NORWOOD, MASS. (WHDH) – It’s a big job reserved for some of the smallest skaters in the sport.
The ISU World Figure Skating Championships is coming to Boston. With the event comes an opportunity for a lucky few.
Kylin Palaseak is among the more than 200 skaters trying out to be a sweeper for the competition
“Nervous, a little queasy,” she said at tryouts in Norwood on Sunday. “But I’ll do it, hopefully I’ll get it.”
Doug Zeghibe, CEO and Executive Director of the Skating Club of Boston explained exactly what being a sweeper entails.
“Sweepers are the kids who skate to the ice after every performance and they pick up the flowers, stuffed animals all the things that spectators throw in appreciation and love for their favorite skater,” he said.
With so many talented young skaters, narrowing down the competition to just 40 sweepers will be a challenge.
Olympian and seven-time US national medalist Mirai Nagasu was judging the sweeper tryouts and said she was looking for “charism, confidence, and strong skating skill.”
“These are the things that will keep them involved in the sport and these will be the memories that they’ll remember forever,” she said. “I mean, they’re going to be sweeping at the TD Garden, and that is a really big deal.”
The skaters chosen to be sweepers will be announce Dec. 16.
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