BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — A Wonderful World on Ice will showcase the girls and boys from the Bakersfield Blades. This ice-skating group has put together a live show just in time for the holidays, but this accomplishment did not come without hard work.
The Bakersfield Blades weren't able to have the show last year due to COVID-19 so they’re excited to show their stuff Saturday, December 11th at the Mechanics Bank Arena.
Some of the students have been training for years just to get their axles down but when COVID hit rinks closed and many went a year without practice. Now the Bakersfield Blades are back in full effect putting in the extra work necessary to get back to where they were last year, and they say it’s all worth it.
“It makes me feel really good because I’m really passionate about it and I’ve been skating for a long time. It's the best sport I’ve ever experienced,” said Anastasya Rodriguez a Bakersfield Blades ice skater.
Rodriguez said ice skating may look difficult at first but with time anyone can become an ice skater.
“The best thing is to not give up about it it’s gonna be hard, but you have to push through at times,” said Rodriguez.
Bakersfield Blades mom and communications director Shawna James said she sees how beneficial ice skating has been for her daughter
“She says it clears her head and helps her just focus on the skating and she really enjoys it she started out here in skate school and she wore rental skates she’d skate for three hours in rental skates and didn’t want to leave the ice,” said James.
For thirteen-year-old Georgia Marshall, she has advice for all of the young skaters out there.
“Some advice for younger kids is to just to make sure you do always look up to that person and just always try your hardest if you do want to get to their level or just try. Like skating’s fun you just have to make sure you practice and do a lot of these things to get there,” said Marshall.
The Bakersfield Blades will get the opportunity to show off all of the moves they worked so hard to learn on the big stage Saturday, December 11. The show is expected to be two hours long with a brief intermission. Those in attendance can expect to see solos, group numbers, and a spectacular finale. The show will take place at the Mechanics Bank Arena.
