Junior Hannah Maloy to represent the U.S.A in ice skating at Worlds Competition
April 8, 2019
As a high school student, our days begin about 6:00 a.m. with each moan and groan as we roll out bed and get ready for another day of high school. While many of us, including myself, love to complain about how early we have to start our day, one person in particular begins her day much earlier and busier than any of us could imagine. At 4:00 a.m., junior Hannah Maloy climbs out of bed to maker her commute out to Buffalo Grove for an hour long ice skating practice. While some may believe her to be crazy for doing this, Maloy is proving her strength and skills by flying out to Épinol, France this Easter weekend where she will represent the United States in the Worlds Competition: Nations Cup.
As any other momentous passion tends to begin, Maloy started her ice skating career early-on in her life.
“Before I lived in Illinois, I lived in San Francisco, and it was kind of a fun weekend thing we used to do just to get out of the house,” Maloy said. “Then we moved to Illinois, a coach picked me up, and I just found it really fun.”
With joining such a competitive team, nerves are heightened and some may drop out due to fear of failure, but Maloy did quite the opposite, strengthening the team and each of their assets.
“The year that Hannah first joined, we were doing a difficult program with lots of different styles of dancing. Hannah’s experience in doing dance helped us all learn how to do the moves more easily and, personally, she’s really fun to be around,” said Maraal Mostofi, both a good friend and a fellow team mate of Maloy’s. “Hannah is a really good influence and she encourages me whenever I fall or mess up.”
Hannah Maloy performing a lay back during her individual performance.
As the season progressed and the team’s choreography strengthened, the team excelled in competition, but nothing comes easy to this team and everything requires hard work and determination out of the skaters like Maloy.
“I get up at 4:15 a.m., maybe, and run out of the house. I have to be in Buffalo Grove at six because that’s when ice [practice] starts, but you have to be there sooner to warm up,” Maloy said. “You have a routine and off ice jumps. You get on [the ice], warm up for half an hour, and then meet with your coach for half an hour. Then I race back to school for a full day.”
As a high school student, many us complain about our own morning routine and having to wake up as early as six a.m., meanwhile Hannah’s day begins way before school even comes into the picture.
“Skaters skate every day, most of them as early as six a.m. for their first practice,” Marina Gromova, Maloy’s creative coach, said. “Even if Hannah is sick, she has been known to show up and be committed to the success of the team. I can always count on her.”
But with any success comes sacrifice. As a student athlete in two sports, Lacrosse and figure skating, Maloy has encountered busy schedules more often than not.
“I used to play soccer, gymnastics, and so many different types of dance, plus my social life is completely shot,” Maloy said. “I don’t have any free time anymore.”
Even though limits have been tested with each sacrifice and early morning practice, Maloy and her team proved all of their efforts to be worth it by receiving the opportunity to represent the U.S.A in the Worlds competition, Nations Cup, in Epinol, France this year.
“We didn’t do great in our show program in nationals, but then we really worked hard and got third overall with our free program which lead us to getting chosen,” Maloy said. “You have to get picked to go to Worlds, the judges pick the top few teams that they actually want to go to worlds, and they chose our team. I was at camp without my phone for two weeks so I didn’t know while everyone else knew. My mom picked me up with a box of macaroons and a little note where she tried to write in French, ‘You’re going to France,’ I just started crying.”
Hannah performing her part as a leading role in her team’s performance during nationals.
Just like any major accomplishment, everyone needs a support team to help them through the tough times and keep pushing for the goals they set their sights on.
“I’m in a single-parent home. My mom really does her best to drive me to the rink every morning,” Maloy said. “She has her own business, so she’s constantly running around and is so supportive. She’s usually the one that pushes me to the rink in the morning.”
As momentum picks up and preparations for the Nations Cup competition are kicked into high gear, Maloy and her team prepare for the biggest competition of their careers thus far, ready to proudly represent the U.S.A with a huge fan base rooting them on at home.
“You skate all your life, maybe you get lucky and go to worlds,” Maloy said. “There’s so many people in skating, and it’s just so hard to actually reach it. We’ve been working so hard for so long and I’m proud and grateful to be given this well earned opportunity.”
