Anna Higgins, a sophomore at Saint Mary’s, is currently a member of the Notre Dame Figure Skating team. Hear about how Anna loves skating and being part of such an incredible team!
When did you start ice-skating?
I started ice-skating when I was about three years old. My mom took me to a public skate just to see if I would like it; she told me that I was laughing the entire time. A week later I had my own pair of skates and was signed up for group lessons that taught kids how to skate; ever since then I’ve loved it. When I was about eight, my mom hired me a private coach, who taught me spins, jumps, edges and other skating skills. I also started synchronized skating when I was eight. Synchronized skating has twenty girls on a team but only the best sixteen girls skate. I’ve synchronized skated since then until now.
What made you interested in becoming an ice skater?
To be honest, I don’t know what it was that made me love skating; I always knew that I had to skate. Skating has always been that one thing that made me different from my friends at school and in the neighborhood. It has become part of who I am. My mom signed me up for other things like dance, gymnastics and tennis, but I never wanted to take them seriously. I was in the sixth grade when I told my mom that I wanted to be fully committed to skating, and that’s when I really excelled.
What was your experience like traveling the world for a sport?
My experience competing in Europe will be unforgettable. I was in eighth grade when I was on Team USA for the first time. We traveled to Sweden, and that began my annual trips to compete in Europe. All throughout high school I was on Team USA, and I competed in France, Germany and Switzerland twice. Each experience was incredible. I had the opportunity to see the Eifel Tower, Notre Dame, and the Berlin Wall. I ate fresh croissants from little French bakeries, and met people from all over the world. Our competitors loved meeting us because we were from the US, and they wanted to practice their English with us. I have one memory that is very special to me while I was in France. Right after we competed and got off the ice, there were little kids were running up to us and asking, “Puis-je avoir votre autographe s’il vous plait?” This means, “can I please have your autograph” in French. I felt like a celebrity, it was awesome. I have another memory from my senior year that I will never forget. I remember it was the beginning of the season and I was talking to parents about how my goal for the team was to win Switzerland. Before I knew it, we were in Switzerland waiting for the scores to be announced after we competed, and thanks to our hard work we brought home the gold. I have never been happier in my life.
What was it like to become part of the Notre Dame Figure Skating Team your freshman year?
I was a little nervous to join the Notre Dame Figure Skating Team. It is always a little intimidating to walk into new situations and new people. However, I had my best friend from skating, Jackie Marszalek ,who goes to Saint Mary’s as well, join the team too. It has and always will be her and I against the world. After the first week of being on the team, it was a blast. The girls were so much fun to be around and our coach created a team environment where everyone was happy to there. I loved practicing in Compton and being able to represent Notre Dame at skating competitions.
When does your competition season begin?
Our season begins in December; we will be competing in Ann Arbor, Michigan for our first competition. Most of our competitions will be in the Midwest, with our biggest competition being in Chicago. We also have the opportunity to skate and shovel the ice during halftime at the hockey games, so definitely keep an eye out of us!
Who runs the figure skating team?
Our coach, Tracey Mulherin, a graduate of Notre Dame, has always been the backbone of the team. She has so much passion for our team and if it wasn’t for her, I don’t think that our team would exist. Since we are a club sport, we vote for girls on the team to be the President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. They are the ones who take care of the money, travel, and everything else involved in having everything run smoothly. They are some of the hardest working people I know and they too are a big reason for the team being around.
What is your favorite part about being on the Notre Dame figure skating team?
My teammates and coach are without a doubt the best part of being on the team. I never would have met these wonderful people if I didn’t join. I am now friends with girls from Notre Dame and Holy Cross. I love being able to say that I am friends with girls that are not just from Saint Mary’s; it really has made my college experience that much better. I am looking forward to continuing to skate on the team through my senior year. I know that at the end, I will have even more great memories to share about my skating experience.