What I’ve Learned…

~by Coach Linda

Starting Over — Again and Again

Starting over isn’t failure. It’s an opportunity — a chance to learn not only from what worked, but from what didn’t. I’ve learned that as long as you keep trying, life keeps handing you new beginnings. Luck, I’ve discovered, lives in the courage to believe that this time, you’ll reach your goal.

I married young, still a college student, and couldn’t afford to skate competitively anymore. So I began teaching artistic roller skating instead, learning the ropes from some very generous rink owners who knew how to build strong programs. It was a blessing in disguise — I was still on skates, still teaching, still connected to the sport I loved.

When I had my first child, I stepped away from teaching for a while, only to find my business so successful under a friend’s care that she didn’t want to give it back! So I started again — new rink, new students, new dreams. And it worked. My second skating program grew quickly, from beginners to competitors within two years. I even had my second child during that time and raised my girls in the rink alongside the other “skate kids” of my little skating family.

Then my husband’s aerospace career took us to California. Once again, I packed up my skates and started from scratch — driving two hours through Orange County traffic with two little girls in tow to build yet another skating club. When a new job brought us back to Texas, I did it all over again. Each rink became a new classroom, not just for my students but for me.

In Texas, I had the good fortune to work with a master teacher who taught me the business of skating — how to move skaters from first steps to national-level competition. Those lessons and the lessons and support of the other generous rink operators I worked with became the foundation of my teaching philosophy today.

As my daughters grew, I shifted careers for a while — working in marketing and public relations by day and running a costume design business with my mother by night. Together, we created custom costumes for roller and ice skaters, ballroom dancers, and even pageant contestants around the world. Teaching took a back seat during those years, but the love of skating never left me.

Fast forward thirty years. I’m older now, but still young enough to lace up my skates and chase that feeling of freedom and grace. Today, I’m back at the rink — teaching again, building clubs, mentoring teachers, and helping skaters of all ages discover the joy of motion and artistry.

When I look across the rink and see twenty students focused, smiling, and skating with confidence, I know I’m right where I belong. This time, I have the benefit of every lesson, every stumble, and every restart that brought me here.

My goal now is simple: to leave a legacy of joyful rolling. If even one of my skaters goes on to inspire others to do the same, then every “new beginning” will have been worth it.

I am, truly, blessed and grateful for this chance to begin again — one more time, on wheels.