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Press Release
HAYDENETTES TEAM MANAGER GAIL HANSON-MAYER RECOGNIZED WITH SKATING AWARD
Long-Time Volunteer Awarded 2009 Phoebe Weston Award as Outstanding Volunteer
Lexington, MA, November 1, 2009 – The Hayden Synchronized Skating Teams announced that Haydenettes long-time Team Manager and Lexington resident, Gail Hanson-Mayer was named the recipient of the 2009 Phoebe Weston Award, presented by the Yarmouth Figure Skating Club. This annual award is given to an outstanding volunteer in the sport of figure skating who is not an official, but rather a person who has dedicated their time, knowledge and expertise to help the grass roots skating community reach their goals and aspirations.
The Yarmouth Figure Skating Club created the Phoebe Weston Skating Volunteer Award to honor an adult member of U.S. Figure Skating whose contributions are emblematic of Phoebe Weston’s passion and love of figure skating. The award is presented annually at the Cranberry Open Skating Competition for which Phoebe was the key reason for its National and International success
The sudden passing of Phoebe Weston in January 2005 shocked the New England skating community. Phoebe was a woman who gave selflessly of her time, knowledge, and expertise to teach others how to face the obstacles and successes of the sport she loved. She shared personal experiences, ideas and encouragement to help others understand the positive impact figure skating, at all levels, can have on lives. Although deeply involved with all aspects of figure skating, she never pursued official appointments. Her focus was on loving the sport and sharing her wealth of knowledge and information with skaters, parents, coaches and grass roots organizations.
Gail Hanson-Mayer is the Team Manager for the Haydenettes, U.S. Figure Skating’s reigning Silver Medalists in Synchronized Team Skating. The Haydenettes are the 17-Time U.S. Synchronized Team Skating Champions and ten-time World Championship competitors. Gail has been involved in the Hayden organization for nineteen years and the Team Manager for the Haydenettes since 1998 when her daughter was a member of the Haydenettes team. Gail continues today, long after her daughter left the team for college, graduated and has begun a career of her own.
Phoebe’s daughter, Wendy Enzmann, a former member of the Haydenettes, reacted positively when she saw Gail’s name in nomination. She immediately told her brother David and father Bob that from her own personal experience “Gail was the perfect person to be recognized for this Award”.
“In the tradition of my mother, Phoebe Weston, it is always the people behind the scenes that make it all work. They don’t care about getting credit, their only concern is making it happen. Through the years Gail has touched many young skaters, giving them a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen and encouragement when discouraged. Her knowledge and experience has helped coaches, parents and skaters carry on the great traditions of the Haydenettes,” noted Wendy Enzmann.
Commenting on the Award, Hayden’s synchronized teams’ General Manager, Mary Jane Hanlon-Rogers said, “the Hayden organization and the Haydenettes owe so much to Gail Hanson-Mayer. It is impractical to list her contributions because there have been so many over the years and it continues virtually every day today. More importantly, it is impossible to fully describe the positive impacts she has had on the team, and on the individual skaters. Many have come here to live their dreams, which become team goals and has resulted in the reality of success for so many. Gail helps make those goals positive life experiences, whether in victory or in disappointment. The Hayden organization has been very blessed to have had her support all of these years,” concluded Hanlon-Rogers.