Covid-19 has affected sports across the nation: preventing practices, games, competitions, nationals, etc. This includes ice skating for Ames High senior Paige Flory.

“Figure skating has always been my break from reality. Where I can go to just enjoy the cold air and do what I love,” Flory said. “Covid has made it very difficult. Unlike other sports, You need the rink to skate.”

While Covid-19 was a massive setback for Flory, she never let it get in her way and continued to chase after her goals.

“Covid took away a lot of opportunities like the ice show and regionals 2021,” Flory said but continued her optimistic outlook on the experience, “If you give up you are going to go nowhere. If you keep pushing for the things you love and want you need to keep going for them head-on.”

Paige described the importance of her support system through these difficult times, how they pushed her to keep going even if she wasn’t able to participate in the sport fully.
“My Skating coach has always been a big supporter,” Flory explained. “She has been my coach since the beginning and has watched me grow as a person and a skater.”

While Covid was a major roadblock in Flory’s skating season, she also described a looming injury that could take away any future plans involving her sport. “When I figured out that I will need hip surgery, I thought my skating was done for,” she said. “It really tore me apart but thank goodness my mom was there for me. If she wasn’t there to help get me through these tough times and to keep telling me that it’s not over it is just a little setback, then I would have been in a bad place.”

Paige’s love and passion for figure skating has given her the drive and focus to fight past these roadblocks and continue doing what she loves. “Nothing is that impossible on the ice so why not try and see what can happen,” Flory said. “I love how every time you step on the ice there is a whole list of possibilities. There are always things to work on or to improve on. You can never fully be bored of the sport.”

Paige hopes to continue her journey in the figure skating world and help teach future generations of figure skaters. “I will do anything to be able to skate in the future,” she said. “I hope to try out for Disney on ice and become a figure skating full-time coach. Skating has always been something I have put a lot of time and effort into. I would love to use that to my advantage and have it take me somewhere amazing.”