four second-place finishes, one third-place finish, two fourth-place finishes, and one fifth-place finish. Photo courtesy of Merrill Ice Reflections Figure Skating Club.
BY TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR
The Badger State Games (BSG) Winter 2024 Figure Skating Competition was held this past weekend Jan. 25-28, 2024. Hosted by the Mosinee SilverBlades Figure Skating Club, the event was held at the Mosinee Recreation Center Ice Rink in Mosinee and was a qualifying event for State Games of America and National Showcase. BSG events are open to residents of Wisconsin, Illinois, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The BSG Figure Skating Competition is United States Figure Skating (USFS) sanctioned, the USFS being the national governing body for the sport of figure skating in the United States. However, while the USFS, founded in 1921, has 750+ member, school-affiliated, and collegiate clubs, the BSG Figure Skating Competition does not require membership in either the USFS or the Ice Skating Institute (ISI). Anyone who is a member of one of the organizations, however, must be in good standing.
Twenty-five members of the Merrill Ice Reflections Figure Skating Club (MIRFSC) competed in this year’s BSG over four days of competition, with competitors ranging from 5-year-old Lydia Hoffman on up to 21-year-old Madison Altman-Wendt. Merrill area figure skaters competed in individual events ranging from Basic Elements to Advanced Free Skates and some also competed in duets and team production events.
Medals were presented to the top three places in each event, and placing first, second, or third in any event qualified the skater to advance and compete at the State Games of America being held in San Diego, Cal., this coming summer. Those who placed first, second, third, or fourth in any Showcase Event at preliminary level or higher also qualified the Showcase skater or team for National Showcase being held this summer.
MIRFSC figure skaters made a great showing at the BSG, with 22 of the 25 competitors placing in the top three in at least one of their events. Complete results for MIRFSC are as follows:
four second-place finishes, one third-place finish, two fourth-place finishes, and one fifth-place finish. Photo courtesy of Merrill Ice Reflections Figure Skating Club.
Skater Levels/Competing Badger State Results Alexis Hoeft Basic 3 Elements 6th Aubree Grund Basic 5 ElementsBasic 5 Program with Music 4th3rd Brooklyn Kraegenbrink Solo Pattern Dance - GoldStep Sequences to Music - SeniorJumps - Juvenile/Open JuvenileCompulsory Moves - Juv/Open JuvFree Skate - Excel JuvenileShort Program - Open JuvenileSpins - Open JuvenileShowcase Duet/Trio - OJ/Int/Jr w/ McKenna Showcase Ensembles - Production 1st2nd4th5th2nd2nd3rd2nd4th Caelyn Belant Aspire 1 w/ MusicAspire 1 Compulsory Moves 3rd4th Emilee Woodward Basic 4 Elements 5th Emily Freyer Free Skate - Excel Pre-PreliminaryCompulsory Moves - Excel Pre-PreliminaryShowcase Duet/Trio - No Test / Pre-Prelim w/ Ruby 7th5th2nd Haley Rindt Jumps - Juvenile/Open JuvenilePre-juvenile compulsory movesPre-juvenile spinsExcel Pre-Juv free skate 4th3rd6th6th Kambyl Mattke Solo Pattern Dance Pre-SilverFree Skate Excel PreliminaryCompulsory Moves Excel PreliminaryJumps PreliminarySpins PreliminaryShort Program PreliminaryShowcase Ensembles - Production 2nd1st5th4th4th6th4th Kelsey Rindt Aspire 1 Compulsory MovesCompete USA Program (w/ music) Aspire 1Showcase Character Performance Aspire 1-4 4th4th3rd Korina Kraegenbrink Solo Pattern Dance Pre-GoldStep Sequences to Music - NoviceFree Skate Excel PreliminaryCompulsory Moves Excel Preliminary Jumps PreliminarySpins PreliminaryShort Program PreliminaryShowcase Ensembles - Production 3rd1st5th5th4th5th5th4th Lauren Zuelsdorff Compete USA Program (w/music) - Aspire 3Jumps - Aspire High 4th1st Leah Freyer Step Sequences to Music - JuniorFree Skate - Excel Pre-Juvenile PlusCompulsory Moves - Pre-JuvenileSpins - Pre-JuvenileShowcase Duet/Trio - Preliminary/Pre-Juv w/ BridgetteShowcase Ensembles - Production 1st1st1st2nd1st
4thLilly Hoffman Compete USA Program (w/music) - Aspire 2Jumps - Aspire LowShowcase Duet/Trio - No Test / Pre-Prelim w/ MyaShowcase Ensembles - Production 6th3rd2nd4th Lizzy Hinz Basic 6 elements Basic 6 program w/ music 2nd3rd Lydia Hoffman (5 years old) Basic 1 Elements 2nd Madison Altman-Wendt (21 years old) Adult Free Skate - Adult SilverAdult Spins - Adult Silver 5th3rd Mariah Jacoby Adult Free Skate - Adult Bronze Adult Compulsory Moves - Adult SilverAdult Jumps - Adult BronzeAdult Spins - Adult SilverShowcase Ensembles - Production 1st1st1st2nd4th McKenna Meyer Solo Pattern Dance - GoldFree Skate - Excel JuvenileShowcase Duet/Trio - OJ/Int/Jr w/ Brooklyn Showcase Ensembles - Production 2nd3rd2nd4th Mya Meyer Solo Pattern Dance - Pre-SilverCompete USA Program (w/music) - Aspire 2Compulsory Moves - Aspire 2Jumps - Aspire LowShowcase Duet/Trio - No Test / Pre-Prelim w/LillyShowcase Ensembles - Production 3rd3rd3rd5th2nd4th Ruby Freyer Free Skate - Excel Preliminary PlusCompulsory Moves - Excel PreliminarySpins - PreliminaryShowcase Duet/Trio - No Test / Pre-Prelim w/ Emily 4th1st1st2nd Ruby Nance Solo Pattern Dance Preliminary Compete USA Program (w/music) Aspire 3Compulsory Moves Aspire 3Jumps No TestShowcase Ensembles - Production 1st3rd3rd4th4th Sawyer Tucker Basic 2 elementsBasi 2 elements with Music 1st5th Sophia Schmidt Aspire 1 w/ MusicAspire 1 Compulsory Moves 6th6th Sophia Volpe Compulsory Moves - Aspire 1Solo Pattern Dance - BronzeCompete USA Program (w/music) - Aspire 2Jumps - Aspire Low 2nd1st2nd3rd Willow Bathke Basic 6 elements Basic 6 program w/ music 1st1st 
Founded in 1995, MIRFSC follows USFS guidelines. Their season runs November through March each year and the Club’s Mission is: To provide a fun and positive experience that will instill a lifelong love of skating. They begin with the FUNdamentals to develop basic skills, agility, balance, coordination, speed, excitement, and a love for skating. Each skater progresses at his or own pace to master the skills. Lessons are Wednesday evenings (two sessions that start at 5:30 p.m.) at the Smith Center in the Merrill Area Recreation Complex (MARC). Additional classes and advanced sessions are available on Sunday evenings, and all skaters have the option to perform in the annual Ice Reflections skating show held the second weekend in February, as well as to compete in events like the BSG.
With 92 members, 2 professional figure skating coaches (Lea Beckman and Montana Grabowsky), 2 junior coaches (Madison Altman-Wendt and Brooklyn Kraegenbrink), and 3 intern coaches (Chloe Belant, McKenna Meyer, and Leah Freyer), MIRFSC is dedicated to giving families the opportunity to enjoy quality figure skating instruction in a positive environment that encourages each student’s individual growth and success so that skaters of all ages and abilities can learn and enjoy the sport of figure skating. Private coaching is also available to members.
Mark your calendars for the MIRFSC annual show: Happiest Place on Ice coming Saturday, Feb. 10 at 6 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 11 at 1 p.m. Tickets are $10 and children 3 and under are free. Tickets may be purchased at the door or in advance at the Merrill Chamber of Commerce or online at merrillskate.org. A Live stream is also available for purchase.
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