When Junior Mimi Hagashi enters the ice rink every week day for two hours, she forgets about everything and focuses solely on her greatest passion, figure skating.

Hagashi has been figure skating since she was five years old.

“My mom took me to the rink for lessons and I enjoyed it so much I just kept on doing it,” she said.

Hagashi was home-schooled from fourth to eighth grade in order to focus on skating.

“Being home-schooled made a difference because I was able to train for three hours a day, and I was able to concentrate more on skating and improve more,” she said.

Hagashi decided to go to Redondo in ninth grade.

“I decided I wanted to meet new people,” she said. “Since Redondo offers off-campus P.E., it made it easier.”

Hagashi practices every weekday at Health South Training Center in El Segundo.

Figure skating has been a huge investment for Hagashi’s family, costing them over $100,000. Her main coach Frank Carrol, who coached Michelle Kwan and Timothy Goebel, charges $135 per hour.

Dispite the cost her family encourages her figure skating.

“My mom’s really supportive of me, and she’s been supportive since I was five,” Hagashi said.

Hagashi’s personal best was placing sixth in a regional competition out of 120 girls.

Hagashi competes in the junior level, which is the second highest level, and competes in two or three competitions a year.

“Competitions are really nerve-wracking,” she said.

The regional competition in the fall is the biggest competition of the year and Hagashi spends all summer preparing for it.

Although Hagashi has trained all her life, she does not plan to go to the Olympics.

“After a certain point, it’s really hard to break in,” she said.

Hagashi plans to become a figure skating coach when she turns 18. Even starting off, coaches can make $60 to $80 an hour.

Even though she hopes to make a living through skating, Hagashi isn’t in it for the money.

“The main reason I skate is because I love it,” she said. “I’ve always enjoyed being out on the ice and competing.”