Top figure skaters train in Siouxland
By Joanne Fox Journal staff writer | Posted: Thursday, August 02, 2007
Pairs figure skaters Jon Nuss of Colorado Springs and Jessica Rose Paetsch of Denver practice a lift at the All Seasons Center in Sioux Center, Iowa. (Staff photo by Tim Hynds)
SIOUX CENTER, Iowa -- Outside was hot, a humid 88-degree, bright day.
Inside was cool and brisk, and the reflection off the ice was just as bright.
More than 20 U.S. figure skating elite athletes are taking their turns on the ice at the All Seasons Center in Sioux Center this week. Pairs teams, including the 2007 world junior champions, are the guests of the center and the community of Sioux Center, taking advantage of "ice time" and training for upcoming competition.
On Monday, Trudy Oltmanns of Sergeant Bluff sat on a ledge that surrounds the rink, her eyes darting from skater to skater. The Siouxland Silver Blades director and coach for the past 10 years offered suggestions to those who approached her.
"Nice and tight," she said, gesturing with her hands close to her chest. "Keep those hands tight in the loop."
As quickly as one skater glided away, another pair successfully accomplished a throw triple loop, and Oltmanns and fans in the stands broke into appreciative applause.
"Lovely, just lovely," Oltmanns said.
Oltmanns explained that the skaters had lost their ice time in the Colorado Springs World Arena because the State Games of America was using all the space, including the ice. When the skating coach realized their need, she approached the folks at All Seasons Center, and they donated the use of the ice rink for the athletes.
"I've worked with their coach, Dalilah Sappenfield," Oltmanns said. "She thinks the All Seasons Center is just beautiful and said she couldn't believe something like this facility is in Iowa."
Exhibiting control, grace and poise beyond their teenage years, the skaters spun, leaped and moved effortlessly across the ice. Some mirrored each other precisely in breathtaking side-by-side elements.
Sappenfield was on the ice with the young skaters as Oltmanns remained on the ledge.
"Much, much, much, much better!" Oltmanns insisted softly, never raising her voice over the blare of the music.
With her hands and subtle body language, Oltmanns illustrated what a skater needed to correct.
But the skaters are still kids and, well, kids will be kids. There was laughing out loud and pushing and wrestling around a bit between stopping to catch their breath or take a swig of water. But then they quickly returned to the serious work of landing the moves and running through a routine.
In the background the music was as versatile as Beatles tunes, Bon Jovi's "Bad Medicine" and a Mannheim Steamroller medley of "Carol of the Bells," which was the most appropriate for the wintery setting.
Among the skaters is Jon Nuss, 20, of Colorado Springs and his partner, Jessica Rose Paetsch, 14, of Denver. They are preparing for an upcoming competition in Indianapolis and Lake Placid, N.Y.
"I wanted to play hockey, but I couldn't skate. So my mom signed me up for learn-to-skate classes," Nuss confessed about his introduction to ice skating, adding, "and I decided I would keep with figure skating."
"I just took to it immediately," Paetsch said.
The pair have been skating for almost three years, and in 2006 were the novice U.S. National champions and in 2007 the junior U.S. National bronze medalists.
"It's so much fun!" Nuss insisted of his continued association with figure skating. "I can't imagine not skating with Jess."
Neither skater was interested in a solo approach.
"Pairs is better," Paetsch said. "It's great to be doing different things with a partner. It's not as stressful."
"I tried it for a while and it wasn't for me," Nuss said about skating solo. "With a partner, the pressure isn't all on one person."
Nuss and Paetsch have set a goal of competing in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. They've even developed a signature move to catch the judges' eyes.
"It's called an inverted star," Nuss explained. "I lift Jess over my head, grab her behind the back ..."
"And I lay back over and look up at the ceiling," Paetsch interjected. "We took it real slow to when we first started but have it down pretty well now."
Also on the ice were Oltmanns' daughter, Olivia, 10, and her partner, Tyler Broderick, who lives just outside St. Joseph, Mo., but practices in Sioux City.
"This is such a great opportunity for them to work with this level of competitor," said Oltmanns, referring specifically to Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker, who won the world junior pairs championship during the World Juniors held earlier this year in Oberstdorf, Germany.
There's more!
Training sessions for the skaters will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Friday at the All Seasons Center, 770 Seventh St. NE, Sioux Center, Iowa. The public is welcome to attend and watch the skaters practice.
The figure skaters will perform a free, public exhibition from 7 to 8 p.m. Friday.
For more information on the skaters, call the center at (712) 722-4386. For more information on the Silver Blades, call Oltmanns at (712) 722-4386.
Inside was cool and brisk, and the reflection off the ice was just as bright.
More than 20 U.S. figure skating elite athletes are taking their turns on the ice at the All Seasons Center in Sioux Center this week. Pairs teams, including the 2007 world junior champions, are the guests of the center and the community of Sioux Center, taking advantage of "ice time" and training for upcoming competition.
On Monday, Trudy Oltmanns of Sergeant Bluff sat on a ledge that surrounds the rink, her eyes darting from skater to skater. The Siouxland Silver Blades director and coach for the past 10 years offered suggestions to those who approached her.
"Nice and tight," she said, gesturing with her hands close to her chest. "Keep those hands tight in the loop."
As quickly as one skater glided away, another pair successfully accomplished a throw triple loop, and Oltmanns and fans in the stands broke into appreciative applause.
"Lovely, just lovely," Oltmanns said.
Oltmanns explained that the skaters had lost their ice time in the Colorado Springs World Arena because the State Games of America was using all the space, including the ice. When the skating coach realized their need, she approached the folks at All Seasons Center, and they donated the use of the ice rink for the athletes.
"I've worked with their coach, Dalilah Sappenfield," Oltmanns said. "She thinks the All Seasons Center is just beautiful and said she couldn't believe something like this facility is in Iowa."
Exhibiting control, grace and poise beyond their teenage years, the skaters spun, leaped and moved effortlessly across the ice. Some mirrored each other precisely in breathtaking side-by-side elements.
Sappenfield was on the ice with the young skaters as Oltmanns remained on the ledge.
"Much, much, much, much better!" Oltmanns insisted softly, never raising her voice over the blare of the music.
With her hands and subtle body language, Oltmanns illustrated what a skater needed to correct.
But the skaters are still kids and, well, kids will be kids. There was laughing out loud and pushing and wrestling around a bit between stopping to catch their breath or take a swig of water. But then they quickly returned to the serious work of landing the moves and running through a routine.
In the background the music was as versatile as Beatles tunes, Bon Jovi's "Bad Medicine" and a Mannheim Steamroller medley of "Carol of the Bells," which was the most appropriate for the wintery setting.
Among the skaters is Jon Nuss, 20, of Colorado Springs and his partner, Jessica Rose Paetsch, 14, of Denver. They are preparing for an upcoming competition in Indianapolis and Lake Placid, N.Y.
"I wanted to play hockey, but I couldn't skate. So my mom signed me up for learn-to-skate classes," Nuss confessed about his introduction to ice skating, adding, "and I decided I would keep with figure skating."
"I just took to it immediately," Paetsch said.
The pair have been skating for almost three years, and in 2006 were the novice U.S. National champions and in 2007 the junior U.S. National bronze medalists.
"It's so much fun!" Nuss insisted of his continued association with figure skating. "I can't imagine not skating with Jess."
Neither skater was interested in a solo approach.
"Pairs is better," Paetsch said. "It's great to be doing different things with a partner. It's not as stressful."
"I tried it for a while and it wasn't for me," Nuss said about skating solo. "With a partner, the pressure isn't all on one person."
Nuss and Paetsch have set a goal of competing in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. They've even developed a signature move to catch the judges' eyes.
"It's called an inverted star," Nuss explained. "I lift Jess over my head, grab her behind the back ..."
"And I lay back over and look up at the ceiling," Paetsch interjected. "We took it real slow to when we first started but have it down pretty well now."
Also on the ice were Oltmanns' daughter, Olivia, 10, and her partner, Tyler Broderick, who lives just outside St. Joseph, Mo., but practices in Sioux City.
"This is such a great opportunity for them to work with this level of competitor," said Oltmanns, referring specifically to Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker, who won the world junior pairs championship during the World Juniors held earlier this year in Oberstdorf, Germany.
There's more!
Training sessions for the skaters will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Friday at the All Seasons Center, 770 Seventh St. NE, Sioux Center, Iowa. The public is welcome to attend and watch the skaters practice.
The figure skaters will perform a free, public exhibition from 7 to 8 p.m. Friday.
For more information on the skaters, call the center at (712) 722-4386. For more information on the Silver Blades, call Oltmanns at (712) 722-4386.
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