Ashlyn Kirkpatrick’s, senior, passion for skating started at a young age.

“I started skating when I was three,” Kirkpatrick said. “A coach approached me and asked if I wanted to try synchronized figure skating.”

She responded with “absolutely,” and has since competed in numerous international competitions, been on a team picked for team USA, and has come close to winning the U.S. Championships.
Kirkpatrick is heavily involved in competitive ice skating, both individual and synchronized.

Kirkpatrick has Tuesday and Wednesday practices from 4:45 AM to 6:15 AM. On the weekends she has Saturday and Sunday practices from 4:45 AM to 8:30 AM. In addition to those, she has individual lessons and training both on and off season, an additional 2-3 hours a week.

Kirkpatrick’s strong commitment to the sport prompted her to leave MHS for the season, which lasts November through March, but she will return at the end of the season.
“I was on the St. Louis Synergy Junior team in St. Louis,” Kirkpatrick said. “But at the level I was skating at, I could no longer feel the team dynamic.”

To continue skating at the same level, Kirkpatrick chose to attend Woodrow Wilson Classical High School in Long Beach, California in order to skate for California Gold Junior.
“Out of the many places I looked all over the U.S., California Gold really stuck out to me,” Kirkpatrick said.

Her hard work has been recognized by her peers and mentors.

“She’s incredibly dedicated to what she does,” said Jenna Upchurch, senior, and a friend of Kirkpatrick. “She spends a lot of time and effort on her team. She’s always thinking about skating.”

Ramona Peterson, Kirkpatrick’s former coach for five years, began coaching her when she was 12. Kirkpatrick cites Peterson as her most valued mentor.

“Ashlyn had a lot of power; she caught onto the elements quickly,” Peterson said. “She just had a lot of natural ability. She was a little bit fearless.”

Natural ability combined with good coaching are some of the reasons for Kirkpatrick’s success, Peterson said.

“Work ethic is something that I always push on the kids. You have to practice as though you’re competing,” Peterson said, “I like them to be prepared and more afraid of holding back than falling down and blowing it.”

While Peterson wishes Kirkpatrick would have stayed in St. Louis, she is nevertheless proud of her achievements and desires to expand.

Kirkpatrick has been with the same team until this point in her life, where she’s been confronted with many new experiences in a new environment.

While being in California has allowed her to advance her ice skating, Kirkpatrick misses MHS. “The school I’m going to out here is definitely a good school, but it makes MHS look outstanding,” Kirkpatrick said, “The technology and resources we have at MHS are so much greater. I’m excited to have smartboards and air conditioning, and to see all my friends and teachers again.”

Kirkpatrick is grateful for her opportunities in California, and for her skating career as a whole.

“Skating has taught me a lot about responsibility, maturity and time management,” she said.

While being a student athlete in a time-consuming sport can be difficult, she feels it’s beneficial for her.

“When you hear your scores, you get that amazing feeling of all that hard work finally paying off,” Kirkpatrick said. “It’s so worth it.”