Vanderbilt’s Figure Skating Club has been growing in popularity the past few years, bringing figure skaters and beginners alike to the club. Having grown sixfold since last year, the club has shifted from a casual social group to one actively preparing for competitions. 

Sophomore Sophia Jiang, president of the Figure Skating Club, launched the new competition group to bring together skaters of varying skill levels and backgrounds —all with the goal of placing them on a path to nationals. As a new team, their main focus is creating connections and building interest within the team, rather than throwing themselves into their first meet. The club is aiming for their first competition to be in February at Case Western Reserve University, where they hope they can build a name for themselves. 

Watching the skaters on the ice, all donned in black tracksuits and wearing the Vanderbilt logo, there was a clear unity between the team as they practiced and supported each other. Consisting of ten students from first-years to graduate students, they are split into three distinct levels that they will compete in based on their skills and experience. These positions were based on try-outs and their abilities to perform to the standard that is required to match their peers. 

The high team members are the most advanced and are all previous US figure skating gold medallists. Their competition performances consist of techniques such as double jumps, flying spins and other advanced skating skills. 

First-year Sasha Eckler gave insight into how the club has helped her. 

“I’ve just been so excited to meet so many new people on the team and to be able to skate every Friday,” Eckler said. 

The second category, rising in the ranks of the team, is the intermediate team. The variety of techniques typically featured are single and double jumps, camel and sit spins, with variation as well as twizzle sequences. 

Whilst in the third category, the low team features the most fundamental skills that all trained figure skaters should be able to perform, such as single jumps, scratch spins and edge sequences. The low team features one of the only graduate students on the team, Deja Wilson, who discussed her experience joining the club. 

“Joining Vanderbilt as a graduate student, I was able to find a community and keep skating casually and now competitively,” Wilson said. 

The competition team and its president are confident in their skills and their ability to make it to nationals. 

Senior Jake Shim, the club’s vice president, emphasized the team’s determination and the efforts behind funding their competition journey. One major initiative has been hosting skate nights at their home rink, Centennial Sportsplex – with the next event set for Nov. 14. For only $5, attendees can enjoy a full two-hour session on the ice. A unique aspect of their fundraising strategy is a regular partnership with Jeni’s Ice Cream in Hillsboro Village, where 25% of proceeds from select events go directly toward supporting the club’s competition goals for next semester. 

It is an exciting new chapter for the Vanderbilt Figure Skating Club, and their journey to the competitive stage is one to watch!