Dec. 7, 2015
April Wefler
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Sophomore finance major Max Aaron, 2013 U.S. Figure Skating National champion and three-time U.S. International Classic champion, is training to earn a spot on the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics team.
He won his first Grand Prix competition in Milwaukee in October and competed in France, Estonia and Germany this past year.
“It’s a huge honor. I love getting out there in different countries, just representing my country means a lot to me. Putting a smile on other people’s faces, coming home with the medal and I share that with my family,” Aaron said.
Aaron said his favorite city to compete in is Tokyo.
“Tokyo sold out their events, everything is sold out. Figure skating is almost like – it’s pretty much like the NFL in Asia; anywhere you go, it’s a big deal, which is pretty cool,” Aaron said.
He practices from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. six days a week, hits the gym afterward and ends his night with classes.
“Being 23, you don’t want to get kind of washed away. You need to learn to keep up with the best of them,” Aaron said.
He said skaters tend to reach their prime at 25, which for him is just in time for the next Olympics.
Aaron, who grew up in Scottsdale, Ariz., began his skating career playing hockey at the age of three.
He started ice skating at age nine, and played both sports until he broke his back at 16. Before he broke his back, he played for a U.S. developmental team and was close to getting a hockey scholarship.
The scholarship offers ceased after his injury, so he decided to pursue ice skating and moved to Colorado Springs his senior year of high school.
Outside of skating, Aaron loves school and is thinking of adding marketing to his major.
“It’s fun studying at Starbucks or a coffee shop, overlooking the mountain. I always loved math growing up,” he said.
Aaron particularly enjoys attending UCCS sporting events, such as softball and soccer and is hoping to find time to attend a basketball game.
“I always wanted to be a collegiate athlete growing up. The sport I chose doesn’t offer scholarships, which is a bummer, but it doesn’t stop me from enjoying other sports on campus,” he said.
Aaron said he enjoys watching hockey and basketball.
“I always wanted to be a basketball player when I was younger, and I’m definitely not tall enough to play,” he said.
His playlist consists of a lot of hip-hop, specifically Meek Mill, Kanye West and Jay Z. He said if there were a way to perform with hip hop, he would, but in the meantime, he skates to mostly classical music.
Aaron is Jewish and said he would love to visit Israel.
“I would love to check that out…see the country, I have family that live there, so to check it out would be kind of cool,” he said.
In addition to Israel, Aaron would like to visit Greece, as he said it seems like a cool place to vacation.
He is close with his family and travels home when his schedule allows.
“I try to go home or fly home as much as I can, or fly them out to come see me,” Aaron said.
After his skating career, he would like to live in New York City and be a financial investor for J.P. Morgan or Morgan Stanley.