ATLANTA — Young athletes across the country have been lacing up their skates, sharpening their blades and hitting the ice with Olympic goals in their sights -- even down in the warm weathered, snowless Peach State. Filling a need for Georgia athletes with few places to practice, The Cooler is an Alpharetta ice rink that is home to metro Atlanta skaters with big dreams.
Where fitness meets fun, The Cooler holds opportunities for novices to learn the basics and for the experienced to master their winter sports on ice. In Nov. 2021, the welcoming ice rink was home to the 2022 U.S. Figure Skating Championship Series -- a Winter Olympic qualifier.
"I’ve been skating since I was about five." Audrey Latham told 11Alive. "I just love the sport so much."
A determined figure skater, the 14 year old is an up-and-comer in a sport that is equal parts grace and grit.
"As my coaches say, you have to look graceful without looking like a truck driver, but going fast at the same time," she added.
Ahead of the championship event, backstage was busy at The Cooler. Competitors clambered and scrambled together with makeup, costumes, music and more in tow.
"It’s go, go, go. You come here, you get warmed up, get changed, the make up, the costumes," explained Madeline Freeman. She grew up figure skating at The Cooler -- dreaming of one day making the Olympic team.
"That is how I got into skating, watching the Olympic games, and I never thought I’d be here trying to get to there, so it’s amazing," Freeman added.
For Cooler regulars like 14-year-old Audrey Latham, local skaters like Madeline Freeman are a beacon of hope, justifying training well spent.
"It gives me hope that if I do what they are doing, the same things I’m doing, that I could be where they are at some point." Latham said.
With the Olympic qualifiers long complete, the 2022 Winter Olympics are now well underway in Beijing. As the winter games continue to inspire another generation of passionate newcomers and Olympic hopefuls, The Cooler will be offering classes on ice for Georgia skaters all the while.