Standing in my Team USA warm-up suit, hearing the thunderous roar of “USA” chanting amongst the packed stadium with people from all nations, the realization finally hits me and the significance of this moment humbles me. My teammates and I no longer represent just a small skating organization out of West Orange, New Jersey but rather our entire country and culture. Memories of grueling practices to perfect skating routines that seemed impossible to master at the time flash across my mind. It has taken many years and tremendous sacrifice, but here I stand in Goteberg, Sweden at the Leon Lejure Trophy. The dream of earning a spot on Team USA became my reality in 2012.
Since I was just five years old, I had been a synchronized ice skater and a member of the Synchroettes Synchronized Skating organization. As a young girl I loved being on the ice with my teammates. It may seem cliche but we are more than just teammates, we are family. My teammates and I have dedicated ourselves to this organization and together have gone from finishing last in almost every competition in 2005 to being National Champions in 2011.
As I grew older and the level of competition and commitment to the sport increased, I saw other girls drop out, however, I chose to stay. At first it was difficult, to make the sacrifices necessary to be successful in this sport. Socially I was considered an outcast as I was unable to participate in many of the social gatherings deemed so very important in the life of a young teenage girl. However, as I grew older I realized the best decision in my life was not to quit. During the years, I learned the importance of trusting others, determination, sacrifice, and almost every decision I make is made from a lesson I have learned through the course of my skating.
Skating at such a high level and balancing schoolwork did not come easily. It was truly not until high school that real choices between skating and everything else needed to be made. I missed out on much of my high school life. My teachers never understood why I was not able to get more involved in after-school clubs and activities. My friends never understood why I could not hang out after school, why I could not play school sports, help manage the athletic teams or why I was not able to miss “just” one practice. It is hard to describe to someone else what it means when you have found a passion, something you truly love to do and know how far you are willing to push yourself to excel. In fact, sometimes you can even surprise yourself.
The sacrifice and discipline I endured has shaped me into the dedicated person I am today. Although I sometimes think about what I may have missed, in my heart, I know of the extraordinary experience I am part of and hold my head high. Skating on Team USA was always something far greater than I had ever imagined. It is an understanding that hard work does pay off. It is the appreciation that if I set a goal, I can achieve it. No one will ever know what that night meant to me or how I will forever cherish every practice and competition that preceded that momentous moment. No one will ever understand the perseverance and dogged determination that it took be a part of Team USA. But, I know. And that has made all the difference.
