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"In 5 years, I hope to be competing at a national level," says Lane. |
Madelyn Lane of Coto De Caza is already on track to becoming a world class figure skater and she’s only 10 years old.
Last summer, Lane took first place and a Gold medal in the California Summer Games held in San Diego and she also won a first place trophy in the ‘Skate By the Sea’ competition held in La Jolla.
If that weren’t enough she took first place in the Aliso Viejo Ice Palace ISI Open, as well as first and second place in two different events at the Spring Fling ISI competition at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo.
The young Lane reports that she has been skating for 4 years and has been competing for the past 3 years. She got the skating bug when she was only 6 years old and after watching her hero, 2006 US Champion and Olympic Silver medalist, Sasha Cohen, because “when she skates she is really graceful and strong.”
Like Cohen, Lane says she hopes to one day compete in the Olympic Games.
“I was able to see the ladies Gold medal event in Vancouver and it was amazing. I would absolutely love to compete in the Olympics,” says the 5th grade student at Wagon Wheel Elementary School. “When I was 6-years-old, I would watch all the figure skaters before my brother’s hockey practice and I knew I wanted to try it,” she recalls.
No easy feat, Lane practices two mornings before school, two evenings and Saturday mornings, usually for 45 minutes to one hour.
“I love practicing with my coaches,” she says. “I love to do the big jumps, especially the double Salchow and Axel.”
In between skating, Lane is also in a Girl Scouts Troop, but says skating is her main passion.
“Skating has given me a lot of confidence to know that I can do anything I work at,” she shares. “The best part is all of the friends that I have made at skating and working on all the jumps.”
However, Lane says the most difficult has been learning to do the Axel jump which was very challenging, but “now I can land it.”
When asked what she suggests to other would-be skaters Lane sends this message: ‘Keep your head up, stay positive and always try hard in practice.’
Lane also likes to draw, play with her brother and mentions that she never gets cold on the ice and likes to skate to “fun and fast music.”
“In 5 years, I hope to be competing at a national level,” she says.
Something tells us, that dream will most likely come true.
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