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When I was little I dreamed of being a figure skater- in fact it was the only event that I liked to watch at the winter Olympics.  I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that my best friend skated and dreamed of going to the Olympics and I liked the sparkly costumes.  My friend  changed her life goals and didn’t go the professional athlete route but she is very talented none-the-less.

This video takes me back to watching my friend compete in competitions and how I always marveled at how effortlessly she seemed to move on the ice.  I was lucky if I could make it around the rink once without falling over.  I have only improved slightly to the point that I can actually skate forwards at a decent speed without hesitation.  But that’s about it.  Not only does this video display the grace and stamina that it takes to be a Olympic caliber skater, but I love the editing.  It makes me feel as if I’m on the ice with her.

This wasn’t the end of my ice sport ambition- at some point I got over the sparkly costumes and wanted to play hockey:

Akseli Tuomivaara

My grandfather was an avid hockey fan and I guess it rubbed off.  Hockey was another sport that I never took up and I’m guessing both of my parents were very grateful for that.  It was the fact that I was going to have to take two years of skating lessons before I could even touch a stick and I was already 14 so that kind of killed that idea – probably for the best as I was able to take up rowing instead.  In the end it was a more logical sport for me.

Having given up on the idea of playing hockey, this video makes me very excited for the hockey games this Olympics.  The movement and on ice experience takes the audience with the team as they fly up the ice and puts you in the action.  Almost as good as playing yourself- you just don’t have to worry about losing your front teeth.

So what are you favorite ice sports?  Anyone going out to learn how to skate after watching these games?