Sickness Strikes Ice Stars

One, two, three, four...

Bend your knees!

We're not first to the puck, we're last!

Unacceptable!

Making it as a champion skater doesn't come easy.

It takes years of practice...

Keep going, keep going!

..hard work...

What is that? You're like a little old man at the end.

..and dedication.

Speed, speed. Faster, faster, faster, faster. Come on.

But even then, only a few will become tomorrow's...

This is the Ice Centre in Nottingham.

It's where future ice stars work hard to get to the top.

With two rinks,

it was built to honour Torvill and Dean,

the city's famous Olympic gold medal winners.

And there are plenty of others who want to follow in their footsteps.

Coming up -

food poisoning threatens Liam's chance to make it into Team GB...

Us three don't feel too good.

These two have been sick.

I haven't yet, but I can feel it coming up soon.

..Ella's determined not to let others stop her

from chasing her dreams...

I'm not going to give up because of what people say about me.

..and disaster strikes for synchro captain Emily.

The Cougars are the Ice Centre's under-16 ice hockey team.

And their defensive rock, Liam...

Liam!

..is mad about the game.

I never stop watching hockey and playing it,

all the way, every year, every week.

I don't know, I just seem to have a connection with it.

It's just, you know, you could probably say it's in my blood.

But in a recent must-win game for his team,

Liam's passion boiled over and he was sent off the ice.

You're never going to win an argument

with the referee, whatever sport.

Liam got kicked out

of the game for that.

But he'll learn from that,

he'll be mature enough to learn.

Well, hopefully, one day, anyway.

So, today he's got a chance to show that he's got the potential

to be a top professional one day.

He's been invited to Dumfries in Scotland,

where he'll be battling against nine other players

for a chance to represent Great Britain at the Youth Olympics.

There's hundreds of kids who would love to take your spot,

so you've got to work hard, club level, Midlands, England.

You've got to make sure you're always working hard to make sure

you do deserve that spot that other kids would love to have.

After his recent sending off against Sutton,

Liam's started to realise it's not just

about working hard at your game.

I get pumped up quite easily.

The odd time it has spilled out of control,

it can end up me getting thrown out of the game or whatever.

It happens, you know, it's sport.

You see professionals lose it.

Erm, but, again, it's just learning how to control it,

and I think I'm getting there.

Liam's going to need his new-found self-control now more than ever.

To be selected for the Youth Olympics,

he must get noticed today.

He'll be taking on nine other selected players,

and some of them are familiar faces.

I've seen a few people I know from England,

and also tournaments that I've played in before.

I know a bit more about who I'm competing against now.

Liam might recognise England team-mates Lewis and Findlay,

but for this trial it's every man for himself.

I see quite a few faces that I recognise from England

and Midlands, but you have to compete against them,

because they'll take your spot.

It's just simple as that.

The test measures strength, agility and accuracy on the ice,

but there can be only one winner.

If you go to Lillehammer, and it will be part of Team GB,

it won't be Ice Hockey UK, it won't be your club,

it will be Team GB.

So you get the tracksuits, the jackets, the trainers,

everything that the Olympic team get.

So you go officially to the Youth Olympics.

The competition is stiff.

So to be in with a chance, Liam has got to keep his cool.

-WHISTLE BLOWS

-First up, the speed test.

They need to skate one lap of the ice as quickly as possible.

Liam.

Come on, Liam, keep going.

Er, 17.44.

That's good.

Liam, well done.

Good job.

Next up is the first agility test.

WHISTLE BLOWS

You have to stop up here on the line, stop and back through.

Liam's done well in the first two tests,

but he's not looking too pleased.

Us three don't feel so good.

These two have been sick.

I haven't yet, but I can feel it coming up...soon.

Dodgy eggs at the hotel.

I don't feel too good from them.

Unfortunately, a couple of lads and himself felt a little bit queasy.

It looks like... We all stayed in the same hotel,

it looks like we've had something to eat.

A few of the parents are the same,

which is not the best thing for a trial.

After the good start,

things don't seem to be going as Liam planned.

I feel like I'm going to be sick.

I think I am.

You know when you start feeling it coming up?

HE MUMBLES

I would if I was you, I'd tell them.

I'll tell them we've both fallen ill.

These things happen, so you just have to get on with it, I guess,

and just try our best without barfing up everywhere.

With a chance to represent Team GB at stake,

all Liam can do is dig in for the second agility test.

This trial is waiting for no-one.

Go on, Liam, go. Push, push!

19.97.

Liam, 20.04.

Cool, thank you.

With his chances to impress running out,

let's hope Liam's on the mark for the shooting test.

You got one.

Only one goal, Liam,

you really are under the weather!

I can't even hit the bottom ones either!

Just got to make sure I nail it on this next one and, you know,

make sure I finish as high as I can.

Last up is the passing accuracy test,

and Liam needs to win points here to make up for his shooting disaster.

That's one,

two,

three,

four...

..and five!

Yes, Liam, that's more like it!

Smashed it under 13.35 for all five targets.

OK, that's as much as we can do for today.

We will be in touch, as I say,

hopefully within the next two to three days maximum.

Everybody's times have been superb and I think you deserve huge credit.

Thank you very much. Good luck going forward.

We'll be in touch, boys, all right? Good job, well done.

He's in the mix. He's one of, I would say,

six that are definitely in the mix.

And, yeah, I think Liam can be very, very proud of his work.

I wanted to come here and do really well, but, you know,

things stop you from doing that and being ill doesn't help at all.

He may not have felt his best,

but Liam refused to give up.

It's going to feel like a long drive home

and an even longer wait until the results come in.

Ice hockey isn't the only team sport at the centre.

It's also home to the synchronised skating team, The Icicles.

Synchro is a team of 16 girls, and we all skate together.

You do nothing on your own

and everyone's got to look exactly the same.

I've done it for ten years, so it's been a major part of my life.

This year, it's a big commitment because I've become captain.

I like it because it's teamwork and you get to know all of the team,

and it's kind of like a mini family, and I really like that environment.

And Emily's obsession with the ice is something that

her mum and sister share, too.

What do you think we ought to do?

Do you think we ought to try some crystals down here?

I think you should have a few on the blue bit.

Not too many.

-Say five on that?

-Yeah.

My mum does the dresses, so she crystals them,

my sister does the make-up for our team, so they're always there,

and they always come to competitions, so it's a really nice thing to do.

Emily's family have been involved in her skating life for ten years,

but all that may soon be coming to an end.

And that'll mean no more costume design for Mum,

and no more make-up for sister Lizzie.

It's a big decision for Emily

that could affect the whole family.

This year, it's a big commitment because I've become captain,

but then I've got to choose whether I stay next season or not

because of schoolwork.

I struggled this year, so if I had to quit,

I'd miss it.

Being a top synchronised skater

means putting in a lot of time and hard work.

And training for the upcoming World Championships in Croatia,

whilst keeping up with her schoolwork,

is proving difficult for Emily.

So, she has a big decision to make -

skate or school?

Skating's a lovely commitment and it's fun, and you go to competitions

-and things, but obviously school always has to come first.

-Mm-hm.

I must admit, I will miss it if you don't do it,

-cos I enjoy doing crystalling...

-I know, I'd miss it.

..and I'd miss all the people we're with and the parents,

cos it takes up so much of your life and our life.

I'd love her to continue for another year with her skating.

I think it's a natural break when you finish school

and you move on to university that you could give up then.

I personally would miss it,

cos I'd miss meeting obviously all the other mums going to the rink

and watching it, and it's actually such a nice relaxing sport to watch.

It's nice, quite therapeutic, to sit and watch all the girls

training together, but, at the end of the day, it's her decision,

which I hope she does do one more year.

If I did leave, I'd be ending it on a high, like, I'm captain.

Thing is, I'm not sure who'd do all the costumes...

-I know.

-..and all the work that all the parents of the ones

-that possibly could leave would do.

-Who's going to do the make-up?

-And all the hair?

-Yeah. You could still go, Lizzie.

-Yeah.

-On your own.

-I'd just feel a bit sad. It's not the same, is it?

I'd be really sad if Emily gives up, because I love it.

I love the whole...the whole...

It's like a community and I'd just be really sad.

I'd really hate it.

I don't know, it's hard to decide.

I don't want to leave, cos I'd definitely miss it,

cos I've done it for about seven years,

but then I really want to do well in my exams so I can go to uni.

So it's all about what happens with school,

and how everything else works out.

Whatever Emily decides to do,

she has the World Championships to get ready for first.

And they're approaching fast,

so she'd better get her skates on!

Ice Dancer Ella recently found herself a new partner in Adriano.

When I found out that I was going to be partnered with Adriano,

I felt really happy.

-Hello!

-Hey, how you doing?

-Hello!

It's a moment that she's worked long and hard for.

Cheers,

-to Adriano and Ella.

-ALL: Cheers.

I'm really looking forward to doing my first competition with Adriano.

Ella and Adriano's partnership may be new,

but she's been training on the ice for the last five years.

These are all my medals and trophies that I've won for skating

at competitions that I've been to.

Ice skating takes up, like, most of my life.

Well, it is my life, really.

I think I skate more than I sleep.

Training 20 hours on the ice each week, with 5am starts,

is a commitment some people may not understand.

I don't think people at school know how many hours

I actually put into this,

and sometimes when I'm skating,

I miss a few lessons of school,

and they think that I never catch up

and I'm just skiving, when I'm not.

I actually take it home after school

and do it when I have spare time.

I'm not going to give up because of what people say about me.

If I do quit, then when I'm older, I'll look back and think,

"Why did I do that?"

I'm just going to keep working hard

and try to get the best I can be.

I think I sacrificed my friendships with people at school

because of what I do outside of school.

Sometimes I'm not bothered because I have other friends.

But Ella does have some friends who understand her love of skating.

What does your costume look like?

Well, I've got a yellow leotard,

and then my skirt, it's got, like, white with black polka dots on it,

and then, like, a sequinned belt.

Are you guys coming to watch me at the gala?

-ALL:

-Yeah!

-Don't wave like my mum.

OK, we'll wave!

I wouldn't miss it for the world.

SCREAMING AND LAUGHTER

Do that thing that you do on skates.

You know the one where you go like that?

-What, that Toby just did?

-Well, kind of!

-LAUGHTER

-No, but you, like...

It's really nice to have friends over and be in the sun,

playing on the trampoline, because I don't do that very often.

Earlier in the season,

the synchro team took part in the British Championships.

ALL: Go, Icicles!

Following a disastrous warm-up, where Afton took a fall...

CHEERING

..the team went on to qualify for the World Championships in Croatia.

FANS: Icicles win again!

The World Championships are really important.

It's the biggest competition you could ever do

with synchronised skating.

So with the team's focus now fully on the World Championships,

the hard work is under way.

Don't be lazy on the spirals.

Reach as high as you can.

Special technical coach Chris has been brought in to put

the girls through their paces and perfect their routine.

He can be scary.

He can be really harsh at times.

If you fall, you must get up and back in immediately.

Don't cry, don't do anything else,

just get up, get on, and perform.

He can be mean, but he only says it cos he wants us to do well,

so he will push us hard, but it's always worth it in the end.

It's not just getting the knee and the foot at hip height.

It must be above hip height throughout.

With Chris and coach Esther watching on, no mistakes will go unnoticed.

But struggling to link arms,

the girls haven't started well.

You weren't round enough, you didn't drive enough around the short

barrier to get into position.

You were lazy.

So, obviously, to impress Chris you have to do a lot,

but the girls are working really hard.

He hasn't said "well done" yet,

so they have to work a lot harder to get a "well done".

The girls give everything they've got...

..but just as they're finding a rhythm...

EMILY GROANS

..Emily's in trouble.

-You all right?

-Yeah.

You know, cos you pushed and I was like...

-CHOKING GASP

-She's hurt her shoulder.

When we had speed, my shoulder went the opposite way

with the girl that went slow,

so I don't know if it popped out a bit and popped back,

but it really hurts.

But there's no time to rest and Emily wants to skate on.

Everybody pushing!

Down!

-Shoulder hold, Lucy!

-Pivot!

Pivot, pivot, pivot!

He's going to kill me.

Faster!

But Chris and coach Esther aren't impressed with what they see.

-Move in front of each other.

-Move it, move this way!

Come on! Skate, skate, skate!

My legs hurt.

Pushing harder and faster,

the girls go all out...

..but Emily seems to be pushing it to the limit.

At this level, as you can imagine, going to a World Championship,

there are no passengers.

They all have to be putting in 100% effort.

And it's not just about them,

it's about the whole team.

Knowing the World Championships aren't far away,

Emily gets her shoulder strapped and keeps going.

Everyone's always got some sort of injury that you just have to push

through, cos every minute counts of training before a competition.

You two, you're about to rotate, then you two just close the gap.

And who has to go through between you?

Yeah, she's got no chance.

Absolutely not a Scooby-Doo of a chance.

Injured Emily's doing it better than you two!

We always have an injury on synchro.

Not a day goes by.

Chris continues perfecting the small details of the routine.

Rotate!

OK, that was too late. Back again.

Move out more.

Move out a bit more.

One,

two...

rotate!

-Yeah, that's better.

-That's it.

-THUD

-Oh, no!

Jump up, Em!

Emily's fallen on her already injured shoulder.

-SHE WEEPS

-Everyone, go to the barriers.

..my shoulder!

What did you...

-What did you hit?

-It was just the top of my shoulder.

On your shoulder?

It doesn't look good for the team captain.

One, two, three...

Oh, dear. Look at your face. You've got ice all over you, duck!

That was better.

Oh, Emmy Benny, what are we going to do with you?

With coach Esther not wanting to risk Emily's shoulder,

she's made to sit out for the rest of the session.

I didn't want to cry but sometimes you just have to,

if it's too painful.

I've got shooting pains all the way up my shoulder,

but I'm hoping that tomorrow, it'll be a bit better.

With the World Championships approaching,

will The Icicles be competing without their captain?

Just like Emily, Liam's knows how a bad day on the ice can feel.

Now back from Dumfries, Liam is looking forward to

hearing his results from the skills test.

I'm just waiting for the email to come through on whether I've...

What position I've come, if I come in the top three or not.

Just hoping. Fingers crossed that I do well and I haven't let myself

down too much.

Dad, I got the email for the GB skills.

The results are in.

Let's have a read, then.

RH UK are writing to advise you,

that Liam has finished fifth overall.

At the end of the day, that's an achievement. Top five.

-Well done.

-Cheers.

Smile, then.

Liam didn't show much sort of emotion, which is typical Liam,

but I think, deep down, he's disappointed.

Like every kid, you know, they want to be number one

but like I say, we're really proud of him,

and he's finished fifth, so, yeah, we're really, really pleased.

Dad was fairly happy with it, a bit contrasting to how I felt,

because obviously I want to be better, always all the time.

It's a good experience to have, you know.

Anything with GB is always a good experience.

So, looking forward to my future with Great Britain, hopefully.

Coming fifth in the country is a great result, especially

when he was sick.

Just imagine what he could do when he's on top form.

Figure skater Kloe has arranged to meet up with ice dancer Ella.

She's heard Ella's been having a tough time fitting in recently,

and wants to share her experiences.

-You all right?

-Yeah, are you?

-Good, thank you.

I thought I would come and talk to you.

So, how have you been

feeling about everything?

At school they don't really listen to me,

because they have their own interests, so they think that

whatever I do isn't as important as whatever they do.

Well, I think it's not that they don't want to listen to you,

I think it's that they don't know what to say,

because they can't relate to what you do.

I think half of it is because when I go away,

I don't do what they did yesterday.

Like, when they go to parties, I can't go because I'm training,

and then the next day at school,

they'll all be saying how fun the party was.

When I moved to my new school here, like, in, you know...

I was different to everyone else because I couldn't speak

the language and everything, but I think they didn't really get

the fact that I was going, you know, every morning before school,

and then after school and I get to miss school because of this.

It's not because they didn't like it, it was just because

they don't know what you do.

You know, different is good, that's how I think

about it, because I think you have to keep, you know, staying positive.

-Yeah.

-It'll definitely get better with time, cos you're really young

and your friends are really young as well.

You just have to, you know, keep doing what you love.

That'll make you happy.

If you ever need to talk to someone or anything,

-I will always talk to you if you want.

-Thanks for talking to me.

You're welcome.

I think this little chat with Ella went really well, and I felt like I

made her better with talking to her about how I can relate

to everything,

you know, she was saying and I just hope everything gets better for her.

It was really nice to talk to someone who has been in the same

situation as I am now.

It really helped me and she managed to get through it,

so I think I can as well.

Nice one, Ella!

The World Championships are just days away,

but Captain Emily is still nursing her shoulder injury.

I've never really had a major injury before, like, I've had

bruised knees, elbows and stuff but that's just normal

when you fall over.

Could you warm this up for me?

Yeah, sure. How's it been feeling today?

It feels fine, a bit better because no-one has really been

touching it.

I've told everyone not come near me at school.

Have you done some exercises to keep moving it about?

Yeah, I've been wobbling it, but I can't really put my arm up

really high.

Oh, it's nearly done.

Let's take it out. It starts to smell like biscuits, doesn't it,

if you leave it too long?

Stick it up there.

At least it makes the tape stick more if you put that underneath it.

-It burns.

-I know, it can get a little bit too hot if you overdo it.

OK, get back to work, then.

Emily's no quitter. She's still aiming for the World Championships.

Even if my shoulder did get worse, I'd definitely go.

I can't let the team down and the programmes are only three minutes

and four minutes, so being in pain just for that long and to be

able to be at something so amazing, it's definitely worth the pain.

But coach Esther is the one who'll get the final say.

Obviously, we could never let anyone skate in the programme

if they were seriously injured.

It's really important that they're fit enough

to skate in the programme, and if they're not,

then we would have to consider putting a reserve in.

Whilst Emily is hoping her shoulder recovers,

some of the younger Icicles are having some downtime.

I'm having a birthday sleepover tonight with ten of my closest

skating friends.

Outside of the rink, we do meet quite often.

Like, we spend most of our lives together.

Tonight, we're just going to, like, chill out before Worlds,

because it's going to be really busy and hectic

and we're going to watch some movies and just have fun and eat lots.

Don't drop it!

Esther's going to see this and be like,

"Eating pizza, like, a week before Worlds?!"

But Emily's injury isn't far from their thoughts.

Has anybody heard anything from Emily about her shoulder?

She said she was in a lot of pain yesterday.

The doctor told her not to skate for couple of weeks as well.

-Really?

-But she has to.

When she's going to get there, she's going pull it out the bag

-and give it everything.

-That's just dedication, though.

She'll need to just rest it and then at World's,

she can really bring it out, because if she keeps using it all the time,

it's just going to make it worse.

So do you think Emily is going to stay on and be captain next season

or do you think she's going to leave?

She might leave because of A-levels,

but it would be really nice if she stayed.

Yeah, I think she's a really good captain.

Do you think if she left, any of you would want to be the captain?

-No.

-I'd make an awful captain.

-Too immature.

-Yeah, immature.

The Icicles desperately hope their captain will be fit for

the World Championships, but time is running out.

Next time on Ice Stars...

..The Icicles are off to the World Championships in Croatia,

where Afton's in for a big surprise...

I'm really happy.

..Solomon tries to impress coach Tamara with his axel jumps...

..and Assiyah is desperate to move up a level in synchro.

It's mind-blowing because they're there, doing all of this stuff

and everyone's there just, like, with their mouth open, like, wow!