Matthew Kennedy "Creativeskater", for Jan./Feb. 2011
By: Elizabeth Hollett Shackett

Matthew Kennedy started skating at age 5 in a Learn-to-Skate program followed by a Bridge Program and finally, into private lessons and competitive skating. Now at age 9, Matthew has performed in his skating club’s annual ice show, passed US Figure Skating Tests, and has medalled in local and statewide competitions. Undeniably, Matthew loves figure skating and especially the challenges the sport brings him.

Matthew feels that his strength is jumping. His favorites are the axel and double salchow. In fact, he won a trophy for being the first to land 8 out of 10 axels this past August. His technical coach, Marcia Walkney, set the challenge. It was a friendly competition among our students that inspired him and the others to work hard on this critical jump. Matthew set out to meet the challenge first. He put endless effort into his axel the trophy was most satisfying for him.

Matthew not only skates but plays soccer too. This 4th-grader says soccer helps skating with agility and endurance whereas “skating helps me have better balance and helps me with my footwork in soccer.” Besides soccer and skating, he is also a Webelo Cub Scout and volunteers with his father for Habitat for Humanity. His favorite school subjects are Math, Science, and Reading. Matthew’s mother and younger brother also skate.

I have been Matthew’s choreographer for approximately two years. Regardless of his obvious
passion for jumping, he also likes the challenge of interpreting the music, linking steps and
developing his movement across the ice. Choreography is a challenge in itself but Matthew takes
it head on.

Mathews's Upcoming Events:
           Jan. 2011:     Keystone State Games, York, PA
         April 2011:     Annual Ice Show; Aston, PA
      Spring 2011:     Pre-Juvenile Move In The Field Test.
         June 2011:     New Jersey Council Championships

A Parents Perspective:
"Matthew likes learning from Elizabeth as she has helped him skate to music better and pay
more attention to his posture and arms. Matthew's dad and I are appreciative of her patience
in working with his sometimes over-abundant energy and scattered attention, and that she can
skating.  I love she incorporates some of his quirky moves into his program to reflect his
individuality. I have noticed that some of his boyish awkwardness and roughness has been giving
way to more power, flow and maybe the beginnings of some finesse in his skating. Elizabeth
has been such a positive influence on Matthew and I hope that he will continue skating with and
learning from her for a long time to come. "   Mary and John Kennedy

Tests Passed
Preliminary Moves in the Field
Pre-Preliminary Freeskate