Meet Sharon Neff

Hello, everyone! My name is Sharon Neff and this is my first year as a member of the U.S. Figure Skating DREAM Program.  I am so excited for all of the summer fun and skating to come!  Originally, I am from China, but when I was about one year old, I was adopted and brought to live in Birmingham, Michigan; I have lived here ever since.  I also have two brothers.  Both adopted from Vietnam, John (16) and Jimmy (14) joined our family when I was 4.

Now, 14 years later, I have completed my freshman year at the University of Detroit Mercy looking to major in special education elementary teaching.  
At about the same time my brothers came to the U.S., I became very intrigued with skating. A competition on TV caught my attention and my eyes were glued to the screen; I could not wait to try it myself.  Now, as time seemingly flies by, I will be starting my fourteenth year of skating with 11 years of synchronized skating under my belt. This past synchro season marked my sixth year skating for the Crystallettes and my fourth year in the senior division. Before I came to Crystallettes, I skated as a member of Team Élan for five years. I, however, am not the only member of my family to have taken up an interest in skating.  My brother, John, is an ice dancer who currently skates with his partner at the Detroit Skate Club and competes at the intermediate level.  

The 2013-2014 Senior Crystallettes

Outside of skating, you can find me catching up on schoolwork, coaching my little ones, spending time with my family, or hanging out with friends.  From watching movies with my family, like Lord of the Rings and 27 Dresses, to going to the mall with friends, I love to make the most of what little time I have with all of them.  I also try to keep in shape by working out everyday and maintaining a good lifestyle.  In addition to these things, I absolutely love to travel both nationally and internationally, whether or not it is for skating.  In fact, it is one of my goals to visit every state in the US (at least once) and travel all over Europe and Asia in my lifetime.  

Just recently, I was afforded the incredible opportunity to attend and help out at a skating camp with a team in Sugarland, Texas with three of my DREAMmates and one alumna.  The camp, hosted by the Unity Figure Skating Club, was a great weekend filled with so many eager and gifted young kids; they truly have bright skating futures ahead of them. We worked on turns, edges, footwork, choreography, and we even got to break out of our shells with some fun presentation and improvisation activities followed by some off-ice conditioning.  It was a great start to a new season.   With the summer just beginning, I look forward to all of the other amazing opportunities I will have to meet new people, make new friends, and spread the love for our sport with my DREAMmates.  I hope you are all having a happy summer!! 

DREAMmates Lindsay, Dana, Ashley, Tessa, and I in Sugarland, TX

Sharon