Athletics Spotlight: Club Figure Skating
In high school, figure skating was a huge passion of mine. I knew when I came to Northeastern, I wanted to continue figure skating. That’s how I found Northeastern Figure Skating Club. Joining Club Figure Skating has brought me a community of like-minded people, while allowing me to pursue my passion in a more low-key, casual environment than I was used to before college.
Northeastern has three types of sports on campus: intramural, club, and Division 1. Intramural sports are on-campus leagues in which you can make and register your own team with your friends and compete against other teams from Northeastern. These are very easy to get involved in and generally low-commitment, with no required practices and no prior experience needed. Intramural sports range from traditional sports like volleyball and soccer to more unconventional sports like kickball and broomball. Division 1 sports are essentially what you’d think of when you think of traditional college sports. These teams are recruitment-based and require an extremely high skill level and level of commitment.
Together, these three types of sports provide all students on campus with ample options for athletic involvement, regardless of prior experience, skill level, and time commitment. No matter what sport you want to play, and to what degree you want to get involved, you will be able to find the right athletic opportunity for you on campus.
Club sports require a higher level of commitment and skill than intramural sports. Many require tryouts, and teams often compete against other universities across the Northeast.
For me, I immediately knew joining a club sport was the right path. In high school, I had spent all of my free time on my sport. When I wasn’t in school, I was training, and when I wasn’t training, I was either competing or recovering from training. I knew that kind of lifestyle wasn't for me anymore, but I also knew that figure skating was a passion of mine I wanted to continue in college. I enjoyed skating for fun, and I loved performing even more. Ideally, I wanted an on-campus opportunity that allowed me to skate in a lower-pressure environment while still giving me the chance to perform again.
I was also hoping to find a skating community on campus. Back home, the rink was my third place, meaning that 99 percent of my time would be spent either at home, at school, or at the rink. When I was at the rink, everyone knew me. The second I walked into the building, it felt like home, and I knew I could always rely on finding people I could connect with there. The skating world can be so small, so it was important to me to find a community in a space that can be so complex and unrelatable.
This made joining the Northeastern Figure Skating Club even more meaningful. Before coming to Northeastern, I remember finding the club on Instagram. I was immediately so excited that the college I had committed to not only had a figure skating club, but also a rink on campus. But as I kept scrolling through the club's Instagram feed, I started to realize this was so much more than a club. Seeing videos of skaters having fun and supporting each other on and off the ice was so impactful for me, as this was something I hadn’t experienced before.
As soon as I got to campus, I joined the Northeastern Figure Skating Club, and from day one, everyone was so kind and welcoming. Before joining, I didn’t realize that this club is the only figure skating club on campus, which means it brings all of Northeastern’s figure skaters together in one place.
After joining, I learned that the club is divided into three tracks based on commitment level: bronze, silver, and gold. Bronze is the lowest commitment level, in which members have full access to club ice time and activities, but are only required to attend practice twice a month. Silver is the middle commitment level, in which skaters receive the same resources as bronze, along with lessons from club coaches, and are required to attend practice three times a month. Gold is the highest commitment level, where skaters receive all the same resources as silver, and also compete at intercollegiate competitions throughout the Northeast.
When I first joined the club, I tried out for the gold track and competed with the team for my first two years. I had the best time making friends in the club and traveling around the Northeast for competitions. Most of all, I loved competing. Getting to perform on the ice with my team cheering me on was a feeling like no other. It was equally as fun watching other skaters compete and put their best skills out on the ice, especially my teammates. I loved having the chance to cheer them on during their performances.
After two years, my schedule got busier, and I decided to switch to the bronze track. That experience made me appreciate the flexibility of our club even more. Even when I no longer had time to compete, I was still able to get on the ice when I could, and I remained a part of a fun, close-knit skating community on campus.
Today, the skating community that our club has built continues to thrive. Our club has worked tirelessly to find ice time at other rinks off campus in the Boston area throughout the Matthews Arena renovation so we can continue to build our community and pursue our passions. Even though it looks a little different now, the time I spend on the ice is still one of the highlights of my week. That’s a true testament to the community Northeastern Figure Skating Club has provided for me, and I am so grateful to have been a part of it throughout my time in college.
