Local ice skating team set to compete in France next week

 

FOND DU LAC, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Synchronized skaters from around the world will compete next week in France, and a group of young ladies from Fond du Lac will be there.

It's the final days of practice for the Fond du Lac Blades, as they rehearse their long and short programs.

It's dancing on skates - the Fond du Lac Blades, ages 13 to 18 - every turn, every kick, every smile, all in sync.

"Everybody on this team is such a strong skater and then you put all of us together," said Lola Perelman, Blades skater.

Lola Perelman's been skating since she was five, Alaina Yogds since she was two!

"And I can't imagine my life outside of the rink," said Alaina Yogds, Blades skater.

This talented group of 20 girls will take their long program of the Backstreet Boys to the French Cup next week.

"Competing for this team, it gives me purpose. It makes me feel like I have a duty to this country to represent the team," said Ashley Papenfuss, Blades skater.

Eight junior synchronized skating teams throughout the country represent the U.S. on the international circuit, the Fond du Lac Blades are one of them.

"Team USA is very intense. It's a job for lack of better terms when you get to this level. They put their hearts and their souls into it. Some of them miss dances," said Stephanie Vogds, Blades assistant coach.

The Blades also represented Team USA last year in Austria, taking home a bronze medal.

"We get to skate in rinks with like these huge windows everywhere and we can see like the mountains when we skate, so we're crossing our fingers that we get to skate some pretty rinks there too," said Vogds.

Skating together, traveling together, this team's all in it together.

"We build such an incredible bond with each other," said Annah Bhan Buri, Blades skater.

And when struggles off the ice hit, they know they can turn to each other.

"After everything happened, I just felt this like immense support from everybody. It really is like a family. So, it's like they were there for me and I knew that," said Perelman.

The question now, will they take home the gold this time?

"I've been coaching on and off for years and this group of kids wants it. They take correction so well. They look for correction. How do we make it better? How do we fix it? They're in it heart and soul," said Stephanie Vogds.

Feb. 3 is when they'll be performing their short program. It'll be live streamed here.

Any donations made will go towards the team's competition in France.