Personal Statement - Brianna X.

The results were in. We watched as the judges taped the paper to the wall and a steady stream of people surrounded the results. I ran over, following the others to ascertain my fate.

A few months ago, I walked into IceWorks Skating Complex in Aston, Pennsylvania ready to compete at Eastern sectionals, one of the biggest figure skating competitions in the east. I wasn’t sure what to expect, because it was my first time there. Carrying a heavy backpack on my shoulders full of warm pants and jackets as well as my skating boots, I trudged into a huge arena with four rinks and temperatures well below zero. Luckily, the main entrance was warm and cozy as we signed in and received our name tags.

Our competition was split into three groups, with a total of 45 competitors aiming for the top four places, who would receive a medal. The competition had two parts, a qualifying round and a final round. We were also able to use practice sessions to get used to the ice and run through our programs. I was especially nervous because I had been told that the temperatures at this rink were well below zero, which is much colder than what I am normally accustomed to.

I laced up my boots and put on my jacket, ready for my first practice session, and to test out the waters for the rest of the competition. I opened the door, and a gush of cold wind hit me like a tornado. Stumbling forward, I stepped onto the ice with the others. Shivering in my boots, I warmed up and ran through my program. After another freezing practice, it was finally time to compete.

I watched as one by one, my competitors walked onto the ice, running their programs. Finally, it was my turn. I stepped onto the ice, went to my position, and waited for the music to start. The first few notes started to play, and I ran through the program just like I usually would. Once I started, there was no turning back. I was only focusing on my moves; every move counts. The music disappeared into the background as I glided across the ice. I was headed into one of the last jumps, and one of the harder ones, too. I jumped, rotating through the air and landing on my toe pick, just like I usually would. But I let out too soon, and my shoulders went turning, pulling my body with it. Fortunately, I was able to save myself from falling, but it was still a pretty big mistake. But the show must go on. I ran through the rest of my program smoothly, finishing it off with an ending pose. I was actually happy with my performance, even with a minor mistake. I had tried my best, and that is what counts.

A few hours later, we walked back into the arena ready to discover if I had made the cut. Only twelve out of the forty five competitors could make it. These were the top four from group A, group B, and group C. Because I was in group C, my group’s results would be posted last. The suspense built up as group A and B’s scores were posted. A crowd filled with competitors, coaches, and parents had already started to form around the wall. Finally, she walked in with the results, and I sprinted towards it. I tried to look over the heads of towering adults, squeezing through any cracks I could find. Finally, I made it to the front. I started looking at the bottom of the paper, expecting my name to be there. Thoughts raced through my head. Not 15th, not 10th, not 5th. Finally I spotted my name, reading it over and over again to make sure I was reading it correctly. There it was, right under the name of a girl named Mika, my name in the second line. I ran over to my parents, pulling them over. I read the scores again. I was less than a point away from her, and the realization came over me: I had made it to the finals!

Though I had acquired many new skating skills and techniques, the main thing I learned from this wasn’t how to jump better or spin faster, but instead it was that even if you don’t reach exactly what you wanted, you can still find another way towards an equally good solution. Even if something goes wrong, it doesn’t mean that all is lost, it just means that you meant a bump in the road; but a bump can’t stop you from getting to where you want to go.