The first team skating discipline is coming to the next Winter Olympics, marking a historic step forward for synchronized skating.
At Cleveland Ice Storm Skating Club in North Olmsted, which is Ohio’s largest synchronized skating club, skaters and coaches are excited about the new opportunities the Olympics present.
Synchronized skating was added to the 2030 Winter Olympic Games in July.
Lizzie Northrop, a skater on Cleveland Ice Storm’s intermediate team, described synchronized skating as “a sport where a group of skaters all skate together in a program, completing different elements that focus on unison, shape, speed and flow.”
In a synchronized skating competition, teams compete one or two programs, depending on their level, and are assigned scores based on technical merit and artistic presentation.
Though there are no show-stopping triple jumps or pair throws, synchronized skaters captivate audiences with timed spins and double jumps, vaults that resemble a cheerleading lift and intricate team shapes that flow with the precision of a marching band.
Traditionally, synchronized skating programs are performed with 16 skaters, but for the Olympics, the International Skating Union has changed the sport’s format to Synchro 9.
Synchro 9 decreases the number of skaters on the ice from 16 to 9, shortens skating programs and introduces a knock-out style competition format.
In a press release, the ISU said Synchro 9 is designed to create a “format that is easier to follow, more accessible to new fans and more adaptable to digital platforms.”
Synchro 9 made its debut during the 2026 World Figure Skating Championships as an exhibition showcase. Before its Olympic debut, Synchro 9 will be included at the 2027 World Synchronized Skating Championships and at the 2028 Winter Youth Olympic Games.
For young skaters, this Olympic news represents the fulfillment of long-held dreams.
“It's very exciting because synchro being a part of the Olympics is something I've always wanted ever since I started skating,” Northrop said.
Lana Ullemeyer, the program director and a coach at Cleveland Ice Storm, said that getting synchronized skating in the Olympics has been a goal for the 30 years she’s been involved in the sport.
Though the synchronized skating community celebrates the addition of its sport to the world’s largest competitive stage, many, like Ullemeyer, are unsure about the new Synchro 9 format because it differs from the sport they know.
“I think that the majority of people are slightly disappointed that it's only nine skaters,” Ullemeyer said. “A lot of people feel as though it's not true synchronized skating because of the number (of skaters). I think people are hoping that it will evolve to more people.”
Regardless of the format, the
synchronized skating community hopes Olympic inclusion will give the sport the recognition that other skating disciplines have long enjoyed. Coaches and skaters also hope it will inspire people to try the sport for themselves.
“This is definitely a fantastic step in the correct direction,” said Brooke Kramer, a skater on Cleveland Ice Storm’s intermediate team. “It’s almost a revolutionary moment for the synchro community. I think that it can open the eyes of the little girls who have no idea what synchro is. They might see it in the Olympics.”
Cleveland Ice Storm’s skaters and coaches also noted the family atmosphere created by
synchronized skating, which challenges skaters to learn teamwork.
“I think (synchronized skating is) more fun,” Ullemeyer said. “The amount of time that they spend together and the family atmosphere that we create is pretty unique.”
Unlike individual skaters, synchronized skaters like Northop are never alone on the ice.
“You can just feel your teammates, literally and emotionally, out there supporting you,” Northrop said. “When you're doing connected elements, your teammates can literally help you to push the right amount. It really feels nice to go out there and compete as one team, because if you're nervous you know that the other people are nervous too. You know that no matter what happens, they have your back.”
Because Synchro 9 is so new, little information is currently available about how the U.S. Olympic Committee will select its Synchro 9 team for the next Winter Olympics. Young skaters like Macy Schilens, who has been on Cleveland Ice Storm’s intermediate team for four years, remain cautiously optimistic.
“That would be like the most amazing thing to be able to say, ‘I'm an Olympic athlete,’” Schilens said. “I'm open to it, and we'll see where it goes.”
In the immediate future, Cleveland Ice Storm’s intermediate team aims to qualify for nationals this season after finishing in eighth place at last year's event. Their first competition of the season is Oct. 24 in Dearborn, Mich.
Cleveland Ice Storm's season kick-off exhibition takes place Oct. 18 at 1 p.m. at the Coyne Recreation Center in Brooklyn.
