Parker Heiderich started figure skating nine years ago. He was a hockey player, but when he was 10, Heiderich says he decided to make the switch. “I did hockey for a bit and then stopped because I wasn’t a huge fan of the training environment,” said the 19-year-old. “My parents said I should learn how to skate (and) put me in the CanSkate program, and I loved it so much with all of the colourful stuff, and the coaches made it so fun, so then it just got better from there.” Golden moments It was a wise decision because Heiderich has gotten better every year and now he’s really on top of his game. Earlier this year, he won the junior men’s championship at the Skate Canada Challenge in Calgary. And then, the big one. He skated away with gold in the junior men’s division at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships in Gatineau, Que. Heiderich says that gave him a lot of confidence. “It was exciting,” said the Calgarian. “I’ve really wanted to have something big and really prove myself over the past years, and I think I really did it at the nationals and that challenge in Calgary, and I think it was great, and I’m so happy with how I did.” Coach impressed Heiderich’s coach at the Glencoe club is Scott Davis. Davis says all of the hard work paid off for his student, and winning a national title is big. “It was a huge accomplishment for Parker and his skating development,” said Davis. “He mentioned he had been training really well and had some good performances, but to put it out on that stage at a national level was pretty impressive.” Future goals Heiderich keeps a busy schedule. Besides figure skating, he also goes to the University of Calgary and wants to be an architect. He also says he has goals he wants to reach in skating. “I want to go international, I think, in the next few years,” he said. “Getting some new, bigger jumps would be nice, and to be able to go to internationals and the Olympics is probably the ultimate goal. “I hope I can get there at some point.”
