Did you know? Brittany and Andrew have a "really cool" handshake that they do at the end of every session. Brittany wears Jackson skates with Paramount blades. Andrew wears Brittany considers herself a great multi-tasker. "You know — chewing gum, watching TV, doing homework and stretching all at the same time," Brittany said. Andrew went on a roller coaster for the first time at the Mall of America in Minneapolis, Minn., during the 2008 U.S. Championships. Brittany lived in Glenview, Ill., from first grade through sixth grade and attended Winkelman Elementary. "I love all my friends from Glenview," she said. Andrew has one pre-competition ritual. "I always wipe both of my skate blades off before I get into position at the beginning of our programs," he said. Brittany likes to travel. "Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park are my favorite family vacation places," she said. Andrew wants to become a skating coach after finishing college. |
Team
 |
Profile Names Brittany Chase and Andrew Speroff Coaches Dalilah Sappenfield Choreographer Dalilah Sappenfield Home Club Broadmoor Skating Club Training Facility Colorado Springs World Arena Training Towns Colorado Springs, Colorado |
Biography
Brittany and Andrew have been skating together since the end of August 2007.
"My former partner and I split up at the end of August and I was faced with
sitting out the qualifying season," Andrew said. His coach Dalilah Sappenfield suggested he tryout with Brittany even though she had no pairs experience.
"I told Dalilah the second week of August that I wanted to skate pairs and Andrew was open so we had a try-out the next day," Brittany said. "It all happened really fast."
"The tryout went great," Andrew said. It was all Brittany and Andrew needed to make the decision of becoming partners with the sectional championships and national championships all being held before the end of January.
But before they could compete, Brittany had to pass all four pair skating tests in one week to allow the team to get their qualifying competition paperwork in just in time for the September deadline — and she did it.
"The next two months were filled with lots of hard work," Andrew said. "Since Brittany had never skated pairs before she had to learn everything very fast. We managed to get the elements we needed and our programs put together just in time for Midwesterns (sectionals)."
The team won the short program at the sectional championships. Brittany and Andrew qualified for nationals by finishing second overall to Brynn Carman and Christopher Knierim, the 2007 U.S. Championship novice pairs pewter medalists.
"Another quick two months and we were at Nationals where we again finished first in the short program and second overall to Brynn and Chris," Andrew said. The pair topped teams who had more experience than the short five months that Brittany and Andrew prepared.
"Right after nationals we received more exciting news when we were named as third alternates for the World Junior Championships," Andrew said. The pair hopes to compete internationally for the first time by earning an assignment on the 2008 Junior Grand Prix circuit.
"With Nationals behind us we are very excited that we now finally have time to work on new elements and further develop our partnership," Andrew said. They are working on adding a triple twist and throw triple jumps to their programs.
The team trains with coaches Dalilah Sappenfield and Lei'Ian McLaughlin at the World Arena in Colorado Springs, Colo. Brittany and Andrew receive additional coaching from Becky Bradley and Eddie Shipstead.
Programs
2008-2009
Short Program — Schindler's List
Free Skate — "Adagio in G Minor" composed by Albinoni
2007-2008
Short Program — Soda Pop
Free Skate — Adams Family soundtrack
Exhibition — Shout
Brittany Chase and Andrew Speroff Online is written and produced by
Brittany Chase, Andrew Speroff
and the Chase and Speroff families in cooperation with Figure Skaters Online and the webmaster.
Design photos are courtesy of Leah Adams, Paul Harvath and Michelle Harvath.
Inset photos courtesy of Brittany Chase and Andrew Speroff.