recreational ice skating

Lena Perez

 

When ISI skater Lena Perez, 10, of Bowie, Md., had to come up with a project idea for participation in her school’s STEM fair, it was a no-brainer. The fourth grader at Heather Hills Elementary School chose to combine her interest in science and math with her love of skating.

Lena Perez Figure Skating Psychics ProjectThe result? Her project, “Figure Skating Physics,” went on to earn a second place award (in physics and astronomy) in the Prince George’s County Public School’s STEM Fair, held May 18. She was selected as her school’s fourth grade representative to participate in the county STEM fair, which included 154 participants from 34 elementary schools.

“I came up with my idea because different coaches told me different recommendations on how long I should hold my edge before I spun,” said Lena. “I wanted to find which length was the best for the most rotations.”

For her project, she tested a classical physics and mechanics question: Does the length of the push affect the number of rotations in a one-foot skating spin? She recruited five figure skaters to help her with her experiment.

“I will be using a circle with a diameter of 4 feet,” she wrote in her project summary. “Each skater will use no push, 1⁄4 of the circumference of a circle push, 1⁄2 of the circumference of a circle push, and 3⁄4 of the circumference of a circle push before their spins. Then I will review the number of rotations in each spin to see if the lengths of the push affect the rotations.

“My results show that the push length affects the number of rotations in a one-foot figure skating spin. Using a 1⁄2 of a circle push will give you more rotations in a one-foot figure skating spin than the other lengths I used for testing. I predicted using 1⁄2 of a circle push would get the most rotations. This means my hypothesis was correct.”

Figure Skating Physics ProjectLena, a fifth grader this fall, is hoping her research can help other figure skaters improve the number of rotations in their spins.

“I might do more figure skating physics projects in the future and test if my theory works with more advanced spins or with more momentum/speed by doing crossovers before the spin,” she said.

How did Lena get her start skating? At age 7, she went to the ice rink for the first time with her Girl Scout troop. Now she skates once or twice a week at her home rink (Bowie Ice Arena in Bowie, Md.), where Christine Wilson Brinton is her coach.

“I enjoy figure skating because I get to learn new skills and spend time with my friends,” she said.

Aside from skating and Girl Scouts, Lena also participates in her church’s choir and is in her school’s garden club, Green Team, orchestra (plays the cello) and chorus. A straight-A student, she has also achieved honor roll every quarter.


Established in 1959, the Ice Sports Industry (ISI) — creator of America’s first learn-to-skate curriculum — is an international trade association encompassing all aspects of the ice sports industry. Our goal is to promote ice skating as a participant sport and recreational activity for everyone — all ages and abilities. Learn more about the ISI Ice Skating Program

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