Saturday, November 28, 2015

New York Daily News Quotes Me and President Obama About Garrett Swasey's Death

I am quoted in the same article as President Obama! I do feel honored to have known Garrett Swasey so well. 




Police Officer Garrett Swasey's Death in the Local Colorado Springs News

My friend Karen Kight and I were on tonight's Saturday 11-28-15 KRDO local TV news talking about Police Office Garrett Swasey...there's a short clip of my daughter Annabelle doing a back spin on this news clip too...those of us who knew Garrett are in total shock...

Remembering Garrett Swasey - Killed in Senseless Shooting in Colorado Springs

I couldn't sleep on the night of November 27, 2015 when I found out that Garrett Swasey was the police officer killed in the senseless shooting in Colorado Springs at the Planned Parenthood Clinic. I was up until 2:00 AM writing out my memories of Garrett.

Enjoy reading my memories and tribute to him at the links below:

Hugs to all of us who knew him, skated and coached with him,and laughed with him.

I remember him holding my baby Annabelle sixteen years ago while I was teaching skating lessons at the Ice Arena at Chapel Hills Mall in Colorado Springs.

Garrett is mentioned in my book, MY SKATING LIFE: 50 Plus Years of Skating, when I talk about the magical Plaza Ice Chalet that was once in downtown Colorado Springs.





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 More About Garrett Swasey in the News:

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Thanksgiving Day 2015 - Why I am Thankful for Skating!

(Below is the text from a blog post I wrote for Rainbo Sports especially for Thanksgiving 2013. It's appropriate to share today, Thanksgiving Day 2015!)


Why Are You Thankful for Figure Skating?

Are you thankful for skating? I am.

I am thankful that I can put on a pair of ice skates and glide across a piece of ice. Only others who skate can explain what that feels like, but it is a wonderful feeling, and I'm thankful for it.

I am thankful that I have friends from all over the world because of figure skating. Figure skaters and ice skating fans of all ages and backgrounds seem to magically connect. This always astounds me.

I am thankful that so many members of my family can skate. Recently I went skating with my dad, but I also get to enjoy skating with my children, husband, brother, sister, and nieces and nephews. Families that skate together are fortunate since quality time can be spent together doing something fun.

I am thankful that there are so many ice rinks. Ice skating can be done year-round and worldwide. How cool is that?

I am thankful that skating can be done by people of all ages and throughout life. I am one of the "lucky ones" who began skating as a child. Although many people may consider ice skating a youth sport, there are many adults who skate seriously and love to skate.

I am thankful that skating puts smiles on faces. 

Next time you go to the ice rink, notice all the laughter and smiling that goes on. Whether it is spinning, jumping, a turn, or just being able to hold an edge or do a crossover, the challenges and rewards skating brings to one's life are pricelesss.

I'm thankful that so many wonderful figure skaters and coaches have contributed to our sport throughout history.

It is amazing to see the beautiful and incredible skating that today's ice dancers, pair skaters, synchronized skaters, and single skaters do, but also the skaters of the past also did marvelous things.

Are you thankful for figure skating and why do you like to skate? Have you experienced joy from our wonderful sport? Share your joy with others and Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Skating!

Further Reading:

Sunday, November 15, 2015

Family Is Everything When You are Skating and Traveling and On the Road

From November 8 to November 14, my dad and I went to Washington State to visit my cousin and her family and also see my son Joel.  The Disney On Ice Frozen show was in Kent, Washington.  It was a really special visit since Joel got to get to know his cousins and we also went skating together and we spent a lot of time with my cousin Cheri and her son, Josh, and her grand-daughter Lexi, and Cheri's husband, Tim.




















 

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Another Day at the Ice Skating Office 11-11-15

My son Joel is off to just another "day at the office" with Disney On Ice: Frozen!



Annabelle Skates at The Sky Rink in Chelsea Piers! 11-12-15

Annabelle saved her pennies and is visiting her friends in NYC this week. Today she skated a freesty;e at the Sky Rink!  She says she met one person that read my book and another person who reads my articles when she was at the rink!


Visit to Sno-King Ice Arena

I'm in the midst of doing a tour and visiting and skating at different skating rinks in the USA and in Canada. Here's the sumary of my visit to Sno-King Ice in Renton, Washington.









Space Needle!

One of the perks of skating in Disney On Ice: Frozen for my son Joel, is the site-seeing he gets to do. While the show was in the Puget Sound Seattle area, I visited Joel and we went to the famous Space Needle!


Saturday, November 7, 2015

Great Skating Memories!

This is a photo of the inside of my locker in the coaches room at Sertich Ice Center. I've had that locker since 1994! Take a look at the memories inside. I taught skating while I was pregnant and until the day before each of my children were born. I may miss looking inside this locker at these happy memories if my family really does move away from Colorado Springs.


Also....

I look so tall! I realized today how much I like teaching hockey skating skills...I think I may like teaching hockey better than figure skating....and...the boys listen to me and like my teaching style and when they are little kids, they are even shorter than me! I've taught hockey skills and power skating since 1998 and I began teaching figure skating in 1983.