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6 | July 12, 2018 | The highland park landmark News
hplandmark.com
Highland Park dance team wins U.S. Finals championship
Erin Yarnall, Editor
Zoey
Submitted by Sheri Jacobs
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and information to Editor Erin Yarnall at erin@hplandmark.com.
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The Soul2Sole dance team, which is based in Highland Park, won first
place at the U.S. Finals in Hoffman Estates in April. Photo submitted
Arden Brin didn’t know if she
would make the Soul2Sole dance
team when she auditioned.
The 9-year-old Highland Park resident
was trying out amongst other
girls who were older than her, but she
made it.
And now she’s a member of a
dance team that won the U.S. Finals
at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman
Estates in April.
“I was so excited,” Brin said. “All
of our hard work paid off.”
The youth prep poms team is comprised
of eight members, Brin being
one of the youngest.
“When I first tried out I thought I
couldn’t do it and I would be let go
by the team,” Brin said. “[I thought]
I wasn’t working hard enough as the
other girls, but it turned out I made it.”
The team beat out 35 other squads
from around the country to win first
place at the competition.
“They hit everything, their jumps
were super high,” coach Lizzy Petruzzi
said. “It was one of the best
performances, if not the best performance
they’ve been in.”
The win comes in spite of problems
that the team had with the performance
floor.
“They performed on a different
floor than what they’re used to,” Petruzzi
said. “There were super tiny
slip-ups, which couldn’t be helped
just because the floor was carpeted,
which isn’t what they’re used to.”
The team practiced their routine
twice a week, every week throughout
their 10 month season, and would also
go to a weekly ballet class together.
Through spending so much time
together at practices, and other teambonding
events, the dancers said they
became more like “sisters.”
“Everything is like a sisterly love,”
said Buffalo Grove resident and
member of the team Emily Van Kell.
“We all trusted each other and we all
have so much fun together.”
Soul2Sole, which is based in Highland
Park, opened as a dance school
in 2016, and this past season was the
team’s second season of competitions.
“The program is really young but
it’s continuing to build,” Petruzzi
said.
The team is holding auditions in
August for the 2018-2019 season.
Runners take part in 5K for SMILE program
Matt Huppert
Freelance Reporter
The Park District Highland
Park ignited their
week of Fourth of July celebrations
with their annual
Firecracker 5K Run and
Two Mile Walk Saturday
morning at Sunset Woods
Park.
Around 200 runners participated
in this year’s 11th
annual event, an increased
attendance from last year,
said Mitch Carr, the assistant
director of Recreation
and Facilities at the Park
District of Highland Park.
Racers began amidst the
tree-covered paths of Sunset
Woods Park, then headed
through the streets of
downtown, making their
way toward Park Avenue
beach and back towards
Sunset Woods, where
welcomed refreshments
awaited them.
Carr said both the race
itself and the subsequent
activities allow for all levels
of runners, walkers and
community members to
enjoy the annual event.
“If you are a competitive
5K runner it offers a
challenging element with
the hill coming out of
Park Ave beach,” he said.
“If you are a couch-to-5K
runner, the majority of the
rest of the course is flat, so
overall it is a very manageable
beginner course.
If you are a family looking
for a family friendly
walk, with fun activities,
we have that covered too.”
Following the race and
subsequent walk, medals
were awarded for the top
male and female finishers.
The top male and female
finishers this year were
Ryan Ruhstrat of Murfreesboro,
Tennessee and
Rosalyn Cooper of Glenview.
Proceeds from the race
will be used to help fund
the Park District’s SMILE
Grant-in-Aid program,
Park District Director of
Communications and Marketing
Liz Gogola said.
The program allows
residents in financial need
to have access to various
leisure Park District programs,
such as their camps
and fitness memberships.
In the past year, $110,000
in grant money was given
to over 85 families through
SMILE.
Carr said the Firecracker
5K feels special each year
because it brings residents
together to give in a enthusiastic
way to the SMILE
program.
“I love the fact that [the
5K] offers the community
the opportunity to come
together for a good cause
at a family fun event,” he
said. “It has something for
everyone.”