Lenny Raney, 16, is a two-time North Atlantic Regional Novice men's champion (2003 & 2004) whose 3rd place finish at Eastern Sectionals in November 2003 qualified him for his first trip to the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Atlanta, Georgia, January 3-11, 2004.  He represents the Skating Club of New York and is coached by Peter Burrows and Marylynn Gelderman.

How does it feel to qualify for your first "senior" nationals in your third season as a novice?
One word sums everything I've felt since qualifying, "FINALLY!!!"

Can you summarize your skating so far this season, from summer and fall club competitions, to North Atlantic Regionals and Eastern Sectionals?
My season started off pretty well.  I won everything I competed in up until Easterns, which includes NACS Lake Placid, Challenge Cup, Mid-Atlantics, and North Atlantic Regionals.  Everything was progressing very well until right after Mid-Atlantics.  In the beginning of October, I contracted tendonitis in my landing foot, which forced me to take off a week right before Norths, a week right before Easterns, and between the beginning of October and the week of Easterns, I couldn't train programs properly or practice upper-tier triple jumps.  Talk about your bad luck!

When and how did you begin skating and how?
I began when about when I was 9 years old.  As to how, well, first I laced the rental skates on and then I stepped onto the ice... No, I'm playing, my grandmother thought it was such a pretty sport and I guess she wanted me to try... Little did she know...

What has been the most memorable experience in your skating career so far?
There are two -- the month of October and most of November this year, and Mid-Atlantics this year.  I say the month of October because that was "skating hell," if there is such a thing.  With the injury, trying to skate and run through longs and even practice lower-tier triples was a major obstacle, and I'll ever take my physical health for granted ever again.  This year, at Mid-Atlantics [Skating Club of NY's annual September club competition in New York City], I performed the best I ever have in my life.  In my long I landed everything I tried, with small cheats on triple lutz and triple axel.  That was the first seven triple program I've tried, and probably the last until next year!

Do you have an embarrassing moment in skating that you can share?
No, unfortunately for your readers' entertainment, I don't ever do anything embarrassing or ever get embarrassed... ever... Next question!  (Translation: there is no way I'm EVER sharing my most embarrassing moments on a publicly viewed website!)

How long have you been working with your current coaches, Peter Burrows and Marylynn Gelderman?  How would you describe their respective coaching styles and methods?
I've been working with them for about four years.  Mr. Burrows and Marylynn both teach jumps, ironically in different ways.  But their techniques compliment each other to create the best result possible.  Both are very caring and talented coaches, but they have their key differences that, in the strangest way, compliment each other.  Mr. Burrows is more quiet and less emotional than Marylynn.  He tells you what you need to know to accomplish whatever you are trying to do, and that's all.  Marylynn is much more verbal and much more involved with the skater.  If I am having technical problems with my jumps, I will go to Mr. Burrows.  If I am having problems with the program or problems working out something, I'd most likely go to Marylynn.  They are one of our nation's best coaching teams and I will continue taking from them as long as God is willing.

Were you surprised to be invited to compete in a 2003 North American Challenge Skate, and what was the experience (including winning the novice men's gold medal) this past July in Lake Placid like for you?
I wasn't surprised, because the alternate from my section received one last year, but I was surprised I won!  It was great!  I had great roommates, Charlie White and Allen Davis, and the whole experience of not having parents dogging you the whole time was very liberating and relaxing.  They should make every competition like that!

What is your program music this season and who choreographed your programs?
My short is "Summertime" by Gershwin and "Take the A Train" by Duke Ellington.  Mark Mitchell choreographed it.  My long is "Clubbed to Death" and "Chateau" by Rob Dougan (from The Matrix and Matrix Revolutions soundtracks).  Lu Chen choreographed it.

Did you chose the music yourself?  How do you usually pick your skating music?
I chose the ending to my long myself.  Lu Chen actually came up with the idea to skate to [i]The Matrix[/i] soundtrack.  As for my short, wow, that program is so old, I don't really even remember who picked it.  Marylynn, maybe?  I try to pick my own music, but I'm too indecisive about it.  I am really liking the soundtrack to [i]The Last Samurai[/i], so we'll see about next year.

What was it like working with Mark Mitchell and Lu Chen on choreography?
I never had worked with either before, but I enjoyed myself with both.  Both were very accomplished skaters, with Mark being an old student of my coaches, and their experience really reflects in their choreography.  It took about a week to choreograph each program, 1-2 hours a day.  I gelled very well with both of them and would love to work with them again.

What are your goals in skating, both short term (2004 Novice Nationals) and long term?
I want to make the C Envelope this year.  But long term, I just want to go as far as my body will take me, which hopefully will include quadruple jumps.  I hear you get a million dollars for winning the Olympics, that would be nice too, you know.

Would you like to elaborate on the planned technical content of your Novice programs for Atlanta Nationals?
Sure, this isn't written in stone, my coaches and I like to change content on a whim: 2 double axels, 2 triple salchows, 1 triple toe, 1 triple flip, 1 triple lutz, and maybe a triple axel.

What are your favorite jump, spin, and connecting element to do?
Triple flip and triple axel, death drop, and the stroking exercise after a long program because when I'm doing that, it means I'm finished with my long!

What do you consider to be the strongest and weakest aspects of your skating?
My jumps in the opening of my long are the strongest, and my jumps in the ending of my long are the weakest.

Would you like to summarize the skating accomplishments of your twelve-year-old brother, Jackson?
Yeah, he's just this weird little kid who lives in the same house as me that recently won Junior Nationals in Juvenile Dance!  Every year, he and his partner place better and better, and hopefully next year they will do well on the Intermediate Dance circuit.

Which people have had the greatest influence on your skating over the years and in what ways?
My parents, for their support, morally and financially, all of my coaches I have ever had have in some way, shape, or form contributed to the way I skate now so they have all had significant influence on me, and my brother, because my jealousy of him winning Junior Nationals has made me skate much better as of late!

Who are your favorite skaters to watch and why?
My favorite male skaters are Min Zhang, because he has the best quad salchow in the world right now, and Rohene Ward, because he can do all of his triples clockwise.  I have a lot of favorite female skaters.  I don't think that U.S. women's skating right now is at its strongest and we have much more of a future than we have a present, although I do like Sasha Cohen, Jenny Kirk, and Andrea Gardiner.  Some of my favorite U.S. ladies are Louann Donovan, Kimmie Meissner, Brianna Perry, and Jessica Houston.  These four, in my opinion, could go all the way!  I also like Mao Asada, Fumie Suguri, and Julia Sebestyen.

What is your current schooling arrangement?
I am enrolled part-time in SUNY [State University of New York] Rockland's early admissions program.  That's a program in which seniors in high school get both college freshman and high school senior credits for participating in college courses.  I plan on continuing at SUNY Rockland until I get a business degree, and then hopefully go to graduate school at NYU, Columbia, or Fordham.

What are your future goals off the ice?
To make so much money skating that I don't have to do anything else!  No, I would like to get an MBA and own my own company.  I would also like to backpack through Europe and the Orient, and raise a family.

What do you like to do for fun when you're not skating and training?
SLEEP!  I haven't been getting very much lately for all of the training for Nationals and schoolwork.  I also love to watch movies, play video games, dance, and keep in touch with friends online.

What is it about skating that motivates you to keep going day in and day out?
The light at the end of the tunnel keeps me motivated.  Sometimes it gets very hard, mentally and physically, but those times when it's the hardest are the times that count the most.  I just tell myself day in and day out that I'm in it for the long haul, and to keep my eye on the prize.

Have you faced particular challenges or experiences (positive and/or negative) in being an African-American skater that you would like to share?
I cannot say it's different being a black skater because I don't know what it's like to be a white skater, but there are benefits and challenges.  Because I'm black, I always stand out.  At most there is one other black skater in my whole event so it's very easy to remember me.  For the most part, I haven't been given any trouble because of my race, but there are times when people give me a "what-is-he-doing-on-the-ice" look, and that is very troubling.  Also, my biggest fear is being known as "that black skater," as opposed to Lenny Raney.