Once again, this post is about athletics. Mostly it is about
our athletic kids. Sport was always a big part of my life while growing up and
it was a big part of Spencer’s life as well. I was mostly into winter sports
(growing up in Siberia does that to you!), he was (and is) into basketball. Our
kids chose track and figure skating (the last one made me a very proud mama) as
their sport and they have been doing it for the last 4 years.
They run in track meets every couple of months. They have a
very good coach now who really cares about the kids. These pictures are from one of their track meets in the fall in which Nika and the twins ran (Lina decided not to for whatever reason).
 |
| Opening ceremony. Everything here has to have an opening ceremony). |
 |
| Lexa and Sophie (Sophie injured her leg a bit the day before and wasn't running as she usually does). |
 |
| Double trouble. |
 |
| Nika is running with the older group. |
 |
| After the meet with friends. |
In figure skating this year the coach decided to make a synchronizing skating team. The first performance the kids did was at the opening of the skating season at the biggest mall in town. After that they were invited to perform a few times before big hockey games. Lina and Lexa quit figure skating earlier but after seeing the other two perform with their teammates, they decided to join the team.
 |
| Nika and Sophie in their Shamany (medicine women) costumes. |
 |
| Getting ready for the performance. |
 |
| This performance was shown on the local news. Nika and Sophie are in the first row. |
 |
| With the young volunteers from our church, Sisters Nelson and Critchfield. |
Here are pictures from their other performances, mostly before hockey games.
In December they had a competition and took second place with their Tango Dance.
 |
| Getting some encouragement from their coach before the competition. |
 |
| Nika and Sophie. |
 |
| Nika |
 |
| Lina and Lexa. |
 |
| After the performance. |
The team was supposed to go to Russia and to Almaty for competitions but the ice-making machine at the rink where they were training broke down so the team couldn't practice together for 3 weeks (they divided into smaller groups and practiced at other rinks in the city but not all together) which meant they couldn't get ready for the competition. Oh well. They are back to their rink now and are preparing for the individual competitions that are supposed to take place sometime in May.
