SMCS student Sophia Liu has been a member of the DC Synchronized Skating Junior Program for the past two years, as well as a National Solo Dance Competitor. She has represented the United States in multiple competitions that took place overseas, and still finds a way to balance this rigorous program with her life at school.

What is it like balancing school and skating, considering the fact that you are also a SMCS student?

It’s honestly very challenging since skating, with the half-hour it takes to travel to my rink, takes up 15 hours a week. This is also while balancing the five AP classes I’m taking this year. On weekends I tend to have synchro practice which starts at 5:30am with it ending at 11:00am, and after I try to work on my extracurriculars, like the Robotics Team I’m a part of. It can be hard including all of these aspects of my life but after two years I’ve found a good balance between school and skating.

What struggles do you face as a skater, especially one who’s a DC Synchronized Skating Junior Member?

Because I’m on a team, the coaches aren’t able to give us individual feedback which can be pretty harsh. It’s important for me to separate myself from the criticism and not take it too personally, especially since their main goal is to help us succeed. But as an athlete, it can still be hard to take those critiques well and advance further as a skater.

Can you give us some insight on what makes skating such an important pillar in your life?

I love the feeling of the wind rushing past my face while I’m on the ice, it’s such an exhilarating feeling that has been a part of my life since I was five years old. It’s been so integrated into my life I couldn’t imagine continuing without it.

And could you tell us what it’s like being on the rink? What thoughts run through your head as you perform?

It can be pretty nerve-wracking before an event, so I have to calm myself down and really put myself in the moment so that I don’t let the anxiety get to me. Along with that, I tend to listen to music and talk with some of my teammates since it can help calm me down before skating.

Do you see yourself competing in the Olympics at some point in the future? 

That’s actually a really heated topic since synchronized skating hasn’t been recognized as an Olympic sport yet, despite the amount of people advocating for it. But, in terms of the future, it will have to depend on whether or not the sport is included in the Winter Olympics.