By Robyn Clark
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March of 2020, Valerie Martinez's extracurricular sports activities were brought to a sudden halt. The kickboxing lessons she’d taken on as an after school venture were shifted to a virtual format, and after giving the online option a try, the teenager and her mother, Karinna Aguilar, realized that practicing the sport through a screen was not working out in the way that they had hoped. Wanting her daughter to maintain some form of meaningful involvement, Aguilar encouraged the teenager to do research into what else was available.
Little did she know, the quest would lead her to something that has facilitated an immense amount of growth athletically and personally.
The California resident soon learned that the Toyota Sports Performance Center in El Segundo, California offered skating lessons. Housed under a tent in the arena’s parking lot, participants had the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of sport. When she pitched the option to her mother, Aguilar was quickly on board.
Although trying something new was challenging, Martinez remembers her first time on the ice vividly.
“I would get so frustrated because I was always used to being good at [new things] the first time,” she said, “[but] it just connected with me in such a way. I always say that if I look back on everything, if I hadn’t skated, what would have happened?
“I can never imagine my life without skating. I’d be bored doing anything but ice skating,” Martinez said.
Her ice journey began with Learn to Skate USA®, and although she was not able to start working with a private coach right away, she honed her techniques and picked up new skills through paying close attention to those around her. After taking mental notes at practice of the way her peers executed the move she was working on, she would go home and try them on her own over the weekend. Valerie’s ingenuity quickly paid off: She began to rapidly accelerate as an athlete, and soon, she and Aguilar realized that in order for her to reach her full potential, hiring a private coach was a necessity.
Through conversations with fellow parents, Aguilar connected her daughter with Tashe Smith, a coach with more than a dozen years of experience on the ice. Smith introduced Valerie to new skating techniques, but equally as important was the coach’s confidence in her young pupil.
“I [undertook] a lot of challenges, [because] she always believed in me,” Martinez said.
Equally as motivational was her family’s support and encouragement. As Valerie was learning the ins and outs of skating, her younger brother Sebastian was beginning his own venture into winter sports. He had picked up skating as well, in addition to hockey. The eight-year-old was captivated by the competition each activity fostered, and he found himself driven by the desire to rise above his peers.
One point of pride for the entire family is their Hispanic heritage. Aguilar is initially from Peru, but she immigrated to the United States after marrying her husband. Although they no longer live in South America, their roots are never far from mind. They have continued to prioritize a strong familial bond, and they make sure to honor Peruvian holidays and celebration.
The priority has bled over to Valerie's skating career. Prior to the onset of the pandemic, the family made several trips to their home country over the last few years, and the adolescent is intentional with incorporating some aspect of Peruvian culture into her performances.
“My great grandma always makes these little scrunchies and hair pieces for me,” she said. “I always wear them, because I like knowing that she’s always with me, because she’s always supported everything I’ve done.
“For me, that's important to always bring something from where my parents came from— the heritage and culture they have— to the rink.”
As Valerie has gotten older, she has realized that her skating journey gives her a platform to influence and encourage others who may have taken a similar path. Her hope is that her success on the ice shows them that they, too can achieve similar success.
“I want [audience members] to take away [from my performances] that anyone can do skating,” she said. “It’s about passion. It's not always necessarily [about] how you look, or if you fit the standard,” Martinez said.
Although she now embraces the qualities that make her unique, there was once a time when Valerie was more self conscious about the fact that she did not look like others around her. When she thinks about her daughter’s growth and increased confidence over the last few years, Karinna is overcome with pride.
“I'm so happy,” Aguilar said. “She’s an example that working hard [leads to success], and if she can do it, anyone can do it.”
“She’s working hard this season, and I’m so proud of her,” she said.
Hard work and dedication are pillars of the Martinez family story. Their pathway to skating serves as a reminder that while life can throw curve balls, sometimes, the unexpected pitch leads you exactly where you’re supposed to be.
