When I was seven years old I was glued to the TV cheering for the best US athletes going for gold at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games. Thats when speed skating came on and I was immediately intrigued. I became more and more exited as I watched Apolo Anton Ohno claim a Gold medal. Since that moment I was hooked and continuously begged my parents to let me skate.

 

Eventually, a year later, I got them to crack and I got my first lessons from the Olympians coaching the West Allis Speedskating Club in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. There I was continuously reminded of the Olympics as I watched the assistant coach, Trevor Marsicano, claim an Olympic Silver medal in 2010. This pushed me to commit more seriously to speed skating, and when I was twelve I earned my first National Medal, as I took third at the U.S. Age Group Nationals. In that moment, I realized I could pursue speed skating more seriously and my freshman year of high school I dropped all other sports to focus on my Olympic goal.

 

With my newfound commitment, I trained tirelessly and continuously rose though the ranks, making two consecutive Junior World Championship Teams and helping set a US Junior National Record in the Team Sprint. Later, I moved to Salt Lake City and was named to the United States National Training Program as one of its fifteen members. In Salt Lake City I work with the best speed skaters and coaches the U.S. has to offer. I have the chance to make my dream a reality as I try and compete for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, Italy and to represent Team USA.