Itapps funny how the universe works sometimes.
Soon after metro Detroit native Rachel Franchock voiced an interest in moving from Seattle back to the Midwest in 2018, she learned of the launching of Trine Universityapps figure and synchronized skating program. Already eight years into her coaching career, Franchock accepted the fledgling programapps head coaching position, leading the Thunder skaters to success almost immediately.
The program has grown from 10 skaters in its first season to 56 skaters across three teams app open collegiate, collegiate and open adult app and plans to launch a team this fall at the senior level, which is the highest synchronized skating tier of competition under U.S. Figure Skating.
appOur collegiate-level team is nationally ranked and has finished in fourth place at nationals the last two seasons, and our original team has medaled at their sectional championships every year since the team was founded,app Franchock said. appEvery year, our team has gotten better and better.app
The senior-level team will enhance Trineapps standing in the skating community; the Thunder program will stand as one of just eight senior-level synchronized skating teams in the country. This level of competition will make Trine skaters eligible for inclusion on Team USA, of which Franchock is a former member.
appEvery skater dreams of taking the ice to represent our nation, and Trine Universityapps skating teams have shown they can compete with the best,app Franchock said. appWe want to give our team members the opportunity to reach their dream of competing and achieving at this next level.app
Trineapps senior-level team will join Miami (Ohio) and fellow MIAA member Adrian as the only colleges in the country to support a fully funded team at the senior level. The Thunder will compete against those schools and club teams from the Chicago, Boston and New York areas.
Members of the private club teams pay from $20,000 to $40,000 annually, which covers ice time, training, coaching fees, travel and competition expenses. These clubs have the advantage of getting to train together year-round, whereas the college teams train just during the school year.
However, with Trine owning its own ice rink app the skating program was launched in conjunction with the opening of the Thunder Ice Arena in 2018 app the costs for the Thunderapps skating teams are much lower.
appTraveling to a competition can cost $1,000 per athlete, if not more,app Franchock said. appIt is expensive, which is why weappre doing some of the fundraising. We do get a lot of things from the university because they sponsor our sport, but traveling internationally will be a huge, huge cost if we are awarded Team USA.app
With the skating team sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating rather than the NCAA, the program is seeking funds to offset travel costs, as events can take place around the world. The fundraising campaign is seeking $15,000, of which nearly $3,000 has been donated as of July 30, and donations can be made at trine.link/synchro-gift.
Recruiting serves as a year-round process, with Franchock and assistant Rosalie Emerson app a four-time national medalist and five-year Team USA member app traveling to high school competitions during Trineapps offseason. While the program has routinely enjoyed success, 2022 represented a huge jump in notoriety as the collegiate team medaled and placed fourth at nationals. This opened the eyes of many skaters to the possibility of competing for the Thunder.
appOvernight, we had an influx of skaters reach out,app Franchock said. appSocial media has really played a key role in recruiting. Weappre always trying to update our Instagram with our success as a program, and as more people hear about Trineapps program and how great our teams are doing, the pipeline is just getting bigger. Itapps making our jobs a little bit easier and also allowing us to expand to this higher-level team.app
