I won’t forget the day I woke up early on August 16, 2009, on a Sunday. I got up, got a shower, and got ready for… ice skating. It was my third competition but my first while traveling. I was going to Atlantic City’s Flyers Ice Arena.

In the car, I was very worried. My mom, dad, and sister, Alexa, were giving me advice, a lot of advice, while Alexa and I had our jam session… listening to her iPod! It got me less nervous and more pumped! As I started to walk inside the rink, I saw national skaters my age. It was amazing! I walked into the locker room tripping because I was shaking so much!

Then my dad walks in again, coming back from dropping off a cake at my aunt’s house in Ventnor. He came back with my aunt and my two cousins. It was the first time someone other than my mom, dad, and two sisters had come to watch me skate! The first relatives to watch me! I got so terrified! At that moment, I had chosen to be myself and not what others want me to be. I went into the locker room with my coach, Christina and warmed up all of my moves on land before I got onto the ice. To pass the time, I watched my friends’ programs and cheered them on.
It was finally my time to go on the ice and warm-up; I knew that because I heard… “The following people please take the ice: Madison Ginotti…” My warm-up was nice and clean. I then got a chance to skate my program. “Up next, Madison Ginotti!” the announcer boomed over the loudspeaker. “Are you ready and scared?” my coach, Christina questioned. “Yes, but I’m ready.” I skated to “Angel” by Jessica Simpson. Since I was so nervous, I rushed my performance a little bit, but I felt amazing being on the ice all by myself. The key is to be yourself no matter what you’re doing. It wasn’t perfect, but it was still a clean program.

Finally, it was time for the results. My friends got first, second, third, and fourth place in their divisions. I finished in fourth place in my division! “Yes! I’m so happy,” I thought. Everyone was so proud of me! It was the best thing, better than my first trip to Disney World. This meant the world to me and I’ll never forget it. Ice skating is my life.

Later, we went to my aunt’s house in Ventnor. There I saw my Aunt Dee, Cousin Liz, Cousin Angelo, Cousin Patty, and later, my cousins Tommy and Ava. We had so much fun and so many people were so proud of how well I did . I was wearing an adorable outfit that my sister Alexa had picked out for me at the skating competition. It had the logo of the competition, Sun, Sand, and Skate on the front and on the back it had all of the competitors’ names and there was a gold star right next to my name!

I spent the rest of the day swimming and eating a delicious homemade meal with my wonderful family who couldn’t have been prouder of how well I had done in my figure skating competition! I will always continue to ice skate. I love ice skating. I also got big news. It was so amazing because my Aunt Dee told us that we could come down in two days and spend a week at her house so that we could go to the beach! Later, I saw my old friend Monique who lives a few doors down from my aunt’s house. It was definitely a day to remember! I still have my medal in my room and I wear the outfit from the competition all the time! It was one of the best days ever and I would love to do another competition sometime soon! Whether it is at Hollydell, my home rink, or a traveling competition, I know it will be just as much fun!