Congers Teen Brings Talent To The Ice

While many teenagers are used to playing sports such as soccer, basketball, baseball, and the like, 16-year-old Lianna Thomas takes her talents off the field and onto the ice.  After figure skating for seven years, Thomas was awarded first place in the Junior Ladies Free Skate at the State Games of America this month.

Thomas was first introduced to figure skating at a friend's birthday party when she was nine. Despite her initial fears of getting hurt, it was not long before the ambitious youngster fell in love with skating.

“I ended up having a great time at the party,” says Thomas.  “I saw all of the older kids jumping on the ice and I wanted to be able to do that.”

The State Games of America is a national, biennial event and was held in early August in San Diego.

“The competition is for all sports and kids from around the country participate,” says Thomas.  “Most people have to qualify at the state level in order to go. It is sort of like a mini Olympics.”

Thomas had previously qualified for the State Games by medaling at the Empire State Games at the Olympic Center in Lake Placid. With this win, the talented young woman has automatically qualified for the 2013 State Games which will take place in Hershey, PA.

The State Games was Thomas’ first national competition.  

“Just knowing I had it coming up was a really good motivator and gave me a really good work ethic,” she says.  

She trained extremely hard so that she was well-prepared when competition time came.

“I wanted to go out there and give it my all. I was proud of myself for the way I skated before finding out my scores,” says the modest teen. “Coming in first place was just the icing on the cake.”

Thomas is a member of the US Figure Skating and Skating Club of New York and spends close to five and a half hours practicing at Sport-O-Rama, located in Monsey, each day. She works with a team of coaches led by Peter Burrows who has trained well-known skaters such as Dorothy Hamill, Elaine Zayak, Kyoko Ina, Jason Dungien, and others, both national and international.

Thomas puts an immense amount of time and energy into skating. When she decided to stop going to public school after seventh grade and take part in online schooling, the choice  was an easy one.  

“Skating was my main priority and my main focus,” she says.

Although Thomas has competed in singles skating in the past and won the State Games as a single skater, she has recently taken up pairs skating.

While skating pairs has always been a dream of hers, she says, “I was always too young to make a decision because it is such a dangerous sport.”

Now 16, she has decided to give pairs a shot and explains that it is a lot less popular in the USA than singles is. Her partner, Gene Fu, 18, is from Poughkeepsie, NY and the two have been practicing together for a few months already.

“It is like falling in love with skating all over again,” says Thomas. “It’s great having someone by your side to support you and calm your nerves.”

In addition to her own constant practice, Thomas coaches a young skating group called the Ice Pandas, which she created three years ago. The group is made up of 10 to 15 children who range from ages fourto 14. Like Thomas, these children were adopted from China.

“They have a bond with me and with each other,” Thomas says. “It’s great to know that I got them started in something like this and that I can spread my love and passion for skating to these young kids."

The class is held once a week at Sport-O-Rama.

With first place medals and the creation of a skating group already under her belt, who knows where this teen’s talents will take her. Perhaps the next Olympic gold medalist in figure skating will be from Rockland!

Regardless, Thomas does not plan on giving up anytime soon.

“I love that skating will always be there for me and that I will always have the talent and drive to do it,” she says.