For most of my life, I was a highly competitive figure skater. The sport has profoundly shaped who I am today, and I continue to apply the skills I gained through figure skating in my everyday life.

Growing up in an athletic family, I was introduced to sports at an early age. However, my parents were unfamiliar with figure skating. I tried my hand at basketball, softball, lacrosse, and soccer, but unfortunately, I couldn’t catch the ball or get the ball into the net to save my life. On the softball field, you could often find me doing cartwheels in the outfield. It seemed I had no hope. On the day that my blades hit the ice for the first time, my life was forever changed.

After my initial session, I was hooked. I spent most of my pre-teen and teenage years at the ice rink. Since my middle school was directly adjacent to the rink, I practiced before and after school. I would also leave during my lunch period and skate. I absolutely loved it.

With the unwavering support of my family and coaches, I learned what it means to be an athlete: the importance of making sacrifices and performing under pressure. One of the biggest sacrifices I made was during my seventh-grade year. Instead of sitting in a classroom, I joined an online schooling program that allowed me flexible hours so that I could skate full-time. During that time, I commuted to various ice rinks around the Boston area and spent one night a week at my coach’s house, training almost every day. This commitment enabled me to pursue my dreams, ultimately leading me to attend a boarding school for figure skating at fourteen, where I competed all across the United States.

Although my days of competitive figure skating are behind me, I continue to apply the lessons I learned on the ice in my daily life. The values of dedication, hard work, and resilience have become particularly important to me, all thanks to the sport I love so much.