For Cassidy Bunnell, Senior Skate Happens No Matter What
By Lori Johnson
BLACK RIVER FALLS - Skating is more than a sport - it’s a dedication. From the time people put on skates for the first time, and throughout their skating career, they imagine what it might be like for their final senior skate. Senior skaters in 2020 like Cassidy Bunnell could never have foreseen that their senior skating show, Hindsight is 20/20, would be cancelled because of the Corona Virus.
But in the spirit shown by the Black River Falls Figure Skating Club board, if they found if they couldn’t perform before a large audience, they could do what they were able - a special performance with a limited audience of family and a few friends so the seniors could have their final skates. Cassidy gave a flawless performance and to those who have followed her figure skating career, they knew a triumph when they saw it.
Cassidy was a five-years old kindergartener when she put on her first pair of skates and joined the Black River Falls Figure Skating Club. Unlike other skaters whose idols were Olympic skaters, Cass looked up to skaters who where close to home. Says Cass, “I always used to look up to the older skaters in our club and watching them skate inspired me so much. I really remember admiring and wanting to be like Mckenna Powell and Kacey Koenigs when I was younger. I loved being in all the ice shows--Decades, Seasons of Memories this year’s Hindsight is 20/20 to name a few.”
Skating was a joy to Cassidy and she worked hard at it. She has the distinction of receiving one of the first two Skating Letters at BRF High School while a freshman and sophomore. When competing, Cass has traveled all over the Midwest to competitions. She won over 50 medals and two trophies. When she competed with the Chippewa Valley High School Figure Skating Team, they placed first in the state.
All of this sounds like a skater’s dream come true, but unfortunately life had other plans and the dream ended. Cassidy’s skating career came to an abrupt halt, when at age 16, she was diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. POTS is a debilitating illness that makes blood pressure super low but heart rate super high, which causes passing out, nausea, migraines and more. It was a very scary and confusing time and ended with Cass not being able to skate or indeed, do much of any type of physical activity since her sophomore year.
Even with her diagnosis, Cassidy wasn’t about to stay away from the ice completely. She has devoted her time to coaching young skaters. “ I have loved being able to coach because it has kept me on the ice and being able to keep my relationships with everyone at the rink. I have had such a great time coaching synchronized skating and even more of a blast taking the teams to competitions.”
The closer it came to this year’s ice show, the more Cassidy thought about it, the more she was determined to skate one last skate, which shows how important this senior skate was for her. After not skating for two years, she managed to work her way to a senior solo and was excitedly looking forward to the show. But then the ball dropped, the event was cancelled and the senior skate was announced instead. Talk about another life curve!
“It was super hard to comprehend that my last senior skate was only being performed in front of my immediate family and other skating families, Cass admitted, “but it was better than nothing at all and the outcome was truly memorable! I was just so happy to be able to get back on the ice and give it my all one last time after being off the ice for two years. I proudly dedicated my solo, 'Heaven’s Not Too Far' by We Three, to Alec Muth, who was like a brother to me. He was the one who encouraged me to push harder at whatever I tried to do and was always on the sidelines cheering me on, so I know he would have been proud and happy for me.”
Beside Cassidy all the way has been her mom. Shannon Bunnell commented: “My Facebook feed has been flooding me with memories from past ice shows, and it’s so bittersweet knowing that this chapter of Cassidy’s life came to a close without the usual crazy ice show 'fun', without the overfilled crowds in the stands, without the struggle to get as much last minute ice time as possible. When Cassidy participated in her first ice show, she watched in awe as senior “princesses” skated their final programs and she never stopped that drive to get to that point of it being her. She spent the better part of the past 13 years on the ice, and it was definitely the most demanding but wonderful experience and both she and I, as a skater mom, wouldn’t change a thing. There are friends that came into our lives that we wouldn’t have had otherwise, and there are so many life long lessons that Cassidy has gained from skating. The past two years have been rough but she had been determined to do this senior solo despite her debilitating symptoms. Skating this solo was much more than taking the ice. It’s was the culmination of 13 years of tears and laughs, friendships and tribulations. It’s was smiling through her life that has changed so much and the family that left her side. It was taking a deep breath and hoping that her heart issues would be forgiving for two minutes to let this program happen and the pride when she was able to skate so beautifully. This final show was 'Hindsight is 20/20' and how ironic that has turned out to be given the current circumstances upon us.“
Looking back on her years of skating, Cassidy said “I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this without all the love and support I got over the past 13 years and am forever grateful for this sport and all the opportunities and friendships it left me.“
Looking forward, Cass plans a move to Eau Claire where she will be attending CVTC in the fall for Business Management, then hoping to transfer to a four year college to finish her education. Her class and work schedule will determine on whether or not she will able to commute to BRF to coach synchro. But whether or not she will continue coaching, you can bet that the memories of her skating career and all the young skaters she has influenced, will make Cass smile.
