Awards Banquet

The Traverse City Figure Skating Club hosts an annual Awards Banquet to recognize the achievements of our skaters throughout the season. It’s a time to congratulate and acknowledge skaters who passed USFS test levels and participated in competitions.

We also honor several individuals each year with awards, covering all figure skating disciplines including Dance, Freestyle, Competitive skating and Synchronized skating. In addition a few special awards are announced including The Cindy Duvall Award and our Volunteer of the Year award.

Here are the honorees in each category representing the last three years.

Award	2007-2008 Recipients	2008-2009 Recipients	2009-2010 Recipients
Dance
Achievement Excellence in Low Ice Dance	Laura Jessmore	Ellen Tilford	Abby Tongue
Achievement Excellence in High Ice Dance	Amanda Shoemaker	Allison VanderKolk	Amanda Shoemaker
Competitive Ice Dance
Achievement Excellence in Competitive Low Ice dance
Achievement Excellence in Competitive High Ice dance
Commitment to Synchronized Skating
Beginner Team	Beg 3 Team – Abby Tongue	Beg 2 Team – Lauren Leslie
Teen/Open Juv	Open Juv – Emma Davis	Open Juv – Savannah Rancour	Open Juv – Abby Tongue
Adult/Masters		Open Adult – Diane Huller
Freestyle
Most Improved Skater
Most Improved in Low FS	Tiffany Hackett	Kayla Harley	Erika Edmondson
Most Improved in High FS		Rebecca Gamelin; Amanda Shoemaker	Ellen Tilford
Achievement Excellence in Low Competitive Skating	Chloe Gates	Molly Davies	Molly Davies
Achievement Excellence in High Competitive Skating	Tess Kohler	Chloe Gates	Chloe Gates
Most Improved in Basic Skills	Danielle Landowski, Ashley Edmondson	Frances Rossiter	Anna Rossiter
Test Achievement Awards
Pre-Preliminary	Laura Jessmore; Savannah Rancour	Ellen Tilford	Sarah Townsend
Preliminary	Emily Cain	Kayla Harley, Alison Skeels	Laura Jessmore
Pre-Juvenile	Savannah Burke	Jaime Winters	Ellen Tilford
Juvenile	Amanda Shoemaker	Emma Davis	Chloe Gates
Intermediate	Hallie Kohler	Rebecca Gamelin	Amanda Shoemaker
Novice	Ali Ward		Josie Trafalet
Junior
Senior
Cindy DuVall Award	Josie Trafelet	Elizabeth Roach	Allison VanderKolk
President’s Award	Thea Prust
Volunteer of the Year	Lori Burke	Colleen Runyon	Pat & Holly Edmondson

TCFSC Awards Criteria

Revised/approved 6-9-09

Dance
Chosen by the Ice Dance coach(es)

Achievement of Excellence in Low Dance (skaters in preliminary ice dance up through passing all 3 pre-silver dances but not yet passed any silver dance tests) – to the low dance skater who passed the most low dance tests in the previous year

Achievement of Excellence in High Dance (passed at least 1 silver dance test and above) – to the skater who passed the highest dance tests in the previous year

Achievement of Excellence in Competitive Low Dance – to the skater who has not yet passed the pre-silver dance test and who competed at the pre-silver dance level or below and earned the highest awards in multiple dance competitions

Achievement of Excellence in Competitive High Dance – to the skater who has passed the pre-silver dance test or above, who competed at the pre-silver dance level or above, and who earned the highest awards in multiple dance competitions
Synchronized Skating Awards
Chosen by the synchronized skating coach(es)

Recognition of Commitment to Synchronized Skating – for each synchronized team, the skater who demonstrates the greatest degree of commitment, effort, interest, and improvement

Freestyle:

Most Improved in Low Freestyle (passed pre-prelim FS or prelim FS) – to the skater who demonstrated the greatest improvement in low skating during previous year

Most Improved in High Freestyle (passed pre-juv FS & intermediate moves or above) – to the skater who demonstrated the greatest improvement in high skating during previous year

Most Improved in Basic Skills (any basic skills skater; not yet passed any USFS tests) – to the skater who demonstrated the greatest improvement in basic skills during the previous year

Competive Skater Awards:
Voted on by the full-time senior freestyle coaches who have worked with the TCFSC skaters consistently in the past year; may include 2 high skaters and 2 low skaters

Achievement of Excellence in Low Competitive Skating (Competing at the basic beginner, low beginner, high beginner, pre-preliminary, or preliminary levels) – to the skater who earned the highest awards in competitions during the previous year

Achievement of Excellence in High Competitive Skating (Competing at the pre-juv. level or above) – to the skater who earned the highest awards in competitions during the previous year

Test Achievement Awards:
A skater should not earn the same test level achievement award more than once

For each FS test level, the skater who tested that level in the previous 12 months to 24 months who has also passed the highest levels in moves and dance
Pre-Preliminary                                   Intermediate
Preliminary                                          Novice
Pre-Juvenile                                        Junior
Juvenile                                               Senior
Cindy DuVall Award – to a high-level skater who shows support to fellow skaters, has made a contribution to the skating club over time, has put forth sincere effort to improve their skating talents and has developed in their own personal self-confidence.  Voted on by the high level skaters (those who have passed pre-juv FS & intermediate moves). The award has traditionally gone to a high school skater; most often a senior.

President’s Award – to the highest placing skater at a Regional, Sectional, or National Qualifying Skating Competition

Volunteer of the Year (Gail Giannestras Award) – for the person who provides outstanding contributions to the Club over time.  Nominations are sought from all members; award recipient is determined by a vote of the Board.