Figure skating and youth ice skating in Billings figure skaters celebrate the Olympics with their own opening ceremony

Young skaters in Billings recently brought the excitement of the 2026 Winter Olympics to their local rink.

Members of the Rimrock Figure Skating Club and participants from the Rimrock Skating Academy's Learn to Skate program hosted their own Olympic-style opening ceremony at Centennial Ice Arena. The event featured a parade of flags and the iconic Olympic theme song, creating an atmosphere of international competition right at home.

Skaters ranging from kindergarteners to high school students took to the ice in four separate sessions throughout the afternoon. This celebration coincided with National Skating Month, an annual initiative organized by U.S. Figure Skating during January and February to promote the sport nationwide.

Cathy Goettel, president of the Rimrock Figure Skating Club, highlighted the significance of such events. "There are member clubs throughout the whole United States. This is the only one that's in Billings, and we have about 15 figure skaters that are with our group," she said. "Area clubs and rinks have various celebrations depending on what they want to do, and so we're having a little Olympics party with our learn-to-skaters."

The Winter Games often reignite enthusiasm for figure skating, a sport that captures national attention every four years. Goettel noted, "It's a great boost and a great inspiration for everybody, even if you're just beginning or if you're a seasoned skater. It's just really inspirational to watch the ice skating on TV and all the amazing things that athletes can do."

For young skaters, witnessing elite competitors perform on the world’s biggest stage makes their own aspirations feel more attainable. Abbie Kosche, a freshman who has been skating for seven years, shared, "It's really cool watching those people who have gotten up to that level of skating and just like that potential of what a person could be, and also just more people watching our sport, more people watching what we do, so that's really cool."

Reagan, a third grader with two years of skating experience, expressed how the Olympics fuel her dreams. "It shows me what I can do when I'm able to go to the Olympics," she said. "A dream come true."

Beyond medals and competition, Goettel emphasized that figure skating imparts valuable life lessons. "There are a lot of great life skills that you learn from figure skating, how to set goals, how to come back from disappointment, how to work with the team, so there's a lot of different skills that they can, even if they don't pursue figure skating or hockey for very long, those life goals that they learn, they can take those with them through their whole lives," she explained.

Looking ahead, the local skating community is eagerly anticipating the opening of the Signal Peak Energy Ice Arena this spring. This new facility will provide year-round skating opportunities in Billings, further nurturing the growth of figure skating and other ice sports in the region.