KALISPELL — Seeley Lake native Dacia Loconte is ready to show off her talents on the big stage after qualifying for the World Inclusive Para Skating Competition.
From a young age, Loconte’s love for figure skating was easy to see; however, it was also clear that her journey in the sport would be challenging.
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"I was around 3 years old, and I saw it on the TV, and I said, 'That's what I'm going to do,'” Loconte, now 19, told MTN Sports during a virtual interview from Scotland, which is hosting the World Inclusive Para Skating Glasgow 2026 Championships this week.
"Then physical therapy was like, well, you have to be able to walk without your feet turning inwards — like, pigeon-toed walking," Loconte continued. "And I was very determined, so I went through like, what, four years of physical therapy just to be able to skate. And then they finally let me skate, and then I loved it even more.”
After getting cleared, Loconte traveled back and forth from Seeley to Missoula, where she practiced and competed in figure skating.
But the obstacles did not get any easier after she started, as it was clear there were physical limitations holding her back in the sport.
“For a very, very long time, I didn't have a track to skate in," Loconte said. "So I skated in the regular track for figure skating, which was good for a while. But then I ended up coming in last place a lot, which is fine — I am a bit competitive, though.”
At 13 years old, Loconte discovered she had suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of being born prematurely, which limited her motor functions.
Shortly after her diagnosis, she discovered the world of inclusive skating, where Loconte would finally start winning.
“It's really nice to be a part of a community and feel like I was part of a community where like I could actually compete,” Loconte said.
Since she has joined the inclusive skating community, Loconte has begun posting her journey on social media to help inspire others in similar situations to follow in her footsteps.
While Loconte is not sure how she will perform on the world stage or what will come after, she hopes to use her experience to help the world of inclusive skating continue growing.
“I think my main focus now is just, I want to give that opportunity to people who are younger than me or are still in figure skating or new into figure skating who have physical disabilities,” Loconte said. “I think it would be great to just get that door open.”
The World Inclusive Para Skating Glasgow 2026 Championships are June 22-24.
