Sports with Patrick Townes – Skate Canada Junior National NextGen Team
2022-2023 Skate Canada Junior National NextGen Team
In May 2022, Dana and Nicholas were named to the 2022-2023 Skate Canada Junior National NextGen Team and assigned to represent Canada in Ice Dance at their first International Junior Grand Prix (JGP). They competed in the Solidarity Cup in Gdansk Poland in a deep field of twenty-four elite international ice dance teams, placed 10th in Freedance and 12th overall. Dana and Nicholas are proud of their first International Junior Grand Prix, especially as the three medalists at this event qualified for the Junior Grand Prix finals. Their first international assignment was an incredible positive experience for both Dana and Nicholas, that further solidified their passion for Ice Dance and commitment to their partnership. They placed 6th in Junior Ice Dance at the 2023 Canadian National Championships in January 2023 and were named alternates for the Junior World Championships. Based on their success, Dana and Nicholas have been renamed to the Skate Canada 2023-2024 Junior National NextGen Team and look forward to representing Canada internationally in the upcoming season. Post Nationals, Dana and Nicholas have enjoyed performing and sharing their passion for ice dance in ice shows at local skating clubs: Elmvale SC, Collingwood SC, Mariposa School of Skating and Barrie SC, as well as the Toronto Cricket Skating and Curling Club. Dana and Nicholas both share their love of skating with others by being Pre-Can and CanSkate Program Assistants, helping young children learn to skate at their respective home clubs. As they prepare for their upcoming season, they are enjoying the creative process of new programs and challenging themselves to keep striving to improve and achieve. Dana and Nicholas are appreciative of their entire ice dance coaching team at the Mariposa School of Skating, led by Olympian Mitch Islam, and are inspired by their choreographers Kelly Johnson, Mitch Islam and local Springwater Sports Heritage Hall of Fame inductee and Olympian, Alexandra Paul. Dana and Nicholas are reaching for the stars!!
I AM A TORONTO LEAFS PLAYER
I can hear the crowd. I step on the ice and the roar begins. I look up and see all the fans and for each fan their are a thousand others. I have friends, family, sadness and joy in my life and in that respect I am just like you. I also have my demons. I am always accountable to you. My life has been dedicated to this moment from a child’s age. Extreme focus, brutal physical endurance, uncompromising stress. You give me the highs I need to be victorious and you have me go through the lowest of lows without forgiveness. I AM A TORONTO LEAFS PLAYER.
by Diane MCQuillia, May 4, 2023
