the bird on fire

By 6th-Grade Bloggers Greenlee Bartley and Reagan Kaminsky

Reagan is a figure skater; Greenlee is a devoted hockey fan. They have had many disagreements on which sport is harder: Figure Skating or Ice Hockey. They have decided to each make their claim on what they think, then get a few people who have experience in both sports to make the final judgement. They, for one, were very surprised with the results, and they think you will be, too. 

Reagan says . . .

Personally, I think that figure skating is much harder than ice hockey. Although I have no experience in hockey, I have figure skated for over a year now, and I can confirm that it is not an easy sport. Arguably, to me hockey is much easier than figure skating because you are not required to do jumps, spins, and more while being incredibly dizzy at the same time. Look at professional figure skaters; they are doing “Triple Axels” and “Double Salchows,” while hockey players are simply skating around trying to put a small object into a goal. Personally, I can’t do any of these crazy figure skating tricks, but I do get very dizzy while skating and performing my routines. Also, hockey players even get breaks in between playing time and get to wear special padding and warm clothing. Figure skaters, however, have to wear thin tights and short dresses while skating. Once again, I think that figure skating is much harder than hockey.

Greenlee says . . .

I think that ice hockey is harder than figure skating. Although I have not much experience in figure skating or hockey, I do watch hockey a lot, and I have season tickets at Acrisure Arena. I go to almost every hockey game. Reagan claims that hockey is easier because “you are not required to do jumps, spins, and more while being incredibly dizzy at the same time”–which is untrue because hockey players get very dizzy because they are going so fast while sticks are being shoved at them. Also they get thrown into the glass; they fall, and sometimes they get in very bad fistfights that can make them very very badly hurt! Also, hockey players have no choice sometimes but to fight or just accept defeat! Hockey players get to wear padding and more clothes than figure skaters for a reason! It’s not only to keep warm; it’s because, like I said, they get in bad fights and need the padding. Also the goalies need way more padding because they have a hard puck of rubber coming at them at top speed, and hockey is rated #2 Hardest Sport in the World! (ESPN) Once again, I think that hockey is way harder than figure skating. 

So, unable to agree, we interviewed three people with experience in these sports to see what the final result would be. First, we interviewed a fellow blogger, and hockey player, Mark Huber. We asked him, “Which sport is harder, figure skating or hockey, and why?” Mark said: “Hockey, because it challenges every single part of your body, even your brain. Also, you have to make decisions in like 0.5 seconds or something, and you wear all this equipment that makes you super sweaty which is annoying.”

Next, we interviewed a PVS Science Teacher, and also hockey player, Mr. Killeen. We asked him “Which sport is harder, figure skating or hockey, and why?” Mr. Killeen responded, “Figure Skating because… as a hockey player, you just have to skate one way until you run into something, but when you are figure skating you have to be graceful, and you don’t have a team to support you.” 

Lastly, we interviewed Benjamin Rouche, a figure skater and hockey player, and also a PVS student. He answered, “It’s hard to say, but I think it would be hockey because you have to be able to shoot, control the puck, and sometimes get physical.”

In conclusion, we got many different opinions from students, staff, and even bloggers about which sport is harder: figure skating or hockey. Hockey came out as the number one answer with 3 votes, while figure skating had 2. Despite the controversy, we think that each sport has its easy and hard parts. Even though the votes say otherwise, both sports are hard!