cheered at the top of our lungs once again. This was amazing for both Team Braemar and the U.S. Congrats again Team Braemar! Way to make our country proud!

Looking back on my final season on Skyliners, I could not have asked for anything more. A National Championship and 5^th place in the world… Wow! This was an unbelievable season filled with memories and friendships that I know will never fade away.

From Junior World Challenge Cup to the World Synchronized Skating Championships, from Switzerland to Finland, I want to wish the Team USA World Team, Haydenettes and Miami University, safe travels next week as they head overseas. Good Luck and I know that you girls will be beautiful and represent us well! I wish I could be there, but will be watching and cheering from home!

Love Always,

Ashley Mulhern

From Miami: A Post-Nationals, Pre-Worlds Update

Hello Followers!

An apology on the delay, as life’s marathon has been rather challenging to keep up with.

First, let’s have a quick recap on the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships from our perspective.

The event was amazing! There was so much energy the whole week that we couldn’t help but to feed off of it when we competed. After placing second in the short program we were completely ecstatic at the chance to come back again the next night and claim our spot on the world team!

Leading up to the free skate we were all so fired up to skate. We couldn’t wait to get out there and show everyone our passion for this sport. We will never forget that moment in the locker room when we found out we were in second place - we don’t think we’ve ever cried such tears of joy in our lives!

For Taylor, it was a really awesome experience to have received this honor in her home state. She loved being supported by both current Miami teammates and old ICE‘Kateer teammates throughout the week.

At awards it was a great privilege to be given our medals by former Miami skater, and DREAM program founder, Becky Search! Afterwards we went to the World Team meeting where we were given our sweet new USA jackets! We heard from a few officials what they had to say about the competition and a few words on Worlds. We finished up the night with a celebration dinner with our parents and headed off with high spirits into Spring Break.

As second semester of school is speeding up, with four weeks left in the semester, so has our training on and off the ice. We’ve made great progress since U.S. Championships and are moving forward in the right direction everyday. Monday, Dan Krueger came to our practice to give us constructive feedback to focus on with our few practices left before the World Championships. For fifteen of the twenty skaters, it will be our first time as World Competitors. We are humbled and overjoyed to be apart of such a special honor and look forward to representing the United States in Helsinki next week. We’re excited to see the atmosphere of the World scene, as we’ve heard it will be like nothing we have seen before. We ordered some new apparel, just for the event and of course can’t wait to put on our World Team jackets.

Best of luck to our Team USA counterparts, the Haydenettes, as they prepare their final week before Worlds as well! We look forward to being in Finland with them and will be sure to report to everyone how the week is going.

Love and honor,

Taylor and Sarah