Lots of kids start out playing sports with popular ones like soccer or softball, but not Lauren Carrig ’13. She has been figure skating and ice dancing for about twelve years and loves the sport’s uniqueness. She has even made it to Ice Dancing Nationals this past year and plans to continue the one-of-a-kind sport in the future.

Q: Explain what exactly you do as an “ice skater.”

A: Ice skating is broken up into figure skating and ice dancing, and I compete in both.

Q: Have you ever gone anywhere special for a competition?

A: Yes, I just went to Colorado for Ice Dancing Nationals because I qualified from my region. I went to Lake Placid too for competitions.

Q: What is your favorite part about it?

A: It’s different from a typical sport and it’s unique. I like how I do ice dancing and figure skating both because I am able to do dances in dancing and jumps and spins in figure skating. There are different sections of activities in skating which is good so you’re not always doing the same thing or always in the same section.

What kinds of competitions do you do?

A: Freestyle and ice dancing competition. Freestyle is figure skating with a set program. You make it up with your coach. Ice dancing is basically ballroom dances on ice.

Q: How long have you been doing it?

A: I’ve been skating since I was four, so 12 years. I started figure skating first with the basic skills, and then I started ice dancing a couple years after.

Q: When were you most proud of yourself at a competition?

A: When I reached the Ice Dancing Nationals in Colorado, I was most proud of myself.

Q: Can you see yourself doing this in college and in the future?

A: Yes, I can totally see myself continuing this sport in the future, especially since my sister, Bridget, is now in college and is still skating while being the president of the figure skating club at her college.

Ice skating has been something Lauren Carrig has been doing for most of her life. As she competes all over, she grows more and more as a figure skater and ice dancer.   She has learned that practice really does pay off, especially on the ice.