Congratulations Austin & April Shanz!
For those you who have not heard the exciting news, on August 3, 2009 Austin and April Shanz achieved their life-long goal of making the United States Artistic Roller Skating Team. They placed second in the Junior World Class Pairs division which qualifies them to compete at the World Championships in Freiburg, Germany in November 2009. They now have their goals set on achieving a world championship medal!
They are the fourth generation of roller skating champions in their family. Their parents, aunts & uncles, grandparents, and great-grandparents were national champion skaters also. And following them, they have two 4 year old cousins who skate competitively.
April was 3 yrs old and Austin was 6 when they skated their first nationals competition. April is now 13 and old enough to compete at the world class level, and Austin is 16. After almost eleven years of hard work and training they have finally reached their goal of being USA World Team members. Their entire family is very excited and so proud of what they have accomplished through the years.
Unfortunately the junior world class skaters do not receive any financial assistance. Austin and April's trip to Germany will cost several thousand dollars. With this website, we are seeking your support by requesting a donation to help send Austin and April to the World Championships. We would greatly appreciate anything you could give (even $5 would be helpful).
Then, be sure to check back as November gets closer. We'll have a schedule posted and a link on this website so you can watch them compete live from Freiburg, Germany! :-).
Update Monday, November 16, 2009...
The 4 tickets to the Temptations/Four Tops Concert that were auctioned off at the fundraiser skate are available again! The sale of the tickets at the fundraiser didn't work out, so this time we're auctioning them on eBay!
The concert is at the Music Center at Strathmore located at the intersection of Rockville Pike and Tuckerman Lane in North Bethesda, MD (Rockville, MD) on Wednesday December 9, 2009 @ 8PM. For more information, visit Strathmore's website.
April and Austin Shanz are preparing for a world championship competition in artistic roller skating in Freiburg, Germany.
Photo By Kevin G. Gilbert/The Herald-Mail Staff Photographer
Also, below are links to several news venues that picked up on Austin and April's accomplishment:
- Hagerstown Herald-Mail (a video clip at the lower right on the webpage shows a brief interview with Austin and April, and also a quick clip of them skating!)
- Frederick News Post
- WTOP News
- Washington Examiner
- Cecil Whig (a Cecil County, MD newspaper)
- WJZ Baltimore Channel 13 CBS News
- USA Today
- USARS on Facebook
- The Star (an Easton, MD newspaper)
One more link...Austin's profile on USARS.
And finally, go to page 51 in this article in a USARS (USA Roller Sports) magazine from the summer of 2005 featuring Austin and April and the skating family. Look at the picture and how young Austin and April are...Wow, time flies!
To go to page 51, once the article opens in Adobe Reader, at the top where it shows that it is currently on page 1, change the "1" to "51" and hit Enter...be patient it may take a minute while the full magazine is being downloaded.
Update Saturday, November 14, 2009 @ 5:30PM USA EST: ...
UNOFFICIAL OFFICIAL results...they took 3rd!!
Update Saturday, November 14, 2009 @ 11AM USA EST: ...
Follow USA Roller Sports' Freiburg 2009 updates via Twitter here! (http://twitter.com/usars_events)
Photos of the event courtesy of USA Roller Sports/Carlesa Williams. Austin and April are in the first 3 shots (as of 11AM this morning).
We will post more information as it comes in.
Update Friday, November 13, 2009 @ 3PM USA EST: ...
Word out of Freiburg, Germany is that Austin and April have skated their Short Program and are currently holding 4th place! Way to go! They skate their Long Program tomorrow at about 1:15PM USA EST which will decide in what place they finish.
Hopefully they will hold on to 4th, or maybe even move up to 3rd, 2nd or 1st for the Bronze, Silver, or Gold Medal!
We will post more information as it comes in.
Update Friday, November 13, 2009 @ 11AM USA EST: ...
Oh well...We were told there would be a live video feed of the competition from Germany, but even though competitions in the USA were streamed live over the Internet, it looks like the Freiburg, Germany competition is not doing that. :-(
We will post results as soon as we know something.
Update: Tuesday, 11/10/2009...
Austin and April left for Germany last Saturday 11/7.
Originally they were scheduled to skate their short program on 11/11, and their long program on 11/13...but it looks like they've been pushed back a couple of days. I have not been able to confirm that with them (their cell phones don't work in Germany, so we have to wait for them to call us).
They are 6 hours ahead of USA Eastern Standard Time. Looking at the schedule on the Worlds website...
Their current schedule is:
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Friday, November 13, 2009 @ 11:45AM Eastern Time USA - Austin and April are scheduled to skate their Short Program in the "Junior Pairs Short Program" competition
-
Saturday, November 14, 2009 @ 1:15PM Eastern Time USA - Austin and April are scheduled to skate their Long Program in the "Junior Pairs Long Program" competition
We hope to have a link to the live video feed webpage right here when they compete...if not please use this link to the competition website to find the live video feed!
Update: Sunday, 10/25/2009...
Ok! The Rockville Wheel-A-While reunion skate session/Austin & April Fundraiser is today October 25th 4:30PM until 7:30PM. Admission is $5 and skate rental is free if needed. Everyone entering must pay admission, whether skating or not. Remember, all proceeds from this session go to help Dennis Brown’s grandkids, Austin and April Shanz, pay for their trip to Freiburg, Germany with the US Artistic Roller Skating Team as they compete in Junior World Class Pairs at the 2009 World Championships.
** If you can’t make it to the session, you could still donate the $5 that you would have spent on admission...right here through this site. Every little bit helps and Austin and April would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!
A few of the items included in today's silent auction are:
- 4 Tickets to the Temptations/Four Tops concert coming December 9th to Strathmore in Rockville (a $392 value!)
- HD Radio Receiver and Car Install Kit
- Tivo DVR
- Custom Made Fishing Rod
- Bed Bath Beyond Certificate for $50
- Olive Garden Certificate for $50
- Certificate For A Free Mr. Tire Oil Change & Lube
- Certificate For 25% Off A Mr. Tire Alignment and Free Tire Rotation & Balance
- And more!
The skating rink address and phone is:
Turner’s Skate Palace
17333 Virginia Avenue
Hagerstown, MD 21740
301) 582-2020
See you next week!
Update: Sunday, 10/18/2009...
Reminder…the Rockville Wheel-A-While reunion skate session/Austin & April Fundraiser is 1 week from today! The session is happening Sunday October 25th 4:30PM until 7:30PM. Admission is $5 and skate rental is free if needed. Everyone entering must pay admission, whether skating or not. Remember, all proceeds from this session go to help Dennis Brown’s grandkids, Austin and April Shanz, pay for their trip to Freiburg, Germany with the US Artistic Roller Skating Team as they compete in Junior World Class Pairs at the 2009 World Championships.
During the skate session, Austin and April will perform an exhibition skate of their routine. Also, a silent auction will take place at the session. In a typical silent auction, bidders write down their bids and submit them privately. After bidding closes, the highest bidder of each item wins! Bring cash or your checkbook!
If you can’t make it to the session, you could still donate the $5 that you would have spent on admission...right here through this site. Every little bit helps and Austin and April would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!
A few of the items included in the silent auction are:
- 4 Tickets to the Temptations/Four Tops concert coming December 9th to Strathmore in Rockville (a $392 value!)
- HD Radio Receiver and Car Install Kit
- Tivo DVR
- Custom Made Fishing Rod
- Bed Bath Beyond Certificate for $50
- Olive Garden Certificate for $50
- Certificate For A Free Mr. Tire Oil Change & Lube
- Certificate For 25% Off A Mr. Tire Alignment and Free Tire Rotation & Balance
- And more!
The skating rink address and phone is:
Turner’s Skate Palace
17333 Virginia Avenue
Hagerstown, MD 21740
301) 582-2020
See you next week!
Update: Sunday, 10/04/2009...
A fund-raising skate session to help raise money for Austin and April has been set for Sunday October 25th 4:30PM until 7:30PM at Turner's Skate Palace in Hagerstown, MD! Admission is $5 and skate rental is free (if needed). Click here for Turner's Website directions. Austin and April's family will be there including their grandfather Dennis Brown who helped build, and operated the Rockville Wheel-A-While rink for 28 years befors the rink was sold in 2005.
Have a GPS or Nav System?
Turner's Skate Palace
17333 Virginia Avenue
Hagerstown, MD 21740
(301) 582-2020
In addition to a skating session, a 50/50 is planned, as well as a silent auction for prizes/gifts, and Austin and April will perform an exhibition skate (skating their competition routine) for everyone.
Many have asked about Austin and April's father, Danny, who was struck by lightning on July 23. Danny is home from the hospital after about a month there, and is on the tough road to recovery. Your well wishes are very appreciated. Danny will try to be at the session with the rest of the family on Oct 25th.
Facebook "Friends of Wheel-A-While" folks...
It looks like this Oct 25th session in Hagerstown is shaping up to be a Rockville Wheel-A-While reunion too! Many Rockville Wheel-A-While alumni have already confirmed that they will be there. Dennis Brown (Austin and April's grandfather) will be there and maybe we can get him to put his skates on!
So if you're not already planning to be there, do it! Make the short trip, catch up with your old Rockville Wheel-A-While friends, and help Austin and April...all at the same time (all proceeds from the session go towards Austin and April for the trip).
Also be sure to bookmark this web page and check back in early November for a link to where you can watch Austin and April compete LIVE from Freiburg, Germany.
Their current schedule is: (Changed and now posted above)
-
October 25, 2009 4:30PM to 7:30PM - Fundraising skate at Turner's Skate Palace in Hagerstown, MD
-
November 7, 2009 - Austin and April leave for Freiburg, Germany
-
November 11, 2009 - Austin and April are scheduled to skate their Short Program -
November 13, 2009 - Austin and April are scheduled to skate their Long Program
We'll post updates as changes occur. Thanks!
Update: Sunday, 9/13/2009...
Austin and April were featured in the September 13, 2009 issue of the Frederick News Post! Click here to read the article.
