Me an Adult Skater

It goes way back when I was around 12 years old and use to walk like 3 to 4 miles in the blistering cold of winter to go and skate with all my friends at Flushing Meadow Park ice rink in Corona, Queens NY, today it is called World Ice Arena (totally remolded) .  Boy did I love it!! I shined shoes at my dad's barber shop and saved up my money and bought my first pair of skates at Models.  I was so happy I couldn't wait for Saturdays public skate.  Even though I never knew about lessons or practices, I would wait for the Winter Olympics just to see my favorite figure skaters; Peggy Flemming and Dorothy Hamill watch them skate.  I would sleep and dream of skating just like them and wear those beautiful dresses they wore.

Many, many years have passed...

When I was 40 something, I was a chaperon on a school field trip to a Ice rink with my daughter and her class, at the time she was only 11.  They gave us a tour and let us skate with the class.  My daughter was so excited - she wanted to skate really bad.  My daughter was very shy, and had low self-esteem.  I thought maybe I could enroll her in the Learn to Skate class. Right from the start she made lots of friends and moved up pretty quickly.  Skating did help Christina tremendously, she blossomed to be a great skater and her self-esteem sky rocketed - she is a new person thanks to skating.

So, soon after, she wanted me to skate with her.  She begged and begged until I gave in.  And so, I did sign up to Learn to Skate classes and moved up.  I loved it so much that I wanted more out of the program, so I hired a coach.  I've been skating now for about 6 years and I thank my Coach Lynn for the skater I am today.

I love skating with my daughter at the RDV Spring Shows, and all the local and National competitions. With competitions, comes the lessons and the outfits.  I love the glitz and glamour of it all, but it kinda gets pretty costly if you ask me.  So, what I've have done, I taught myself to sew and now I am my own designer.  I sketch my dresses (and my daughters) and then create my designs.  My designs are unique and couture style, I am particular of my style of dresses because of my age.

Skating at my age has its challenges, I've had my share of falls and injuries.  In this sport, it comes with the territory - the stress, anxiety the fear of falling and the joy that you get when you pass your test level or just landed your first jump.  I am very hard on myself sometimes, I ask  "why am I doing this? But I take a look back and see what I have accomplished - that is what keeps me going.  I don't try to be like anyone else or that I am better than anyone else, however, I just want to be the best skater I can be. 

During my years of skating I've had the the chance to meet and become great friends (my skating family) with such wonderful skaters.  They are my inspiration, my shoulder to cry on - they are my support buddy, cheerleaders at competitions.  I love them dearly.  

When I first started skating there was just a few adult skaters, but now there's about 18 or 20 adults skaters and the numbers are growing.  Our rink now has an adult syncro team and a production team with all adult skaters. 

Enough said, here I am living my childhood dream, I encourage all adults to live there dreams.  Your "dream" no matter what it is - its right there in front of you.

Special Thanks to the RDV Sportsplex Ice Den, Ice Skating Institute (ISI) and CFFSC for all you do for us skaters.  Join your local club/rink and soar and shine forever. 

#worldicearena
#adultfigureskater 

#adultsskatetoo