Junior Olivia O’Connor has set high ambitions for herself ever since she was a child. The second seven-year-old O’Connor set her blades on the rink to watch a girl doing a beautiful backspin, she knew ice skating was for her.
O’Connor has been through countless skills tests and competitions and has worked her way up to skating with a highly talented team. “I skate for DC Edge Junior, I’ve been on DC Edge for eight seasons and this is my first year on Junior Team USA,” O’Connor said.
O’Connor has a high level of commitment when it comes to showing up and putting the work in for her synchronized skating team, whether it’s practice after school, early morning or during the weekend. “I spend about 15 hours a week practicing at the rink with my teammates,” O’Connor said.
Skating can be a mentally and physically exhausting sport when one must constantly adjust their schedule to align with their sport’s demands. “The exhaustion just from practice and the early morning wake ups can burn me out,” O’Connor said.
Balancing school and skating can be a struggle as well. “I talk to my teachers before I leave for competitions, and I make a plan on how to catch up,” O’Connor said.
O’Connor’s friends see that she has the desire to perform well on the rink and in the classroom. “She’s very academically driven and continuously strives for the best. I love her work ethic and how much dedication she puts towards school and skating,” junior Chloe Wharton said.
While ice skating has its fair share of hardships, close friendships and bonds can kindle through the time spent together. “My favorite part of skating is definitely the people, and just skating with your best friends,” O’Connor said.
Not only did skating bring O’Connor great memories and friendships, but it can open skaters up to new places and cultures when traveling for competitions. O’Connor’s next competition will take place in Budapest, and it will be the team’s first competition out of the U.S. “I’ve been to Colorado Springs, Las Vegas and Boston fairly often for competitions,” O’Connor said.
O’Connor has gained rewarding achievements over the years, but making Team USA is at the top of the list for her. “To make team USA, I had to make a certain score at a competition in California, and we did make the score,” O’Connor said.
O’Connor continues to hold a strong admiration for ice skating but she does not plan on pursuing it to a division one level in her future. “I don’t want to skate in college, but I am going to do it next year, then I’m done,” O’Connor said.
Not all practices are focused on skating at the rink; O’Connor and her teammates must attend practices that work their muscles through workouts. “We do conditioning workouts at One Life and Tough Temper that are like strength training, and weight training. We also do a lot of stretching and dancing,” O’Connor said.
O’Connor puts her best foot forward when it comes to any task, and her hard work pays off. “It is evident how much effort Olivia contributes to anything she sets her mind to. From her studies to the ice, she is successful in anything she accomplishes and she maintains a positive attitude,” junior Charlotte Hoffman said.
