Like any 10-year-old girl, Katherine Brittner has her dreams and her idols.

Only this 10-year-old has touched both.

Brittner, a Jackson Township native, recently won two medals at the fourth annual Ice Skating Institute Shamrock Skate competition at Robert Morris College.

Brittner won a silver medal in her freestyle figure skating program and also claimed a bronze medal for her freestyle compulsory routine.

In her first competition last summer, Brittner won a gold medal. The ISI event March 14 was just her third event.

"It's exciting for me," said Brittner shyly.

Even though she is only 10, Brittner has been skating for four years.

Her mother, Kathy, enrolled Katherine in a learn-to-skate program. Through the year, Katherine became a natural at the sport.

The Brittners also have three sons ages 16, 14 and 7, but Katherine is the only skater in the group.

It took a while, though, for Katherine to begin competing.

"She is shy, and I didn't want to push her," her mother said. "One of her teachers in third grade told me that Katherine was very confident in her skating and didn't mind people watching her. She told me I should look into getting her into some competitions."

But the elder Brittner didn't realize she could enter her daughter into competitions.

"I asked her instructor about it," she said. "And she said, 'Sure, she can compete.'"

So a promising figure skating career was born.

Katherine is 100 percent into the sport and she knows exactly what she wants to do.

"She told me, 'After I get my gold medal (in the Olympics), I can be a dentist,'" her mother said.

Katherine also knows whom she might be following.

When asked who her favorite skater is, there is no hesitation.

"Tara Lipinski," Katherine says.

At a figure skating event in Erie, Katherine met her idol.

"(Katherine) took a little bouquet of flowers for her," Kathy Brittner said. "Tara took the flowers and gave her a hug.

"All night Katherine said, 'Do you have your cell phone, Daddy? I have to call someone.'"

While the odds of Katherine following in Lipinski's skates are very slim, Katherine is enjoying herself, nevertheless.

And her parents are also enjoying the ride.

"Ice skating and figure skating are her only sport," Mrs. Brittner said. "She's talking about how old she will be when she goes to the Olympics. But even if she doesn't make it, she's going to be in it for a while."