Joe Drennan
Sports Editor

Figure skating isnít recognized by the Minnesota State High School League, making it hard for Minnesota skaters to excel, but Forest Lake High School junior Stephanie Zastrow has found a way to excel on the ice and in the classroom.

Skating for the St. Paul Figure skating Club out of Pleasant Arena in St. Paul, Zastrow traveled to Littleton, CO, Nov. 17-19, for the junior level section competition.

ìMy short program was good, but my long program there definitely wasnít my best,î Zastrow said.

With her long program not being where she would have liked it, Zastrow ended up placing 11th, and missing out on a trip to the national competition in Westminster, CO, in early December.

Zastrow advanced to the sections by placing third at the Regions in Duluth at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center late in October.

ìShe was pretty excited (about her third place finish),î Zastrowís mom Mary said.

Placing third at regionals is not easy. Zastrow was just one of between 30 to 35 girls to compete. With only the top four skaters advancing to sections, there was plenty of pressure.

ìIt was a really different competition compared to the other ones I do, not only because of the better talent, but because of the atmosphere as a whole,î Zastrow said. ìItís a lot more intense as all the girls are very competitive. Some of them have skated in international competitions so theyíre used to the pressure.î

At the junior level every skater has talent, Zastrow commented. Itís not like skating at some of the lower levels like the intermediate level where even average skaters are entered.

ìA lot of skaters quit after the intermediate level so when you make it to the junior level the skaters that are left are really dedicated and good,î Zastrow said.

This was not Zastrowís first trip to a section competition. While skating as a novice in 2003 she placed fifth at the section competition.

To prepare for the section competition Zastrow didnít change her training regime. If she had changed things, she wouldnít have time to sleep.

Zastrow skates six days a week, taking Sundays off, skating several hours a day.

ìWeíre able to do more in the summer, but thatís because we have more time because we donít have to go to school,î Zastrow said with a smile.

Each day of training consists of skating for a few hours, working on her jumps and routines, then working off the ice.

The focus of Zastrowís training before going to sections was to build up her stamina to prepare her for the high altitude in Littleton.

ìSenior mens skaters would finish after their four and a half minute program and fall on the ground because they couldnít stand,î Zastrowís mom said. ìThey werenít used to the high altitude. A lot of the kids had the same problem.î

With the nationals in Colorado as well, Zastrow said she felt bad for the skaters because they had to put up with the high altitude.

All that time training, leaves little time for a social life, yet alone school.

ìItís unusual for a skater of Stephanieís age to do as well as sheís doing as a full-time student,î Zastrowís mom said.

Most figure skaters of Zastrowís skill and age are home-schooled, giving them the flexibility to spend the time at the rink that they need to and get their school work done.

ìThe teachers (at Forest Lake High School), as has the principal (Dr. Steve Massey) have been really exceptional in allowing Stephanie to skate,î Zastrowís mom said. ìTheyíre really good at making sure she gets the work she needs. Not a lot of schools are that cooperative.î

Zastrowís mom noted that it takes a lot of communication from all fronts to coordinate things. It also helps that Zastrow is a straight A student.

ìIn order to graduate from Forest Lake High School Stephanie needs to meet all the board requirements, and sheís a very capable athlete whoís also a very capable student who works very hard,î Massey said.

Massy noted that while the requirements to graduate are not flexible, the methods as to fulfilling those requirements are.

ìThe nice thing is there is a commitment at the high school to try and be flexible enough to work with the situation to make sure kids have the possibility to do something like skate,î Massey said.

Now that the pressure of the section competition is past, Zastrow is working with her coaches and choreographer to come up with new music and a new routine.

ìIíll keep working hard on my jumps to clean them up and gain more speed as I go into them along with my connecting moves,î Zastrow said. ìIím going to bring my skating ability to the next level, that way I can move up to the senior level, or stay at the junior level as a really good junior.î

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