INDIAN TRAIL, N.C. — The Beijing Olympics are taking the sport of figure skating to new heights with athletes breaking records and nailing some of the most difficult moves on the ice.
It's serving as inspiration to Charlotte area skaters with Olympic dreams of their own.
Yua Isota, a figure skater who trains at Extreme Ice Center in Indian Trail, said she enjoys watching the Olympics to see the skills athletes complete on the ice.
"They're like my role models, so if I find anything that I would like to, you know, learn, I would try to skate like them and feel as if I'm one of them,” Isota said.
Jenny Gwyn, figure skating director and the learn-to-skate director at Extreme Ice Center, has been coaching figure skaters for more than 25 years. She uses her experience performing with the Ice Capades to help skaters navigate their edges on the ice.
“We teach them the basics and build on that and build on that,” Gwyn said. “And then, mental health and keeping them strategizing in smart sports thinking, and then our bodies, keeping them strong and injury prevention and strength and conditioning so that it all fits together to present a great skater.
Gwyn said she has enjoyed watching Nathan Chen in Beijing, with his gold medal-winning performances setting the bar even higher for what can be achieved in the sport.
"Watching him has been a complete treat and so exciting in building everybody's energy for what skating can be,” Gwyn added.
That energy is translating into more people calling about Extreme Ice Center's learn-to-skate program.
"This will give it just an additional boost with the number of skaters and phone calls, and ‘I want to learn. I want to try it,’” Gwyn said. “And out of those little ones, there's possibly some more births of some Olympic champions."
Gwyn said Extreme Ice Center has classes for young children all the way up to the adult level, so there is a class for any level of experience at any age.
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Contact Kendall Morris at kmorris2@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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