TO GLIDE INTO A NEW SPORTS.

THE CHICAGO YOUTH FOUNDATION OFFERS A NEW PROGRAM TO INTRODUCE FIGURE SKATING TO DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE CITY.

>> IT'S CALLED FIGURE SKATING ON YOUR BLOCK.

AND WE SPOKE WITH THE DIRECTOR TO FIND OUT MORE.

>> I JUST LOVED COACHING SO MUCH.

IT WAS MUCH FUN.

I REALLY LIKED TEACHING.

NOT THAT I KNEW I WOULD NEVER LIKE TEACHING, BUT IT WAS SO MUCH FUN AND I LOVED HOW SO FEELING WAS TO IMPART KNOWLEDGE TO OTHER KIDS AND SEE THEM GROW 2009 OR SO.

HOW CAN YOU BLOCK STARTED?

IT WAS JUST SITTING NOSE AND IDEA.

I HAD ABOUT HOW WE COULD MAYBE MAKE A PROGRAM FOR FIGURE SKATERS THAT WOULD HELP BRING DIVERSITY AND THE ICE AND HELP SUPPORT THE KIDS WHO ARE LESS LIKELY TO GO INTO ICE SPORTS IN GENERAL, BECAUSE I MYSELF HAD EXPERIENCE COMING MINORITY BACKGROUND IN FIGURE SKATING TO EVEN GET INTO THE SPORT.

THAT HELPS TO HAVE ACCESS.

THERE'S A LOT OF THE TIME A CHILD MAY NOT EVEN TAKE EVEN TRY A SPORT OUT OR PARENTS MAY NOT EVEN CONSIDER A SPORT BECAUSE OF THE COST OR ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY SEE THAT OTHER KIDS OF THEIR ETHNICITY OR RACE ARE NOT PARTICIPATING IN THAT SPORT.

WE'RE TRYING TO BREAK THOSE BARRIERS DOWN BY AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL BY OFFERING FREE ICE SKATING LESSON, NOT JUST OF PEOPLE OF COLOR, BUT ALSO PEOPLE LOSO SAID STATUS IN A LOT A GREAT OUTCOME.

DATA KIDS DO REALLY WELL IN SCHOOL WHEN THEY PLAY SPORTS.

THEY HAVE A LOT MORE CONFIDENCE AND SOCIAL INTERACTIONS WHEN THEY PLAY SPORTS.

THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO JUST DO DO WELL IN ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE WHEN THEY PLAY SPORT.

IT'S BEEN 2 YEARS WHERE HAD THE FIGURES GETTING A BOOK PROGRAM.

WE HOPE THAT WE CAN GET TO THE POINT WHERE IN THE FUTURE THEY CAN DO ICE SHOWS THEY CAN DO LIKE CINCO COMPETITIONS.

THAT'S THOSE ARE SOME BIG GOALS THAT WE HOPE TO REACH AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE.

A NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS MAKING SURE THEY'RE SAFE.

AND THEN WE ALSO MAKE SURE THAT HAVING A LOT OF FUN.

>> THAT LOOKS REALLY COOL.

I NEVER DONE FIGURE SKATING, BUT