MEET ANGELA MAXWELL

I remember watching figure skating on TV when I was little. I was really amazed by it. It was different from a lot of the common sports. I was very active, and at the time I was mostly consumed with gymnastics, dance, horse back riding, swimming, and a little piano on the side. But my mom wanted me to try everything and she put me in skating.

I was surprised to go to junior nationals twice — once as a juvinile and once as an intermediate. Eventually I made the U.S. Championships, the highest national competition, and was surprised again. The year that I won novice, 2007, I was so excited to be selected for a competition in the Netherlands. It was my first international and my first time out of the country.

After my junior season, when I won the silver medal in the junior ladies competition at the 2008 U.S Championships, I relocated to Hackensack N.J. for training. It was a very odd moving to a different state. I had always been in Texas for my whole life and never had to deal with this kind of situation. It was a very difficult time for me. I missed everyone from Texas very much and I still do. My best friend and I relied on each other a lot when I was living in Texas. It is hard not having here here.

But some of the new friends I've made here made it easier for me. I was happy to be able to skate with Miki Ando, Nobunari Oda, and Fumie Suguri. They are really nice and overall really great people aside from being incredible skaters who I can learn a lot from. Knowing that New Jersey is bringing me closer to my skating goals is very rewarding.

My coach Olga Orlova and I are working on the new programs for the 2009-10 season, in which I will skate as a junior internationally and a senior nationally. I can't wait to show everyone what we have put together. I will keep working hard to make the programs the best they can be.

Thank you everyone for visiting my official Web site!

Angela Maxwell