{UAH} Meet Alberta's Skating Princess
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Meet Alberta's Skating Princess
By Afrospora.com on Sat, 04/26/2014 - 18:44
Linda Ke·mi·gi·sha - UGANDA
Highlights:
- Finalist in the senior bronze category at the Alberta/Northwest Territories/Nunavut STARSkate & Adult Championships (2014)
- Attained a Red Cross level 9 in swimming (2014)
- Finalist in the junior bronze category at the Alberta/Northwest Territories/Nunavut STARSkate & Adult Championships (2013)
- Most improved skater (Intermediate B) at the Derrick Skating Club (2011/2012)
- Junior development skater of the year (2009/2010)
At just 11 years, Linda Kemigisha Byabagambi – who was born in Uganda but relocated to Canada at age 2 – is both a skating princess (as her mother likes to call her) and a swimming sensation!
It would seem that there is something about the sport of swimming that is somewhat un-African. Despite the presence of many water bodies in Africa, few Africans have mastered the art of swimming. It is even now recognized as a skill deficiency issue among African-Americans!
It is therefore refreshing that in sporting activities that have witnessed decades of total Euro-western domination, a young African-Canadian is making waves and setting new heights.
How it all started
Linda began taking skating, gymnastics and swimming lessons at the tender age of 4.
To her parents – James and Miriam Byabagambi - enrolling Linda in these sports at such a young age was an avenue to equiping her with the basic skills needed to interact with her peers in and out of school.
To start with, her capability to learn and excel in these sports wasn't initially apparent. As is common with most kindergartens in Canada, Linda's had skating and swimming lessons but she would sit on the sideline since she could neither swim nor skate.
At that point, her parents took the decision to enrol her in the sports programs and not long after, Linda fell in love with swimming and skating. Then began a journey into the unknown for the graceful and truly charismatic young lady and her supportive parents.
Shortly after Linda took to skating and swimming, her parents saw the need to encourage her to the highest level in order to demystify the widely acknowledged notion that both sporting activities are essentially limited to Euro-westerners.
Whereas Linda has continued to excel in both sports, swimming now majorly serves as a complement for her first love, skating. In the 7 years since Linda began skating, she has obtained a total of 15 certifications!
Mastery of Sports
Currently in skating, Linda - a grade 6 pupil of Edmonton's Westbrook School - has mastered gold dances, junior silver skating skills, senior bronze freeskate (elements) and the senior bronze freeskate (program).
In swimming, Linda has attained the Red Cross level 9.
Linda isn't done yet; her parents' finances permitting, she hopes to obtain her Can-Skate coaching license when she turns 16 so that she could commence coaching beginners in skating. When this comes to pass, Linda will be the first licensed African skating coach in this clime!
Total Package
While skating and swimming lessons and participation in competitions take an awful lot of her time, Linda hasn't been slack in other aspects of her human development.
Her other skills include the ability to play the piano and sing. Since age 4, she has performed as a soloist in various musicals at her local church. In addition, she participates in track and field, a sport she plans to devote more time to in Junior High School in order to enhance her fitness level.
Linda has also found time – in a bid to boost her interactive skills - to enrol in a baby-sitting course that she would be completing in March 2014.
To those who might think that Linda may be spreading herself too thin, her stellar sporting engagements and performances are second to her academic achievements: Linda continues to be a straight 'A' pupil at her school leaving us in absolute awe of her spirit and her innate desire to succeed.
Linda is proof that kids' who engage in sports and other extracurricular activities are well on their way to having great social skills and enviable mental capacities.
Beyond her little sister, Linda is a role model for other little girls and adults in the African community in Edmonton. Linda's successes on the ice has become popular with some parents who have not only enrolled their daughters but have also taken up the sport (who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?).
Challenges
Linda's training regime requires a significant capital outlay as the rink where she practises has to be booked as well as her coaching team paid on an hourly basis. Her lessons coordinated by her skating coach - Wanda MacKinnon - with her choreographer - Megan Gage - (both of the Derrick Skating Club) are frequent, thus financially tasking her parents.
Miriam, Linda's mother and doctoral student at the University of Alberta, cautions parents that a good skating program requires "a good financial commitment" saying that it is "strenuous financially and physically as you have to drive back and forth but it is well worth it!"
"... Financial support to obtain as much training as possible to build her skills to a desired level. She skates all year round to remain competitive, and this requires a good financial commitment" - Miriam
She, however, advises interested parents thus: "do not be afraid of engaging your children because you never know where they will excel. Do not allow stereotypes to block your decision."
Beautiful future
Fans of the Winter Olympics where the Americans, Russians, Canadians, Italians, and East-Europeans dominate should watch out for Linda at the 23rd Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea in 2018 where she is sure to storm the ice to strut her stuff. She hopes to participate in the Olympics as a professional skater. She continues to train assiduously and compete towards making her dream a reality.
Whether she will fly the Ugandan or Canadian flag at the Olympics is yours to guess. One thing, though, is certain: Linda is making her mark and the glass ceiling has been shattered.
Unveiling Linda
Favourite book: Ally Condie's The Matched Trilogy
Favourite Movies: Avatar and The Last Air Bender
Role Model: Gabby Douglas, America's Olympic gold medallist gymnast (for her determination and fearlessness).
Some of Linda's Skating Certifications
Preliminary Free Skate - Elements
Junior Bronze Free Skate - Elements
Senior Bronze Free Skate – Elements
Preliminary Free Skate – Program
Junior Bronze Free Skate – Program
Senior Bronze Free Skate – Program
Preliminary Dance
Linda's other Skating Certifications
Junior Bronze Dance
Senior Bronze Dance
Junior Silver Dance
Senior Silver Dance
Preliminary Skating Skills
Junior Bronze Skating Skills
Senior Bronze Skating Skills
Junior Silver Skating Skills
Linda is available for sponsorship -corporate or personal. For more information, please contact us at info@afrospora.com
- See more at: Meet Alberta's Skating Princess | Afrospora
Brian M. Kwesiga
President and CEO,
Ugandan North American Association - UNAA
972.415.6372 | www.unaa.org | "United We Stand"
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