Sofia-Alexandra Colon started skating when she was 6 years old and found an instant attraction.
“I took learn-to-skate lessons at Carmel Ice Skadium and realized I was serious about it and told my mom I wanted to continue,” Colon said. “At age 8, I joined the Ice Skating Club of Indianapolis and took private lessons from my coach, Marie Víchová Millikan. I’ve been skating ever since.”
The 2019 Carmel High School graduate is now skating for Adrian (Mich.) College and helped lead the varsity open collegiate synchro team to the Midwest Sectional title for synchronized skating Jan. 29 at Kalamazoo, Mich. The occasion was the third time Adrian College won the Midwest Sectional title for synchronized skating.
Colon was on the winning team as a freshman at Adrian in 2020. The competition was not held in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was special to me because last year there were the constant phone calls that the competitions were canceled,” Colon said. “Being able to compete this year and being able to win sectionals after such a break and such a loss of hope, it was amazing to have that feeling again and to have my teammates all smile that we could do it again.”
Colon also is on the figure skating team at Adrian. She said both skating teams compete throughout the school year.
“To my knowledge, I’m the only skater, at least in the last decade, that Marie has taught that has gone to college to continue skating,” Colon said.
Millikan represented Czechoslovakia at the 1968 Winter Olympics.
Colon said most of the other students stopped skating competitively after high school.
“I decided I loved skating so much (that) I decided I would love to go to a school where I could continue that,” Colon said. “That was most of the reason why I went to Adrian, because it’s a small atmosphere, the family you get to create when you get here and to be able to continue skating while studying.”
Colon had never competed in synchronized skating.
“That was really challenging for me at first,” said Colon, who also remains a member of the Ice Skating Club of Indianapolis. “I wasn’t used to being surrounded by girls skating alongside me, but I turned out to love it. It’s improved my skills, my strength.”
Colon has one more year to compete at Adrian and finish her degree in exercise science. Colon, who wants to become an occupational therapist, is applying to graduate schools now and said the opportunity to skate will be part of her consideration.
For more on the Ice Skating Club of Indianapolis, visit skateisci.com. Learn more about Adrian College Varsity Skating at bulldogskating.com.
