Whiz Kid: Sennett Cooke

Whiz Kid: Sennett Cooke

Whiz Kid’s Age: 16

Whiz Kid’s School: Pelham Memorial High School

Whiz Kid’s Accomplishments:

Sennett Cooke laced up her first pair of skates when she was 4 years old and joined the prominent tri-state area synchronized skating team--the Skyliners--when she was six. She has been skating competitively ever since.

Sennett competes from November to March every year. Competitions involve a short program of two and a half minutes and a long program of four and a half minutes with 16 skaters gliding across the ice in precisely choreographed routines.  

When Sennett isn't competing, she still hits the ice to practice, participate in tryouts, clinics and synchronized skating camps. Sennett is currently a member of the most advanced line. Her team meets three times a week for three hours and practices are held at various locations including Hommocks rink in Mamaroneck, Rye Playland in Rye, and the Ice Hutch in Mount Vernon. The time commitment can increase when competition time nears.

“I keep skating for my teammates, I love the girls on my team,” Sennett said.

This year alone, Sennett and her team have traveled to many competitions all around the country. In early March, Sennett traveled to the synchronized skating U.S. Nationals in Ontario, CA. There, she and her team were named U.S. National Champions.  Later that month, they traveled to Neuchatel, Switzerland for the Junior World Championships and placed fifth.

Whiz Kid’s Key to Awesomeness:

Even though skating is a major time commitment, Sennett still manages to represent her country at world championships, while still balancing a rigorous course load involving AP Biology and SAT prep.

“We travel internationally every year and getting to step on the ice representing the United States of America is so cool,” she said.

According to Sennett, the most rewarding part of skating for her is the amazing bonds she's formed on the ice.

“I’ve become such good friends with so many girls from so many other teams," Sennett remarked. "I go to camp with them, and I’ll see them at competitions and they’ll beat us and we’ll beat them. But, it doesn’t even matter because we’ve become such good friends.“

In addition to her accomplishments on the ice, Sennett is involved with Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) and is an aspiring digital photographer. She also participates in community service initiatives when her busy schedule allows. Sennett has participated in numerous charity skate-a-thons and organized a car wash to benefit the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center where a close friend of hers was being treated. This spring she also plans to participate in Relay For Life