Sharon Cohen, the founder and CEO of Figure Skating in Harlem, is a beacon of resilience and empowerment for young girls of color. For over three decades, she has been committed to providing these girls with invaluable life lessons that extend far beyond the ice rink.
“The No. 1 thing they learn is you fall,” Cohen articulates. “And they’re falling down over and over. But they pick themselves back up.” This mantra encapsulates the spirit of the organization, instilling a resilience that is crucial in both sports and life.
One of the vivid illustrations of this lesson came from Genisha Metcalf, whose daughter Skylar, now 13, once took a hard spill during practice. Watching from her car, Metcalf rushed to her daughter, only to hear Skylar insist, “Mom, it’s fine. You fall, you get up.” This resilient attitude is a testament to the impact Cohen’s teachings have on these young athletes.
Figure Skating in Harlem has garnered recognition for its work, including receiving the Sports Business Journal’s Celebration of Service Award at the Sports Business Awards ceremony on May 21. This accolade underscores the significance of the organization’s mission.
Cohen, a former competitive figure skater herself, founded Figure Skating in Harlem in 1997. Her journey into this noble endeavor began seven years earlier while she was working at CBS News in New York. It was there that she discovered a clinic led by the women’s hockey teams from Princeton and Yale for children with a group called Upward Inc. in East Harlem.
Intrigued by the idea, Cohen reached out and discovered that a number of girls were eager to learn figure skating instead of hockey. “They invited me to come teach,” Cohen recalls. “We really haven’t stopped since.”
Today, Figure Skating in Harlem proudly boasts over 1,500 alumni from the Harlem, Upper Manhattan, and Lower Bronx neighborhoods. The organization serves hundreds of girls each year through a comprehensive after-school program. Participating students, primarily in middle and high school, are required to maintain a “B” average, demonstrating the integration of education and athletics.
The program interweaves figure skating performances and competitions with a robust educational framework. This includes off-ice training that emphasizes social and emotional well-being, along with essential life skills such as financial literacy, STEM subjects, and communication. Moreover, the organization offers summer camps, as well as fall and spring training sessions for its synchronized skating team.
“Education is really the heart [of our program] and skating is the hook,” Cohen explains, emphasizing that the organization’s multi-faceted approach is what truly sets it apart. In February, the program gained further visibility through a five-part docuseries titled “Harlem Ice,” which debuted on Disney+.
The girls involved in Figure Skating in Harlem have showcased their talents at various prominent local and national events, including the opening of Wollman Rink, the Bryant Park Tree Lighting, and the U.S. Figure Skating National Championship Skating Spectacular. The organization also participated in Scott Hamilton’s 40 Years of Going for Gold at Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Each year, the girls engage in career exploration activities, visiting workplaces such as Bloomberg and Yahoo. Notably, three of the five worksite visits this year were hosted by alumni from the program, including Mastercard, Paramount, and Carnegie Hill Veterinarians. Cohen highlights Flo Ngala, a photographer recognized on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Arts & Style list in 2023, as a shining example of the program’s successful alumni. “She’s really a superstar,” Cohen states proudly.
Raquea Hemingway, a lifetime Harlemite, has a unique perspective on the organization. One of the initial members of the Upward Inc. pilot program, she later returned as the director of on-site operations and student development. Her daughter, Mykah-Jade, who has special needs, currently attends the program.
“The program is a real sisterhood,” Raquea shares. “There used to be 20 of us walking almost two miles to the skating rink, sometimes in the rain, but we were so excited. I’m still best friends with the girls I skated with.” This sense of community is integral to the program’s ethos.
However, the costs associated with ice time in New York City are significant, exceeding $100,000 annually, mostly spent on outdoor sessions at Riverbank State Park. As a result, Figure Skating in Harlem is currently seeking to secure its own indoor facility. “It has been a dream of ours to create a home of our own,” Cohen expresses.
Funding is critical for the organization to continue operating effectively. This includes payments for coaches, counselors, teachers, educators, social workers, rent, and insurance. The organization currently employs around 13 full-time staff members at its academic center.
“It adds up,” Cohen notes. “But we have very generous donors—foundations, corporations, and individuals—who believe that what we’re doing is changing the trajectory of a young girl’s life. They are turning around and giving back to something good for society at large.”
Skylar Metcalf, despite not aspiring to be the next Olympic champion, gains valuable life skills through her involvement in the program. Her mother appreciates that this experience provides Skylar with hours of physical activity away from screens, allowing her to engage with friends and build lasting relationships. “It’s 12 hours a week she’s not on a screen,” Metcalf shares. “It’s 12 hours she’s talking to friends and building relationships and building community.”
The importance of such programs cannot be understated. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert recently highlighted research from Ernst & Young, noting that 94% of women in C-suites are former athletes, with 52% having competed at the collegiate level. “That’s the importance of this program,” Metcalf argues. “They need this rink. They need this increased visibility. They need this access. They need this opportunity.”
