Where Are These Artistic Skaters Now?

[1.flatwheel]

I would like to know how some of the past greats are doing and what there up too.. any one know...

[rwsz]

Originally Posted by 1.flatwheel

I would like to know how some of the past greats are doing and what there up too.. any one know...

what year do you want to start at,,,,not sure how far back we can go. many of the skaters from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s are coaching now. wouldnt know where to start with this question. some of the recent world champions, past 10 years are working, married, have kids and doing well.

Rick

[rolaboi]

lets just say the answer for many of them will be simply... 'disappeared'...

seriously, that is part of the problem with our sport, so many of the 'greats' just fall off the planet after they come and blow us away with their amazing talent... and very few fail to continue to take it any further and continue on with a 'normal life'.. and there's nothing wrong with that, its just a shame b/c if 1 in every 2 world medalist' would stick around and work within the sport in some way, shape or form, we could raise the profile enormously and gain so much more from these athletes to pass on to others...

one of the saddest things about that also is, that many of the younger skaters grow up in the sport without knowing or working alongside a 'champion' etc.. and lacks that 'drive' to go the extra mile knowing that their coach or fellow skater has been to worlds, won a medal and achieved their goal...

My all time hero when I was 13 was Tim McGuire, he was the first world champion I knew of via videos... I tracked down his mailing address, wrote him a letter and he responded, a great inspirational piece that drove me beyond my wildest dreams.... it was a turning point for me and my next dream was to meet him.. He retired after that very world meet and was never to be seen again..

The closest I came to meeting him was at the world meet in 1992 when his former coach, Bev Schien, was there working with Tracy Black and I ran up to her saying how in awe I was of Tim and how I had modelled every single jump element I did on his technique (thank you God!)....

so there we go..

[rwsz]

Originally Posted by rolaboi

lets just say the answer for many of them will be simply... 'disappeared'...

seriously, that is part of the problem with our sport, so many of the 'greats' just fall off the planet after they come and blow us away with their amazing talent... and very few fail to continue to take it any further and continue on with a 'normal life'.. and there's nothing wrong with that, its just a shame b/c if 1 in every 2 world medalist' would stick around and work within the sport in some way, shape or form, we could raise the profile enormously and gain so much more from these athletes to pass on to others...

one of the saddest things about that also is, that many of the younger skaters grow up in the sport without knowing or working alongside a 'champion' etc.. and lacks that 'drive' to go the extra mile knowing that their coach or fellow skater has been to worlds, won a medal and achieved their goal...

My all time hero when I was 13 was Tim McGuire, he was the first world champion I knew of via videos... I tracked down his mailing address, wrote him a letter and he responded, a great inspirational piece that drove me beyond my wildest dreams.... it was a turning point for me and my next dream was to meet him.. He retired after that very world meet and was never to be seen again..

The closest I came to meeting him was at the world meet in 1992 when his former coach, Bev Schien, was there working with Tracy Black and I ran up to her saying how in awe I was of Tim and how I had modelled every single jump element I did on his technique (thank you God!)....

so there we go..

Jayson you picked a good skater to copy, as he was a technician. i have only seen videos of Tim and he was good and ahead of his time for sure. wow another name from the past,,,,,Tracy Black a good guy that worked hard and long to finally make the world team at the end of his skating career.

Rick

[rolaboi]

Tracy was a nice guy, and he snuck in to second position after the short program in that same year! hahaa... damn, where was I?? I always placed low in the short and came up from behind (no pun)... yeh, think I was 6th, yep.. i was.. skated second to last and ended up 2nd behind Heath and in front of Eric.... ahhhh `92, my all time favourite skating year!

[rwsz]

Originally Posted by rolaboi

Tracy was a nice guy, and he snuck in to second position after the short program in that same year! hahaa... damn, where was I?? I always placed low in the short and came up from behind (no pun)... yeh, think I was 6th, yep.. i was.. skated second to last and ended up 2nd behind Heath and in front of Eric.... ahhhh `92, my all time favourite skating year!

so u liked 92 with a silver better then the 2 gold years Jayson, thats interesting. i think that was Erics first time on the team and he was very young then. still young compared to me lol. sounds like the short program was your nemesis. but you sure came through in the long. have a good one.

Rick

[Kathie Fry]

what year do you want to start at,,,,not sure how far back we can go. many of the skaters from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s are coaching now

Maybe we could start by looking at some of the world champions from the past - the ones who are still in skating and the ones who did not stay with it. I would love to learn more about any of the gold medal winners from the past.

- Kathie

[1.flatwheel]

Paul Price , Tina Knistley
I know one of the Jerue has twins and still live in orange county
But I dont know which one.
And her partner pairs partner work for some large casino in Las V.
Arushia or some thing like that...
Jeff Brabrant is still skating and hosts a disco event in Canada is married to the Green girl who was a dancer.
Wendy Prosser
Monneypenny
Goble U.S. Dance and world champs
and the list goes on.....
Jim Brea still lives in southern cali and there was a pic floating around of him
I really liked him in Roller Boogie.. I just had to buy that dvd.. like his solo I think he skated to that at the Golden Skate ..

[Bill]

I saw Trey Knight (Gold in Dance 1991?) on "America's Got Talent" a few months ago. He was doing Dancing on Stilts. He's been in a few films skating and acting. He calls the rink up a few times when he hears of parts for skaters.

[1.flatwheel]

see now we're gettin the wheels rollin..

[rolaboi]

Originally Posted by Bill

I saw Trey Knight (Gold in Dance 1991?) on "America's Got Talent" a few months ago. He was doing Dancing on Stilts. He's been in a few films skating and acting. He calls the rink up a few times when he hears of parts for skaters.

Trey was actually in Sydney `91 watching worlds.. that was the first time I met him.. He came along in `92 to watch as well, then made the team `93, 94 and won in 1995 with Kyoko..

[rolaboi]

Originally Posted by 1.flatwheel

Paul Price , Tina Knistley
I know one of the Jerue has twins and still live in orange county
But I dont know which one.
And her partner pairs partner work for some large casino in Las V.
Arushia or some thing like that...
Jeff Brabrant is still skating and hosts a disco event in Canada is married to the Green girl who was a dancer.
Wendy Prosser
Monneypenny
Goble U.S. Dance and world champs
and the list goes on.....
Jim Brea still lives in southern cali and there was a pic floating around of him
I really liked him in Roller Boogie.. I just had to buy that dvd.. like his solo I think he skated to that at the Golden Skate ..

Tina Kneisley - ahhhhhhhhhh the goddess of the early 80's and the clean triple/double axel origianale!!! Tina was amazing, and is still possibly the greatest female skater on the planet (alongside Romano) in terms of 'skating ability'.. You could not take your eyes off Tina when she skated, her FEET were amazing and she could SKATE... forget the jumps/spins, this girl could SKATE.. the true meaning of a gem..

John Arishita - he was last seen by me anyway, back in 1993 at the Oceania championships in Sydney, he was coaching Autumn .... amazing pairs skater along with Tammy Jerue, they were the gateway 'original pairs' skating.. They invented so many different things that are just common place now, they should be hall of fame royalty... along with Price/Kneisley.. (America's greatest athletes)

Jeff B came out to Aust a few times to coach up in Brisbane.. He skated worlds in 83, 84 from memory.. seemed like a good guy, never met him, watched him on video lots tho.

Wendy Prosser, a name I want forget b/c she always did her double flip and lutz by taking off from her right skate wheels, not the toe! well it sure as hell looked like it on video and everyone used to say it was true!! But still have the video from Texas worlds 83 and I can tell ya now, it looks like it 100%

JIM BRAY - omg! I watched ROLLER BOOGIE like every day when i was 13, I now have it on DVD and its classic! Any skater should have this movie! Get it off Amazon! Jim was cool as, I met him in `83 when he came here for a promo tour for the movie and did demos out at a rink in Melbourne (ok so I just said hi!) haha.. but yeh, he was like Rollerskatings original and only movie star!! Go Jim...

As for 'Goble?'.. you may have mean David Golub & Angie Famiano - world champs in 83, 84.. LOVED THEM TO DEATH! David also taught in Australia at the rink I trained at back in 85, 86.. he was fun! And I met with Angie at world last year in Rome, she was working with the US team, great to see!

[Ozisk8tr]

Tom Moneypenny has done the German production of "Starlight Express" a couple of times. I worked in 95 with him there.

[pacificsk8r]

I would like to give credit where credit is due. Yes, Tammy and John were great pairs skaters, along with many other skaters who were coached by the "infamous" Jim Pringle. So I'd like to give their coaches an atta boy.

I think a lot of credit can also be shared by the great coaches of these fantastic skaters. I skated for Pringle back in the 60's, a short stint in the 80's and for the past couple years. I skated at the same rink when Dennis Collier and Karen Marshall, coached by Pringle, as well as many other great skaters like Arishta and Jerue in the 80's. So, I've had many excellent skaters to watch growing up and thereafter. I also recall names like Sylvia Hafke, David Tassinari, Diane Kern and Darlene Barile (my competition). Also, one of my favorites growing up who skated in the division above me was Linda Hawthorne, Calif. I'm sure I could come up with many more given more time.

I'd also like to give a big kudos to my first coach Jim Pollard. He's a great person who has coached many champions. He had to endure a lot of skate banging tantrums from me back in "the day" , heh, heh.

[rolaboi]

OMG for the first time I've been stumped by a few names! in that last post! oh boy!!! every name ever mentioned on here I've been "yeh, i know them - they are great".. but in your post (pacificsk8r) you caught me out! I'd love to know more... who were: David Tassinari, Diane Kern, Darlene Barile & Linda Hawthorne... Sylvia Hafke, wonderful! we all know and love her. .she also invented the 'invterted camel' spin... god love her, my favourite spin of all time...

yeh, tom moneypenny (hi Tony) won in 87 from memory.. hmmm I could be wrong there! not sure... I didnt really know him, just of him..

as for Jim Pringle, yes.. great coach and he has been to Australia a few times also..

[rwsz]

Originally Posted by rolaboi

OMG for the first time I've been stumped by a few names! in that last post! oh boy!!! every name ever mentioned on here I've been "yeh, i know them - they are great".. but in your post (pacificsk8r) you caught me out! I'd love to know more... who were: David Tassinari, Diane Kern, Darlene Barile & Linda Hawthorne... Sylvia Hafke, wonderful! we all know and love her. .she also invented the 'invterted camel' spin... god love her, my favourite spin of all time...

yeh, tom moneypenny (hi Tony) won in 87 from memory.. hmmm I could be wrong there! not sure... I didnt really know him, just of him..

as for Jim Pringle, yes.. great coach and he has been to Australia a few times also..

i almost miss read your post Jayson and thought u didnt know Sylvia Haffkle, yes she invented the invertert and i also thought the heel and broken ankle. she actually coached at my x rink a few years and Derick the year he took 2nd at nationals in junior men,,,Eric worked and coached him too that year.

David Tassinari is here from Mass and goes way back skating when Sylvia was around, he did singles, fours, dance and it all. he is coaching in the area now and retired from a teaching career. I heard of Diane Kern but dont know the others myself.

Rick

[booman]

April Allen was one of my favorite skaters. She is someone i will always remember. i have seen many tapes of past world championships and all i can say is that there will never be another April Allen. No one has ever had her beauty grace and elegance that she packaged on the floor. i do think the men are far more impressive than when i skated singles during my yrs at nationals in senior men - but the women do not have the strength and ability from our generation. one a different note - Royce Miller passed away about 4 wks ago.

[Ozisk8tr]

I loved Linda List and her double Boekl, and that great outer forward camel to inside back camel with a swoop type move on the change of edge. And how about those lashes!

[rolaboi]

For anyone who was at NZ worlds in 1981, yes.. they would have gotten to see Linda Lyst and her double boeckle (however u spell it).. thank god we dont see too many of them now! they are so ugly!!!! speaking of `81 worlds...

bring out the names of the fab ones:

BILLY RICHARDSON / HOLLY VALANTE
TINA / PAUL
ELENA BONATI
MICHELE BISERNI
RICK MONTURO
TIM McGUIRE
MICHAEL BUTZKE

just a few of my faves from that year...

[smiller03]

Originally Posted by 1.flatwheel

Jim Brea still lives in southern cali and there was a pic floating around of him
I really liked him in Roller Boogie.. I just had to buy that dvd.. like his solo I think he skated to that at the Golden Skate ..

Jim Bray does not skate anymore. There are no rinks where he is living.