Strathmore's own 19-year-old Emma Bittorf was set to compete as part of Team Alberta for Canada’s Winter Games in Prince Edward Island from February 18 to March 5. 

Bittorf would have competed in level three figure skating as part of the Special Olympics, she qualified to be a part of Team Alberta when her coach Barb Prystai who is the head of the Special Olympics Calgary put her name forward for the opportunity. She has had the opportunity to compete before but was too young at that point now that she has the chance she is very excited to be competing. She has been working with Prystai since she was eight years old.  

“I found out after Christmas and then I was just so happy that she put my name for it. I am just happy to do it.”  

Bittorf has been figure skating for over eleven years and when skating and Team Alberta aren't taking up her time, she likes to play many other sports like golfing and swimming, and she used to play basketball and is also a skier, she said she pretty much likes playing everything except for volleyball and hockey.  

“I just love figure skating and all my other sports, and I just love it. It is a lot of fun and I felt like it is something that I should just go and try.”  

Bittorf explains what she feels about getting to represent Team Alberta. “Sometimes I just get really excited and then I am like OK I have to do good.” 

Bittorf was set to travel to her competition with just her coach and her parents were staying in Strathmore, unfortunately, during practice on January 31 she suffered an injury and her mom Dawn said that doctors had informed her that she would not be able to travel to PEI to compete this year.

Bittorf has a passion for sports, and it is very time-consuming in her life but aside from that she likes to hang out with her friends and family, watch movies and TV shows, and help her coach with things that involve figure skating.  

She used to be a part of CanSkate with the Strathmore Skate Club. CanSkate is a program geared towards beginners of all ages, children or adults, as well as for those wishing to improve their basic skills whether their focus is figure skating, hockey, speed skating or just skating for fun. She is considering doing CanSkate again, but she doesn’t know if she will, she does know she wants to continue skating in the years to come.  

Bittorf is very disappointed that she will not be able to participate in this year's event but she is determined to get better and looks forward to another oppurtunity in the future to represent Strathmore and Alberta on a national level. 

Emma Skating with her Canada Jacket

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