HUDSON, Fla. — Most days you will find Kieu Simms at the roller-skating rink.
Not to hang out with friends, but to train as a competitive figure roller skater.
What You Need To Know
- Kieu Simms has traveled the United States and the world competing in figure roller skating
- Last season, Simms won three national medals, now has her sights set on the world championship in Italy
- The high school sophomore started roller skating at four years old
“I love it because I feel like you can express yourself through your routines,” Simms said.
She spends 20 to 30 hours per week perfecting her craft.
“It’s almost like my canvas and I’m making art on it,” Simms explains.
She started at four years old. She was inspired by a show at her local rink in Hudson, and there was no looking back.
“When she started this, we didn’t know where it was going to go. We just sort of got into it. Once she won that first medal, though, we pretty much knew it was going to be a forever thing,” said her father, Ronald Simms.
Now at 16, she specializes in figures as well as solo dance.
Each discipline requires a different set of wheels.
The Hudson native travels to Kissimmee to train with renowned coach Karyn Cormier.
“I’ve been teaching for 46 years. And Kieu is one of the most dedicated students that I’ve had,” Cormier said. “She travels two hours to get to me in Kissimmee, Florida. She is there no matter what time practice is, four in the morning or five in the morning.”
Cormier says sims is a true student of the sport, one who embraces technicality.
In the past three years, Sims has gone from a local standout to representing the United States on the international stage.
“She grew from a local little skater doing well at local competitions and then doing well on the national level,” Cormier said. “And then actually qualifying for the World Figure Cup when we went to Germany last year.”
With one look at her medal collection, you can see her drive has paid off.
“Looking at the first medal I’ve ever gotten — since I saw that one, I knew I wanted more of them, so I’ve always been hungry for medals,” Sims reflected.
Her goal is to qualify for the world figure championship in Italy later this year.
For Sims, it’s not only about her individual accolades, she also wants to impact the future of the sport.
“She’s always working with the younger skaters. She always wants to inspire them to try a little harder and to make them better as well,” Cormier said.
A true student of skating, whose ultimate goal is to keep the dream alive for herself and others.
