By Gary Curreri

Lighthouse Point’s Arianna Varvoutis and Deerfield Beach’s Lucas Altieri recently returned home after competing in the South Atlantic Regional Figure Skating Championships at the Ashburn Ice House in Ashburn, VA.

Varvoutis, 13, a 7th grader at Pine Crest in Fort Lauderdale, has skated since she was 7. Her friend had a birthday party and Varvoutis was hooked. She was one of 30 members of the Panthers Figure Skating Club based at the Panthers IceDen in Coral Springs that competed in the event.

“I immediately fell in love with (figure skating),” she said. “It was so much fun. I kept going to practices and group classes and started competing.

“It is really fun now,” added Varvoutis, who finished 11th in the Juvenile Girls Group E Division at the competition with a 41.97 score. “I am competitive, so when I go to compete I get nervous, but once I get on the ice I think in my head, ‘put on a show and the judges will give you as many points as they can.’”

Skating is a special place for Varvoutis.

“It is a feeling of happiness,” she said. “You get away from school, your parents telling you to do your homework and other family members (a younger brother, two turtles and a cat). I am the one that has to take care of them (pets).”

“It is the greatest thing,” Varvoutis continued. “It is my calm zone where I can get away and be happy.”

This was her second trip to regionals. Her goal was to get above 43 and make it to the final round. This is her second straight trip to compete in the Juvenile Division.

“Last year, I wasn’t the best,” but this year I have accomplished so much more,” she said. “My double Lutz, my double flip, and my double-double. I think I am going to do great.”

Altieri and fellow Panthers Figure Skating Club member Sophia Chouinard recently returned from the 2016 Novice and Junior Challenge Skate, which took place in Salt Lake City, Utah. The invitation-only competition was based on the International scoring system.

“It was huge for them to get the exposure and go,” said Nancy Mariani, the Director of Skating Development at the IceDen. Altieri skated to a fourth place finish with a 39.87 short program and 77.06 long that resulted in a 117.69 total. Chouinard was 11th overall with a 33.13 short; 63.46 long, and 96.59 total.

Altieri, 15, a freshman at North Broward Prep, is in his fifth year skating. He said the trip to Utah wasn’t really different from most competitions.

“The altitude made it harder to skate,” he said. “I got to experience that. I did okay at that competition by finishing fourth with my new program.”

It was a good year for Altieri last year and he is hoping for bigger and better things this year.

“It was pretty good, but what I get nervous about is that I won’t improve as much as last year,” he said. “Last year, I got like two or three new jumps and this year I have one or two, but I am trying a triple-triple, which is a really hard combination.

After a previous best finish of fifth at regionals, Altieri won a Pewter medal at the nationals in the Intermediate Division. This year he is competing in the Novice Division. Not only has he grown on the ice, he also experienced a growth spurt adding five inches to his now, 5-foot, 8-inch frame.

Not much has changed for him as his goal is to return to nationals this year. He placed second at the regional event in the Novice Men with a 94.03 score.

“I want to try and do the same as last year and win a medal at nationals,” Altieri said. “I would rather do well at nationals than at a smaller competition. The difference this year is there are new competitors and the judging is a little bit different in Novice. I have to focus more on my edges and my footwork. I want to compete in the Olympics, but that is far away.

“Lucas is one of those skaters that just appears to be even,” Mariani said. “Some kids might be doing things that might be harder, but when you put all of his stuff together, it equals magic and that is why he does so well.”

By Gary Curreri

With more than 350 figure skaters from around Florida participating in the Sunshine State Games Figure Skating competition at the Florida Panthers IceDen in Coral Springs, one local girl stood tall.

Pompano Beach’s Katya Drayton, 12, won the Pre Juvenile Free Skating Division recently and punched her ticket to the national games later this year.

“When you see that your hard work has paid off, it is just so rewarding,” said Drayton, 12, who just completed her 7^th-grade year at Somerset Pines Academy. “It’s just the best. I want to at least get to sectionals this year and then maybe nationals.”

Drayton got her start in the sport when she went to her sister’s friend’s birthday party. She took third at last year’s Sunshine State Games and trains at Glacier Ice and Snow Arena in Pompano Beach.

“I just really liked it and I asked my mom if I could have lessons and that’s just how it began,” Drayton said. “The feeling on the ice compares to happiness. The memories … you will never forget that moment that you are out there on the ice.”

“I wouldn’t say you are flying unless you are doing a flying camel or a jump,” she added. “I think it is more like you are gliding. Everything is loose. You can do whatever you want.”

Drayton said there is pressure when you take the ice for your program.

“It depends on what competition it is,” she said. “If it is a smaller one, there are nerves, but if it is a big one where you are competing against so many people from the state, you will have some nerves because you don’t know how good some people are.”

Drayton, who practices six days a week – usually skating 2-1/2 hours every day, will train before and after school to prepare. She likes what the sport brings.

“There is actually a lot of freedom,” she said. “You get to choose your music, unless you have a really strict coach. You get to do your program and, if you feel like some things are not right, you could change it to something that you are better at.”

Drayton is more confident in her jumps and always is looking to make a good impression with the judges.

“I tried to smile as much as I can because I do love it, but you are focused in that moment, so if you are hooked in the moment, you don’t really smile,” Drayton said. “I love it, so I tried to smile and show how much I loved it. I am really happy with what I did.”

The Sunshine State Games is Florida’s Olympic-style Sports Festival that has provided amateur sports opportunities for residents of the state for 37 years. The Figure Skating competition was in its 30th year and was held on two rinks over three days at the IceDen. A total of 127 gold medals were awarded during the competition.

Betty Stark, who has served as the Figure Skating Director for all 30 years in the Games, was recognized for her service to the Sunshine State Games and amateur sports in the State of Florida. The competition drew more than 350 skaters from around the state

“This is our largest number,” Stark said. “This is a big event especially because this is the start of the seasonal year for the skaters and they get to put their programs out, get it tested and get feedback back from the technical panel at the different levels. It is very encouraging because the little ones look up to the big ones who skate.”

By Gary Curreri

Deerfield Beach’s Lucas Altieri had hoped for a top-5 finish at the recent U.S. Figure Skating National Championships at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN.

Mission accomplished. The 14-year-old Altieri, who skates for the Florida Panthers Figure Skating Club, won a pewter medal (fourth place) in the Intermediate Mens Division. It was quite a rise for the North Broward eighth-grader who failed to get past the sectional competition when he placed fifth, one spot out of qualifying.

“Last year, I wanted to make it to sectionals, but I messed up something easy (a spin) and I didn’t make it,” Altieri said. “This year, I was hoping to make it to nationals and just do well.”

Other locals from the Panthers Figure Skating Club who competed at nationals included Coral Springs’ Sophia Chouinard, who captured the silver medal in the Intermediate Ladies Division, Weston’s Alexa Binder (9th in the Juvenile Girls Division), Bonita Springs’ Paxton James (11th in the Intermediate Ladies Division) and the Intermediate Pairs duo of Zoe Larson and Jim Garbutt, both of Coral Springs, who narrowly missed a medal by placing 5th in the Intermediate Pair Division.

Competing in the highest division in the country (Senior Ladies), Coral Springs’ Franchesca Chiera finished 12th in the country. She finished 17th and 16th the previous two years at nationals.

Highlands to host hoops class

Highlands Christian Academy will host the South Florida Basketball Coaches Social on Saturday, March 5.

The speakers include the following:

• Reg Cook — (’74 Bryan University) the former Boys Varsity Basketball Coach at Highlands Christian for 28 years (Overall Record: 518-265) will have a session topic on Relationships.

• Mike Blanc — (’10 Auburn University), who played on Auburn’s National Championship Team; played in NFL (Chargers & Steelers) and is the Broward Director for Fellowship of Christian Athletes, will cover Personal Testimony/Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

• John Zeller — (’75 Tennessee Temple University; ’95 United States Sports Academy, M.A.) the Executive Director of Score International will cover Score International.

• Chad Keller — (’97 Flagler College; ’06 United States Sports Academy, M.A.), the former Boys Varsity Basketball Coach at Leesburg High School for 7 years (Overall Record: 155-47) and in his 12th season as Assistant Coach at Embry-Riddle University in Daytona Beach, will cover ERAU Philosophy/Team Camp.

• Mike Jarvis — (‘68 Northeastern University) compiled a career record of 364-201 as a Men’s Basketball Coach at Boston University (‘85-’90), George Washington (’90-’98), St. John’s (’98-’03) and FAU (’08-’14). He will discuss Everyone Needs a Head Coach.

The cost is $35 for each coach prior to March 1, $45 after. Coaches can register early and receive a discount and, if three coaches from a school register, the fourth coach is free. To register, visit www.highlandsknights.org. For more information, call Jim Good at 954-421-1747, ext. 1301 or e-mail jim.good@highlandschristian.org.