By ERIC STARLING / For the Reporter

Alyssa McDougal and Paul Schatz have been skating for most of their lives.  However, during that time, they say they have never felt the love and support from their community and skating family as they are experiencing at this point in their careers.

On Jan. 17, the community turned out to send the pair off to Saint Paul, Minn., for the 2016 Prudential United States Figure Skating Championships.

“We spend so much time practicing, but we hear about what the community is doing for us and we just wanted to take this opportunity to say thanks by performing our short routine,” stated McDougal.

While the Birmingham City Council and Pelham Council have supported the team, there has also been great community support with donations and t-shirt sales helping to raise funds for the pair.

Schatz and McDougal have a combined 27 years of skating experience, but have been skating together for just the last four years.  For the last three years they have competed in the USFS Eastern Sectionals Championships placing as high as third in competition.

This week’s event in Minnesota will be the first time that the pair have participated in a senior level event.

“This year there is not an Olympic qualifier, but this event can help us make a name for ourselves as we prepare for 2018,” stated Schatz. “We hope to move from this event into international competitions, earning points towards qualifiers. We must build an international name for ourselves to launch our bid to make Team USA.”

The team trained together in Florida before coming to the facility in Pelham.  They said they hope that their success and the fans that have joined them in this endevour will inspire the next generation of skaters to come to the Birmingham Figure Skating Club to train.

 

Schatz noted, “the facilities here are top notch and the coaches are the best.  We hope our exposure can help this place blow up on the national scene.”

The Birmingham Figure Skating Club and Alyssa and Paul all have Facebook pages for fans to follow along as the team competes.  Schatz says stay on the watch for the upcoming Twitter account to be started so all of their followers can share encouragement and follow in their travels.

McDougal and Schatz travelled to Saint Paul, Minn., Jan. 19 with their head coach Eric Mumper and coaching team Heather Mumper, Doug Mattis and Danny Tate.

According to Heather Mumper, a member of their coaching staff, the cost at the championship level is immense and while there has been great support, the road doesn’t end in Minnesota.

If you wish to donate to our Birmingham pairs team as they work towards their goal of making the 2018 Olympic team, you can do so by visiting the Facebook pages and donating through the Birmingham Figure Skating Club non profit.

To find out more about the event and find how you can view their performance, visit 2016uschampionships.com.