About Us

KID SPOTLIGHT

May 2002

Charlsie & Madison Bastian

Age: Charlsie: 9; Madison: 6

Hometown: Arlington, Neb.

Club: Precise Ice FSC

Skating level: Charlsie: preliminary; Madison: pre-preliminary

How often we skate: We both skate four days a week — Charlsie for 1-1/2 hours a day and Madison for one hour a day.

How we got started skating: Charlsie: My grandmother found an ad for learn to skate, and I started taking lessons. After a year and a half, my coach Heather Sniteman was teaching me in learn to skate. I liked skating and her so much that my mom asked her to coach me. Madison: I was at Charlsie's first competition and saw other 3 and 4-year-olds skating, so I told my mom that if they could skate, I could skate, too!

Favorite skaters: Our favorite skaters are Michelle Kwan because of her grace and beauty on the ice and Sasha Cohen because her birthday is the same as Charlsie's birthday.

Favorite jumps/moves: Charlsie: I like learning my double jumps. They are hard, but I can do my double Salchow, and I am close on my double loop and double toe. Madison: I like the Axel. I just started working on it in January, and I can almost land it.

Favorite skating moments: Charlsie: When I got two first places in preliminary at St. Joseph's competition this fall. Madison: When I got three first places in pre-preliminary at Winterfestival. It was my first time competing at that level.

Goals: Charlsie: I want to skate at regionals for the first time this fall. I also want to have all my double jumps by then. Madison: I hope to skate preliminary by August so I can compete at the Colorado Championships.

What we like about skating: Charlsie: Everything! I think it's a great sport. I love the freedom I have on the ice to do and learn new things. Madison: I like it because I want to get better than my sister, so I try really hard to get better.

What else you should know about us: Charlsie: I am a straight-A student. I am also on two dance teams that compete in national competitions in ballet, tap, jazz, clogging and acrobatics. Madison: I am also a dancer. I am on one competitive clogging team and take ballet, tap, acrobatics and clogging. We have two cats — Nike and Fat Louie. We also have a very supportive mom, dad, momo and popo (grandparents) who make sure we get to the rink on time as much as possible.