Junior Laura Ingolia is a competitive roller skater who has been skating since she was in fourth grade.
She first got into it when she went with her family for a skating lesson. During the lesson, she was the only one not falling over, and after that she started to enjoy the sport. Ingolia is part of the Florida Skating Academy, and she skates at SpinNations in New Port Richey as well as Skate World.
“A normal practice can range between four to six hours. I stay motivated because there is always need for improvement and each year when competitions come up you really see yourself grow as a person and a skater,” said Ingolia.
At the end of this competition season, she hopes to compete in the World Championship. This year, the competition is being held in Normandy, France.
“After Nationals, the top three people from that competition advance and become the world team. It should be a fun experience since I have never been out of the country,” said Ingolia.
She also stays motivated to improve her skating because of her love for the sport, and in knowing that eventually her hard work will pay off.
“Skating helps me release pent up stress from school, and it makes me use skills I never knew I had. Overall I stay in skating because it makes me discover who I am and what I’m capable of. It makes me more confident and helps me grow closer to myself.”
Ingolia plans on continuing roller skating as long as she can. If she is unable to continue with it in college, she wants to get her coaching certification so that she can stay involved in the sport even if she isn’t physically skating.
“I like the recklessness of roller skating. When people think of figure skating, it’s very flowing and everything is nice and smooth. But roller skating is really powerful, and in order to move, you have to put in the energy. It’s all from you, and it’s a sport where you really have to love it to be in it.”
Grace Becker // News Editor
