Ava Ziegler - Growing into a Successful Junior Competitor

At 15 years old, junior ladies' skater Ava Ziegler has been skating for most of her life. The Dover, New Jersey, teenager received her first pair of ice skates when she was just 15 months old and was on the ice accompanying her mother, longtime coach and former competitor Patricia "Tricia" Mansfield Ziegler, less than four months later.
 

"[When I was little], my dad was always taking me to the ice rink to watch my mom teach," Ziegler said. "My first sentence was actually 'Mama ice skate.'"
 

Mansfield Ziegler, who placed fifth at the 1995 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, has been by her daughter's side the entire way and continues to act as one of her coaches. With the permission of Ziegler's pediatrician, Mansfield Ziegler enrolled her daughter in Learn to Skate lessons as a toddler and, soon after, in competitions. Last January, Ziegler placed fourth in the junior competition at the 2021 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championship and, this season, competed for the first time on the Junior Grand Prix (JGP) circuit.
 

"This year has been crazy because I have had so many amazing opportunities," said Ziegler, who placed sixth at JGP Slovakia and then seventh at JGP Slovenia. "I've been able to travel the world, meet new people and make so many new friends. It's definitely a little insane."
 

For her short program, Ziegler chose to showcase her "sassy" personality with "I'll Take Care of You" by Beth Hart and a matching black faux leather bodysuit. For her free skate program, Ziegler chose to pay homage to her sport by skating to "Gravity" by Sara Bareilles. The song starts with the lyrics, "Something always brings me back to you." Although the love song has been described by Bareilles fans as a magnetic romantic pull a person can have on another, Ziegler described the song as a metaphor for her "addiction to figure skating."
 

"No matter how many hard times or bad days I have, skating has been there for me, and it will always be something I love," Ziegler reflected. "I'm always going to end up going back to it."
 

According to Ziegler, she struggled a little bit with the adjustment to the international circuit and competing on a "bigger stage." She reported she had some "silly" and "sloppy" mistakes but enjoyed the experience nonetheless and conquered her triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination.
 

"Honestly, competing against the Russians was by far the highlight of my life," Ziegler said. "They are all so amazing, and it's crazy to be skating with them! I loved being on the ice with people who were better than me because it pushes me to work harder."
 

After returning from her international assignments, Ziegler was able to improve on her program in preparation for the 2022 U.S. Figure Skating Championships Series presented by Toyota, which served a qualifier for the 2022 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Nashville, Tennessee. She placed first at both competitions in Leesburg, Virginia, and Norwood, Massachusetts, and topped her final score from Slovakia in Norwood by more than five points.
 

"[Leesburg] was my first competition after the (Junior) Grand Prix Series. I was really nervous, which was really weird. I don't usually get nervous during competitions," Ziegler shared. "Then, in Norwood, I was just focused on having fun and having a clean skate."
 

Despite the two different attitudes, Ziegler has become a professional at calming herself and learning to take deep breaths to maintain a calm demeanor. She now sets her sites on the U.S. Championships next week, competing again in the junior competition.
 

"[At U.S. Championships,] I definitely want to have my triple-triple consistent and have two clean programs," Ziegler said.
 

Ziegler emphasized the importance of consistency and knows how important it will be for her to move up to the senior level, hopefully in 2023. The jumps she is still hoping to master are a triple Axel and quadruple jump – for Ziegler, either the quad Salchow or quad loop – to be competitive against fellow senior ladies.
 

"The triple Axel is getting there, but it's still a little inconsistent," said Ziegler. "I just haven't been able to work on it as much during the competition season."

Thankfully for Ziegler, she loves to jump and it comes naturally to her. And knowing the Russian ladies are competing with triple Axels and quads is her strongest motivation. With the help of her team on the ice and off the ice, she is confident in her ability to continue progressing.

 "All my coaches, including my mom; my workout instructor; strength training coach; and physical therapist have all been so awesome," Ziegler explained. "My dad and my younger brother are also my biggest fans."
 

Off ice, Ziegler is a high school student who likes making dance videos on TikTok, riding quad ATVs and cooking. One day, she hopes to even own a coffee shop/boutique. For now, though, she is excited by her future and the possibilities in the sport she has dedicated her life to.