Local skaters win $10,000 in merit awards for success in qualifying season

CLEVELAND - Several area skaters have received Merit Awards from the Greater Cleveland Council of Figure Skating Clubs for the 2012-2012 season.

These skaters represent some of the best talent from Northeast Ohio and were selected for their awards based on their finish in the qualifying competitive season.

Figure skating can be a very expensive sport, as skaters pay for ice time, lessons with private instructors, off-ice training classes, costumes, skates and equipment.

In order to help support these local skaters and keep them working towards their competitive goals, the merit awards were enacted in 2009 when the Directors of Cleveland Championships 2000 committee came up with the idea to award skaters that had success in the qualifying competition season.

The Merit Awards are given to:
• Singles Skaters who qualify for Sectionals and Junior Nationals or the U.S. Championships
• Pairs and Dance Skaters who qualify for Junior Nationals or the U.S. Championships
• Synchronized teams who qualify for or are picked as a fill-up team for the Synchronized nationals
• Skaters who advance to final round of regional competition

A total of $10,000 was awarded this year to the following skaters:

Hannah Kimberly Cleveland Skating Club
Christina Rackley Cleveland Skating Club

Katie Barta Forestwood Figure Skating Club of Parma

Kimberly Berkovich Pavilion Skating Club of Cleveland Heights
Jacob Jaffe Pavilion Skating Club of Cleveland Heights
Micah Jaffe Pavilion Skating Club of Cleveland Heights
Daniel Klaber Pavilion Skating Club of Cleveland Heights
Holly Moore Pavilion Skating Club of Cleveland Heights
Lexi Petkovic Pavilion Skating Club of Cleveland Heights
Hannah Rosinski Pavilion Skating Club of Cleveland Heights
Alexandra Smola Pavilion Skating Club of Cleveland Heights

Cami Burkhardt Mentor Figure Skating Club
Alexander DiCola Mentor Figure Skating Club

Zoe Davidson Shaker Figure Skating Club

Lauren Gwinn Strongsville Skating Club
Jordan Pordash Strongsville Skating Club
Jamie Schreffler Strongsville Skating Club
Troy Tomasello Strongsville Skating Club
Louis Zheng Strongsville Skating Club

Morgan Barnett Winterhurst Figure Skating Club
Chelsea Christopher Winterhurst Figure Skating Club
Rachel Jones Winterhurst Figure Skating Club
Brianna Mascia Winterhurst Figure Skating Club

Cleveland Edges Juvenile Team
Cleveland Edges Masters Team

To learn more about figure skating in Greater Cleveland, visit: clevelandskating.com