About Syracuse Speedskating Club

Syracuse Speedskating Club was founded by Jack Byrne and Harold Harrington in 1958.  Syracuse Speedskating Club is dedicated to the promotion and enjoyment of the exciting sport of speedskating for all ages. With the distinction of 3 nationally certified coaches, Syracuse Speedskating offers opportunities for athletes to develop at their own pace in a friendly, supportive and challenging environment. Our skaters compete at the local, regional, national and international levels. Syracuse Speedskating seeks to provide both beginners and nationally ranked skaters the skills they need to improve, achieve personal goals, and most of all, have fun!

Syracuse Speedskating is the only speedskating club in Central New York, with members from Onondaga, Oswego, Tompkins and Oneida counties. We welcome new skaters to join us for a free first session and experience the thrill of the fastest sport on ice!  Click here to learn how.

Numerous skaters achieving national and international titles began their skating careers at the Syracuse Speedskating Club.  

SSC skaters achieving national recognition include:

• Jenn Barber, 2009 Short Track Masters Champion

• Gretchen Burns, 1979 Age Group National Champion, US National Team Member

  • Record holder 1972, 1976

• Sammy Hart Gorman, 2023 Empire State Winter Games Athlete of the Year

• Karl Hughes, 2022 Short Track Masters National Champion

• Kathy Same, 1993 Short Track Masters National Champion

• Kate Stewart, 2000 & 2018 Short Track Masters National Champion

• Cherise Wilkins, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023 Short Track Masters National Champion

  • set new 2019 (30-35) National Age Group Short Track Speedskating records in both in the 500m (49.933) and the 777m (1:18.411)

  • set new 2023 (35-39) National Age Group Short Track Speedskating records in the 500m (50.041 ), the 1000m (1:44.712) and the 1500m (2:48.803)

• Cherise Wilkins 2nd overall in the 35+ Age Group of the  2022 Masters International Sprint Long Track games in Inzell, Germany

• Cherise Wilkins, 1995, 1997, 2003,  2004 Short Track National Age Group Champion

• Cherise Wilkins,  2004, 2005, 2008 US National Team Member

• Sydney Yu-Terpening, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 Short Track National Age Group Champion

  • 2019 Junior World Team, competed at the ISU Long Track World Junior Championships in Baselga di Pine, Italy.  

  • Record Holder 2016, 2017

• Alex Zamojski participated in the 2018 USA Olympic Team Trials in Milwaukee, WI.  

• Cassandra Clarke and silver medalist Sammy Hart-Gorman were invited to participate in the 2019 International Children’s Games in Lake Placid, New York. 

• Coach Gretchen Burns, 2002 Developmental Coach of the Year by the US Olympic Paralympic Committee

• Coach Cherise Wilkins, 2021 Volunteer Coach of the Year by the US Olympic Paralympic Committee

• Jack Byrne, US Speedskating Hall of Fame, 1994