SynchroNice / Fourth Edition / 2019

such a wide variety of bodies. I am always pleased to see costuming for our men athletes as an integral part of the costume idea, rather than an afterthought. IF NOT JUDGING…WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU BE DOING? My husband and I are boaters, and we spend signi- ficant time on the water during the summer cruising north from Seattle into Canada. We have kayaks, a row boat and foldable bicycles onboard and we love to hike and explore the desolate bays by watercraft which is especially nice when you see bear tracks along the shoreline! We used to own sailboats, but now we have a powerboat which has given us greater comfort, dis- tance and safety in bigger waters. We plan to cruise up the Inside Passage to Alaska in a few years. My biggest challenge is staying within cell range so that I can retrieve and send email, I try not to let my personal life affect my responsibilities in skating. Our daughters want us to be reachable too! IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, YOU’RE QUITE A TRAVEL-HOLIC? Hmmm I’m not a fan of the process of GETTING some- where, unless it’s on our boat— then it’s more of a journey and a challenge where I’m actively involved in navigation. Hopping on a crowded airplane and sitting captive in this tiny space for extended lengths of time just isn’t fun. However, once I get there, it’s great! Ex- periencing the diversity in geography, architecture and culture is an amazing opportunity and opens your eyes to the unique world in which we live. DO YOU HAVE A COMPETITION THAT YOU ESPECIALLY LIKE TO GO TO? I truly do not have a favorite competition, but maybe a favorite category. I really love the little ones; our youngest athletes are the future of our sport! WE ARE NOT GOING TO TALK OLYMPICS ANYMORE, BUT YOU HAVE WITNESSED SYNCHRO SKATING EVOLVE, MORE THAN ANYONE. WHAT DO YOU THINK NEEDS TO BE DONE FOR THE SPORT TO KEEP EVOLVING? We are all disappointed to not be included in the Olympic Program, but I think we’re on the right track. This sport has evolved to include more difficulty and require greater skills from our athletes, and they’ve answered the challenge. There are a lot of competing factors that hinder our continued momentum; finan- cial support is always a consideration, but there are still people who are not even aware of what this sport is. I think continued education and marketing is very important to expand awareness and understanding of the value of a true team sport in figure skating. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SAY BEFORE WE FINISH OUR INTERVIEW? Well, one of my often-repeated sayings is, “The athletes are our customers.” As an official in any capacity of figure skating – Referee, Judge, Technical Specialist, Organizing Committee member, Photographer and Pu- blisher – what we do is for these athletes. We all must work together to ensure their continued, successful involvement in our sport. After all, they are the only reason we’re all here. Thank you, Lois, for talking to us and good luck on the judges stand.  Why not Synchro #WHYNOTSYNCHRO2026