Sometimes, disappointment leads to discovery.

That’s exactly what happened for 17-year-old ice skater Josephine Javing, who had been skating with a partner for four years.

When her partner left the sport, Javing was at a bit of a crossroads; in the skating world, finding the right partner is a process that can take years.

But a fateful trip to Arizona four years ago changed everything.

Javing, whose home base is in Montana, traveled to Arizona on vacation. One of her coaches from back home suggested she make time to meet with a highly respected and accomplished coach at the Ice Den in Chandler.

The two met. They clicked. And suddenly, Josephine realized there was a whole other world of skating for her to explore.

“I never knew I could compete in solo ice dance,” Javing recalls. “She introduced it and I loved it.”

What started as an introduction to a coach who could help her refine her edges and fine lines has evolved into a new level of competition.

Javing recently returned from the 2025 Solo National Dance Final in Salt Lake City, placing 13th in the nation in her pattern dance category and 17th in the junior-combined event.

Those are tall accomplishments, but this high school senior is just getting started. Competing at this level means balancing a rigorous practice schedule while working to finish high school.

Javing and her brother, Kade, a sophomore, both attend ASU Prep Digital, which means their classes are all online and they can keep working toward graduation and college whether they’re at home in Montana or at their home-away-from-home in Chandler.

Kade Javing plays soccer for a team in Chandler, thanks to a partnership with ASU Prep, so the winter/spring semester is quite the adventure for this athletic family.

In October, Josephine Javing was set to spend time at the Ice Den in Chandler, selecting music and learning new programs for the coming competitive season.
She’ll commute back and forth to the Valley at least once a month between now and January, then she’ll put in extra hours at the Ice Den as she gears up for competition season that begins again in March.

Meanwhile, she’ll still be hitting the rink twice a day — all while doing normal teen activities — all while completing her ASU Prep schoolwork and college applications in between.

Attending classes online gives Javing the flexibility of being at the rink when everybody else is at school, and it leaves time for her part-time job coaching beginners and lower-level skaters.

Jason W. Brooks can be reached at jbrooks@iniusa.org. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as those meet our  Civility Guidelines.