When junior Sarah Green figure skates, she feels as though she has gained a special superpower after years of practice.

“(Figure skating) kind of feels like you are flying, gliding down the rink going really fast,” Green said. “It feels very cold.”

According to Green, she has been skating for six years and practices five to six hours every week.

“I have been skating since I was 10. My mom was a figure skater and she coached at the rink, so I was just put into it,” Green said. “I figure skate at Parade Ice Garden in Minneapolis, and I skate three times a week.”

Green said she focuses on local competitions and has a special method for preparing herself prior to her performance in a competition.

“I haven’t done any major national competitions, but I have won awards for the smaller competitions that I have done,” Green said. “Usually before I go on the ice to do my program, I go off by myself and stretch and get in my mind that I am about to compete. Then, I talk to my coach for a little bit, so she pumps me up.”

According to senior Kirby Goodman, she began figure skating because it is a typical sport in Minnesota.

“I started to learn to skate in those classe
s that everyone does when I was 4 or 5,” Goodman said. “I think my parents put me in classes just because it is what everyone does in Minnesota, and I really liked it so then I started (skating) more.”

Goodman said skating helps alleviate the stress in her life.

“I skate six days a week at Parade Ice Garden in Minneapolis,” Goodman said. “Skating is a good stress reliever for me. It is fun and exciting to get to show what you do.”

Sophomore Sidney Hosfield said she enjoys skating and takes lessons in her free time but does not intend on competing.

“I have been skating for about 10 years. I skate at the Minnetonka Ice Arena at least once a week, sometimes more,” Hosfield said. “There is a figure skating club there but I’m not in it. I don’t think I’ll ever compete, but I want to skate as long as possible.”

Goodman said she has competed for most of her figure skating career and as a result, has won several
awards, including making the top ten skaters of her age group at the Upper Great Lakes Regional Championships.

“I have been skating competitively since I was 8 or 9,” Goodman said. “I got a medal at state once, and I have been in the top ten at regionals, which includes nine states.”

According to Goodman, she desires to carry on figure skating throughout college, however, she said it may not be an option, depending on which school she selects.
“I hope I will keep skating. A lot of colleges have collegiate skating programs,” Goodman said. “Not a lot of the colleges that I want to go to would have it, but there are some that do and if I do end up going there, I definitely will participate.”

According to Hosfield, when she skates she keeps one goal in mind and it motivates her to improve.

“My goal is to pass the Freestyle 6 level by the time I graduate high school,” Hosfield said. “Figure skatin
g requires lots of repetition and the ‘keep trying’ attitude.”

Green said she receives encouragement from loved ones and said later, she wants to spend time figure skating for satisfaction, rather than competition.

“My parents are really supportive and so are my friends,” Green said. “I see myself skating after college but not competitively. I think that it is going to be skating just for fun.”