Skye Downey

Swimming--- Skye is at the highest level of the 4:00 PM swim team practice. She practices Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 4:00 - 5:00 PM, YEAR-ROUND at an outdoor pool. And, yes, it does get cold in Florida ! Each month they have what is called a "Sizzler" Meet, each pool hosting a meet. The Sizzler is a meet for those swim team members who are 8 and Under. Each swimmer gets timed and at the very end results are posted online. If you win your heat each hosting pool gives a prize (ie bag of candy, a ribbon, token for a free snack at the snack bar, etc.) Skye has won many prizes and also has several ribbons to show for her swimming accomplishments.

Gymnastics--- This fall (2003) Skye moved up to Level III in her gymnastics. At present Skye participates in gymnastics Tuesdays and Thursday 5:30 - 7:30 PM. The next level up is considered "The Team". It has taken Skye 1 1/2 years to move up to Level III. Each session is 10 weeks and, yes, there were a few Levels she stayed in more than one session in an effort to gain more practice. This is coupled with the fact that she absolutely LOVED her coach, Barbara, and opted to remain in Level I and Level II just to have Barbara as a coach. Skye and Barbara finally reached an understanding where it was time for Skye to move up to Level III.

Figure Skating--- On Saturday, October 25, 2003 at Incredible Ice located in Coral Springs, Florida, Skye competed in her first competion and took the Bronze Medal for 2nd place in her skill level group. After initially taking group lessons at Sunrise Ice Skating Center for 1 1/2 years Skye's mother and father decided it was time for private lessons. Skye has been taking private lessons at Incredible Ice for over a year. Her coach, Stephanie Turnbull, is from the Philadelphia area, and has skated under many known names (e.g., Richard Callahan, who was also Skye's Daddy's figure skating coach) and has played ice-hockey as well. Just recently (November, 2003) Skye's parents decided that Skye should move back to Sunrise Ice Skating Center where Skye has recently started skating with a new coach, Erik Larson, who has many credits under his belt as well. Skye skates Monday and Wednesdays from 3:30 - 4:00 PM for warm-up then 4:00 - 4:30 PM with Erik. Additionally, Skye's parents still travel to Incredible Ice on Saturdays where Skye skates for one hour with Stephanie and her other students, practicing for the Holiday Ice Show due out in December, 2003.