With the new indoor ice rink up this year, senior Catherine Winnop is excited to be figure skating in the new building for her last year. Winnop has been using the ice rink since she was six years old, starting out as a figure skater then taking a break to play ice hockey until she was 11, when she went back to figure skating and has been since.

“My dad inspired me to play hockey and then once I couldn’t do that because he didn’t want me to do checking league, my sister inspired me to start skating again,” says Winnop. Her face lights up describing her favorite things about skating such as jumps and spins; there is an obvious passion for this chilly sport with Winnop. She has achieved a medal for every competition she has been in including her favorite spotlight performance where she skated to the song “Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves while wearing a sunflower headdress that she made for Halloween.

Winnop also thanks her former science teacher from Holy Name School and skating coach, Emily Emond for her inspiration. “She’s one of the hardest working skaters I’ve ever had,” says Emond. “She skates confidently even if she makes a mistake. That’s a skill that comes naturally to her.”

In her free time, Winnop likes to spend her time outdoors. During the past summer she worked at the Brinton Museum on the landscaping crew, and during the winter she likes to do outdoor activities, such as going up the mountain, cross country skiing, and of course ice skating. She and her friend, senior Heather Belus, like to rent movies and watch them in her basement while painting their nails. They also spend a lot of their time at Bliss Yogurt. “Catherine cares about you so much that she will actually pick stuff out of your teeth,” says Belus.

To continue her figure skating after high school, Winnop plans to join the group down at UW, “My sister joined and it was pretty easy for her to do, so I want to do that,” says Winnop. As for what she will miss from high school, Winnop says she will miss seeing her friends everyday and the guidance of her teachers. On that note she says she’s worried about liking her professors and classes and making new friends at college.

Winnop has plans to attend the University of Wyoming next year and wants to study Health Sciences or Sports Medicine. “Both of my parents are physical therapists so they definitely inspired me and the Health Sciences just kind of intrigued me,” says Winnop. “They are really interesting with the new stuff they are discovering.” Her favorite subjects in school are math and band. Winnop’s extracurricular activities include participating in student council, National Honors Society, and band where she plays the saxophone.

Winnop is the daughter of Terry and Theresa Winnop.