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Young ice prodigy heads to nationals
By Stephanie Flemmons, sflemmons@acnpapers.com
Nine-year-old Amber Glenn accomplished a feat most her age could hardly fathom.
Her hard work, dedication and talent earned her a spot as the youngest competitor at the 2010 Junior Nationals Figure Skating Championship in Cleveland, Ohio, in December.
“I’m nervous and excited,” Glenn said. “I’m nervous because this is the biggest competition of my life so far, but I’m excited for the same reason.”
“I didn’t expect to win,” Glenn said. “When I finished I wasn’t thinking about my place, I was thinking about my score.”
Ann Brumbaugh, Glenn’s coach for three years, said her success at such a young age stems from her ability to take the sport seriously and her eagerness to be the best she can.
“It is unusual to see a child her age want to take it as seriously as she wants to,” Brumbaugh said. “I always saw something in her at a very young age. A lot of kids have potential, but the talent it takes to put the effort in the well-rounded talent includes hard work, effort and the ability to work on things that are challenging. She has all of those pieces.”
Brumbaugh said she wanted Glenn to make it to the final round during her first regional competition and have a chance to win a medal, but did not expect a first place win.
“When she won it was surreal,” she said. “I knew she did really well, and toward the end I just didn’t want to compare her to the others anymore. I just sat and then paced. She always surprises me with what she is able to accomplish.”
Glenn hits the ice five to six days a week at 8 a.m. She spends at least 20 hours a week focusing on stretching, technique and performance. In the afternoons, Glenn heads home with her mom, Cathlene, and younger sister, Brooke, to begin six hours of daily school work. Cathlene facilitates their work through an on-line public school program geared for home-schooled children.
Glenn showed an immediate interest in figure skating when she was 4 years old. Her father, Richard, said they met friends and family at The Ice at Stonebriar in Frisco. Little did she know, this rink would become her second home and the place that led her to her potential life-long career.
“She started really liking it, so we enrolled her in group classes,” Cathlene said. “When she was 5 years old she saw someone do a jump, and she began trying on her own.” She said. Amber is a thrill-seeker.”
The family decided to enroll her in private lessons, which is where Glenn began rapidly excelling in the sport.
“She would get things really fast and was always eager to learn the next jump or the next spin,” Cathlene said. “She always wants to learn the next thing.”
Richard said once Glenn’s coach and family realized her potential they discussed the possibility of home schooling her and making figure skating a main priority for the family.
“We discussed at the kitchen table whether we were going to go for it,” he said. “Was this going to be a fun thing or a career? We realized mom couldn’t go back to work because this would require her to be at the rink. It would require me to work extra. We realized it was definitely going to be a lifestyle change for the whole family.”
Cathlene said the family decided to wait a while to ensure she had the potential and dedication it would take to pursue such a commitment.
“When we sat down again together I felt like I owed it to her,” she said. “If my children find something they are naturally talented at, I owe it to them to pursue it.”
Brumbaugh said she too evaluated the pros and cons of how this would ultimately affect Glenn’s life.
“There was always potential and there was always talent, but we questioned in our mind, does she really want to work this hard and is this something she will want to continue to do,” she said. “She has proven to us that she really wants to work this hard and she really wants the rewards from it. This last year has been clear progression of that.”
Glenn now has her sights set at the 2018 Winter Olympics, which is what she said is her ultimate goal.
“I wish for everyone to do their best and I want to do my best,” she said. “I just want my best to be better.”
To view Glenn’s photos, videos, upcoming events or accomplishments visit www.amberglenn.com.
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