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Please visit our Latino Skating Interview Section

Latino Skating Interview - April, 2006

April, 2006 - Interview with Crystalrose Guerra
Q&A conducted via email by Arsenette Reiter
Photos donated by the Guerra Family 2006
Last Photo © Copyright 2004 Dave Amorde/Rising Star Photography.

This month we have Crystalrose Guerra.  She's a Junior Level Skater who trains out of Culver City, California. She was gracious to email us her answers this month.  She's a graceful skater who thoroughly enjoys the artistic side of the sport doing many shows.  She has skated in Beverly Hills on Ice for two years and even skated live this past winter to a performance from Jamie Walters.  She and her sister Cassandra have been avid supporters of Latino Skating. Crystalrose has been a participant of our yearly Latino Skating Calendar for two straight years.

General questions

AR - To start I wanted to have just a brief description or bio of yourself for the readers so they can get to know you better - What’s your full name, any nicknames you like to be called, how old are you and what town are you originally from, and if you have moved since - where are you from now?

CG - My name is Crystalrose Guerra my nickname is "Car-Car". I am a seventeen year old and my hometown and current town is Culver City (A small city in Los Angeles), California.  I love the color pink. I am very much that girl that is into friends and family. My idol and role model is Kelly Clarkson..

AR - When did you start skating and what got you hooked?  Did watching skating on TV inspire you? Did you live close to a rink? Did you have siblings in any ice sports?  Or was it a combination of any of them or something else entirely?

CG - Actually it was summer vacation and my mom signed me up for skating classes at my local rink which was five minutes away from my home. At the time I was seven years old And I feel in love with it. My coach that taught my beginner class is still my coach! ;-)

AR - When did you decide to compete in general?  What drew you to it?  When did you decide to train more for this sport?

CG - My coach approached me and asked if I would be interested and without a doubt I wanted to compete to test out my talent and hard work. I really loved to dress up and work up to the competition, I really love the competition vibe. I think I really decided to train for this sport when I realized that there was more to learn and achieve.

AR - Do you prefer competition or exhibition?

CG - Honestly I prefer an exhibition because I love to put on a show and just have FUN!!  It's so much fun to interpret a character. And there is absolutely no pressure.

AR - What was the most exciting thing that has happened to you in this sport so far?

CG - My most fond memory was winning my first National Gold Medal in Showcase in Frisco, Texas. That was such an amazing feeling.

AR - What are you most proud of in terms of your skating career thus far?

CG - I am most proud of winning Showcase Nationals two years in a row.

AR - What goals do you have for yourself?  (Both short term and long term)

CG - My short term goal is to get back to where I was before I injured my ankle. Long term goal is to compete in the Sr. level and to learn as much as I can.

AR - What keeps you motivated in keeping up skating?

CG - What keeps me motivated is competing and always having something to work towards and of course my coach Gary Kemp he has always made this sport interesting and fun.

AR - How much does finance keep you from achieving your goals in skating?  What sacrifices have you and your family had to make to keep you on the ice?

CG - Honestly finances sadly keeps me from achieving a lot because if you don't have the money to receive the lessons needed how are you supposed to learn properly. Sacrifices wow.. there's a lot of those here my mom works 6 days a week and works at my rink part time to get me free ice. The money spent on skating would probably buy us a home.

AR - How has skating affected your life?  (Both Positive and/or negative)

CG - It's affected my life in mainly positive ways such as keeping me out of the streets and out of drugs my high is from winning medals not from smoking pot. It has brought me friends for life. And my monthly menu is not what boy I'll be dating, but what jump I can master.

AR - Where do you see yourself.. say 10 years from now?

CG - Ten years from now I see myself coaching and getting into sports medicine.

AR - Do you have other hobbies, interests or activities you pursue outside of skating?

CG - I love to draw , listen to my favorite singer Kelly Clarkson, attending high school, and being with my friends.

AR - How has skating impacted your school career?  How complicated has it been?  Have you changed your lifestyle at all to accommodate skating?

CG - The only way it kind of impacted my school career is that I don't have to do Physical Education and I don't participate in school sports. I wish that the high schools would recognize figure skating as a "varsity" sport. It hasn't really been complicated academically. No life styles have been changed.

Latino based Questions 

AR - Where do you trace your Latino routes?  Which family members and what Latin country is included in your background?

CG - My dad is a Mexican Citizen. He is from Mexico City.

AR - Have you always embraced or otherwise brought to light your Latino heritage?  Any reasons why you chose to do so or not do so in the past?

CG - I have lived here in the U.S. all my life. The only time I get to embrace my Latino heritage is when my dad's family comes to visit or we go to Mexico. I am currently in my third year of Spanish in school. And indeed we eat a lot of Mexican food!!

AR - What aspects draw you to celebrating your heritage in the sport of figure skating?

CG - I have been thinking about skating for Mexico.

AR - Do you speak Spanish?

CG - Well... "mas o menos" haha.. I guess since I am in Spanish three it's not too bad..

AR - For those who were not born in a Latin Country but have relatives from there - have you visited or lived in that country and have any memories?

CG - I lived in Mexico for 6 months when I was four years old.

AR - Has being Latina affected how you approach the sport?  Have you tried to compete or perform to either Latin music or even compete for a Latin Country?

CG - No it hasn't affected me at all.

AR - What are the obstacles, if any, have you come across since you decided to support your Latino Heritage?

CG - I haven't come across any obstacles.

AR - How would you explain or support your desire to continue supporting Latino skating (in general - not just the website/organization).

CG - I would like to see a lot more minorities in general in the skating world.

AR - How rare are we in the sport?  Do you feel isolated sometimes or have you met more Latino skaters throughout your career?

CG - We are most definitely rare in this sport I hardly see Latino's skating... especially in higher levels. I don't really so much feel isolated I feel special.

AR - What do you think could be a misconception, if any, about being Latina in this sport?

CG - There aren't really any misconceptions that I know of.

AR - Since you embraced your Latino roots and continued as such in this sport has it affected you in any way?  (Both Positive and/or negative)

CG - No , I haven't been really negatively affected by it, the positive would be being apart of something different and proudly skating for my Latino heritage.

AR - Have any special opportunities or support from the Latino community arisen since skating with a conscious effort to promote Latino Skating?

CG - No, not yet.

AR - What would you like to see happen as a result?  How do you think Latinos can contribute to this sport?

CG -  Latinos can contribute to the sport to show minorities and to show that we are out there so watch out... haha

AR - As for us here in www.latinoskating.org - How did you hear of us?  I know that we hope to create a unique and rich community, celebrating culture and someday hope be able to help financially our skaters while promoting our beautiful sport.  What do you hope this community will become?  Is there anything you would like to see come out of this organization in terms of contributions to the sport of international figure skating?

CG -  My mom heard of this wonderful organization through the internet. I hope this community will become HUGE as far as popularity so that there are more of us Latinos out there....It would be great to get some funding from companies... I hope that one day one of our skaters will become a WORLD or OLYMPIC champion!!!

AR - I appreciate your time for not only supporting our own organization but also for your time in this interview.  Hope to continue following your career!  Wish you much success and happiness!  Go Latinos!  Andale!