The Pittsfield FSC

     2022 Graduating Seniors

​               

​​​​​​​​​​

​                                             

​                   

​EMMA​ LYMAN

​

​Emma Lyman is a 17-year-old high honors senior at Taconic High School. She is a member of the National Honors Society and a student in the CTE class of Early Education and Care. She has also worked backstage for her school’s musicals and their Shakespeare Fall Festival plays. Emma plans to attend Berkshire Community College in the fall with a focus on Early Education and Care. Her goal is to become a preschool teacher.

Emma has been skating with the Pittsfield Figure Skating Club for 11 years and was on the Pittsfield Pinwheels synchronized skating team for 5 years. Over the past 11 years, she has had many achievements. One of her most memorable ones is placing first with the Pittsfield Pinwheels in the 2017 Lee Ann Miele Competition.

“I would like to thank all my friends, family, coaches, and skating peers for being a part of my experience here at the Pittsfield Figure Skating Club. I would like to thank my parents and grandparents for always supporting me and cheering me on, even when they had to travel to do it. Thank you to all my coaches for teaching me all that I know and for helping me when I needed it. I would not have made it this far without you guys and for that I am very grateful. I am so very thankful for all the friends I got to make during my time here and I am going to miss you all so much. It wasn’t until after the world broke and we all had to quarantine inside our homes that I realized just how much skating meant to me. So, I am very thankful that I got to do this one more time before I start college next fall. Thank you to all my fellow skaters, old and new, for making me feel welcomed. I love you guys so so much and I wish you all the best. I will miss each and every single one of you guys after this is over. To all the coaches I’ve had over the past 11 years and to all my fellow skaters that I have had the privilege to meet over the past 11 years, you guys are my skating family. Both on and off the ice.

​

​

SAMANTHA TAXTER​

​

​

​Samantha is a graduating senior at Miss Hall’s School. During her time at Miss Hall’s, she has been an engaged and supportive member of the school community. She is currently a co-head of the Art and Design Club, a senior class representative on the Social Committee, and an intern for the Media Team. She is a Head’s List student and received two Rising Distinction Awards in both Spanish and expressive arts during her junior year. Samantha is a passionate contributor towards the arts community as a violinist in the chamber ensemble and by installing visual art shows for her classes at school. 

Samantha started skating at the Pittsfield Figure Skating Club when she was six years old. She is currently working on her Juvenile moves in the field, Juvenile freestyle, and Pre-Silver partnered dance tests. Samantha has recently experimented with choreography and used her senior skate program as an opportunity to showcase this adventure. She loves to spin and attempt new artistic skills. Samantha has begun coaching for the Learn to Skate programs at the Pittsfield Figure Skating Club and the Christmas Brook Figure Skating Club. Samantha placed first at the 2020 Bay State Games competition and looks forward to participating in more competitions after high school. 

“I would like to thank my coach, Cheri Daub, for so many years of guidance in this sport. Your support has made me a determined, curious, poised skater and I look up to you and appreciate you immensely. I would also like to thank my parents and my brother for always pushing me to show my best. You have dedicated countless hours of your own lives towards my skating career, and I am so unbelievably grateful for that and for you. I also thank Katie Malone-Smith for many rants and rides to the rink. I admire you and your skating beyond words. Finally, I am thankful for my friends and peers I’ve met through skating. You all are incredibly funny and talented and I know you’ll go on to accomplish amazing feats as you have during your time here. Thank you endlessly.”

​

CAROLINE GILLETTE

​

Caroline is a senior at Mt Greylock Regional High School. She has been skating at the PFSC since she was 4 years old. She was a member of the Pittsfield Pinwheels and has spent many years volunteering with the younger skaters in the club. This year she has been coaching with the Learn to Skate kids. She was a recipient of the Jamie Drennon Spirit and Sportsmanship award, and the Boys Club Golden Skate award.

Caroline has completed her Juvenile Moves in the Field, Pre-Juvenile Free Skate, Pre-Bronze Dances and her Juvenile Solo Dance. In 2019 she won a bronze medal at Bay State Winter Games which qualified her to compete in State Games of America in Lynchburg, VA, where she took 5th place. In 2020, she won the gold medal at Bay State Winter Games which has qualified her to go to Iowa State Games of America this summer. She is currently working on passing her Juvenile Free Skate.

Besides skating, Caroline rides horses and snowmobiles and loves to hang out with her friends. She travels with her family carnival business in the summer time and will be going to school in the fall for nursing.

I would like to thank my wonderful coaches Tracy and Amy! Amy , for always being my motivator and encouraging me to always be my best even when I felt down. Tracy , for being the “bad cop” and pushing me to excel when I didn’t think I could do it, you believed in me. Without the 2 of you, I would not nearly be the skater or person I am today. I also want to thank my wonderful family for putting up with dancing my programs in my socks on the kitchen floor over and over, my dad, Rachel my big sister, and my “co-co-coach” brother Alex. I will miss all my skating sisters, and am thankful for the friends I have made at the club, and my best friends Daniella and Briana. Thank you especially to my mom who has been on the board for many years and part of what I do, and putting up with my ankle complaints! I want to dedicate my solo to my Grandpa who passed away but who never missed any competition or show, and who is always with me on the ice.

Alayna Schwarzer

​

Alayna is an honors  senior at Mt Greylock Regional High School. She has been skating with the PFSC since she was six years old. She has skated with the Pittsfield Pinwheels and volunteers with the Learn to Skate Program. Alayna has received the Jamie Drennon Sportsmanship Award and the Pittsfield Pinwheels Team Spirit Award. 

Alayna has passed her Pre-Juvenile Moves in the Field, Preliminary Free Skate, Bronze Dances, and her Juvenile Solo Dance. She is currently working on passing her Juvenile Moves in the Field. 

Outside of skating, Alayna is the president of her National Honors Society chapter and associate editor of her school newspaper. In her free time, she also works at the Clark Art and loves to hike. Next year, Alayna will be majoring in Political Science and Data Analysis. 

“I would like to thank everyone at the PittsfieldFigure Skating Club for making my time here so amazing. To my coaches, Amy MacDonald and Tracy Fancher, I don’t know where I would be without you. You each taught me how to believe in myself and how to face the challenges of both life and skating. Thank you to my family for supporting me and for running the concession stand when nobody else wanted to. Thank you to all of the friends I have made over the years here. I am going to miss you all  incredibly. To my fellow seniors, Emma, Sam, Sophia, and Caroline, I could not be prouder to see how far you have come on and off the ice. I can’t wait to see what you accomplish next. I am forever grateful for you all, thank you. “

Sophia Mele

 Sophia began skating with PFSC at the age of 5: the goal to be an Ice Princess. Reminded she might start out like
BAMBI until she got the hang of it.

Experiencing her first show as a Snowman, Sophia faithfully returned the second year to finally wear a
“Snow-dress”.

Sophia’s skates soon became extensions of her legs, and with a lot of fun and hard work along the way, she earned a bronze medal in the Preliminary Girls Test Track at the Bay State Winter Games in 2018. Sophia was also a member of the Pittsfield Pinwheels Synchro Team for many years making life-long friends and winning a gold-medal for THRILLER. Sophia currently trains for her bronze single and partner dances, freestyle, and juvenile moves in the field.

In 2021, Sophia became a junior coach at PFSC and enjoys sharing her love of skating with other emerging skaters. Sophia gives love and thanks to Amy and Tracy for their coaching, their friendship, and being a constant source of inspiration and
encouragement; always believing in her.

Outside of the rink, you will find Sophia trailblazing around Berkshire County as a Mt. Greylock National Honor student, a
full-time Early College Student at Berkshire Community College, a Target colleague, an athlete, a terrific friend to many, and a wonderfully talented, loving Daughter and Sister. Thank you, PFSC.