Gliding onto the ice, Katie Coates feels at home. According to Katie, skating has never been intimidating or difficult, and that’s why, at the age of 12, she made figure skating her sport.

“It’s the one thing I have given all my time to. It makes me feel unique,” Katie said. “I started late, but I always had a connection to skating that I didn’t have to anything else.”

One year later, Katie quit skating because she was overwhelmed with the intensity of it. According to Katie, she did not realize how much she loved the sport until she quit. She began skating again her freshman year and has continued ever since.

“I missed the feeling I got when I was on the ice,” Katie said. “I wasn’t able to find the sensational feeling I had when I skated anywhere else in my life.”

Katie said the best thing about figure skating is the sport’s ability to combine an individual sport with a team sport. While Katie competes alone, she is also a part of five-person ensemble team called PINK (Performance Ice Ninjas of Kirkwood) that travels and performs routines together. The team won fourth place at the ISI Winter Classic Competition in 2011, and second place in 2012.

According to Katie’s coach, Evelyn Gwi, Katie works hard and is an influential part of PINK.

“[Katie] is very dedicated, passionate and athletic,” Gwi said. “She has great expression, creativity and work ethic. Katie is also an amazing spinner.”

Katie, attending Mizzou in the fall, will continue to skate and compete. Mizzou does not have a figure skating team, so she plans to take a 25-minute drive to train at the Washington Park Ice Rink in Jefferson City. Katie plans to travel to St. Louis for competitions.

“Skating has given me an outlet to find people like me and have a relationship with them on and off the ice,” Katie said. “It’s more than just me [on the ice] because I have the love and support of my team.”

According to Katie, skating provides her with something to do and somewhere to go where she can express herself. She said she does not worry about being judged or feeling uncomfortable because she is confident with who she is as a skater.

“Skating makes me feel flawless,” Katie said. “I do what comes to me and it makes me feel free.”