This is the latest in the “Northwood Bucket List” series by editor Mitch Baker ’24. Read more stories from this series here.
On a recent Friday night a diverse group of U19 and U17 Northwood soccer players stepped out of their comfort zone to skate at the prestigious Olympic Speed Skating Oval. Many of the student-athletes, including myself, had never been skating before, some athletes had never even seen a skating oval before coming to Northwood. The soccer team at Northwood has always been extremely diverse; students from all over the world come to Northwood to further their academic and soccer abilities. Students from Bermuda, Venezuela, Ecuador, Portugal, Spain, and many more came together to skate for the first time.
Some of the students who crossed “Skating on the Oval” off their “Northwood Bucket List” recently. Photo provided.
Lake Placid is known for the famous 1980 and 1932 Olympic games. The facilities students can access are truly unbelievable. Skating is a must-do activity for Northwood students before they graduate. The feeling of gliding around the oval with the lights shining bright and the music playing loud is a feeling that you will remember for life. “It was so fun skating with all the boys,” said Nicolas Cedeno ‘24. “At the start, it was funny watching everyone fall, and towards the end, it became peaceful. We were all able to skate well and enjoyed the night. Skating is something I would have never done in Ecuador, so I am glad I did it here in Lake Placid,” he added.
Cedeno wasn’t the only new skater, Sachiel Ming ‘24 from sunny Bermuda added, “Skating. A Bermudian man skating! A Bermudian skating is like a Jamaican bobsledding, it is a once in a lifetime sight. I would have never had the opportunity to do this back home. I don’t think the majority of the island has ever even seen an oval.” Sachiel learned quickly and ended up racing me towards the end. We both raced like it was the World Cup Final. Sachiel unfortunately fell early in the race, making it an uneven contest. Regardless of the outcome, it was an experience to remember.
It wasn’t only an amazing experience for first-timers. “I have skated a lot back home, but I think last Friday was my best experience,” Lohkoah Paye ’25 expressed. “Seeing all the guys learn whilst being far better than them is very funny. The facility in town is unreal. Seeing all the flags and the famous hockey rinks really adds to the experience,” he added.
The prep hockey team made a guest appearance, watching us new learners skate. Obviously, they found it funny, but they encouraged and helped us learn. Another positive thing about skating is it unites people. I was skating not only with soccer players but also with skiers and other athletes. Some of us were in the same boat, which forced us to try to learn from each other. We were able to laugh and help each other, which made the overall experience far better. I believe I am personally a lot closer with students outside of the soccer team because of skating.
Overall, I think skating is one of the most important things to cross off your “Northwood bucket list.” Everything about it is special to Lake Placid. The soccer boys had a blast and would like to thank Mrs. Fagan for all the help teaching us how to skate. As we hit the peak of winter, more winter sports may be ticked off the bucket list. Stay tuned!