Skating club competes on national level

Five months after becoming an official club sport at IU, the Figure Skating Club has begun to grow into its own on campus.\nMade up of only 10 competitive and five recreational members, the club's size is small by comparison with other universities, but has shown the drive and determination to compete with larger teams, said the club's founder freshman Katie Laughner. \nThe 10 competitive Hoosiers placed fourth at the Bronco Cup Challenge at Western Michigan University Feb. 6 and 7, finishing 14 points behind the host and winner WMU and its 40 skaters.\nThe team competed in events like team maneuvers, short and long programs, and solo dance. With seven women placing first overall, the team brought in 60 points for IU.\nThe all-female team still cannot believe how far it has come along in such a short time. \n"This year, we did more than I expected," Laughner said, "especially because of the limited coaching and time and zero funding."\nAs president, the Indianapolis native also believes the drive from the women is what has brought them closer to each other since their induction into the IU Club Sports Federation in October.\nAfter chalking sidewalks and distributing flyers, the team has grown to 15 members. The club practices four times a week off-campus at the Frank Southern Ice Arena, located near Bloo-mington South High School. \nThe team's budget is largely made up of membership dues and private donations. But the women hold fundraisers to help support the new venture.\nLaughner has no doubt everything the team accomplishes and stands for, comes directly from its members.\n"I really think we've gotten this far, because of everyone's motivation and dedication toward each other," Laughner said.\nThe team is coached by sophomore Katie Elkins, who has been skating for nine years. Though Elkins holds regular practices and takes the team to competitions, the team is currently looking for a full-time coach.\n"We are looking for people that can put in a lot of hard work and dedication and be involved in fundraising events," she said.\nElkins said she is happy to have started the figure skating team, as only 36 universities in the United States have figure skating teams.\nNow that the club has been moving rapidly toward its goal of making a mark on IU, it hopes to attract more members in the coming seasons. \nClub members seek to show interested women the club is more than just a team sport at IU. Instead, they would rather market themselves as a group of young athletes who hold friendship as the core of their achievements. The group also plans to show students of what its members are capable and attract a strong fan base.\nSenior Katherine Jorck puts it simply as "good, fun, cheap, entertainment."\nFor its next event, the figure skating team laces up to put on an exhibition show Feb. 28 at the IU hockey game at Frank Southern Ice Arena. \nFor more information about the club team, contact them at iufigureskating @yahoo.com.\n-- Contact Aishah Hasnie at ahasnie@indiana.edu.