My Narrative Figure Skating

Cutting bits of me that cannot handle the pressure and stress; developing pieces of the more disciplined me; testing my concentration; forcing my mentality to be flexible; enlarging the best of me: my determination, integrity, confidence, ingenuity, independence. Ultimately, skating leaves me more focused, more disciplined and more confident. It shapes my character, reminding me that success only feels worthwhile if it has a bit of blood behind it; skating tells me to try again, to keep working. Perseverance has been my grace. And as my skating career comes to a close, I have taken the time to teach those around me. The young skaters I teach think I am inspiring them, but they change who I am, altering me into a more caring, compassionate person.

At the age of six I began my journey into the sport of Ringette. From age 3 I had been skating with girls figure skates and

I broke my ankle when I was at one of my dance competitions and I am still dancing today. When I was 10 I danced at St. Cloud School Of Dance. When I was at my last competition of the year. I was going to land my aerial but I landed wrong and all I heard was a crack!

Roller derby training was tough, mentally and physically. As I skated around the roller rink on the first day, for seemingly the 100th time, and I thought, “What the

The service I did was volunteering at the Robin Lee Figure skating competition. The job I took on was being ice monitor. I sat near the door to the ice rink and checked people in. I made sure people were on time for their practice time or for their event. I was in charge of informing people where they had to be at what time. I had to keep track of what was happening because I had to know if they were ahead or on time or even late. I was in charge of all these little things that I had to pay attention to. I was also in charge of helping if someone got hurt on or off the ice.

As you go through life there are many things that shape you as a person, many things that you learn and grow from. I have experienced all of these from one thing, hockey. I started skating when I was about 4 years old, persuaded into the sport by my dad, who came from a big hockey family. I was so young I do not remember my first reaction to it or if I even liked it, but there must have been a reason that I stuck with it. Hockey has caused me much stress and tribulation but every second of pain is worth the reward.

When I was in Kindergarden I got peer pressured into jumping off of one of the pieces of equipment on the playground. I ended up breaking my ankle. I’m going to tell you the story of how it all happened.

One time in 7th grade I was going over some hurdles in practice. It was right before a meet, and my foot got caught on one of the hurdles and i fell. I landed on my wrist and it hurt. When I got up, I looked at my wrist and it was swollen and I couldn’t move it or feel it. I went up to coach and asked her if I could go get some ice, I did.

Me and my dad head home as i slowly walk my bike the rest of the way home. My bike hitting my knees my hand shaking and my stomach turning we i go into my house tears still in my eyes. As i slowly put my bike in the garage. Now with a real limp My dad tells the story to my mom we go put antibacterial spray on then put one big bandaid on each knee. This was one of the scariest times in my life. Now looking back at when i first learned to ride i remember i had no falls until now. I have learned don't try things unless you now that you can but also take

Crash, I had split the beam . I was not ready for this. The nerves got to the best of me. I had fallen on my head , and gotten a concussion. I was doing my flight series which was a back handspring layout step-out. My hand for my handspring had slipped and my head went straight onto the beam. I was at my first meet of season. Beam has never been my strongest event. Thank god my coach was there she had gotten me up and took me to the gym medics. This was my last event too of the meet so then they said “the best option to figure out if my head is ok is to go to the hospital” they said this to my parents.

Stepping on to the scratched up ice, however still gleaming in all the light. I remember shaking of fright and of the cold atmosphere surrounding me. Not knowing what was coming next. Will I fall?, Miss a step? Forget my program? Soon enough my music would start and I would be off. Thinking about my program, hoping I wouldn't mess anything up. It was all a big blur, nothing was clear to me. The audience was filled with parents and skaters from all parts of the COS (Central Ontario Section). The judges seemed to be staring me down, trying not to look at their mean, cold eyes, I stepped on the ice. Everyone staring at me, it made me very uncomfortable, and I felt pretty awkward being there. I tried not to show my fear, however I don't think I did that very well. There was this little girl at her first skating competition, and the first one to go, how will she do?

I remember the first day I ever stepped on the ice rink, when I was eight years old. I could barely skate two steps without tumbling down to the cold ice. Eventually, with many hours a week of practice, I was cutting divots into the ice with my skates and spraying snow when I stopped. When I was eleven years old, I played as the only girl on my first real hockey team. My heart was one hundred percent in the game. However, many people did not understand my passion. They questioned how petite girl could play such a physically aggressive sport. Yet, I never let their comments phase me. Since that year, I have continued playing hockey but mostly on girls teams. On my girls team, I was a captain of an under fourteen team for two years, and for the

Swish, tumble tumble, crash. I could just tell by the way I fell that something was wrong. Very wong. But I decided to just keep going even though it hurt. I was at the Jackson Hole ski mountain and was on the Rendezvous bowl with the Jackson Hole ski and snowboard team.

My brain goes silent. I forget my problems, my issues, my struggles, and everything that makes me feel dead inside. Nothing gives me more hope and happiness, then running on floor to hanging on a bar. From the darkness inside comes a light that feels like an eternal flame that can never be extinguished. Nothing can stop me from feeling more alive. Starting gymnastics has been the best decision I have ever made and has made me the person I am today. With every move, every skill, and every moment, gymnastics makes me feel alive.

Sitting on the bench, I felt as if was getting older waiting for the zamboni to finish cleaning the ice. As they opened the door my dad nudged me and said to me “go out and skate.” As I stepped on the ice crash I fell. My dad laughed at me. I said to myself “little fall is not going to stop me. Holding on to the board I started to glide and take strides. At that moment I realized that I was skating. I was so happy.