Student Spotlight: Maggie Salko

Everyone has something they’re good at. Freshman Maggie Salko (MS) competitively roller skates. Madison Dodger Online (MDO) was lucky enough to speak to Maggie about her unique hobby.

MDO: What caused you to begin competitively roller skate?

MS: I started skating when I was 7 because my grandmother had given gift certificates to skate free at the Florham Park Roller Rink. I went and tried out the group lessons they teach on Saturdays. I immediately fell in love but didn’t start on the team until the team’s summer fundraiser, when they were asking for group lesson kids to be in a group routine to perform at the fundraiser with the team. During the process of practicing the routine, I kept wanting to be a part of the team and doing more complicated stuff. After the fundraiser I started taking private lessons, and after some time getting real skills, I got a routine and began competing. Also, I have become an assistant coach at the same group lessons that started me with skating.

MDO: What is your favorite part of roller skating?

MS: My favorite part of skating is the people. My teammates are pretty good friends of mine despite the fact we all live about a half hour apart. Even though we compete, we support each other and talk during breaks. I also love skating since it is an escape for me. When I’m at the rink practicing, nothing really matters but my jumps, spins, and footwork.

MDO: What do you do to prepare before competitions?

MS: To prepare for competitions, I take lessons. In my lessons and in practice , I work on perfecting my items and getting my routines clean.

MDO: What are the competitions normally like?

MS: Competitions start really early in the morning for me. I’m in three different categories for skating, each with a different costume and routine: figures, creative, and freestyle. Then I can do up to two events (two levels) for each category. I can do up to 6 events, but normally I’ll only do up to 4. I have to be there an hour before my event, so I am typically talking to my friends, doing my hair, or playing on my phone while I wait. After I compete each event I have to wait around for scores, then switch into my freestyle/creative skates and my costume for my next category and its events. Competitions for me can last around 12 hours at a rink, since typically creative events are competed very last, so I start at 5am and finish around 5pm.

Each event starts out with all the girls in the event warming up on the floor, then after our warm up, one by one each girl does her routine in front of the judges and and audience. Everyone is extremely friendly at competitions despite the fact that we are all competing. In fact, I have friends from other teams I look forward to competing against every competitions, because that means I get to talk to them and catch up.