Figure skaters target USFS Nationals with talented veterans, promising newcomers

Liberty University's figure skating team will debut its new routines and open competition in an expanded Southeast Section next Friday through Sunday at the University of South Florida in Tampa.

"It's been a really good start to the year," said senior Emma Richards, who won the Intermediate Excel division at the U.S. Collegiate Figure Skating Championships for the second time in three summers in her home rink in Minnesota in July. "We're really excited to be back and gearing up for our first competition."

Future Southeast Sectional events are scheduled for Feb. 21-23 at the University of Pennsylvania and March 14-16 at the University of Delaware, with the top four qualifying teams advancing to the April 11-13 National Intercollegiate Final at the University of Notre Dame.

The Southeast Section, one of four in the United States, will include five new states this season — Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama — with several colleges and universities that Liberty has yet to compete against.

"We're going to see a lot of different teams and a lot of different skaters we've never seen before at these competitions," Kirschke said. "Our goal is to put our best foot forward and see what happens. All we can do is prepare the best that we can on our side, have the most difficult programs, have the most difficult elements that we can in each of the programs, and see where it lands."

She is optimistic that the Lady Flames can secure their fifth consecutive bid to nationals as a team in part because of the attitude and energy level brought by her eight incoming freshmen.

"The new recruits are so humble and so willing to be open to anything," Kirschke said. "We're changing some programs, adding programs, and they're 100 percent on board which is really cool to see that they have already bought into what we're trying to do with the team and what the mission is with trying to make it to nationals. That's been really exciting to see and super helpful for them to be so coachable for me and (Assistant Coach) Claire (Rivas) to work with and … they've all clicked very well."

Richards has witnessed firsthand the rise of the Lady Flames' program over the past three years and fully anticipates that continuing her senior season, even against greater competition.

"We've got our work cut out for us this year," she said. "I've been here for four years and I'm really excited to see the pinnacle of this program. Through the ups and downs and all of the changes, it really does get better and better as we focus in on what our mission is and we work to become better skaters, better athletes, better people. Ultimately, when we leave this place, it's not just about how well we skated; it's about who we are becoming, and I really think that's what makes us so successful."

Kirschke said the mission of the team remains the same, regardless of how high the stakes are for the skaters.

"It really goes back to, 'What are we here for? Why are we doing this?" she asked. "We love the sport and have these amazing gifts that the Lord has given us, so we are really trying to emphasize this is not from ourselves, but it is from the Lord. Our school is very unique in being a whole team that comes to competitions with a different kind of joy and different kind of outlook on our sport. We are looking at it in a different light of we are here for the Lord, we are using the gifts He has given us and the joy for the sport that we have to glorify Him."

Video edited by Noah Ritcher/Club Sports Video & Media Assistant

Figure-skaters-2024-team-photo — The Lady Flames feature eight newcomers and 10 returning skaters on their 2024-25 season roster. (Photo by Megan Lovelace)

Figure skaters target USFS Nationals with talented veterans, promising newcomers

Players Mentioned

Emma Richards

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