Floridian On Ice

November 21, 2011
The Post-Journal

Daniel Raad of Parish, Fla., competes in the Senior Men's program of the 2012 Eastern Sectional Championships that wrapped up Saturday at the Jamestown Savings Bank Arena. See additional photos at cu.post-journal.com.

Practice Session
November 18, 2011
The Post-Journal

Maggie Haussman of Wisconsin performs during her official practice Thursday at the Eastern Sectional Championships at the Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena on Thursday. See additional photos at cu.post-journalc.om.

P-J?photo by Scott Reagle

Budding Stars-Former Olympian Coaching New Talents

Budding Stars
Former Olympian Coaching New Talents

November 18, 2011
By Jason Rodriguez jrodriguez@post-journal.com , The Post-Journal

If the coaches' own successes are any measure, the winningest skaters at the Jamestown Savings Bank Arena this week will be headed to glory on the national stage and beyond.

Elaine Zayak has had the role of coach for 20 years, but has some medals of her own. She was the 1981 U.S. National Figure Skating champion and then took first place in 1982 at the World Figure Skating Championships. In 1984, she competed in the Winter Olympics in Sarajevo.

"Some of the best of the world is here - I have to say our country really has some good skaters this year,'' she said.

Among those is her own student, Jimmy Ma, who last month took second in the novice division at the North Atlantic Regional competition, held in Amherst.

Ms. Zayak was instructed through her pinnacle years by Mary Lynn Gelderman, and her former coach was also at Jamestown with a fresh crop of aspiring athletes. She said she has been coach for nearly 40 years, and this week has six skaters each in different events.

"I have a senior lady who has just returned from a pair of international championships since she is a member of the U.S. international team," she said. "I have seen kids though world championships and Olympics. I have taken them from beginner level all the way through - every step is an important step."

Coach Priscilla Hill said three of her athletes have their sights on the upcoming national championships to be held in San Jose, where the top four in each event from Jamestown will face off with the counterparts from Salt Lake City and Fort Collins, Colo.

"I have novice, a junior and a senior, all in guys' events," she said. "My novice just skated (without fault) so we will see what happens. He has skated the best he has ever skated."

Most skaters agree that Ms. Hill was the first skater to complete a triple loop in competition in 1975. Her most recognized former student is Johnny Weir, whom she coached to the gold medal at the 2001 World Junior Figure Skating Championships. He is also noted for three consecutive gold medals in the national championships.

"I took him to through the Olympics in 2006 and I had him from the very beginning of his time on the ice, which is a pretty neat thing," she said.

The veteran coaches all said they have been to the Jamestown facility numerous times. In years past, the Jamestown Skating Club has hosted the regional-tier competition round, the National Junior Championship which showcases the best from the juvenile and intermediate skills, as well as the local Skate Chautauqua event each summer.

Said Ms. Hill: "I love this coming to this building. It is one of the nicest places for smaller events, because you still get the coliseum feel and the younger kids get to learn about what it feels like to be in the bigger arenas."

Event chairperson Mary Handley said she is a musician by trade but developed an interest in setting the scene for skating competitions as she took her daughter to the skating academy in Jamestown. The local instruction helped her to gain three medals in national championships.

"Producing both music and figure skating events, I have tried to combine certain qualities that I saw as advantageous in one to the other," Ms. Handley said. "It has been very interesting to be on both sides and be able to contribute a little differently."

Eastern Sectional Draws Rave Reviews

November 17, 2011
By Rob Tucker (rtucker@post-journal.com) , The Post-Journal

It's no small undertaking to host some 200 of the best figure skaters from the Eastern United States in a competition - the 2011 Eastern Sectional Figure Skating Championships - that could have significant repercussions on the young competitors' future athletic aspirations.

So far, though, the Jamestown Skating Club, the staff at the Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena and the community at large have proven to be more than equal to the task.

"(Hosting the championships) is great for the (Jamestown Skating Club), it's great for the rink and it's great for the community," said Ellen Darrow, Jamestown Skating Club president and the event's announcer Wednesday night. "We have a great group of volunteers here and everybody is working hard to keep it going. I have not heard one complaint yet, which is very good."

No complaints, just compliments.

"(The skaters) love the facility," Darrow said. "They've all said that it is top notch and one of the best around. And the (arena staff) has done a really good job of taking care of the rink, which we really appreciate because without them we couldn't have done this all."

With a pristine sheet of ice to work with, the young men and women taking part in the Sectional have all they need to put forth a solid effort over the championship's four days of competition. Depending on the event, a finish in either the top two or top four would mean a berth in the national competition to be held in San Jose, Calif., from Jan. 22-29.

Among those figure skaters vying for a place in the national competition include Trevor Bergqvist, a 16-year-old Erie resident, and Jordan Bauth, 13, from Buffalo. Both are former students of the Jamestown Skating Academy who now train in Buffalo.

Despite their age, the two skaters have already enjoyed a great deal of success on the ice. Last year Bergqvist placed second in the Intermediate Men's Division of the North Atlantic Regionals in Lake Placid, earning him a place in the U.S. Junior Figure Skating Championships in Salt Lake City, Utah. There he again excelled and placed - in what was his first national championship - a solid fifth overall in his division.


Bauth, meanwhile, also placed second in last year's Eastern Sectionals novice class to earn a spot in the U.S. Figure Skating National Championships in Greensboro, N.C.

On Wednesday afternoon it was Bergqvist, in front of friends from the JSC, who placed fourth in his short program and will again take the ice today at noon for his novice men's long program.

"He ended up fourth in his short program," Darrow said, "so he is still in the hunt (to go to nationals) because in that event the top four will move on."

For the JSC members it was especially exciting to see some of their former teammates on the big stage.

"Trevor skates in Amherst, but still comes down here once and a while," Darrow said. "The kids still go up there and come down here and Jordan Bauth is skating tomorrow so they'll all be coming to watch her, too. That's the one thing about kids, once they're a team it doesn't matter where you put them."

And while those two may be the only skaters with area ties, Darrow notes that the competition remains one that should not be missed.

"There is some really good skating going on here," she said. "The pairs (competition) was amazing and some of the lifts were really cool. We don't see that much because we don't have any pairs teams here, so it was really nice."

For a schedule of the remaining events, visit www.chautauquaice.com, and for more information contact the Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena at 484-2624. Tickets are $10 per day.

Regional Attraction
Skating Stars Of The Future Perform At Jamestown Savings Ice Arena This Week

November 17, 2011
By Jason Rodriguez (jrodriguez@post-journal.com) , The Post-Journal

This week, the Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena is heating up with the talents of skaters from throughout the eastern United States.

"There are about 200 skaters here, and they are here with coaches and chaperones and we have about 45 officials here this week," said Mary Handley, event chairperson. "We have here some previous national medalists who are again having to go through the process to compete at nationals again."

She said the lowest tier of U.S. Figure Skating competition - juvenile - is represented with some skaters as young as 11 years old. Through Saturday, skaters of all ages will perform at the arena in singles, pairs and ice dancing.

The top eight finishers in juvenile and intermediate pairs and ice dancing will compete at the 2012 U.S. Junior Championships next month in East Lansing, Mich.

The top four finishers in novice, junior and senior from each type of skating performance will move on to the 2012 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in San Jose, Calif.

Ongoing sectional competitions this week are held in Jamestown, Salt Lake City and Fort Collins, Colo.

"This is an event that U.S. Figure skating awards to a different city and club every year," Ms. Handley said, adding that the arena and Jamestown Skating Club have hosted a North Atlantic regional competition as well as the Junior National finals. She said a great deal of champion skating talent has come through the doors of the arena.

"We have a history here of really high level skating in Jamestown," she said. "There have been a lot of skaters from the Jamestown Skating Club that have gone on to compete on the national and international level."

Along with the continued support of veteran coaches Lenel van den Berg and Kirk Wyse, she thanked the local volunteers that continue to support these types of event.

Outside the arena, Ms. handley predicted increased business in hotels and restaurants to accommodate as many as 1,000 downtown visitors. She added "they should recognize that they may be serving an Olympic champion."

With the competition schedule under way, longtime skating judge and chief referee Lucy Brennan said the local downtown facility offers a level of convenience that is not always present at other venues. She said other competitions require commutes between multiple rinks and lodging.

"This is a wonderful facility to be in because both rinks are identical in shape and ice surface," she said. "It is easy to plan a schedule for a sectional because you can use the other rink for practice."

A resident of New York City, she said she has been to similar competitive events in Jamestown on three occasions.

A schedule of practices and competitive events at chautauquaice.com.