Blog: 'Ice skating is a brilliant sport which challenges your balance and coordination'
The English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) website features a blog post every Friday through the year.
In 2016 we’ll be taking a look at an A-Z of accessible sporting and fitness opportunities available to disabled people. This week it’s I for ice skating, and Hannah Lee discusses keeping fit and making friends on the rink.
Hannah's blog:
I started ice skating about five years ago because Dancing on Ice was on the television. I’d wanted to try it many years before but I could not fit it in.
My mum is a Girl Guides leader and every couple of years they do a trip to Switzerland and on one day they go ice skating. On previous trips my mum had never gone on the ice and decided that this one time she would. She booked us both in for some lessons. We didn't think it would go much further… yet it has!
I am able to compete in Inclusive Skating competitions due to my rare heart condition which is only diagnosed by the elimination of other conditions. It causes my heart to beat faster than it should for the activity that it is doing, along with many other symptoms caused by my medication’s side effects.
I struggle to compete in regular competitions due to the amount of element which non-disabled skating requires. But thanks to Inclusive Skating I am able to compete with other disabled skaters – the sport allows me to pick how many elements I put in a programme, or how long I can take to complete it before my routine is penalised.
Inclusive Skating is brilliant, it focuses on what you can do rather than what you cannot, and the events are so supportive with everyone cheering on each other.
I skate anything from twice a fortnight to five times a week at rinks in both Bradford and Blackburn, in sessions two to four hours long. I mainly focus on ice dance – I find it easier and can do it within my limitations without feeling too limited.
I also train off the ice once a month at IceSheffield, where there is a plyometrics class of ice jumps, rotation and technique, as well as a flexibility class. And I also enjoy physiotherapy-led pilates, which is run at the rink by an ex-skater once a week.
I love skating. I have made so many friends but in particular a friend called Olivia. We are a little team! Although she is six years younger than me we get on like a house on fire, and we support each other with things both on and off the ice. Without skating I would have never met her and now I could not imagine her not being my friend. I think friendship is the most important thing to have come from my skating.
Inclusive skating has also allowed me to make friends from all over the world including Iceland, Canada, Ireland, America and Finland. We all keep in touch using social media and the annual events are like a big reunion!
For anyone wanting to skate I would say just do it. It is a brilliant sport which challenges your balance and coordination and improves your fitness. There are lots of rinks with ‘Learn to Skate’ sessions, which is how I started. Ice skating has brought me so many opportunities.
Find out more about ice skating’s programmes and events by visiting the website of the National Ice Skating Association.
