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Tommy Steenberg Rebounds from Injury

Original Link - By Lois Elfman- Falls Church News-Press - Thursday, September 8, 2008

With all the high-flying jumps skaters do on the ice, you would think they'd be totally safe on dry land. Unfortunately, in mid-July figure skater Tommy Steenberg from Annandale broke the fifth metatarsal in his right foot while walking through his program off the ice.

"I had on ballet shoes, so from now on I'm going to wear sneakers because I'll have a bit more support," said Steenberg, 19. "It was during a footwork sequence and I just came down funny on a leap and rolled my foot."

He spent three weeks in an air cast to keep the foot stable. It not only curtailed his training at Fairfax Ice Arena, it kept him from coaching. To keep up his stamina and endurance, Steenburg did a lot of swimming and strength training.

"My time on the ice has been limited," Steenburg said. "When I got back on the ice a month ago, it was three days a week for 30 minutes each. I had to take it gradually, because my foot would swell up after I skated.

Thankfully, his new programs for the 2008-09 season were completed before the injury. When Steenburg got the all clear that he was completely healed, he switched into high gear in order to compete at the Middle Atlantic Figure Skating Championships in New York last weekend. He finished second in the senior men's division, and seemed to make a positive impression on the judges. Steenberg's hoping to get an international assignment to represent the U.S. at the Karl Schaefer Memorial Trophy in Vienna, Austria in October.

He was glad to get his new programs before judges and audiences in New York. All things considered, Steenburg was relatively happy with his short program and a bit disappointed with his free skate, in which he faded toward the end.

"The cardiovascular and endurance of doing a long program for the men is kind of equivalent to running the 1,500 meters," said coach Christian Conte. "Time off the ice really does set a skater back quite a bit. He's done a great job and his attitude has been great about coming back, but doing it in practice and then doing it under press are a little different."

Former Italian ice dancer, Pasquale Camerlengo, who coaches in Detroit, choreographed Steenberg's new short program. The free skate, set to music from the ballet Don Quixote, was a joint effort between Conte, Steenberg and Russian ballet master Vladimir Djouloukhadze, who is based in Washington, D.C.

"He's done a lot of the detailing in the long program. I feel it's been coming along really well," said Steenberg. "He didn't lay out the program, because he's never done a skating program before, but he was able to contribute quite a bit off ice and on ice."

Given the short preparation time, Conte said he was pleased with Steenberg's performances in New York. "I feel he'll be strong for his international," Conte said. "The most important thing is his injury is completely healed."

Conte is also pleased with Steenberg's artistic progression. "He's done a lot of off ice dance work in the last two to three years. He really seems to gravitate towards a more classical line and he really likes that style of dance," Conte noted. "I laid out the long program with Tommy and Vladimir is filling it in. It's a really nice team effort."

Northern Virginia Skaters Advance To International Championships

Original Link - By Lois Elfman- Falls Church News-Press - Thursday, January 31, 2008

A couple of content skaters from Northern Virginia got right back to work this week after returning from the 2008 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Senior ladies bronze medalist Ashley Wagner of Alexandria is soon off to the International Skating Union (ISU) Four Continents Championships in Goyang City, Korea, which starts on Feb. 11, and then to the World Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden, starting March 17.

Thanks to the age requirements for ISU championships, Wagner, 16, will be the top-ranked U.S. woman at the two competitions. New U.S. ladies champion Mirai Nagasu, silver medalist Rachael Flatt and pewter medalist Caroline Zhang are all ineligible to compete. Instead, they’re headed to the World Junior Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, where they will be joined by Tommy Steenberg of Annandale, who was named to the team after a strong ninth-place finish in the senior men’s competition.

“I’ve been wanting to go to Junior Worlds for a few years now. I’ve been an alternate. To get it this year, my last year of being age eligible, is really exciting for me,” says Steenberg, 19. In U.S. competition, the junior and senior ranks are differentiated by ability level, but internationally it is based on age. “I’m going with this great team to Junior Worlds.”

Between now and when he goes to Bulgaria (the championships start on Feb. 25), he will rechoreograph his short program, as the required elements are completely different. The free skate will require less reworking, but he will drop one spin combination because the junior program length is 30 seconds shorter.

This was Steenberg’s third year in the senior men’s division at the U.S. Championships, and he felt real progress in his skating. “I broke into the middle this year, being ninth out of 18, and my points were pretty close to a couple of guys ahead of me,” he says. “I feel, give me another year with even more determination. This was definitely a motivating experience. It reconfirmed to me my potential and what I can really do.

“In comparing myself to the other guys, I think next year I can take it to a whole other level,” he adds. “I made it to the middle group this year and I can make it into the top group very soon as long as I keep my head on straight and work hard.

“I felt like I attacked really well. I was pretty calm. I felt I had prepared myself well for this event and I was ready to go for everything with no regrets.”

Evan Lysacek, 22, originally from Naperville, Ill. and now living in Los Angeles, successfully defended the senior men’s title by the narrowest of margins over three-time U.S. Men’s Champion Johnny Weir, 23. They actually finished the competition tied at 244.77 points — virtually unheard of under the international judging system — and Lysacek’s win in the free skate got him the gold.

“I don’t even know how that happened,” Steenberg says. “To go all the way down to a hundredth of a point, that is really weird. For it to be a National Championship, and it’s not like it’s between two lower placements. It was one and two. The chances of that are freaky.

“I think everyone did a good job. It seemed like the general consensus for the entire men’s event was that everyone skated pretty solid for the short and the long programs. In the long program, a lot of people put out good performances. A lot of people got off the ice relieved or happy.

Steenberg Hoping to Move Up in Free Skate

Original Link - By Amy Shipley- Washington Post- Sunday, January 27, 2008

ST. PAUL, Minn., Jan. 26 -- After graduating from Fairfax's W.T. Woodson High last spring, Tommy Steenberg deferred his admission to George Mason and began working as a part-time instructor at Fairfax Ice Arena. He needed time -- and money -- to fuel his Olympic dreams.

Determined to break into the ranks of the best U.S. senior skaters before the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, Steenberg hopes to advance that effort Sunday in the deciding men's free skate at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

Though Steenberg, 19, sits in 12th place after his performance in Friday's short program, he is at the bottom of a cluster of men nipping at the heels of the top five. Only 2.23 points separate the eight men in sixth through 13th place. Any could move up with a strong performance.

"I know the event's really tight after the short," Steenberg said Saturday. "I'm just a couple of points away from a lot of people. I'm really excited for the long program. . . . I will work my hardest and see how it goes."

Steenberg, who will skate to Ravel's "Bolero," was born in Honolulu, but moved to Annandale with his family when he was in the fifth grade. He has been training with Audrey Weisiger, the coach of former U.S. champion Michael Weiss, since his earliest days in the sport.

He said he wants to improve on the 14th place he earned at the U.S. championships in 2007 and the 13th he claimed in '06. His training partner in Fairfax, George Mason's Parker Pennington, 23, is in 10th place with 65.32 points. Fort Washington's Derrick Delmore, 29, who is competing in his 13th senior championships and has recently moved to Los Angeles, is seventh with 65.67 points.

Northern Virginia Men Set Sights On St. Paul Skating Championship

Original Link - By Lois Elfman- Falls Church News-Press - Thursday, January 17, 2008

The senior men’s event at the 2008 Eastern Figure Skating Championships looked like a Washington, D.C.-area get together. Tommy Steenberg of Annandale claimed the gold, Parker Pennington of Fairfax the silver and perennial competitor Derrick Delmore of Alexandria the bronze. With the 2008 U.S. Figure Skating Championships taking place in St. Paul, Minn., next week, they’re ready to rumble again.

“I was happy with how I did at Easterns for a bunch of reasons,” says Steenberg, 19, the youngest of the three. “I landed the triple axel and triple/triple in the short program for the first time. To win the short and long was also really cool. Also, I got my personal best by like 19 points. That was huge.”

It also showed Steenberg had put the Junior Grand Prix circuit out of his mind. After two gold medals in 2006, he finished a disappointing sixth in his one competition. He attributes it to changes he made to his off-ice regimen.

“I was still adjusting,” he says. “I feel I’ve been building since then. It’s been getting better and better.”

In order to maximize his training leading up to the National Championships, Steenberg has done his utmost not to get sick — always being sure to get enough rest and wearing scarves and gloves on cold days.

Steenberg has taken another step forward in his style, and opted for classical music for his short program, choosing excerpts from the ballet “Le Corsaire.”

“It’s more lyrical in the beginning, with long lines,” he says. “Then the middle section is the circular footwork. That’s where the male solo in the ballet is, so it’s more powerful. Then the ending is lighter. It builds to the end and the pace quickens.”

Steenberg graduated high school last year and deferred his admission to the honors program at George Mason for a year. He’s given himself some breathing room and he’s also started coaching at the Fairfax Area.

“I’ve been getting a perspective from the coach’s stand point,” Steenberg says. “It’s opened up my mind a lot about how the coaches care and how much they do for the skaters.”

Steenberg says having Pennington, 23, train at the same rink has been beneficial. A veteran competitor who placed seventh at 2007 Nationals, Pennington is enjoying his new surroundings. For the first time he’s living on his own, which has its challenges, but he’s also within driving distance from his family's home in Connecticut.

“My family came here for Christmas and they stayed until New Years,” he says. “I’ve gone to Connecticut a couple of times.”

He’s performing new short and long programs this season, and for the first time he took an active role in the choreography. He’s also been taking some classes and enjoying Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C.

“I’ve been exploring doing some art work of my own,” says Pennington, who has been a frequent visitor to museums.

Pennington says he feels the progress in his skating, and he’s looking forward to showing that off in St. Paul.

“I feel that I’m growing as a skater,” he says. “I’m definitely improving in terms of my artistry. I’m learning a lot about myself through all these changes. Trying to find that consistency. You have ups and downs throughout your skating career, but I’m definitely looking forward to Nationals. Whether it’s going to be the time that I skate my absolute best, who knows. Maybe I will, maybe I won’t. I’m taking it one day at a time. I feel I am improving.

“I’m willing to do whatever it takes to take that next step,” he continues. “I want to go out and perform to the best of my capabilities. If that happens, I think the results will reflect it.”

On the junior level, Armin Mahbanoozadeh is looking to continue the positive momentum he had throughout the autumn. The 2007 Novice Men’s Champion won gold and bronze medals on the Junior Grand Prix circuit and bronze at the Junior Grand Prix Final. The two U.S. skaters who took gold and silver at the Final, Adam Rippon and Brandon Mroz, will also be competing in the junior men’s division in Saint Paul.

“I’m doing better than I ever expected,” says Mahbanoozadeh, 16, who balances training with attending a regular high school. “My goal for this season was just to make it to the Final. Once I was there, I wasn’t really putting any pressure on myself to medal. I told myself to skate as well as I could and have fun. It turned out to go really well.

“Nationals is definitely the most exciting competition for me,” he adds. “I love Nationals. I’ve been looking forward to it all year. I’m training as I have all year, trying to take my programs to the next level. I’m really trying to work on the program components. Hopefully, [I'll] keep my consistency up and get a new personal best.”

Tommy Steenberg prevails in intense competition

Original Link - By Liz Leamy - Icenetwork-News - Saturday, November 17, 2007

The South Atlantic skaters prevailed once again in the 2008 Eastern Sectionals senior men's free skate today, and claimed the top four spots in this intensive and technically- and artistically-proficient competition. Tommy Steenberg (SC of Northern Virginia) won the gold; Parker Pennington (Washington FSC) the silver; Derrick Delmore (Washington FSC) the bronze and Shaun Rogers (University of Delaware FSC) were the final four senior men to claim coveted U.S. Championships invitations.

It was an exciting competition and was chock full of all those things that warrant a superior-level skate-off -- in fact, the buzz was that this competition was comparable to that of a U.S. Championship or even ISU Grand Prix event.

"It was fun being out there with everyone -- it was a good competition," Shaun Rogers said.

Although there were some mistakes during this exciting senior-level showdown, the overall standard was exceptionally high among all of the skaters, who performed with the confidence, poise and expertise of well-seasoned competitors. Nearly all of the top finishers rocked out triple axels and triple-double combinations. Some also did triple-triple combinations and one even did a quad (Rogers).

"It was a great competition and it felt really good to be out there," Steenberg said.

The performance standard was also superior in this talented and highly-skilled contingent. Each one of the top finishers had programs that were arresting, engaging and creatively-charged. The music also seemed to be ideally suited for each one of them.

"These guys were all wonderful. There was such a good feeling among everyone out there and they were all so great to watch," said Jill Shipstad Thomas, the choreographer for Derrick Delmore.

Steenberg, who is 17 years old, racked up the highest total point score -- a 194.30 -- of the event with his elegant and stellar rendition of the ubiquitous classic, "Bolero." This represented a personal best total point score for Steenberg.

"I'm really happy. I've worked hard all year to improve my strength and power, and I've been getting stronger with each competition," Steenberg said, referring to the Liberty Open in July, South Atlantics in October and now this competition.

Steenberg certainly seemed to be right on track at this competition, that's for sure. His routine, designed by Pasquale Camerlengo was arresting on every level. His technical proficiency seemed to be right on for most of the time and his artistry was engaging.

Although his missed his opening triple axel, Steenberg confidently rebounded with a triple Lutz-triple loop, triple toe-double toe-double loop, triple loop, triple Salchow and triple Lutz-double toe. He missed a triple flip, however. Still, all of his jumps were big, long and solid.

"He's been doing more physical training off-ice and I think he's gotten more developed physically. He also worked with a ballet master from the Kirov ballet in Washington D.C. which, in the long run, will enable him to be a more competent skater," said Audrey Weisinger, who has been training Steenberg for more than seven years.

Parker Pennington (Washington FSC) stepped up once again in the free skate and snagged a silver medal with a final point score of 188.04. His riveting interpretation of "Cirque de Soleil" was loaded with interesting movements and moments that mimicked a tiger hunt. He was technically proficient and did a rich array of his signature textbook-like jump, including a triple axel, triple Lutz, triple Lutz-double toe-double toe, triple flip with a three-turn into a triple toe, triple loop, triple Salchow and spread eagle into a double axel.

"He gave it a very serious effort out there and didn't give up-I thought he was gutsy," said Audrey Weisinger, Pennington's coach.

The best thing about Pennington's performance, however, was his artistic interpretation. He wore a brown costume with navy ribbon-like embellishments and showed the different stages of someone being hunted by a tiger. He first flew around the ice, then slowed down and then crept around in his footwork.

"It's taken a lot of work to develop this aspect of my skating, but it has all been an interesting and fulfilling process," Pennington said, adding that ultimately, he hopes to perhaps just inspire the people out in the audience with his skating. "Maybe if I can even inspire one person to skate, I feel like I've done something."

Derrick Delmore was awarded the bronze medal for his sophisticated jazz routine to "Harlem," "Puttin' on the Ritz" and "Madagascar," which earned him a score of 175.05. He wore a streamlined navy blue outfit and skated with his usual high level of artistry, skill and poise.

Although he singled a planned triple axel, Delmore fired out a triple Lutz with a fall out, triple flip, triple Salchow and triple loop in which he touched down on the landing. He also did a triple axel in which he two-footed and touched down on the landing.

Still, Delmore's overall skating quality was exceptional. He was finished and fluid and did his signature sit/cannonball and camel spins, among other elements.

"He filled the bill today. These skaters have a big job, because they have to be steely and vulnerable at the same time, which isn't easy," said Jill Shipstad Thomas, adding that Delmore "is a wonderful artist and interprets music beautifully." Delmore's coach is Shirley Hughes.

Shaun Rogers claimed the fourth and final spot with a final score of 173.52. Rogers' program to the "Grindhouse" film score was modern and defined by energy, power and athleticism. He reeled off a whopping quad toe, along with a triple axel-triple toe combination, triple Salchow-double toe-double loop, delayed triple toe and a triple axel with a step out on the landing. Although he singled a planned triple loop and fell on a triple flip, the overall technical quality of his program was excellent and generated one of the most audible crowd reactions of the day.

"I felt the beginning and end were good and I was happy with the (quad) toe and triple axel-triple toe combination," said Rogers.

Rogers is coached by Pam Duane Gregory, who was unable to be at this event due to an international competition commitment with Kimmie Meissner. As a result, Rogers was put out by the esteemed Delaware-based coach Ron Ludington and said he was really motivated by him.

"He offered me 100 dollars if I skated clean -- I almost got it," said Rogers, who added that he did, in fact, end up with half the amount at the event's conclusion.

Another major story to develop from this competition was the fantastic performance of Jason Wong (SC of Boston) in the free skate. Wong, who was sixth in the short program, skated a phenomenal program to "The Mission," and wound up fourth with 168.33. He did a gorgeous double axel, a triple-triple combination and nearly all of the other triples. He also was lyrical and engaging in this memorable portrayal of the "Mission" story.

After he finished his program, he could be seen hugging and perhaps even crying with his mother in a warm embrace. Needless to say, this marked one of the best moments of this entire competition.

"The program felt really good. Every bit of it was for myself and that's all that mattered," Wong said.

Southern Gentlemen Dominate Senior Men's Short

Original Link - By Liz Leamy - Icenetwork-News - Saturday, November 17, 2007

The boys of the South Atlantic Region staged a top-rate showdown this afternoon and claimed the top four spots in the senior men's short program.

Tommy Steenberg (SC of Northern Virginia) was first; Derrick Delmore (Washington FSC) second; Parker Pennington (Washington FSC) third; and Shaun Rogers (University of Delaware FSC) fourth.

"We've all been competing together for years and we want the same thing: to go out and do our best, which made for a really great atmosphere," said Delmore.

The jumping standard was excellent, and it was the skaters with the cleanest, most comprehensive programs who wound up on top. Steenberg, Delmore and Rogers all landed rock-solid triple Axels; Rogers landed a quad toe-triple toe; and Steenberg and Pennington both did triple-triple combinations.

"This is a good competition and it was great being out there," said Rogers, who snagged a silver medal at the Nebelhorn Trophy last September.

Steenberg skated his way to first with his fantastic interpretation of Adolphe Charles Adam's "Le Corsaire (The Pirate)," earning 66.05 points.

Dressed in a regal turquoise gold-infused costume, Steenberg owned the ice from the word 'go.' He opened up with a nice triple Axel, followed by a rare triple loop-triple loop combination and triple flip from difficult rocker-rocker turns. The performance also featured high-powered footwork, well-extended spins and dynamic transitions.

"I've been training the triple Axel well, and it felt really good coming here," Steenberg said. "I am really happy with how I skated."

Veteran Derrick Delmore racked up 63.82 points for his sophisticated and energetic take on "Malaguena." From the outset, it was clear he was on a mission.

Delmore opened with a solid triple Axel, and went on to do a delayed triple Lutz from footwork and triple flip-double toe combo. His footwork was exciting, and he drew "oohs and aahs" from the crowd with his turbo-boosted sit spin, in a position highly reminiscent of that of six-time U.S. champion Todd Eldredge.

"Things seem to have really come together these past few years; I've been able to put a lot of things in perspective," said Delmore, who at age 28 is vying to qualify for his 18th U.S. Championships.

Parker Pennington earned third-place honors and a score of 63.42 for his enticing interpretation of "Flamenco a Go Go." Like the other top finishers, he reeled off difficult maneuvers with strength, confidence and ease, including triple flip-triple toe, triple Lutz and some great spins. He did, however, fall on the landing of his triple Axel.

"I was happy with how I did, but obviously wished I had done the triple Axel," Pennington said. "Still, I felt good out there.

"I've really been working on executing the elements while at the same time developing the character of the music. It's been a cool thing to learn to do this."

Shaun Rogers placed fourth with a score of 62.89 for his high-octane program to "The Battle on the Ice." He wowed the crowd with his opening quad toe-triple toe. Although he touched down on the landing of the former jump, he had great height and length on this element.

Rogers also executed a whopping triple Axel, some good footwork and a great death drop. Although he doubled a planned triple flip, the overall quality of his program was excellent.

Steenberg skates to a different drum

Original Link - By Skate Today - Skate Today-Articles - Monday, October 8, 2007

Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Tommy Steenberg would seem more at home on a surfboard than on ice skates. But the 18-year-old, who now resides in Annandale, Virginia, chose figure skating as his sport and it was a good choice. Steenberg ran his total of Junior Grand Prix gold medals to three this past season when he won in Romania and Liberec. Qualifying for the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final for the first time, he finished sixth in Sofia, Bulgaria. To start the 2007-08 season, Steenberg finished sixth at the Junior Grand Prix in Lake Placid, New York.

Steenberg is competing in seniors at U. S. Nationals, finishing 13th in 2006 and 14th in 2007. Competing as a senior for the third time this coming season, he feels ready to make a jump in the standings. In prior years, Steenberg medalled in consecutive years at U. S. Nationals in intermediate (silver in 2002), novice (bronze in 2003), and junior (pewter in 2004). In 2003, when Steenberg took the bronze medal in novice, he landed his first triple lutz even though he had sprained his ankle the week before the event.

"My goal is always to keep getting personal bests and improve on my scores each competition," Steenberg said. "I've been trying to improve my skating skills and to have good edge quality and speed. After one more year on the Junior Grand Prix Circuit I want to compete on the Senior Grand Prix Circuit."

Steenberg began skating when he was six. After his family taped the skating at the 1994 Olympics, he kept doing jumps on his living room floor because he wanted to skate. "Performing is probably what first attracted me to skating," he said. "My parents thought it was a phase." But they eventually started him in lessons. He landed his first double axel at 12, and then learned all his triple jumps in exactly one year. "It was 365 days from when I landed my first triple salchow on August 31 until I landed my first triple lutz on August 30," he recalled.

In March 2006, he landed his first triple axel. Since then, he has been practicing the quadruple salchow, toe loop and lutz but has not landed any cleanly. "Though I would like to continue working on quads, I feel that keeping a consistent triple axel is most important for this coming year," he said. Steenberg is using a triple lutz-triple toe combination in the short program and will include a triple-triple and triple axel in the long this season in juniors.

Audrey Weisiger coaches Steenberg, who trains in Fairfax, Virginia. He works for two and a half hours a day on ice, five days a week, and does another four hours off ice weekly. He's involved heavily in his own choreography. "I especially like doing choreography," he said. "I've always helped with parts of my programs and each year I have more influence in them. I want to do some programs on my own soon, but it's always good to get input from other people."

Both of Steenberg's programs are new this season. "I always have two new ones," he said. "I like to try something different every time." For his short program, Steenberg is using "Le Corsaire" by Riccardo Drigo, choreographed by Chris Conte. "This is a big contrast from last year's Drumline program," he said. "I have been focusing on having neater positions in order to really convey ballet on ice. This is completely different from Drumline, which had more modern, quick positions. One of the things I like about this program is that it varies from a lyrical beginning to a powerful middle section, ending with a faster pace."

Pasquale Camerlengo choreographed his long program to the music "Bolero" by Maurice Ravel. "I am really excited with how this program has turned out and can't wait to perform it. Del Arbour is making outfits for both my short and long." Steenberg is using Josh Groban's "Remember When It Rains" for his exhibition program. "I enjoy this program a lot because it's fun being able to skate to lyrics, and I had fun choreographing this program mostly off-ice with Debbie Street," he said. Off ice, he listens to a lot of music, including Justin Timberlake, All-American Rejects, and Keane. He has played the piano, trumpet and cornet and used to solo in his school band.

Steenberg was an honor student at W. T. Woodson High School where he graduated as a member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish Honor Society and placed third in a countywide Spanish poetry contest. In 2006, he was selected as a member of the State Farm U. S. Figure Skating Scholastic Honors Team for skaters who displayed excellence in skating and schoolwork. He plans to study English or statistics in the future and hopes to become a skating coach and choreographer. Steenberg coaches part time now to help pay for his skating.

To relax, Steenberg enjoys being with his friends, reading, watching television, and going online.

No. Virginia Skaters Have National Ambitions in 2007

Original Link - By Lois Elfman - Falls Church News-Press - Thursday, January 11, 2007

The 2007 U.S. Figure Skating Championships (commonly referred to as Nationals) start on Jan. 21 in Spokane, Washington. In a post-Olympic year, competition is always fierce as up-and-comers look to make their marks. There are 12 events, with ladies, men, pairs and ice dancers competing at the novice, junior and senior divisions. And Northern Virginia will be well represented.

Three skaters with roots in the area will look to unseat three-time and defending senior Men’s Champion Johnny Weir. Craig Ratterree hails from Alexandria, while Derrick Delmore grew up in Alexandria and now lives in Washington, D.C. Tommy Steenberg is from Annandale. Delmore, 28, is making his 11th appearance in the senior men’s event, with his highest finish a fifth-place showing in 1998. This may be the final competition for the former World Junior Champion.

“He’s enjoying skating and he’s training harder than I’ve ever known him to train. We’re going to see,” his longtime coach, Shirley Hughes, said.

Ratterree, 20, is making his senior debut, and qualified for Nationals by placing third at both the South Atlantic regionals and the Eastern sectionals. Although only 18, this is the second year in seniors for Steenberg, who placed 13th in 2006. He is coming off a hectic autumn, during which he competed on the International Skating Union Junior Grand Prix circuit — internationally junior is defined by age — winning two competitions and placing sixth at the Junior Grand Prix Final. He’s adding the triple axel to his short program for Nationals and reworking his free skate to accommodate the four-minute, 30-second length for seniors, versus four minutes for juniors.

“I’ve made a couple of changes to where the jumps are in the program to move them further in, so I get the bonus for them being in the second half of the program,” said Steenberg, noting one of the intricacies of the Code of Points judging system now used.

With three-time Men’s Champion Michael Weiss (from Fairfax) now skating professionally, last year’s bronze medalist Matt Savoie off to law school and both Weir and two-time World medalist Evan Lysacek on the mend from injuries, the men’s field is wide open.

“I don’t know what to expect,” Steenberg said. “It would be great with a clean short to make the top six for the free skate. It would be really exciting to skate in the final group for the long program.” The men’s free skate will be televised live on ESPN2 at 11 p.m. on Jan. 27.

In the novice men’s event Armin Mahbanoozadeh of Great Falls is in the hunt for gold. Last autumn he received a boost when the Michael Weiss Foundation awarded him a training grant.

“After posting the highest scores at sectionals, I’m aiming to do well at Nationals,” said Mahbanoozadeh, 15, who trains in Reston with coach Traci Coleman. “We plan goals at the beginning of each season to decide where we’re heading and where we want to be.”

One dream is that at the end of a great program everyone would cheer his name and pronounce it correctly.

“That would be awesome.”

In all seriousness, at the end of a clean program “it feels like I haven’t even skated at all. I want to go out there and do it again.”

Two senior ice dance teams from Ashburn will be at Nationals. Last year’s fourth-place finishers Morgan Matthews & Maxim Zavozin are looking for a repeat trip to the World Championships (they placed 16th in ’06). New senior team Elizabeth Miosi & Dmitry Ponomarev are working for an impressive debut. Senior free dance will be on ESPN2 on Jan. 26 at 11:30 p.m. In novice ice dance, Megan Evans & Nathan Truesdell are hoping to establish themselves and put themselves in line for next year’s Junior Grand Prix circuit.

One of the most hotly contested events is likely to be junior ladies, where Ashley Wagner of Alexandria will try to overtake Caroline Zhang, who defeated her at the Junior Grand Prix Final. “I’m really excited to go against Caroline again, because she is such a strong skater. Competing against her helps me set my goals in terms of what I need to improve,” said Wagner, 15, who prior to settling in Alexandria five years ago had lived in eight different locations, including Alaska. Her father, Eric Wagner, is a retired Army lieutenant colonel. A great performance in Spokane may earn her a trip to the World Junior Championships in the country in which she was born, Germany. Now a seasoned international competitor, having won gold medals in France and the Netherlands prior to the silver in Bulgaria, she is ready.

“Competing internationally has given me a lot of confidence,” said Wagner, who trains at the Mount Vernon Ice Arena and represents the Washington Figure Skating Club. The often-unpredictable conditions at international competitions have taught her to be prepared. “It’s not about the environment or how the ice is. You have to focus on your skating.”

Settling in one location has improved Wagner’s skating, as it allowed her to forge a bond with a coach. She has a particularly good fit in Hughes, who always values the importance of education. She continued to coach Delmore long-distance when he attended Stanford University in the late 90s. Now she fully supports Wagner’s desire to attend a regular high school, rather than follow the popular trend in figure skating of home schooling.

“I tried home school for a few months and the next year I was back in public school,” said Wagner, who attends West Potomac High School. “I missed the people. You have skating friends and I wanted school friends too. Regular school makes my life not completely about skating.”

Tommy Steenberg Has New Confidence Heading Into JGP Final

Original Link - By Amy Rosewater - Special to U.S. Figure Skating Online - Tuesday, December 5, 2006

Tommy Steenberg has been around some of the world's best skaters all of his life, having trained alongside Michael Weiss and Timothy Goebel at his home rink in Fairfax, Va., located in the outskirts of Washington, D.C.

But when he arrived at the 2006 State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championships in St. Louis, Steenberg found himself in awe of life in the big time. Not only was he making his senior-level debut at the event, but he was practicing with seasoned world and Olympic skaters. He found himself skating in sessions with Evan Lysacek, Johnny Weir, Ryan Jahnke and, of course, Weiss and Goebel. Not to mention that Steenberg was the youngest male competitor in the senior level at 17. (He just turned 18 on Nov. 23).

And, oh yeah, these U.S. Championships weren't just any U.S. Championships. This was an Olympic year.

“Last year, I was just happy to be skating seniors in an Olympic year,” Steenberg said. “Being around all of them just made for a more exciting and interesting nationals.”

Steenberg finished 13th in St. Louis, but a lot has changed since then. This season, he has started landing a triple Axel, and he won gold medals at two Junior Grand Prix events, in Czech Republic and Romania.

This week, he enters the Junior Grand Prix Final in Sofia, Bulgaria, as one of the top-ranked skaters in the event. He leads a tough field, in which the No. 2 and No. 3 men are fellow Americans - 2006 U.S. junior men's champion Stephen Carriere and 2005 U.S. novice champion Austin Kanallakan. All three Americans won two Grand Prix titles apiece this season.

In addition, American Brandon Mroz, who was first and second in his Grand Prix events, also qualified for the final. Mroz is fourth in the standings. Curran Oi, who like Carriere trains with Mark Mitchell and Peter Johansson in Boston, qualified for the Junior Grand Prix Final after placing second in France and fourth in Norway. Although the points standings are wiped clean at the Junior Grand Prix Final, being at the top has done a lot for Steenberg's confidence level.

Steenberg is no longer complacent with “just being there.” He knows what he has to do to compete against the big guns and he wants to be among those top skaters.

“I think he realizes what separated him and a championship man,” said Audrey Weisiger, Steenberg's longtime coach. “Last year, he couldn't believe he was on the same practice with those guys. This year, he can compete with them.

“It's hard when you're out there skating with those guys at first. They're your idols, right? You're sort of dumbstruck. Boys don't really start to emerge until they're 17, 18, 19. Then you see who's going to go the distance. I don't think he saw himself as a world contender until now.”

Steenberg has been working on developing his speed and power, something that separates the junior men from the seniors. He tries to emphasize these qualities in his short program, a rigorous routine that is performed entirely to percussion music. The music, from the movie “Drumline” is intense, with few breaks.

“It feels almost the same as a long program,” Steenberg said. “It definitely takes a lot out of me. I feel it's made me have better stamina, though.”

Steenberg had wanted to skate to this music a year ago, but he couldn't seem to make the music work for him. Then he tried it again in the early summer. After a month, he dropped it. But then he resurrected it one more time, and that proved to be the charm. As it turns out, he wound up choreographing much of the routine himself.

Although some of the footwork sequences and spins had to be tweaked to keep up with the judging system, most of the routine is true to his design.

“He really made the routine fly,” Weisiger said. “This is a really imaginative routine, and it's from the mind of a 17 year old. He'll be an awesome choreographer some day.” His free skate is a tango, which was choreographed by Pasquale Camerlengo, who competed in ice dancing for Italy in the Olympics and World Championships.

“I really like how the two programs are different styles,” Steenberg said. “I think it shows versatility.”

Steenberg has also been trying to show consistency.

Competing in back-to-back Junior Grand Prix events this season and recording personal best scores is exactly what he was hoping to see this season. A year ago, he won a Junior Grand Prix event and finished ninth in another.

“It's really encouraging, for sure,” he said. “But I know there's definitely room for improvement.”

In addition to skating, Steenberg is busy with school life as well. He is a senior at W.T. Woodson High School. He takes some classes there but is also taking some online, which allows him to skate in morning and afternoon sessions. Previously, Steenberg had only been skating afternoon sessions.

“With the online classes, at least I don't have to worry about falling behind,” Steenberg said.

With so much international travel this season, juggling a full skating and class schedule can always be as tricky as a tango.

But Steenberg seems to have a calmness about him these days. He didn't even lose his cool when his luggage, including his skates, was lost en route to the Czech Republic. He missed his first practice in the main arena because he didn't have his skates. Still, he managed to land a triple Axel there.

“It was a good confidence builder for him, that he could skate well under those circumstances,” Weisiger said. Not that he wants to test that out again.

He'd like to have everything arrive on time this week in Bulgaria and when he competes in the U.S. Championships next month in Spokane, Wash.

To be certain, his goal this year at the U.S. Championships is not just to practice with the best skaters, but to be one of them.

“Well,” said Steenberg, “obviously, I'd like to improve quite a bit on last year's placement. And I'd like to be on TV, too. Now that would be fun.”

Steenberg Gathers Steam

Original Link - By Lois Elfman - Falls Church News-Press - Thursday, November 16, 2006

On the eve of his 18th birthday, figure skater Tommy Steenberg of Annandale is feeling focused and confident. Already this skating season he’s won two events on the International Skating Union (ISU) Junior Grand Prix circuit, in Romania and Czech Republic. At the latter event, he managed to remain calm despite the fact that the suitcase containing his skates was lost and did not arrive until a few hours before he was scheduled to skate his short program.

“He went out on the ice for the first time in the competition rink when they called his name to do the warm-up for the short program,” noted coach Audrey Weisiger, who had packed a spare pair of skates in her suitcase, which was also lost. “I said, ‘Have faith. Your skates will arrive and everything will be fine. In the mean time, go in the building, listen to the music and think about where you see elements happening.’ At practice, they played his music and he did a walk-through of the short program on the floor in his sneakers. People were applauding him.”

Steenberg said, “I figured there wasn’t anything I could do about it, so being calm was the best thing.” He made no major mistakes and landed the triple axel, which is new to his free skate this season. He also received personal best scores under Code of Points, the judging system implemented over the past few years, where a skater can improve his or her point total from competition to competition.

This is Steenberg’s fourth year on the ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit, and he feels the experience of competing internationally has strengthened his competitive edge and prepared him for the future. “Traveling, dealing with being tired, going to different countries and having the pressure has been really helpful to me and I’ve enjoyed it too,” he said. “I always look forward to the international competitions.”

Next on his schedule is the Junior Grand Prix Final in Sofia, Bulgaria from Dec. 7-9. “I want to improve my components (the marks that reflect choreography and musicality). I’m going to work on my spins a bit too, try to get all the points I can,” Steenberg said. “I’m going to keep working on quads. It would be great if I could get a quad in the program at some point this year.”

Weisiger said she’s proud of how Steenberg is maturing. She’s worked with him since his family moved to the Fairfax area in 1999. As she had significant responsibilities for many years with Michael Weiss and then from late 2004 to January 2006 with Timothy Goebel, Steenberg has also worked with other coaches at the Fairfax Ice Arena (which just reopened after a three-month-long renovation), such as Ross Lansel and Nick Perna. Although Weisiger is now making her family the number one priority in her life, she said she would continue to coach Steenberg for as long as he wishes to compete.

This season, Pasquale Camerlango and Debbie Street did his choreography, and Weisiger said Steenberg deserves to be listed as one of the choreographers for his short program, set to music from the film Drumline. “This year, I’ve been able to use a lot of my own ideas in my short program,” Steenberg said. “It’s all drums the whole time. It’s very rhythmic. Some of the moves are kind of hip-hop. I think it’s something really different for skating.

“It’s good to branch out and do different things, because different styles help you improve,” he added. His free skate is set to various pieces of tango music. “It’s great to get comments from people like, ‘That was really cool.’”

A senior at W.T. Woodson High School, Steenberg, who turns 18 on Nov. 23, said college is definitely in his future plans. He’s seriously considering George Mason, so he can stay local. He’ll begin 2007 with the U.S. Championships in Spokane, Washington, where he will compete in the senior men’s division for the second time (he was 13th in 2006). He hopes to be named to the U.S. team for the World Junior Championships that take place Feb. 26 to March 4 in Oberstdorf, Germany. He is age-eligible to compete at junior internationals for one more year, but if he wins a medal at World Juniors, he hopes to be considered for senior internationals.

Steenberg said he doesn’t have goals in terms of placements, but he is decisive in terms of performance. “I want to be proud of how I handle this year and how I compete.”

Steenberg Starts at the Top

Original Link - By Mary Hughes - Most Valuable Network (United in Glory) - Monday, October 23, 2006

American figure skater Tommy Steenberg hopes his star does not stop shooting until after U.S. Nationals. A first place finish at the Junior Grand Prix, held in Liberec, Czech Republic last weekend put the young American in a prime position to make an impact at Senior Nationals in January of 2007.

After finishing 13th at senior nationals in 2005, the seventeen-year old blading phenom has impressed as a junior on the international circuit this fall. Two gold medal performances now lift him out of the pile of hopefuls and give him a name value for the upcoming winter portion of the competitive season.

Steenberg’s first gold this season came several weeks ago, at a Junior Grand Prix event held in Romania. This most recent victory, competed at the Tipsport Arena in Liberec, was particularly satisfying. The young athlete, skating for the Skating Club of Northern Virginia, raced from behind to overtake Tatsuki Machida, a Japanese up-and-comer who had placed first in the short program.

With a mere 3.23 points between the two contenders, Steenberg came out with a burst of maximum effort to take a solid first place in the free program, garnering a total of 172.28 points overall. Machida held onto the silver medal, with a total of 163.29 points. Czech home favorite Pavel Kaska skated to a solid third place finish, gathering 157.25 points altogether.

Steenberg, a pupil of Audrey Weisiger, might stop short of predicting a world team spot for himself this season. However, there is room at the top of the American skating scene for any youthful performer who can deliver when the judges are watching; a skill which Tommy Steenberg just seems to possess.

Tommy Guns for Gold

Original Link - By Mary Hughes - Most Valuable Network (United in Glory) - Tuesday, October 3, 2006

Tommy Steenberg may not be a household name, but in the world of competitive figure skating, he is definitely a young dynamo with potential to skyrocket. His recent victory at a Junior Grand Prix event held in Romania solidified his position as an up-and-comer.

Steenberg took the title in convincing fashion, netting 175.30 points as he swept first place in both the short and long programs. The seventeen-year-old, who originally hails from Hawaii, presently trains in Fairfax, Virginia. His mentor is Audrey Weisiger, former coach of three-time American champion Michael Weiss.

The Junior Grand Prix is a remarkable showcase for young talent. Don’t let the title “junior” throw the audience off; this competition is a hard-nosed series of international events that gives the best and brightest young stars an opportunity to shine in the global spotlight.

Briefly, the Junior Grand prix is a series of eight international events with a cumulative point-scoring system. Eligibility exists for skaters to grab points in two of the eight events. The top eight skaters move forward to the finals, a regimen that broadens the field and allows skaters with many different talents to present themselves.

Steenberg is no stranger to this genre. In 2004, he took two creditable 4th place finishes in the junior circuit: one in Hungary and one in Germany. As a follow-up, Tommy placed first in an event in Estonia during the 2005 season. Steenberg will compete as a junior internationally for one more season.

However, Tommy actually skated with the senior men at nationals in 2005, where he notched a respectable 13th place. If all goes as planned, he will likely compete at the senior level nationally again this season. Noted for the flair and character of his style, Tommy performed last season to Fantasy for Violin and Ochestra for his short program and The 13th Warrior for his long program.

This year’s programs will demonstrate Steenberg’s growth and maturity. For his short program, Tommy will use “Drumline;” the long program will play to his dance strengths with tango selections. The win in Romania will bolster Steenberg’s chances to reach the Junior Grand Prix finals, which will be held in Sofia, Bulgaria, December 7-9.

Fairfax's Tommy Steenberg, 17, Breaks Into Spotlight At Skating Championships

Original Link - By Nicholas F. Benton - Falls Church News-Press - Thursday, January 19-25, 2006

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — You had to be there to see it, because for as much coverage as major television gives figure skating, it always focuses on the front-runners, leaving many rising stars and second-tier competitors completely out of the eye of the general public.

So it was for two area men competing in the rarified air of the U.S. National Figure Skating Championships here last week.

While McLean’s Michael Weiss has made his mark as a star over the past decade, and at age 29 is ready to retire from the amateur sport, another area veteran, Derrek Dellmore, has also competed for years and this time, at age 27, came in 12th overall, and is nearing the end of his amateur career.

But on the other end of the age spectrum comes 17-year-old Woodson High School junior Tommy Steenberg, who excited the giant crowd at the Savvis Arena in downtown St. Louis with an energetic and flawless performance, albeit outside the view of national TV cameras. On Saturday, in his free style program, he drew loud cheers and, as he said later, his “hit double figures” with the number of stuffed animals tossed to him on the ice.

Two years younger than any of the other 17 competitors in the senior men’s championships, he was elated at his first-ever performance at that level, and when it was all over, he wound up 13th.

While Weiss and Dellmore are winding down, Tommy is just getting started. His goal is to make the U.S. Olympic team in 2010, and he will be doing a lot of competing, nationally and internationally, between now and then.

Steenberg got back Sunday from St. Louis, and welcomed an interview with the News-Press at his home Fairfax Ice Arena haunts on Tuesday.

Not involved in this year’s Olympics or World Championships, he’s got some time off from competition now to work on his skills, but that does not mean he’ll be letting up on his intense schedule.

“I love it. It is what I want to do,” he said of his schedule, which leaves him little time for anything else besides his high school classes. “No one is pressuring me into this. I am driven by my own desire to succeed.”

Tommy is on the ice by 1 p.m. every day for about three hours, overall, and then does another two hours three times a week of off-the-ice weight training and conditioning, including a lot of jump roping.

Still, he’s an outstanding student, and was honored for that at the National Championships, too, one of a handful of the competitors there who were called out during a special ceremony to receive a recognition of their academic achievement.

He’s on the National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society and enjoys most his Advanced Placement English literature class.

The son of a military family with an older sister and younger brother, Tommy has lived and trained in Fairfax the last six and a half years, and plans to stay here from now on.

He was only five when he first discovered his interest in ice skating while watching the 1994 Winter Olympics from Norway. He taped the skating and played it back repeatedly, imitating the spins and moves in front of the TV in the living room.

His parents decided that better than knocking over the furniture, he should play out what they thought, at first, was a “phase” by enrolling him at a local ice skating rink.

That “phase” has grown into his skating headliner status at a very young age.

He won his first international Grand Prix as a junior in Tallin, Estonia, last year, and this year finished fourth in the U.S. Eastern sectional in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, last November to qualify for the Nationals last week.

He’d been to the Nationals twice before as a junior competitor, so he was familiar with the ambiance. But he’d still never skated in front of an audience as big as was assembled there for the senior men’s competitions.

Surprisingly to him, he didn’t find it that intimidating. “I’m sure it will be the more is at stake in the future,” he said. “But for now, I was just happy to be there, and very happy with how well I did.”

Most of his Woodson classmates know of his skating exploits, although few, he conceded, know the significance of them in the skating world. “Most don’t really follow it that closely,” he said. But they think it “is a cool little extra thing that I do,” and he is respected for it.

He doesn’t have time to watch much TV, so doesn’t have any favorite shows. But he is looking forward to watching the “Skating With the Celebrities” reality show coming up. As for movies, he’s for anything scary or funny, and when it comes to food, it’s all about ice cream and Chinese.

He admires Emily Hughes’ “power and confidence” on the ice, and for his own development, he’s specializing during the off season on his “triple axels” and “quads.”

Autographs now are easy to get. But he won’t promise that in four years.