Poling’s love for skating can be traced back to elementary school. “I started skating around fourth or fifth grade. There were free [skating] lessons so I started to do it and then I really got into it and got a private coach,” Poling said.

Poling receives the support needed to excel at her sport from her family, including her younger brother who shares the same passion for ice-skating, and her coach. “[My biggest supporters have] definitely been my parents because skating is expensive and I’m really thankful that they put as much money as they do into me and my brother. They also drive us around a lot because we skate all around…And my coach is really there for me. She’s like my big sister,” Poling said.

Poling is dedicated to ice-skating and spends numerous hours on the ice each week in order to hone her skills. “I practice everyday after school and sometimes before school. I do my warm-up and then I get on the ice. I usually do my jumps [and] my spins and then practice for my tests,” Poling said.

Despite being a seasoned skater, Poling still experiences obstacles on the ice. “I struggled with a jump, an axel, for years and I almost quit [many] times…I got over it eventually because I started taking lessons with other coaches and I tried really hard…” Poling said.

Even though Poling is an experienced skater, she still gets performance anxiety before tests and competitions. “I get really nervous and even if I [don’t feel] nervous, my skating completely falls apart the week before [a program] and I’m not able to do anything…I usually just [have] to get my head in the game for that program. It’s really stressful,” Poling said.

However, even in times of high stress, Poling has been able to persevere and achieve her goals. “My greatest experience [was] actually the last test that I took. I messed up really badly and I fell…I started crying and I ran off the ice. My coach [told me that] there was no way that I had passed the test. The judges really liked me [so] they let me come and re-skate…I eventually passed with an above average. That was probably the best and the worst thing that ever happened to me,” Poling said.

Ice-skating has profoundly and positively impacted Poling’s life. “I don’t think I would be the same person if I didn’t start skating because it has definitely taught me discipline and also it’s [made] me athletic,” Poling said.

Poling intends to incorporate ice-skating into her future and has already taken the next step to making it into her career. “I am the head junior coach at Iceplex right now so I teach a lot of kids everyday. It’s a lot of fun and I feel like I’m going to coach in the future. That’s the career path I’m going down. I feel like skating will always be a big part of my life,” Poling said.