Middle School Student Skating Toward a Dream
By Dave Woods
dwoods@OfficialKidsMag.com
Ella Aprea comes by her love of the ice skating honestly.
“My mom skated when she was little and my dad always played hockey,” the 12-year-old figure skater said. “I guess just seeing how my mom used to skate made me want to do it. I remember my grandpa would show me pictures of mom on the podium and I would always watch the Winter Olympics when they came on. I would always watch the figure skaters.”
You can bet that during the Olympics last month Ella was glued to her television and mobile device catching every moment of figure skating she could.
“I love to watch Mirai Nagusa and Ashley Wagner,” she explained. “I like watching Ashley Wagner because she really has attitude and shows who she is. Mirai Nagusa really flows across the ice and is really graceful.”
Ella, a Brightfield Middle School student, is already developing a style of her own. “I think I attack the ice more than I am graceful,” she said with a laugh.
Ella works out and skates several times a week at The Jones Center where her mom is the skating coordinator.
“I have a trainer,” she said. “We really work to make my muscles strong so I can get up in the air better. I really just run a lot, too. You never know how you are going to do until you get out there. “
Goals and a dream
Ella offered some sage advice for younger people who may be a little scared of hitting the rink.
“You have to push yourself and don’t care what everyone else thinks,” she said. “Skating is really, really hard and if you work hard you will be able to do it.”
Skating has taught Ella a lot about training and discipline, but she still enjoys it when she is in front of a crowd and gracefully spinning in circles or leaping through the air.
“It has taught me to build up strength and believe in myself,” she said. “Skating is definitely one of the best things I’ve ever done. It’s really fun and all my friends are here and everyone on the ice is like family to me.”
Ella made it clear… she has no intention of hanging up her blades any time soon. She has goals and a dream.
“I do plan to continue to skate,” she added. “I want to get to the top of my field and, one day, hopefully make it to the Olympics.”