For the skaters of the Ice Denettes Tenacity Masters team, the road from last season's heartbreak to their triumphant finish at the 2026 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships was defined by one thing: the unshakeable belief that resilience can rewrite any story.

Last season was a testing of their strength. The team, who represents the Desert Ice Skating Club of Arizona and trains at the Ice Den in Chandler and Scottsdale, experienced challenges from the start of their competitive season. At their first competition, the 2025 Synchro Fall Classic, a teammate was seriously injured. A few weeks later, at the 2025 Pacific Coast Synchronized Skating Sectional, Tenacity narrowly missed qualifying for the 2025 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships.

 
"During our sectional performance, a hairpiece fell onto the ice," said Jaime Kalnicky, who serves as the Ice Den's director of synchronized skating. "A couple of teammates instinctively went to grab it. In doing so, they exited the element in a different direction than the rest of the team, which resulted in a missed element."
 
It was a moment that stunned the team.
 
"We're a team that skates with a lot of confidence, so having something like that happen, was humbling," Kalnicky admitted.
 
Tara Patterson, the senior director of skating and programming, reflected on just how difficult that stretch of the season was for the team.  
 
"It felt like the season slipped away before it really got going, and there weren't many positives to hold onto, which made it even harder," Patterson said.
 
Tenacity used the struggles of the past season to fuel their future, and a catalyst for growth and improvement.
 
"One big change we made was adding more performance opportunities throughout the season," Kalnicky said. "We wanted to get as comfortable as possible performing in full costume, so nothing felt new or distracting on competition day. Those extra exhibitions helped rebuild our confidence and allowed us to move past some of the doubts from the previous season."
 
The theme of redemption became an anchor for the team, Patterson said.
 
"After the previous season, we felt strongly that we needed something meaningful and powerful," she said. "Redemption kept coming to mind — it just fit where we were as a team. We chose music that reflected that strength and determination."
 
The team chose to perform to "Survivor" by 2WEI, a bold anthem of resilience.
 
"Survivor is about getting through the ick that was last season," skater Angela Lepore said. "The lyrics tie into the experience that we had at sectionals the year before, but how in the end, we'll be the last ones standing. It was motivational and exactly what we needed to move forward."
 
Lepore's teammate, Kaitlyn Gardner, agreed.
 
"Skating to 'Survivor' felt powerful," Gardner said. "After the challenges last year, performing that song felt like a statement about our resilience as a team."
 
In January 2026, Tenacity was one of 12 teams to qualify for the 2026 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships in Salt Lake City, Utah. Though the team felt prepared, they knew they would face stiff competition.
 
In the end, the team had its "redemption skate" — earning a score of 55.60 points and winning the 2026 title.
 
"I was nervous at nationals because I knew what we were capable of based on our preparation, and I wanted us to skate to our full potential," Gardner said. "And we did exactly that."
 
Their win in Salt Lake City felt like a full-circle moment for the team, Kalnicky said.
 
"This whole season felt like something to celebrate," she said.
 
Even as they rejoice in their season of redemption, Tenacity doesn't want to rest on their laurels.
 
"Tryouts are already underway, and we're hopeful to have a majority of the team returning," Kalnicky said. "There's a lot of excitement around building on this momentum and seeing what this team can do next season."
 
Looking back, the team sees the past two seasons as a testament to growth — not just technical, but emotional, Patterson said.
 
"As a newer organization, we're always learning and growing," Patterson said. "These past two seasons really showed us — and our younger teams — that setbacks are part of the journey. It's how you respond to them that really defines you. That resilience and teamwork — that's the real win."