USS Names the 2023-24 Short Track Development Skaters of the Year
USS is proud to announce your Short Track Development Skaters of the Year; Elizabeth Rhodehamel and Sean Shuai! These skaters were awarded this title based off of their performances during the 2023-24 season. We asked each skater to fill out a questionnaire to get to know more about their speed skating careers, hobbies and so much more! To learn more about Elizabeth and Sean, read what they had to say below.
Name: Eliza Rhodehamel
Age: 16
Club: Pettit National Ice Center Speedskating Team
Coach: Hongyang Wang
Who inspires you in speed skating?
Many higher level skaters inspire me as role models, as well as my teammates and coach who inspire me to work harder.
Where will you be in ten years?
In ten years I hope to be able to say I have represented Team USA at the Olympics. While I’m not yet sure what career I want to pursue in the future, I’d like to have completed my education and started a career I enjoy.
What other sports do you play?
While my priorities are speed skating, I still enjoy figure skating. I don’t compete anymore but participate in shows and exhibitions for fun.
What are your other hobbies?
I enjoy being outside, doing things like hiking or swimming as well as doing crafts, and hanging out with friends.
How did you get involved in speed skating?
I started off figure skating and my mom saw a flier for speed skating at a local rink. At first, I hated it because the blades were harder to walk in than figure skates. After I got used to the blades I started to like it. Then I went to a camp at the Pettit that inspired me to work harder and train under Coach Hongyang.
What would you consider your greatest accomplishment?
I would consider my greatest accomplishment to be competing at the Youth Olympic Games and earning a silver medal with my teammates in the mixed relay.
What is your favorite subject in school?
My favorite subject is social science because I enjoy learning about behavioral sciences as well as economics. I also have a great teacher who makes it fun to learn.
What are your goals for speed skating in the next few years?
My goals for the upcoming years are to improve my seed rank and work hard to try to make the Junior championship team next year.
What is your favorite exercise during dryland training?
My favorite dryland exercise is biking. I think it is an effective and fun way to get a workout in.
What’s your favorite post-race snack?
After races I usually eat fruits, most frequently oranges or grapes since they are sweet and refreshing but I like all fruits.
Where is your favorite place to race?
Easily the Pettit National Ice Center is my favorite, it’s my home rink and I think it has the best ice quality.
What’s your craziest hidden talent?
I’m actually a master at doing the worm.
Anything else you’d like to share?
I’m very thankful to have been given this award and proud to be acknowledged by USS.
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Name: Sean B. Shuai
Age: 17
Club: FAST Team
Coach: Li Geng
Who inspires you in speed skating?
Definitely my current coach, Li Geng. She has helped me the most over the past one and a half years and is one of the biggest reasons why I’m where I am today. I am also inspired by any skater who has integrity and a strong work ethic and shares the same analytical approach to skating techniques as I do.
Where will you be in ten years?
I may be still skating or have already moved on with life as an electrical engineer or a physician.
What other sports do you play?
I enjoy running and also play basketball with my dad sometimes.
What are your other hobbies?
Origami and watching any skating videos I can dig up that I haven’t already watched.
How did you get involved in speed skating?
I attended a couple of speed skating sessions at our local rink for fun when I lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma. At the time I was playing ice hockey with no idea I would enter this sport at a later age. When my family moved to Virginia, I participated in a hockey summer camp at Reston Skatequest. The former Dominion Speedskating Club happened to be training on the Olympic-sized sheet of ice right across from us then. One day when I was watching the Club skate out of curiosity, the team manager brought me a pair of skates and invited me to try them on ice, which I did. I switched to speed skating after that.
What would you consider your greatest accomplishment?
As of now, it’s probably the 2000m mixed relay silver medal from the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games. It was such a great experience to win a medal as a team. It’s an experience I’d love to share with my teammates again.
What is your favorite subject in school?
I don’t know, but if I had to choose, it’d be physics.
What are your goals for speed skating in the next few years?
I hope to become a world champion in any individual distance within the next 3 years.
What is your favorite exercise during dryland training?
I love all dryland exercises equally except for 4-ways, which I despise with a passion.
What’s your favorite post-race snack?
If it doesn’t have to be healthy, it’d probably be spicy wings or braised pork belly.
Where is your favorite place to race?
The Gangneung Ice Arena in South Korea. The ice there wasn’t as fast as Salt Lake’s ice but held up much better when I needed to apply a lot of pressure.
What’s your craziest hidden talent?
I have perfect pitch. I can also memorize and copy physical actions with a quick glance.