Crystal Chilcott had been asking her mother for a pair of ice skates since first grade.

The 12-year-old Butler girl knew what she wanted.

Chilcott has picked up gold medals in freestyle in the only two figure skating events she's competed in thus far, including the Golden Blades Figure Skating Championship in Pittsburgh in early May. She also won a pair of silver medals in compulsory.

Nobody taught her how to skate. She just did it.

"They poured water over the Dek hockey court in Butler Township to create ice one year (1999) and Crystal wanted me to take her over there," her mother, Shirley Chilcott, said.

"She told me I was going to fall down a lot, that it took time to learn" Crystal Chilcott said.

She didn't fall down at all.

"I was watching her out there. … It looked so natural and she was only in second grade," Shirley Chilcott said.

Crystal wound up skating for two years at Ice Connection in Valencia and moved on to the Island Sports Center, where she's been skating ever since.

She's been taking private figure skating lessons from Robert Mauti, a senior level skater, for five months.

"Crystal was part of my group class in the fall and stood out. She was a diamond in the rough," Mauti said. "She had never taken lessons from a private coach, though, and she needed that.

"Around Christmas time, her mom asked me if I would work with her. Crystal's been progressing at a rapid rate."

There are eight levels in skating, as recognized by the U.S, Figure Skating Association. The first level is pre-preliminary, where Chilcott presently competes.

The highest is senior level, and competitions are available at every level.

"It takes about six years to reach the senior level if you're dedicated," Mauti said. "I'd place Crystal in that category."

"I want to pass my senior testing," Crystal said. "If we had ice in Butler, I'd be on it every day, all the time."

But there is no ice in Butler. So the Chilcotts get up at 5:30 a.m. once a week and head to Neville Island for Crystal's lesson.

She skates year-round. Because no one else in Butler is involved, there is no car pool.

"I don't mind taking her at all," Shirley Chilcott said. "I wish I could be more supportive. Crystal loves this. If Butler had a rink, I couldn't keep her off the ice."

"The only thing hurting her is ice time," Mauti said. "Crystal skates so fluently. Her passion for skating really comes out on the ice. She's like a beautiful flower out there."

Figure skating can be an expensive sport. Skates need to be replaced every nine months and blades need sharpened every six weeks.

Private lessons can cost as much as $76 per hour.

"You have to applaud the dedication of the parents as much as the dedication of the young athlete," Mauti said.

Chilcott has her single jumps down and recently began practicing her axle, which is done in a harness designed to prevent injury.

Compulsory competition lasts one minute and is a specific skating program with no variation allowed. Freestyle competition is done to music and lasts an extra 30 seconds with the skater allowed to add elements to the routine.

"I like freestyle better," Chilcott said. "It's more individual."

Chilcott plans to compete in Boardman, Ohio, June 25, and in Hershey later this summer. She plans to take her first and second test to move up in levels this summer as well.

"I've been wanting to do this since first grade," Chilcott said. "I like the jumping, learning new skills, everything about it."

And when she falls?

"Just get right back up," she said. "It happens."