Houston – Tucked inside a city better known for warmth and humidity is something cold as ice.
There are a number of ice rinks in Houston with top figure skaters who have seen success at national competitions.
At Bellerive Ice Center in Sharpstown, you’ll meet some of Houston’s most promising young figure skaters.
One of those skaters is Mikey Chen, a rising competitor who recently captured first place at the Midwestern Sectional Finals in the Novice men’s division, earning him a spot at the U.S. National Championships.
“That was a really big achievement for me,” Chen said. “Before that, I was a really bad competitor. I could do the jumps, the spins, the skating skills — but in competition, I would just bomb every time.”
Chen said for years, competition nerves held him back, even when his practice performances suggested he could place near the top. That changed last season, when something finally clicked.
“I’m not exactly sure what happened,” he said. “But I started competing a lot better. It was really refreshing to finally show what my skating actually looks like.”
Chen trains about 15 hours a week and recently moved into new boots — a difficult transition for any skater — just ahead of nationals. Despite the challenges, he said he’s proud of how he performed on the sport’s biggest stage.
“I realized it’s just like practice,” Chen said. “I just have to go out there and jump.”
Behind Chen and many of the skaters at Bellerive are longtime coaches Val and Elena Prudsky, who say their role extends far beyond teaching jumps and spins.
“You need to give them trust,” Val Prudsky said. “They know how to do it. It’s scary to do difficult jumps, but they have to trust you — and themselves.”
That trust often turns coaches into second parents.
“I deal with their school, their schedule, what time they need to sleep,” Prudsky said. “They come to the rink more than they go to school sometimes.”
The commitment is intense. Many skaters train 15 to 20 hours a week while balancing school through specialized programs like off-campus physical education to make practice possible.
year-round
Still, the skaters say the lessons they learn go far beyond the ice.
Figure skating in Houston has grown significantly over the past two decades, according to local rink managers and coaches. The city now has multiple facilities offering Learn-to -Skate programs and elite training.
“We have great coaches, great facilities, and very dedicated families,” said Mark Poole, the skating director at Bellerive Ic Center and Aerodrome Ice Skating Complex. “It takes everyone.”
That growth has led to increased success at sectional and national competitions — and sparked bigger dreams among the skaters.
When asked if the Olympics are a possibility one day, the coaches say it’s not out of the picture.
“Why not?” Val Prudsky said. “I don’t see why not.”
For now, coaches hope more Houstonians give skating a try — especially during the city’s hottest months.
“It’s the perfect summer sport,” Elena Prudsky said. “It’s cool inside, and it’s fun.”
While Bellerive Ice Center currently does not offer Learn-to-Skate group lessons, many area ice rinks offer programs year-round.